It's my party and I'll ride if I want to ...

30 Jul: Over the past few months I’ve moved out from under my rock and become this social butterfly and consequently begun to meet a lot of people. Now that it’s my birthday I’m challenged with working out how to spend my special day with everyone.  

Grems, Lou, Rons, Cat, Linda

Some of the riding gang

The reason for the dilemma is this .. many of my long time dear friends don’t cycle while my newest friends do and I want to go ride for my birthday.  After much to-ing and fro-ing I come up with a stellar plan.  Bike Park.  I’ll organise a birthday ride at the bike park from noon and then from about 3.30 onwards those that don’t cycle can pop in and we’ll all have cake and drinks together.  Brilliant. And it seems to be acceptable to all ... Hooray. 

What no-one else knows is that I’m going for a pre-ride ride as well.  I get overly anxious riding with groups of people so I’ve twisted my WBB’s rubber arm to not go to work that morning, but instead to babysit me and join me for a pre-ride ride.  Now that is a superbly stellar plan.

Results of BakeFest

Friday night becomes BakeFest … move over Martha Stewart, here comes HopeLeighM – I baked and baked and baked.  Trays of choc chip muffins are followed by trays of savoury muffins.  Finally I’m shattered.  The scones will wait till morning. Besides, my boss has always told me that scones are best made fresh on the day. That’s my plan.

I arrive at BikePark about 10ish and Grems drives in behind me.  We don’t faff, bikes out the cars and we’re off.  Oh it is sooo nice to be back at the BikePark.  I ride Ewok without even skipping a heartbeat.  Those obstacles … what obstacles … are nothing.  Rust Preventer flows fluid.  I’m a mountain biker. I’m a big kid.  How awesome. 

Shortly before 12 we head back up to the Club house and find Bart, Neil and LeeAnn … yippee it’s the five of us going to ride.  Bike Park has 3 new trails and for the next couple of hours we’re all over the trails.  LeeAnn and I send the boys off to do boy stuff (Zombi, Space Junk etc) while we practice the trails we’re busy working on.  They’re really really good to us and always checking on us, but sometimes they just need to go do their own thing and we need to do ours.

See how innocent they look

Now my tummy’s starting to rumble … the lure of muffins, cakes, snacks and beer is becoming impossible to ignore and we fly back to the ClubHouse. En route we spot Iwan and he assures us he’ll be back soon – he’s got some hills to ride. Guess he’s not called MountainGoaty for nothing.  Some of the non riding peeps have begun to arrive and there are tons of presents. Oh.My.Soul.  Wow, such kindness – I was seriously spoilt. Dear MrsPhotoCow (Karen) has baked cupcakes as promised but with adult icing … minds out the gutter – it’s just icing sugar mixed with alcohol …nachtmusik actually.  Oooo yum yum yum.  They look so innocent.  Then Iwan returns and he also promised cake … Tequila Cake.  Hmmm .. funny the cupcakes were probably the first things to be gobbled up.

 

Lesson Learned:  I know an eclectic bunch of people and I love it. I love the variety, they’re all so different. They have their quirks. Some don’t quite get on with others; some didn’t even know any others; but it didn’t matter, they were there. And it meant a lot to me.  It was also the most fun I’ve had in years. People came and went as they needed to. They mingled. They ate. They drank. The cyclists chatted with the non cyclists. They all mixed in.I’m guessing they had a good time – I know I sure did.  I really feel I got my cake and ate it too – lots of it.