Final BAFS Happy Hour – Thurs., Apr. 3

[Steve O]

@KelOnWheels 81513 wrote:

How late ARE people planning on staying?

Can’t you read?
@Steve O 81489 wrote:

Celebration ends, I presume, at midnight, when Cap City closes.

[KelOnWheels]

@Steve O 81562 wrote:

Can’t you read?

Well I READ that part, but I can’t get there until 9:30 PM so I don’t wanna be all alooooone.

[Fast Friendly Guy]

[h=2]BAFS Poem in Honor of The Winning Team (and all who rode this winter)[/h]
Freezing Saddles

Deep inside a winter’s night
An alarm clock screams with all its might
The sun’s not up and the wind is howling
Like a grizzly’s roar or a tiger growling

You want to roll over and stay in bed
But a voice says, “Go!” inside your head
Snow is falling and the window rattles
Yes, another day of Freezing Saddles!

You slowly pull the curtain aside
It may be freezing, but it’s time to ride
Outside is many a wintry mile
Across your face spreads a thin wry smile

On with the base layers; on with the Gortex;
Gloves and booties for the Polar Vortex
Blinkies are lit and the headlight’s aglow
It’s time to head out in to the snow!

Black ice or powder, it matters not
Because you’ll give it all you’ve got
Knobbies or studs on front and back
On wooden bridges you find your track

Peddling o’er Brandymore; o’er ruts of death
Clouds of steam with every breath
Up the shivering Sisters you climb
Ahead is the horror of icy Trollheim

So you take to the streets and leave the trail
But here it’s just another tale.
Speeding cars all in a rush
Are splashing salt and slinging slush!

Just when you think you’re going berserk
You finally make it into work
Querulous coworkers cast a jaundiced eye
As their kitted office mate walks by

Backed up work’s on your desk in piles
‘Cause at lunch you rode those extra miles
Turn off the computer; lay down the pen
‘Cause now it’s time to head out again.

It’s still as cold as a witch’s ……nose
Soon you’ll have those frozen toes
The winter sun is a low red arc
And now you’re riding in the dark

“Why do you do it?” friends want to know
It’s cold, it’s dark; and there’s so much snow!
“Why don’t you drive or take a bus?”
“Why aren’t you like the rest of us?”

Sometimes you ask yourself the same
Who is it here that is to blame?
Is it the challenge; or the thrill of a quest?
Or teammates for whom you do your best?

What is the answer? You search your heart,
What is it exactly that sets you apart?
Words can’t do justice; why even try?
How will others ever understand why?

It’s making the first tracks on new fallen snow
It’s the thrill of going where few choose to go
It’s excitement and danger that fills a need
It’s your beating heart when you pick up speed

It’s the rhythm of your pedals, thighs and knees
It’s the full day ride and the lunchtime sleaze
It’s the joy in your lungs of cold crisp air
It’s the awesome silence that feels like a prayer

It’s the beauty of the sunlit snow
It’s the thrilling challenge that makes you go
It’s a pledge that goes on and on for weeks
It’s the permanent glow upon your cheeks

It’s beating your best on every ride
It’s the roaring fire that burns inside
It’s the frozen night where bright stars soar
How can you tell them all this and more?

Now, everyone’s leaning forward to hear
Why do you do this every year?
So you tell them the answer from deep inside,
Saying simply, “I’m a rider and I like to ride.”

So, when winter serves up its icy dish
And warm fingers and toes are but a wish
You forget the pain and open your eyes
All around you is the ultimate prize!

Thank you to everyone who helped make the Happy
Hour so much fun!

Dave P

[scorchedearth]

That poem was so good. I am impressed!

@Fast Friendly Guy 81582 wrote:

[h=2]BAFS Poem in Honor of The Winning Team (and all who rode this winter)[/h]
Freezing Saddles

Deep inside a winter’s night
An alarm clock screams with all its might
The sun’s not up and the wind is howling
Like a grizzly’s roar or a tiger growling

You want to roll over and stay in bed
But a voice says, “Go!” inside your head
Snow is falling and the window rattles
Yes, another day of Freezing Saddles!

You slowly pull the curtain aside
It may be freezing, but it’s time to ride
Outside is many a wintry mile
Across your face spreads a thin wry smile

On with the base layers; on with the Gortex;
Gloves and booties for the Polar Vortex
Blinkies are lit and the headlight’s aglow
It’s time to head out in to the snow!

Black ice or powder, it matters not
Because you’ll give it all you’ve got
Knobbies or studs on front and back
On wooden bridges you find your track

Peddling o’er Brandymore; o’er ruts of death
Clouds of steam with every breath
Up the shivering Sisters you climb
Ahead is the horror of icy Trollheim

So you take to the streets and leave the trail
But here it’s just another tale.
Speeding cars all in a rush
Are splashing salt and slinging slush!

