Stephen Barner wrote:
>
> On the other hand, 25 miles is only 5 miles farther than my commute to work,
> one way. Although I might do it occaisionally just to see folks and bikes,
> it would be hard for me to get excited enough to drive very far to such an
> event. It would seem a lot more worthwhile if the ride were at least 40
> miles long. I did a couple of centuries last year, but I'm at that point in
> my life where rides stop being fun after 70 miles or so.
Everyone has their own idea of an inconsequential distance and a distance that deserves respect and everyone's idea of what that would be is different.
I ride everyday and usually by myself, so getting together with other guys on old bikes for a ride is very special and for one day I can make an adjustment and depart from my usual spirited pace riding style to a more social/riding&talking paced ride. We are after all only talking about one day a month here.
A monthly vintage ride is not about distance and effort, but about being social.
It's funny, I have some people complain about the Rose Bowl vintage ride following the same route month after month, year after year, but then they do the tradition group training rides (training races?) that have routes that have not varied in over 50 years!
The whole point of the Rose Bowl vintage ride is "just to see folks and bikes." Maybe that's why the turn out is small?
Like Felix mentioned, if you consider the ride too short to be of any consequence then ride to and from it. The nice thing about bike riding is that you are always free to add on some more miles.
Chuck Schmidt South Pasadena, Southern California
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