Ride With The Big Dogs

I'm not calling these riders dogs, but if they were, they would be fierce. And the ride was fierce, too. It was long for long's sake. It was intense and demanding. All the crazy stuff that makes weaker riders cringe or pass. Trains, balloons, bikes, cars, music, flotation devices, loud music, disrespectful drivers and bikers. All of it and more.

Steep hills, river rapids, rocks and gravel, bridges, asphalt. And trotting a long way on asphalt. I hate that, but he was game and everyone else was doing it, so we did, too. We crossed busy roads and stopped traffic.

There were nine of us, and we had not ridden with any of these folks before. I've met some, partied with a couple of them in the past, but never rode with them. Honestly, I don't know if we'd ride with them again. I think I'd want to, but would they want to ride with us.

The destination was a restaurant in Baltimore county, near Catonsville on Frederick Road. We're nuts, right? The horses were glad for the rest in the shade.

No one fell off, no one had a freak out, we all kept it together. I have a deep scratch on my right shoulder from a branch, my arms are scratched up from branches, too, and I have two blue/purple bruises on my left leg.

The ride clocked in at about 18.6 miles, from 10:30 to 5:30pm. Plus, it was hot.