Tell us about your best ride of the year

[Bike Writer]

I'll start, mine was yesterday and it had all the elements of what I like most about cycling

.

• exploring new territory
• discovery
• fun fun fun
• great biking weather
• adventure
• challenge

I smiled so much my face hurt.

I posted a video on YouTube of some BMX bikers that were having fun on the Dirt Bike Jump Course that was off to the side of the path in Ann Arbor, the link can be found http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6_meILI8XQ here.

[Becky]

Sounds like a great day!

I dunno if this one is my best of the year, but it's recent and I had a blast. DH and I met some friends in PA to ride a trail system near my parents' house. It was much rockier than anything we have in DE, and I was a little anxious that I wouldn't be able to hack it. My fears were for naught- my skills have improved enough that I did really well. I walked a few unanticipated obstacles and steeeeeeeep hills, but I was nailing rocks and small drops, and having such a good time

I can't wait to go back there!

[jessmarimba]

Last Friday on the recumbent stationary bike at physical therapy! All ten minutes


Besides that, I had a beautiful ride out in Uncompaghre National Forest back in June - perfect weather, gorgeous aspens and pine trees and desert landscapes all in one ride.

Oh and a beautiful ride somewhere by Missoula on an awesome demo bike. I don't think I've ever gone that fast before, up OR down.

And I'm very proud because I didn't get lost on either ride despite having maps with outdated trail numbers. Yay!

[marni]

the best ride all year is the one that I just finished and the next one will be even better. There is always something to love.

marni

[DarcyInOregon]

The good rides are so numerous they blur together in my memory. However the Rides from Hell I can remember in vivid detail and the exact dates.

[crazycanuck]

Whenever i get to ride new singletrack without pea gravel!

On Wed a friend & I went n found the state champs trail...oooooooo....sweeeeet...

[Catrin]

What Marni and Darcy said - they are all fantastic! The painful ones do seem to stick in the memory a little longer...

That being said, a club ride I did this summer in southern Indiana comes to mind. It was the Southern Tour? Can't remember the actual name but IndySteel was one of the ride leaders. I was dropped, by everyone, in something like 3.2 nanoseconds, and I arrived at the last SAG stop 45 minutes behind everyone else....however...

The route was beautiful, the roads in almost perfect condition, I made it up ALL of the hills (outside of a hill where my chain fell off the front), it wasn't too hot and I didn't bonk.

I didn't actually complete the ride, I allowed the SAG vehicle to give me a ride for the last 4-5 miles as I had already been on the bike for 5.5 hours (something like that) and was tiring. It was a great ride though!

Then there was this other ride... they are all great

[indysteel]

Awwww; I'm flattered, Catrin. I'm glad you liked the ride so much. I'm partial to that route myself. We'll do it again next year, so I hope you can make it.

My best ride was Day Two of the Horsey Hundred. Admittedly, this hasn't been my best year on the bike. Between some injuries, life events, a busy schedule, overly hot weather and a host of other things, I don't always feel great on my bike. I felt good on the second day of the Horsey though. It's one of my favorite routes through the rolling hills of Kentucky. There's one stretch of road that is just roller upon roller as far as the eye can see. I remeber getting into a great rhythm on just cruising over them.

I did the ride alone. I really like riding alone at event rides. It's the best of both worlds IMO. As much as I love riding with DH or friends, there's just something about being alone on the road. Just me and my bike.

[redrhodie]

The day I rode through the flock of birds at the bird sanctuary was really magical. They were tiny, and there were thousands of them. Flying through on my bike, I felt like one of them.

[azfiddle]

My most memorable ride this year (so far) is the day I rode on Mt. St. Helens. My husband and I went on a 2 week road trip together, and got to meet several on-line friends in person. One of them took us Mt. St. Helens. My DH and I took turns riding and moving the car, but I got to ride about 2/3 of the time. It was absolutely stunning scenery and perfect weather. The route had long climbs and some exhilarating descents. Reminders of the volcanic eruption were everywhere, and we enjoyed the view and displays at the visitor center at the top. It was great to enjoy the company of our friend, who was so familiar with the area. But every ride seems to have special moments, and I am trying hard to appreciate being "in the moment" this year.

[missjulied]

Mine was renting cruiser bikes and riding around Versailles when the Mr. and I were in Paris last month. Perfect summer weather, lovely scenery. It ended up being my favorite day of my whole European vacation.

[hebe]

What lovely snapshots of perfect rides

I think I'm still in single figures for solo rides. I think the best was doing that bridleway this week and making it up part of each of the hills. Definitely for making it down, that was so cool! The one when I rode past a stationary Porsche without panicking and riding into it was a close second. But I'd do every single ride again, even the less satisfying ones because every single ride taught me something new.

[Crankin]

I think my favorite ride this year was the first 50 mile ride of the year I did in June. It was a club ride where I rode to the leader's house in Lincoln (8 miles), and we headed back through Concord, onto very familiar roads. Since most of the riders in the group live nearer to the city and had no idea where they were, I stayed up front and helped with the human arrowing. I felt strong and fast. When they got near the lunch stop, it was clear that 50 riders would not fit into the place the leader had made a reservation at, I decided to leave and ride home. Even though it was like 1:00 and I was starving, I flew the last 9 miles, and even went past my street and into my neighborhood an alternate way, so I would get my 50.
I also learned of a cut through that goes through the Cysco Systems campus, that avoids one of the steepest hills around here. I've used that street a few times this year, and on July 4th, DH and I replicated this ride.

[AppleTree]

So many this year, but one of the most beautiful was the Skagit Valley Spring Classic this past May. Beautiful weather, beautiful scenery, quiet roads. (And not TOO many hills!) I came to realize I could probably add a few more miles to my average speed if I didn't stop every 15 minutes to enjoy the scenery and take pictures! But I can't help it. It was a great ride! Hopefully still a few more to come this year too.

[buffybike]

Today's ride was great b/c it was the longest ride I've done completely alone (67 miles). I was riding past cotton fields, old plantations, crumbling barns, horse and dairy farms...rural South at its best. My most exhilerating ride this year, however was with my husband on the Pacific Coast Highway from Cannon Beach, OR to Manzanita, OR. The scenery was just gorgeous and the hills were really challenging. Beating him on the way back against major headwinds just made it that much sweeter.