So what was the bestest and greatest of your rides from the year? Maybe you have a top ten list of great rides from the year. Tell us!

For me it was the ride on day 6 of Cycle Oregon, from Powers to Riddle Oregon. The ride had it all from no traffic forest roads, waterfalls, an epic climb, amazing views from the top of the world and a crazy long descent. Here's the map.
https://www.cycleoregon.com/week-ride/route/day6/

My commute.

I liked it so much, I did it at least four times a week.

My favorite ride every year is the first warm weather ride. No warmers, jackets, tights.

Today's ride. It was the first time back on a bike since I was hit in mid-October and broke my right clavicle. Only did 10 miles bit it felt really awesome to be back in the saddle. Rode to a lighthouse I'd never visited (though I've lived here my whole life) and had no issues mixing it up with traffic as needed (wasn't sure how I'd feel about that but it was a non-issue). It was a beautiful, sunny morning and the joy of riding came rushing back in spite of me being really out of shape. Looking forward to many happy miles in 2012.

The ride that was my first ride back since 2008 and all the surgeries. Now it is looked on by me and turning a corner in my life.

Bill

Today's ride for me, too. Glorious weather and a great 40 workout with only side winds.

My ride from San Luis Obispo up Old Creek Rd to Hwy 46 thru Morro Bay back SLO, 78 miles of bliss, pain and enlightment. Can't wait to share it with friends.

Several mtn bike rides I did - I really enjoyed the single track.



and another place:

Bike around the Bay. A two day ride around Galveston Bay, Texas. Oct. 8th and 9th if I remember correctly. Here is a pic of me at the start of the first day

And, no I'm not stareing at her derrier...

#1 son lives in NYC (upper east). I shipped him a single speed, flew out to NYC, rented a a bike for myself, and we did the 5 Boro Bike Tour together. Great time with my son but that ride is insanely crowded. Check that one off.

But the best was on our annual WI trip. The day we did Madison. Cruised in the AM and spent the PM on the UW Union patio drinking beer.

Our ride to Yosemite National Park from my home in the East Bay. This shows the ride route and pictures from the 3rd day when we rode from a campground outside of Groveland into the park:
https://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=1064886

My first ride in many years after injury woo hoo

It's the "High Trestle" ride where my Avitar photo was taken.

It was 50 miles of social riding with billydonn, lunch at a trailside place that defies description, we picked up another 50+ qualifier along the way, and the trestle has to be seen to be fully appreciated. Also, I didn't break anything that day.

If the doctors clear my hip for rideing I'm going back this year.

I really liked the Greenville, MI "Tour de Dounut" race I rode in late September.

The weather turned out to be so much better than what had been forecast. We had a cool day with a bright blue fall sky and the course ran past woods, fields and a lake. Just a beautiful day and a fun ride.

I also enjoyed the day I set a personal record on my regular weekday training ride. It took me all summer but I finally made it.

Vienna to Budapest alongside the Danube, 5 days, August. Pretty hot, though

No major events for me but I did have a few "favorite" rides.
-- The Withlacoochee Clean Air Ride last March was great. Warm Florida sunshine rather than cold Atlanta temps and lots of friendly folks.
-- The first time I did 3 laps around Stone Mtn. Haven't done that since I was a kid back in 2004. I was 59 years old then.
-- The first time I rode my new Felt. I'd been wanting a Felt for a few years. The ride was awesome.
-- The first time I was able to wear my RoadBikeRider jersey. I lost 22 pounds so it would fit.

My favorite ride of 2011 came in late October, with most of the cycling season behind me. It was my very first group ride, a 40 miler with the local cycling club.

The day was overcast, and the temperature may have topped 50 degrees for a bit. My feet didn't get warm until about 90 minutes into the ride. However…the people were great, the back-country roads were excellent for cycling, and the terrain and scenery were superb.

It was my favorite ride because it opened up a new aspecting of cycling for me. Before I tried the group thing I was skeptical that I would even like it. It turned out that I loved it.

I've gone on several group rides since. The rides continued into November and even December, even though the weather in upstate NY can be very questionable at that time of year.

Most of my riding is still solo, which is fine, but now I have the group rides to add to the mix. I did finish out 2011 with a relatively quick 12 mile jaunt yesterday, but I'm very much looking forward to warmer weather and more riding in 2012.

My favorite ride was the early-season "Ride for Nature" century in Door County: https://www.ridefornature.com

Perfect weather, the ladyslipper orchids were in full bloom along the roads, and I did it on my fixed gear.

Levi's King Ridge Gran Fondo? Nope. Axel Merckx Gran Fondo? Nah.
Cino Herioca surpassed all others.
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ort?highlight=

I have two favorites:
1) First ride after my broke arm healed and it was through Central Park on a beautiful day with my son and my sister. It was like a victory lap.
2) MS 80 mile City to Shore Ride. Great weather, fun ride, my first metric century and longest distance ridden so far, not to mention the cheers from those in wheelchairs on the sides of the street.

My urban century ride: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...=urban+century



But my gravel path rides were great fun also: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ghlight=gravel

One of my very favorite ride of any year--although I rode it a week ago is Tunitas Creek Road South of San Francisco climbing over the coastal hills in a forest of redwood trees--it feels like being in a cathedral--so incredibly majestic and the climb is rather steep for a good 4 miles, but the pain is no problem because of such a beautiful area.

https://www.chainreaction.com/images/steep53.jpg

The 5 Boro's Tour, a ride through all five boroughs of NYC. It was a fun ride, with about 30k people.
The most memorable moment; Upper Manhattan, I hear some woman say "I think we're in Queens, this must be Queens". A guys standing on the side walk as we go buy "QUEENS? Your on Manhattan, this is HARLEM!"

My favorite was our fall ride along the Mulberry River. It wasn't a long ride, but the area is absolutely beautiful. It is in the middle of nowhere. See below (upper left portion of screen on phone).


It's so quiet that one can hear the water rushing over the rocks from f - a - r away. See below.


The end of the ride was as good or better than the ride itself. See real food and yeast rolls below.