Tulip Ride 2010

2007 Tulip Ride saw rain, sun, and actual tulips!

On April 14th, almost 20 brave northwest riders met up for coffee and to ascertain whether we’d be able to ride our planned 2007 Tulip Ride. The outlook was very questionable, with various weather sites were reporting different forecasts. After coffee, we walked outside to heavy clouds and wet pavement. But there were a few transient patches of blue sky, we were all geared up, and we all really wanted to ride. So we set out.

We did ride through rain during the first leg, but by the time we met up with our comrades from up north, the weather was improving. Real-time reports from our destination tulip fields were suggesting clearing, even though the forecasts called for rain all day. We forged ahead, and sure enough the clouds broke during the second leg of the trek north. By the time we got to the tulips - which we saw for the first time in years! - it was sunny, warm, and just about perfect riding weather.

Lunch in LaConner, WA moved outside onto the restaurant’s patio because it was so gorgeous outside. We didn’t even leave LaConner until 3pm.

Our fair weather held part of the way down highway 20 on Whidbey Island, until the last 20 miles approaching the ferry back home. After that, poured fairly hard at times, and was cold. But since we had already had such a successful day, we didn’t care much as we thawed aboard the ferry.

This was probably the best Tulip Ride we’ve yet had. It wasn’t the biggest, with around 20 bikes this year, but was the best because we expected the worst from the weather, but wound up enjoying a mostly sunny day. The people that turned out were also the types who were prepared to ride in the rain because they love to ride, so they were intent on having fun no matter what the weather did.

It’s tough to beat a Washington day when the sun is shining and the flowers are out and you’re riding with friends. Everyone in our pack earned their “hardcore” label, too, for cruising right through the rain and cold during those stretches of highway. I clocked in with 186 miles for the day. Not bad at all.

There were plenty of digital photos snapped during the day. I’ve created a Flickr group photo pool called Tulip Ride 2007. This will let everyone upload their photos to one giant collective photo album. Just src=flkctx%26.pc=5134%26.done=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.flickr.com%252Fsignin%252Fyahoo%252F&.src=flkctx&.v=0&.u=brrmvpl3237ke&partner=&.partner=&pkg=&stepid=&.p=&promo=&.last=">create a Flickr account (basic accounts are free), upload your photos, and then visit the Tulip Ride 2007 group. Click “join” and from that point on, you can send any of your pictures to the group photo pool.

Thanks again to everyone who came out for the ride. Thanks especially to people who donated to a charity beforehand. It was a gamble for all of us to brave the weather, but it certainly did pay off with a fun day of riding and beautiful tulips.

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2007 Tulip Ride saw rain, sun, and actual tulips!

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