Weddings, bike rides, and new special people.

The funny thing about the cycling community is that most bike racer weddings typically take place in the fall, when we get to actually have the "off-season"! It's pretty funny how many road cyclists will go down in history as being married in the month of October!! Recently, I have had the pleasure of attending two special bike racer weddings...two weekends in a row. It was a lot of effort on my part to make both events work into my life, considering the logistics of work and travel and this being the big "pre-season" sales time for the cycling industry etc etc....but I couldn't be more happy about making the effort to be present and part of both of these lovely celebrations. Both wedding locations were beautiful, both couples were amazing, and the folks who attended the two events were some of the coolest people I know.....hands down. Naturally, I also met a bunch of wonderful people as well. Of course both wedding weekends also included a road ride ---I mean naturally, you bring your bike to a wedding, right!? LOL

So this last wedding, which was Saturday, took place in Escondido, it was a great time indeed. Early in the day I went on one of the most beautiful Southern California road rides I have been on since moving here a year ago. And thank goodness, all I had to do was arrive in Carlsbad....suit up and follow his wheel, and his plan. Life made easy :) Along the route, I rode something called Harmony Grade and it reminded me a bit of the beautiful (almost unknown roads) outside of the Fresno area where we once had a pro-women's stage race. Anyway, we pretty much went up and down and up again (and up again and again and again!) for the whole entire ride....which was actually a welcome change from the area I typically ride out of here in central Orange County. I will definitely plan to take advantage of the Carlsbad area for winter riding now that I know a little more about those roads!
Again...I can't say enough that it is worth the extra effort to squeeze good times into life, even when work is all consuming!! Both weekends were just incredible and have left me completely satisfied and rejuvenated! (By the way...I did get to spend time with my main man Myles during my first wedding weekend trip...that was the greatest gift any mom can ask for...time with her teenage son!)

So one interesting note about the weddings: considering most of us see and spend so much time together on bikes, and rarely do we call for occasions to dress up, it practically goes without saying that it was fun to see (at both weddings) everyone all decked out in cool threads. Cyclists sure do "clean up" nicely!

Weddings are so cool.

Anyway, onto a little pictorial:...

Kat and Janelle all smiles...
go to http://www.meredithmiller.missingsaddle.com/2008/10/13/good-times-ca-style/ for more great pics from this day! (Meredith has an amazing camera!)

Thea and Dirk Copeland....pure joy

A typical site during a ride....climb climb climb and by the way...PROOF(!) that Bluv does do hills ;-)