I’ve done the ride for Multiple Sclerosis for about 7 years now. And doing it this past June was just as awesome as doing it for the first time. So this year, as with a couple others, I rode my bike friday…

Here I am at the start. Do you see the (snarky!?!?!) looks from the other team. They’re all thinking what others have thought when I show up with my little bike. “How’s he gonna ride 100 miles on that bike?” Well, ride it I did and as my memory recalls, I finished ahead of that other team in orange. It’s not a race, mind you. But why do folks think they have to get into spandex and racing mode. I’ve ridden my lil bikefriday on many, many organized rides and folks are still amazed when they see me out there all day with them. But I felt fabulous when I returned. I finished strong, and was no worse for wear. I have to say that my little bike is a gamer. I started at 7:00 and finished at 3:45. AND we had to take a ferry crossing which took away about 30 minutes of ride time.

I believe this pic says so much more about me than it does about riding. Rugged individualist. Lone Wolf. In the crowd, but not quite apart of it. You don’t need all that jaz to ride a bike. I understand the allure of it all, and I understand wanting to “belong” to your pack. And yet, there I am……flaunting my off-centerness. My just-riding-my-ride. My own damn my pack.