OWLS Do Pine Grove

Thanks to Daylight Savings Time the OWLS (Older or Wiser or a little bit Slower) group started its Tuesday-Thursday riding season this week.

For now we are limiting ourselves to about 20 miles. Before sunset at 7:50 it's already dimmer than I like to be out riding.

We had a nice group of 17 riders who left the parking lot promptly at 5:45 to head out to Pine Grove. We went south toward Waterworks, down the big Stip hill to the lake, then up Swartz Ridge to 446. Then down Pine Grove to the boat ramp. There we gathered for a group picture. Just then along came someone in a VW wagon with a kayak on top: It turned out to be Dave Tanner out for an evening voyage across the lake. He snapped a group photo for us. Now that I told you, you can identify Dave and his shadow and his kayak's shadow in the picture (click for larger version):

From there we headed back up Pine Grove to 446 on the second climb of the evening. After a moment to catch our breath we headed back to town on Knights Ridge Road.

Altogether 20 miles, 13.5 mph, two good climbs, two views of the lake (a bit low for so early in the season), temperature in the 70s, no mechanical difficulties, no one lost, home by 7:30. A perfect spring evening. A perfect start to the new riding season.