A Thursday Crowd

By Allan Edmonds

Thursday, April 1, saw both weekday training groups end up doing very similar rides in opposite directions. The OWLS left promptly at 5:44 from SOCC Parking Lot, with several of us showing up just as the main group headed out. A couple of riders stayed back to be sure the late arrivals knew the route and headed in the right direction. We all got caught up within two or three miles. Shelley was leading what the OWLS call the Old 37 - Strain Ridge Ride, of about 26 miles. Because it was just a little on the long side for so early in the season she wanted to be sure we didn't waste any daylight. We headed out to Victor Pike, down to Fluck Mill, south on Old 37 almost to Harrodsburg, then across to Strain Ridge, and from there back into town through Smithville.

Here three riders are coming into our final regrouping spot in Smithville:

And here's the lead group already waiting at the Smithville PO:

We had been quite surprised to see the other regular Tuesday-Thursday training group going the other way as we got close to Harrodsburg on Old 37. They had a good group of a dozen or more riders, well spread out over a couple of miles, doing what they call "The Thursday Night Ride," naturally enough.  I suppose that all together we had around 25 BBC riders out that evening, doing from 26-30 miles, at the beginning of April, no less. We all made it home in good fashion, but there wasn't much daylight left. I'm glad we didn't have any mechanical difficulties to slow us down along the way.

P.S. It was good to get in a longer Thursday ride, since the Saturday morning ride turned out to be rained out.