Oh yes, music. When we get to the staging area we crank up the tunes while we unpack our bikes and gear up. Depending on who's driving, it could be something silly like a Me First and the Gimme Gimmes cover or a showtune We get funny looks from other groups, but it really sets the mood.

Pete: A regular ride for me doesn't consist of the ritual. It's usually me calling up a friend and saying "I have about an hour to kill. Want to ride?" An epic ride consists of getting up early, doing the ritual, then heading out to the spot. They're usually 3-5 hours with a food break somewhere in the middle.

So yeah, I guess the determining factor is ride length.