On Sunday I participated in the largest recreational bike ride in the country, the Five Boro Bike Tour. It’s 42 miles through the five boroughs of NY (hence the name) and about 35,000 people come out to take the ride.
Several people asked me questions about the ride. Are we riding for charity? How long does it take and are we going to beat our time from last year?
To be honest, this is something I do just for the fun of it.
Since we’re on year three, we’ve developed a routine. One of the great things is that I get to spend time with my friend Joe, a friendship that’s spanned about 28 years now.The night before we go out for our favorite Fairway turkey burgers with avocado & cheese. We treated ourselves to dessert (since we knew we’d be biking 42 miles the next day). And although we have always had almost identical taste in food, Joe opted for chocolate ice cream and I went for the cupcake.
But wait it’s not about the food, the real fun is the ride itself. There is a TON of energy, riders of all ages, crazy outfits (like the gal who rides every year in pumps and fish nets), people cheering us on from the sidelines, gospel singers in Harlem and more.
Two of our teammates, Tim & Chip, make it a point of trying to say hello, and if possible, high five, every bystander. I’m not kidding! I told them we are now not only the Checkered Flag Team but Team Congeniality as well. It’s so much fun to see them try to connect with as many people as possible. I tried as to join in as much as possible, but was careful to avoid getting high-fived right off of my bike!
The weather was gorgeous, the atmosphere is electric, the gang I ride with is fun and crazy. It’s all just for the fun of it.
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| The 2011 Checkered Flag Team |