Bison Bicycle Classic 2012

This is always a big deal here in Shawnee and not only does the local university get involved, but also our club and the Bicycle Shoppe. This year promised to be the biggest and the best as almost 400 participants were registered. I had registered for the 50 mile ride, and when I got up and checked the radar, I started having second thoughts. There was a huge amount of rain just to the south of us. After watching the radar for a while though, I felt that it would never make it this far north. Still, there was this nagging doubt..... I went back and forth.... should I take the road bike and no rain gear, should I take the touring bike, and rain gear....... the touring bike won out.

Starting out in the morning, a pretty good crowd was already at hand when I arrived.

My friends and companions for the ride.....

The weather stayed nice until the ride started, then pretty smiles like Holly's were hard to find. Still, everyone I talked to had a great time, even with the weather. Once we got started, the rest of the ride looked just like this......... Rained the entire ride

Still, the rest stops were manned by smiling happy people, and the goodies were simply the best! This is one ride, I could gain weight riding. All home-made treats, some in fact fresh made from The Groove Bakery and Pizza, a local bakery.

After this, there isn't many more ride pictures because I was reluctant to drag my camera out in the wet. It had already gotten a bit wet even in it's little baggie, so I waited until the end.  Barbara Smith, in the yellow rain coat, Ciria, Connie (I always seem to catch her with her mouth full), and Jim Vernon, one of the people who brought this wonderful ride to fruition.

And.....your's truly, after the ride, and still smiling!!!!

Smiling maybe, because I knew there was a ton of fresh baked pizza from The Groove waiting for us.

This ride, put on as a joint effort by Oklahoma Baptist University, and our Pedalers Cycling Club is rapidly becoming one of the premier rides in the State. Kudos to all that worked so hard putting this ride on, and weather not withstanding, it was a success. A lot of work and effort goes into putting on a ride like this, and the average rider doesn't have the foggiest idea of what it takes to make one of these work. This one is one of the great ones. Every year it gets a little bigger and a little better. Just can't wait until next year.