This was my first organized bike ride event...and as excited as I was, I was also very nervous! I am stepping way out of my comfort zone...it is time to stop doing what is comfortable (being a loner) and get out and try new things. Riding on a trail to a place I have never been to except by car...and doing it IN THE DARK! Yeah, I was nervous. But I am soooo glad I did it!!!!
It was in August so it was warm, but it was so much fun! You start at Flatbranch Park in Columbia, MO and ride to Twin Lakes Rec area then back.
Here is the short version description on their web page:
Kaleidospoke is a non-competitive, family friendly, organized night time GLOW bike ride along Columbia's MKT Trail (with illuminated bridges!) from Flat Branch Park to Twin Lakes Recreation Area and back (just under 4 miles each way, approximately 8 miles round trip).
So I signed up (the day after I signed up they sold out of tickets! Whew! Just in time!). Brian was on call for work so couldn't go on the ride with me but he took me to town and met me at Twin Lakes. That way he was still close enough to work if he got called in and he got to see all the fun decorated bikes.
The plan was to ride to Twin Lakes - there were going to be fire pits burning - they give you some more glow items and a baggie with ingredients for S'mores - you hang out at the fire pit making your S'mores - then head back.
I got ready to go....packed what I thought I needed, dazzled my bike up with a few glow sticks, then hit the trail. Hmmm, maybe you have noticed that by now I have a bike helmet and I am even sporting bike clothes! :-)
This picture doesn't do it justice...there were several bridges along the route and the volunteers decorated them with lights. They were so pretty! Since I love bridges and I love lights I was happy!
I am almost to the festivities....me by the lake with a couple glow sticks hanging off my handle bars.
The little girl behind me had stopped to do something to her shoe and Mom was ahead of us with a smaller kiddo on a bike so I hung out to wait for her then we rode in together.
My thoughts on this ride?
IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!!! I had to ask a couple people what to do when I got there because I didn't see any signs. Everyone was nice and helpful, and I got to do something very different than my 'normal'!
A couple things I learned:
I learned that I needed a better headlight. When I was riding alone it was not a problem because my eyes were adjusted to my light and my speed. When other lights passed me or came at me I had problems readjusting my vision. Yeah, my light was dim and that has now been fixed! :-)
I also learned that just because a family/group rides together doesn't mean they practice trail etiquette. There were times when a family of 4 or 5 would be across the whole trail zigging back and forth so you couldn't pass. Sometimes they could hear you announce yourself and sometimes they couldn't....I won't lie, that was annoying. I will have to work on how to handle situations like that...another thing outside of my comfort zone.
Yes I will do this ride again and hopefully Brian can go with me!
Until later...
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