By Nita and Eric
Great group today! 11 of us took off from Ivory's for a loop of Goldstream.
Matt had a plan to avoid UAF to give lots of space to the Senior Games triathlon, but it would involve some gravel roads. Matt noticed that only one of us (Rulon) was on a road bike. Matt talked to Rulon, who was fine with splitting off from us in certain sections so that he could stay on pavement.
So, Rulon rode with the rest of us to the top of the Ballaine Hill, then took off while Matt routed us on some dirt roads to Yankovich, where we again met up with Rulon and then got to check out the new pavement (now with a shoulder!). Eventually, we got over to the hay fields off Hay Way (using a small single track trail). With Rulon again dashing around on pavement to catch us. (We figured Rulon had an easier time of it, but he said he rode hard each time because he wanted to make sure he got to the next meeting point before we did!)
Then we were on the Sheep Creek Commuter Path (with Rulon again on the road) until the railroad tracks. Matt led us down Sheep Creek Road, but Glenn left first and dove off onto trail through the Anne's Greenhouse fields. Realizing his mistake, Glenn cut back onto the road at his first chance. But trail-crazy Eric, who had been salivating at all the trail entrances we had been passing, followed Glenn and then kept on the field trail all the way to Goldstream Sports. Then he had to double-back because the rest of us had stopped at the Anne's Greenhouse pullout to regroup.
Finally together again, we rode Sheep Creek and then Goldstream Road back to Ivory Jack's, where we chowed down. Eric and Corrine tried not to eat too much since they had biked from their home in the Goldstream hills and had to ride back up.
The weather was perfect for today's ride. We're already planning the next brunch ride.
Pics by Corrine and Eric
