Tell us about your best ride of the year

[featuretile]

Today was a great ride. The sun was out (after a summer of fog), the temp was about 65. I rode with a friend who is about the same speed as me, instead of trying to keep up with the faster riders. Instead of burning out after 30 miles, I felt great after 47 miles!

We rode along the Pacific Coast from Marina, through Monterey, to Pebble Beach Golf Course on the 17 Mile Dr. (famous place). They pay about $400 to look at the same views and golf there. I get to go for free. It is about a 45 minute drive from my house and well worth it. Today it felt like they turned the color on - the ocean was turquoise, the breeze felt like an air conditioner, the ice plant on the dunes was red and green. It was just gorgeous. Most of the ride is bike path or the road has a shoulder. I feel so lucky to live here.

[Bike Chick]

I don't think I've ridden it yet I've been training for triathlons all year and now that the season is over, I'm looking forward to some casual charity rides in the coming weeks. Haven't done one all year.

[Jaclyn]

this past Sunday (10-10-10). We were married outside along the river, and then invited our family and friends to bicycle with us on our first ride as husband and wife.

We'd put bicycle bells in the favor bags, and five guests had screwdrivers to help install them while the photographer finished our photo's. Then we rode a short, slow ride to the sounds of "Daisy Bell" on a vintage Schwinn Twin tandem we'd restored.

The ride route was just off familiar territory to most of us, so our guests were surprised by the old mill with paddle wheel, the winding lake, and the peaceful setting. Oh, and may I mention that it was the warmest October day in memory (85 degrees in northwest Ohio)?

Every ride for me is memorable and beautiful in its own way ... but I was thrilled to have so many people join us on this special day. There was some concern about hairdo's under helmets, what to wear, etc ... but in the end, I think everyone had a wonderful time.

And our young grandson was so proud that he was first back, beating the Ironman and Cat I racers who were among our guests!

[sandra]

awwwww, I'd love to see pictures! Congratulations and may you have many happy years of married life ....riding together along the way.

[inkspot]

Then we rode a short, slow ride to the sounds of "Daisy Bell" on a vintage Schwinn Twin tandem we'd restored.

Sounds like a perfectly wonderful day! I would love to see photos!

[Jaclyn]

I don't have photo's from the wedding yet, but a friend shot some pictures of the restored tandem a few weeks earlier. I'll post a photo or two of the entire wedding party on bikes when I get them. There were 50+ who joined us with the remaining 30 or so enjoying the fall trees along the river.

[sandra]

Oh that's gorgeous! I can't wait to see the other pictures!

[Jaclyn]

My husband and I met at a charity bicycle ride - and our first date was on our bikes. So when we started to plan our DIY wedding, we knew it would have a bicycle theme.

So here's a few shots of my best ride of the year - my wedding day. Most of our 85 guests rode with us on our "first ride as husband and wife." We'd restored the vintage Schwinn Twin tandem.

Favor bags for our guests included red bicycle bells, the lyrics to "Daisy Bell," his (Cliff) and her (Luna) bars, bicycle wine charms, packets of daisy seeds and much more all in hand stamped bags with his, her or tandem bikes based on the guest. And we raided our house and garden to decorate the stone hall with bicycle accessories. My best friend commissioned an artist to hand blow the red bicycle glass wine goblets (I'm a amateur glass blower).

The photographer, who was awesome and rode as stoker with a friend (her first ride on a tandem) to capture the ride photo's, has more pix at http://marywyar.com/blog/2010/10/jacqueline-mike.html