Bud's Ride: Hello! Horray!

if you squint really hard, you may just be able to make out the peloton in the far distance

The Bud's Ride leaves Claremont at about 5:20 Wednesday evenings. I head out the office back door at 5:30 sharp. Clearly there is a bit of a disconnect there. For a month now I have left by the back door with the full intent of rushing over to Bonelli Park for the lap portion of the ride but, until this night, have always decided it a lost cause.

Hello! Horray! Let the show begin

I've been ready.

Hello! Horray! Let the lights grow dim,

I've been ready.

For good or bad I have been ready for this thing, the weekly pounding. I figure I can get home, quickly kit up, take a running start out the door, furiously pedal along Bonita, and get there before it all wraps up for the night. I should be ready, as ready as possible, after the six mile warm up.

Ready as this audience that's coming here to dream.

Loving every second, every moment, every scream,

I've been waiting so long to sing my song

And I've been waiting so long for this thing to come.

Yeah - I've been thing so long I was the only one.

The best scenario: I could get to the finish straight along Puddingstone, as the bunch comes flying along, wind at their backs, with a lap still to go. They will be a tiny bit worn, and I will be relatively fresh. When tonight I turned onto P'stone and saw riders lounging on the grassy median, I was a little worried that maybe I had misjudged the time, and missed the finale.

Roll out! Roll out with your American dream and it's recruits,

I've been ready.

Roll out! Roll out with your circus freaks and hula hoops,

I've been ready.

Ready for this audience that's coming here to dream.

Loving every second, every moment, every scream,

I've been waiting so long to sing my song

And I've been waiting so long for this thing to come.

Yeah - I've been thinking so long I was the only one.

I sedately rolled westward, a scattering of riders would roll past in the other direction. As I neared the airfield control tower the bunch, such as it was tonight, hove into view. A median stood between me and a change in direction. Could I make it to the left turn lane before the group got there, make my turn, prepare for warp speed? Heck no! The bunch flashed past, before I could shoot through a gap to the back markers, and accelerate. By then the bunch was pulling away by the second and there was no chance of catching up. Alice Cooper's Hello Horray played on in my head as I watched them disappear into the distance.

I can stand here strong and thin.

I can laugh when this thing begins.

God, I feel so strong.

I feel so strong.

I'm so strong.

So strong.

God, I feel so strong,

 I am so strong.

Two minutes more, that is all I need. Next week, I don't say hello to the wife, nor the son. Not even the dog. That should give me the time I need to make that u-turn before the peloton arrives.