This past week a few VeloRaptors had a great ride from Orinda to Alamo and back via Saint Stephen’s path each way. Ruth B., a Veloraptor who visits us from abroad, graced us with her presence, and I’m pretty sure she had a good time — I mean how could she not with Larry D leading the ride?
We started at 9 am and like a lovely mountain stream, we flowed along our way in beautiful weather, even through downtown Lafayette where the drivers were actually quite nice. After we turned on Second Street, we came to the day’s first big highlight — the Halloween House. This is the place with a new and gigantic theme every year. This year it was a ghost resort complete with check in, dining room, golf, horses, etc. There was even a “just married” ghoul couple in their own sporty car. I had to cut the photo frenzy short as people would have stayed the whole day just to gawk. Besides, there were loads of other skeletons, creeps, slime balls, ghouls, monsters, etc. of all kinds along the way.
The second big highlight was “The Hill” past the Tice restrooms. I asked Diane if she was up for it. We wavered because Barbara and Ruth had already made the left turn. Right at the last second, I said, “I’m doing the hill, f—k it.” And all the others followed! We then panted and gasped our way to Danville Blvd. where we rendezvoused with B and R thanks to cell phones, IMO a really great invention.
It was getting hot, and in Alamo we roped in Krish and Martine who’d gone ahead (cell phones again), to get them back so we could all go to Alamo Peet’s which was the day’s third highlight. There we sat in the shade and yakked. Thanks to Krish, we had a great convo on the human user’s relation to A.I. We also talked about other world-shaking matters in the order of “I really like how your kit matches.” Also, thanks to Krish, our attention was drawn to the Cafe Brioche which is practically next door to Peet’s. Nice pastries and buns.
The ride back was pretty nice. It was hot, but really beautiful. There was no whining or meltdowns. And, thanks to Barbara who screamed at us across the street as we were riding by, four of us (Laurie, Ruth, Barbara, and I) stopped for ice cream at Loard’s, and just yakked more and sat a bit. (I had my usual burgundy cherry to which I am addicted. Not even pistachio keeps me from it.)
For some reason, it is always delightful to end a bike ride! And the ice cream ending was super.
-Larry D.