By Allan Edmonds
This year has marked a renewed push to augment the regular BBC ride schedule with more social activities. Today’s Memorial Day Breakfast Ride was one of those enjoyable events we’ve let slide in recent years. Today we had a total of 22 riders, 16 from Bryan Park and 6 more joining the route as it went by Ellettsville; in addition we had a couple spouses and children join us by car for breakfast at the Canyon Inn at McCormick’s Creek State Park. After a double check we called the dining room at the Inn to let them know we were coming.
In the days leading up to the ride we fielded various email and phone inquiries, encouraging everyone to come out. We had a really eclectic group, as desired, from strong and experienced riders to a few for whom this was their first club ride.
Our group got to the park just after 9:30, with 18.5 miles on our computers. Once there we had a leisurely breakfast at the all-you-can-eat buffet bar. Eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits, gravy, pancakes, french toast. Cereal, fruit, sweet rolls, etc. etc.
After breakfast some riders went with their families. The rest of us took a short loop through the park. When we left the park, the Ellettsville group headed back the way we had come, while the remaining riders took the planned route down to Whitehall on Highway 43. We regrouped there before heading back via Highway 48 to Vernal Pike, into town, through town on the B-Line Trail. Here’s a snapshot of the route and elevation profile.
The electronic version of the route at RidewithGPS.com is here.
Altogether everyone seemed quite pleased. Even on the ride, not to mention the breakfast, there was time to chat and get to know each other. Yes, it was leisurely. But we got in about 45 miles, and we were home before the heat really set in.