Bike Party was all about releasing your inner Hawaiian this month...

  

     

     

     

     

     

     

Need a light? This vendor will gladly sell you a blinking tail light for $5. She is there over and over, so she must be doing something right. One of the many regulars that helps out I've never seen at a bird meeting.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  

About then I noticed that there were lots and lots of riders in the parking lot!

  

  

About then I noticed that there was a tide of bikes headed for the road. I joined them.

  

     

  

I didn't use my camera again until we were well into the next regroup...

        

     

  

     

     

     

  

     

At this point I found a corner where birding could be helpful. I caught pictures of people going by as the opportunity presented itself. Mostly I just yelled "bike party left turn" over and over as the crowd passed.

  

     

     

After a while the trickle of bicyclists coming into the intersection get thinner and thinner. I got to the point where I was much more interested in riding than waiting and got back on my bike. It wasn't long before I was passing groups of people fixing flats or stretching or just talking. I kept rolling.

There were fireworks in the distance. I realized that they were coming from the regroup. I started being passed by clumps of individuals going the other way. I was on Disk Drive, the road that dead ended at the second regroup. I was so far behind I figured I'd just join them and ride along. Seemed like it was already late enough that the stop just wasn't worth it.

  

  

Then I found another intersection where Birding could help. I spent a long time reminding people to turn right on 10th St.

     

  

     

  

  

  

  

The crowd got real thin near the end of the time I was birding "right on 10th St." over and over. After a while this guy came back and said "I think we're the back of the pack." I wasn't sure, so I waited a few more minutes and nobody else showed up. Then I realized I'd met the volunteer sweep that the crowd organically developed. I'm wishing now I'd told the guy about connecting up with the birds. The "management" could use some new members/leaders/birds with patches/whatever you call us.

     

     

Nona was giving pizza to those that stepped up during the ride. The piece she gave me was delicious. Thank you Nona!

     

When the party was over it was time to ride home to Mountain View. This was the rest of the northbound group. The four of us were happy with how the ride had worked out. I took these pictures at some 7-11 we stopped at for water.