I made a special trip to Oakdale today to meet up with some folks from the Stanislaus Bike Club that I’d met last week when riding in their area. I left my phone and the route sheets I’d printed from their website on the kitchen counter. Of course I realized this after I was about 30 minutes into the hour plus drive. Too late to go back.
I arrived at the start location at 8:20. This was good since it was advertised as an 8:30 ride. So, if they normally start the ride at 8:30, I was early enough to be ready to go. If they don’t actually meet until 8:30, I was gold.
It was very quiet at the house where we were meeting. OK, they must meet at 8:30 and actually start riding later. 8:30 came and still no activity. Do I knock on the door? Am I at the right house? Eventually I went to the door. Packages by the door. Doesn’t look good. No one answered the doorbell. Maybe it is the wrong house.
Got back in the car and drove up and down the street looking for bicycles and people in Lycra. Nope. As I went by the house, I noticed a bicycle wheel by the mailbox. Right house.
Lesson learned-call, text, or email the leader ahead of time.
Plan B – parked at Knights Ferry and rode into Oakdale. Stopped at Starbucks just as a tour group came in. Sounded like they were Russian or from that part of the world. Got my tea and scone and relaxed outside in the nice weather.
Returned to Knights Ferry but took a little detour. Passed another cyclist who looked like he was wearing Stanislaus Bike Club gear so I turned around and chased him down. Turns out the ride leader had to be away today so a group had met early for a ride. We missed each other by a few minutes.
So I rode solo but enjoyed the ride and was glad I met one of the Stanislaus Bike Club members. Good day.
thecyclingdiva 