Finally managed to get to a Waterford factory ride. It has taken us 3 years of plotting to get there--if we haven't been busy, the rain has fallen. Rain was predicted the night before but we woke up to only a 20% chance.

So, off we rode the 25 miles to the plant in a moderate fog. The ride was supposed to be 50 miles so a century day was in the works...well, sort of.

The Waterford factory puts on a couple of rides every year. One of the local bike clubs hosts for the ride insurance. The factory gives a tour where you get to see all of the pretty bikes, both nekkid and painted versions, and Richard Schwinn provides awesome roadside SAG service from the back of his car.

The 50 mile route was bumped up to 60 miles and rerouted away from the flat farmland the area is known for and up and over every hill in the neighborhood including a gruesome 15% grade. Given that we started out way too hard, we clipped the final leg and headed home, getting in a too quick 93 miles for the day.

But, it was fun. I'd guess about 100 riders with maybe 1/2 riding Waterfords. Some really pretty machines that made my beauty almost, but not quite, look plain.