First (pun intended) I complete my longest ride to date and my first "official" over 40 mile ride with the final tally at 43.0 miles.

After the first 28 or so with my friends, I continued on past where we started to head further South with intentions to go to a park I know and back (adding another 15 miles or so). On the way there was a faster cyclist in front of me, and after a while I saw him stopped on a bench. He had a flat. I ask him if he's ok or not and he says he's fine, so I continue on.

After getting to the park (another few miles from that point) I stop for a minute and then turn around and start heading back. He is still on the bench and it turns out that he's not ok. It was his first flat and it turned out his bike shop sold him pump that only worked on standard (schrader) valves and he had a road bike with presta valves. I didn't think I could help as my bike has schrader valves too and figured my CO2 pump only worked on schrader. but I took it out and "voila" it did have an inner seal to allow connection to a presta valve too.

So my second first was finally being able to help a fellow cyclist. I always try to ask if all is ok if I see one stopped that seems to be doing more than taking a break, but it was nice to finally have the opportunity to help one.

My last first was about 5-10 minutes after I left that cyclist on my way back. After about 4 or 5 months on clipless shoes/pedals, I "finally" had my first accident. At an intersection I couldn't see if cars were coming until right up to edge and one was (and close), so I stopped on a dime and I unclipped, but I unclipped on the left side and bike was already leaning to right side. I was unable to get right side unclipped in time. No biggie though.....no injury to bike and nothing but a tiny rasberry on the knee to me. And the laws of first clipless fall did not hold true, there were not lots of people (especially pretty girls) around when it happened. It was nearly empty....one guy around and not even sure he saw me. Maybe that was karma for helping the other cyclist out.

All in all though, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride!!

Are you sure it counts as a crash if no one saw it ? Seriously, glad you had such a good time except for that. Sounds like you had a good ride (and validated the concept of instant karma in the process ). Now I feel bad--I should have been riding instead of wasting too much money at the arts & crafts fair .

Dagna

Sounds like a great day.

Hey today was a first for me too... in a different way...

--- I bought my first purse!

Hey Kris....you and Bobbie have fun at the craft fair? It was a great extra ride....if I didn't have afternoon plans I was even considering turning around and doing the route to Taylor park and back a 2nd time.

I should have since my afternoon plans fell through.

Was it a Coach??? Dooney?? Kate Spade??


King Termite, congrats on the ride, and also on not being spotted taking a spill!

Great ride KT!

And welcome to the "horizontal track stand" club!

If you are ever in So Cal, PM me. I'll show you a few HILLS!

I got a little Christmas shopping done, but could have used both loops to Taylor Park to work off the kettle corn and cinnamon almonds.

Dagna

I did the horizontal track stand while talking to my neighbor...he and I now have a secret pact to never tell anyone!
Congrats on the ride!