Just when you think you’re going berserk
You finally make it into work
Querulous coworkers cast a jaundiced eye
As their kitted office mate walks by

Backed up work’s on your desk in piles
‘Cause at lunch you rode those extra miles
Turn off the computer; lay down the pen
‘Cause now it’s time to head out again.

It’s still as cold as a witch’s ……nose
Soon you’ll have those frozen toes
The winter sun is a low red arc
And now you’re riding in the dark

“Why do you do it?” friends want to know
It’s cold, it’s dark; and there’s so much snow!
“Why don’t you drive or take a bus?”
“Why aren’t you like the rest of us?”

Sometimes you ask yourself the same
Who is it here that is to blame?
Is it the challenge; or the thrill of a quest?
Or teammates for whom you do your best?

What is the answer? You search your heart,
What is it exactly that sets you apart?
Words can’t do justice; why even try?
How will others ever understand why?

It’s making the first tracks on new fallen snow
It’s the thrill of going where few choose to go
It’s excitement and danger that fills a need
It’s your beating heart when you pick up speed

It’s the rhythm of your pedals, thighs and knees
It’s the full day ride and the lunchtime sleaze
It’s the joy in your lungs of cold crisp air
It’s the awesome silence that feels like a prayer

It’s the beauty of the sunlit snow
It’s the thrilling challenge that makes you go
It’s a pledge that goes on and on for weeks
It’s the permanent glow upon your cheeks

It’s beating your best on every ride
It’s the roaring fire that burns inside
It’s the frozen night where bright stars soar
How can you tell them all this and more?

Now, everyone’s leaning forward to hear
Why do you do this every year?
So you tell them the answer from deep inside,
Saying simply, “I’m a rider and I like to ride.”

So, when winter serves up its icy dish
And warm fingers and toes are but a wish
You forget the pain and open your eyes
All around you is the ultimate prize!

Thank you to everyone who helped make the Happy
Hour so much fun!

Dave P

[Rockford10]

I got some pictures from last night’s festivities:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]5084[/ATTACH]
DKel, Dismal and dbb

[ATTACH=CONFIG]5088[/ATTACH]
acl, phatboing, scorchedeath

[ATTACH=CONFIG]5085[/ATTACH]
Sarah Grace, Kurt and Sethpo

[ATTACH=CONFIG]5086[/ATTACH]
A shot of the prizes Dickie awarded for the folks that rode every day

[ATTACH=CONFIG]5087[/ATTACH]
Fast Friendly Guy’s poetry reading for the winning team

[Rockford10]

and…

[ATTACH=CONFIG]5089[/ATTACH]
Arlingtonrider and acl

[ATTACH=CONFIG]5090[/ATTACH]
KLizotte, vvill, Fast Friendly Guy and Mrs. Fast Friendly Guy

[ATTACH=CONFIG]5091[/ATTACH]
Steve O

[Terpfan]

Thanks to all of the organizers! It was a great time and awesome meeting so many folks.

[jrenaut]

Where were you all at FCC this morning?

[scorchedearth]

Thanks for planning the event, ArlingtonRider.

It was great meeting everyone!

[cyclingfool]

I hope to be able to make it next year. Looks like everyone had a good time! Thank you, Rockford10 for posting the pics. Nice to be able to put a few more faces with some screen names, even if only virtually.

[Steve O]

@Rockford10 81597 wrote:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]5091[/ATTACH]

Too bad this photo was ruined by the cute kid in the background.

[Arlingtonrider]

[QUOTEWe can write out our own nametags though; don’t see why you feel the need to do that.

I just call them nametags as a ruse. They’re actually Valentine cards and expressions of respect.

[Steve O]

For those of you who missed the celebration or could not hear over the chatter, here’s a recap of the Creative Title Awards

Category: Title You Don’t Want to Really Think Through
Awarded to: Seth Pollack
For his thought-provoking title:
This ride home powered by a Well Dressed Burrito

Category: Slightly Inscrutable, Grain of Truth, but Could Get One in Trouble
Awarded to: Shawn Gallagher
For his slightly inscrutable title:
Marriage is a wonderful invention: then again, so is a bicycle repair kit

Category: Not Quite Ready to Embrace Technology
Awarded to: Erin Connor
For her Luddite title:
The __bleep__ amount of time it took my__bleeping__Garmin to find the __bleeping__ satellites eclipsed the length of my__bleeping__ride home in the __bleeping__ cold and windy dark evening. Then I got __bleeping tired of waiting and__bleeping rode home

Category: Wish We’d Been There
Awarded to: Kel Moore
For her titillating title:
Flashin’ Half of DC in My New Wrap Dress

[Fast Friendly Guy]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]5132[/ATTACH]
Left to Right
Back row: DKel Jr. & DKel, Dismal Scientist, Fast Friendly Guy, DCAKen
Front: CaptJohnC, Mikey (and Mikeites)

[Author]

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