[This Ridiculously Early Donut Ride reportage brought to you by dedicated morning person Susan Otcenas, via the Shift list. Check out Susan’s photos from the ride here.]
My alarm woke me up at 2:30 a.m.
Stumble out of bed, check the air temp (57 deg), pull on cycling clothing, stumble downstairs.
Glad I packed my pannier before I went to bed.
Hit the road at 3am for the 14 mile ride from my house in Rock Creek, over the West Hills, into town.
Not a single car passes me for the 1st 20 minutes of my ride.
At Cornell & Barnes, 2 coyotes run across the road.
Arrive @ VooDoo Donuts at 4:10a.m. to find my friends Dave & Edna on their recumbents, along with a few other hardy souls, including one guy from Maui on a fixie.
MMmmm, raspberry-filled powdered donut…. OK, I’m awake now.
4:30a.m. 9 of us head off for the ride. South and west through Goose Hollow, past the reservoir, up to the Rose Garden. In a little gear, happy *I’m* not on a fixie on those hills.
We stop and smell the roses.
Onward & upward, past the archery range, through the zoo parking lot, up to the top of Sylvan Hill.
Preparing to descend the 26 bike path.
Matt says no one keeps up with him down hills, except ‘bents & tandems, thus throwing down the gauntlet to the fixie rider.
Said fixie rider hauls @ss and keeps up with with Matt, displaying some mighty fine skid stopping skills on Pointer Street.
Now in the ‘burbs, zig zagging our way along side streets, westbound. Donutbound.
Arrive @ Every Day is a Donut Day at 6:30a.m., 15 miles later.
Much buying of donuts ensues.
Much consumption of sugar, with a side of caffeinated beverages.
Dave scores some “samples” free of charge – a paper sack filled with fresh hot glazed donuts.
Matt heads off to work, while the rest of us lollygag a little longer.
Then off we go, dropping a rider at MAX, five returning to town by riding back over the West Hills again,
Edna & I off heading further west to our office.
It’s 11:15 a.m. and my head is still buzzing from sugar and caffeine.
Is it too early for a nap?
Thanks for reading.
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Susan, You are a machine.
Definitely a machine.
Kudos to all that were ridiculous enough to hit the hills in the wee hours!
Sheesh! Why even bother going to bed — you would have been so hepped up on sugar and caffeine, sleep would have been relatively unnecessary…
Susan’s account is spot-on.
A couple of notes: the stopping and smelling the roses was literal, not figurative; Susan and Dave are GREAT storytellers; donuts taste better after earning them with the Washington Park climb; Every Day is Donut Day is a great find (thanks, Matt!).
Matt billed the ride as for the “truly hardcore” rider, but the pacing was very cooperative. There was no competition in the air — other than keeping up with Matt down Hwy 26. 🙂