Yesterday was gorgeous, but all I got was 27 miles over the course of two hours, learning to ride with aerobars. An old riding mate caught up to me on the way home and we chatted for a bit, but most of my current riding mates were out doing centuries and such.
Today rain was in the forecast, and I think it rained in the area before I got out, but even though I got underway quite late, I managed to get 44 miles in (gravel trails on the way out) and back to town before the bike shop closed (long story not worth recounting).
Funny thing about the TCX - I always find myself going further than planned. At first I thought I'd just go to Piermont, but when I got there, I figured, might as well take the trail up to Nyack since I'm here. Then after stopping for a coffee in Nyack, I figured, might as well do Nyack Beach while I'm here - I can just turn back at Rockland Lake. But once I was on those trails, I figured: what the heck, the Haverstraw trail is just another 3 1/2 miles.... Once I was done with that, I was half tempted to go up to the trail on the low side of Baby Bear, but forced myself up the helix and onto a route I rather dislike just to get back home, because I KNEW I wouldn't make it in time otherwise.
The unique thing about today's ride, though, was that although it was a solo ride, I had two very nice visits with friends along the way. About the time I was getting ready to head out from The Spoon (Nyack), another guy I know who was riding by himself shows up, and while he has his snack and coffee we have a nice chat, not just about bikes, but about work, too (we're in the same field). But we went our separate ways. Later, on the way home, a woman I used to ride with a lot passes me in her car (taking bike back home from shop), and pulls over to say hello. We have a surprisingly long chat just standing there on the side of the road, talking about how the dynamics of the group we've ridden with has changed lately, among other things. Both visits, as it were, were more than small talk, and more than just the usual bike banter, so in a way, even though it was a solo ride, it was one of the most sociable rides I've been on lately.
