Frank and Wendy have been hosting 6pm Wednesday night rides on the Palouse for several weeks. I've begged off until school was out. Last week I had to beg off again. Seems I owed Linda a birthday dinner. But this week there was no excuse. With good weather, a bunch of folks appeared in Moscow's friendship square at 6: Dave and his neighbor, Karen, Chris, Bruce, Corrie, Chandlar, and our leader, Frank.

Everyone made much of Bruce's new bike on its first ride. This bike is ultra light witha seat you have to see to believe. It is basically an old tractor seat in the shape of a saddle--that is it is nothing more than a single layer of metal. Bruce describes its ride as "hard." I bet.

Chris admires Bruce's bike bought just for climbing.

Frank offered us 3rd avenu but Chris insisted Bruce had to try hills. 6th avenue it was to be. I found out what Chris meant by hills tackling this short climb in the middle chain ring.

That wasn't my only mistake of the evening, though. Some here along the rolling hills on Linville road Frank pointed out glass. I thought I had missed it but on the way back as everyone started down a steep 10% grade, I felt my rear wheel. I pumped air into the tire and went on.

Chandler returned frist to see what had happened, then Bruce, Dave and his neighbor. The tire got me back to Friendship Square where closer inspection revealed a piece of glass. Chris accused me of having brought puncture weed to the Palouse. Not Guilty! Not complaining either.

That's my first offical flat for the year. I say official because the previous low tire happened in the garage. I think that was bad valve because I used that apparently undamaged tube to fix the flat this morning. It took air then promptly failed at the valve. So, maybe it is two flats in 5000 miles. Not bad at that.

Uncertain about the pressure in my tire and discussing it with Dave on my left and Bruce on my right, I missed the right turn back to town and was actually powering up to climb the next hill. Dave didn't seem to be giving me the space I wanted but I didn't get it until he actually turned into me. Fortunately we weren't going fast and both stayed upright despite a solid shoulder bump. Dave insists riders should practice just such events. I think I've had all the practice I want.

It was a gorgeous evening. I had brought a jacket on the off chance that Moscow evenings might be cold. I didn't need it. Frank took us to the end of the pavement on Linville road which heads toward Troy over rolling hills. The fields are surrealistically green this year. Chris and Bruce typically hammered up the hills though Bruce recovering from his Ride Across Oregon held back pretty well. Dave, his neighbor, and Karen stayed at a pretty steady pace. Frank seemed to think it was his job as coordinator to lead us off. He set a pretty good pace.

I'm looking forward to what Wendy comes up with for next week. Frank is out of town for the next couple of weeks. They have been trading weeks. Look for information about next week's ride at twinriverscyclists.org.

Don't forget about the Tuesday Ice Cream rides from Clarkston's Baskin and Robins. We are starting at 6:30 and do about 20 to 25 miles. This is a more casual ride than Franks but that's just 'cause of who showed up.

For the ride of it.