So what if they probably didn't all know they were celebrating my birthday, but there were cyclists everywhere on Saturday. Accustomed to be alone on Saturday, today Cliff and Sean joined me at the Rose Garden in North Lewiston.

Beautiful blue sky promised fine weather for today's ride.

Our plan: ride to the club start at Dissmore's in Pullman, make the Palouse Loop, ride back.

In the valley, Nicky and John Fisher made a trial run of I Made the Grade. John's training Nicky as stoker on his tandem. We figure Nicky's always so compliant and easy going she'll be a quick study. At least John won't be able to drop her.

At Sage Bakery we found no bikes leaning patiently against the wall, but there was One Day Dave Tibbals, walking cast in place, looking lean and tough as ever. I thought he'd had his cleats grafted to his foot, but no, he had his big toe joint fused. Claims he'll ride I Made the Grade. Thanks for stopping by.

I didn't recognize the tall bearded gentleman in a turtleneck sweater until he stepped right up to me. It was John Fisher.

Entering Colton, we noticed a ride coming up fast behind us. Was this someone coming to join us? If so, he was faster than the three of us. It was Eric on his way to work, B&L. He hammered on by with a wave.

Further on it was our turn. John McInturff on his touring recumbent had gotten as far as Colton, but didn't think he'd make it back to Dissmore's for the 10 o'clock start if he continued to Uniontown so had headed back.

Sean needed something at B&L and I needed a can of lube. The two of us picked up the pace enjoying a tail wind into town. At B&L I found my lube and bought a new pair of gloves. Seems I've worn a hole in one. Cliff claims its all the riding in the rain he thinks I do. Sean changed to his club jersey and even had Tom change his chain. Sean's was now ready!

At Dissmores we found a party of cyclists chatting. More bikes than cyclists were evident. Some were shopping. Let's see if I can remember them all:

Wendy who reported Dave was trimming his beard when she left,

No the balloons aren't to celebrate my birthday, but aren't they pretty.

Dave joined us late as the third Saturday of each month is his day to trim his beard.

Linda who had come up with Lance,

Don't we have enough pictures of Linda? No. She thoroughly enjoyed the day and claims to have kept up. Lance, she says, wants a regular Palouse ride. I heard him remark on the panaromic palouse. Don't know how he felt about the rollers, though.

and Lance on his first tour of the Palouse (guess we got a Saturday when he wasn't on call), Debbie and Scott (It's a big deal to see Scott on a bike at 10am), Chris who alternately leaned on his handlebars and took laps around the parking lot, Sean, Cliff,

The reason Cliff rides a recumbent is that it gives him less far to fall. Try to stay on the bike, Cliff.

Corrie, John McInturff, Carol from Pullman who admits to be training for a marathon in Alaska,

Carol masters the first of many Palouse hills. She reports that there always seems to be one more.

and Jay, a lean cyclist from New York. He had asked about long rides and Sean had invited him. However, when Gene Allwine and a few other's rode through, Jay joined them.

Soon Allison and Ted coasted by. We saw them again on the highway to Colfax. They were reversing our loop.

At Palouse we stopped for snacks at the grocery, discovered a new grassy park with restrooms open for the first time today. Linda found a quilt shop and the group let her go visit it. Sean claimed Carol liked to spend time with him so he, Cliff, and I took off for Pullman. That was the last we saw of the club ride except for Chris who came flying by. We stopped at Dairy Queen. We expected to be passed by folks headed back to Lewiston, but we must have been eating.

By now we were heading south into a quartering wind. The three of us had had a great ride and we would have preferred a nice tail wind and sunny skies. We had to settle for a mild headwind, cloud cover, and tired legs. Sean and Cliff both claimed to get a second wind. At the top of the grade, I was just tired. The Palouse hills are fun. I love swooping down and spinning up as far as I can get. The problem is that eventually you are hammering, especially if you decide you have to catch Scott. Even on your birthday, you have to pay the price.

And then there were the stranger cyclists we saw all day long. Perhaps they were just enjoying the one dry day we've had all week, but for me the whole world was on a bike sharing my joy, celebrating my birthday. So, if you couldn't find a ride on Saturday, you just weren't trying.