Saturday was the Red Poppy Ride here in the Austin area. I haven’t done this ride before and in fact haven’t really done much riding up around Georgetown over the years, so I wasn’t sure what I’d find. For being only their 3rd year, turned out to be a great ride.

I have to hand it to the people that put these rides together. While at $35 it’s kinda pricey to do these rides often, these folks really turned out the volunteers and the rest stops were great. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and homemade cookies even. The map was great. The 62 mile route was practically traffic free, portable toilets where you needed them and they were just some friendly people. And with good weather and a flat route, what more could you want? They even had the school cheerleaders out.

The rest stops were trying to outdo one another with various themes and they seemed to be having quite a bit of fun with it. My favorite was the “Set a Spel Cafe”. They had set up tables and put out fresh cut flowers. Wow! Not only that, someone had made a whole lotta snacks they called “Cajun Crackers” too. (Cue Andy Griffith: “mmm, good cracker.”) Turns out they’ve posted the recipe online here. Might have to try that.

The 62 miler was about as flat as you’re going to find around here. Looong stretches of flat, open, quiet roads. Fantastic for last Saturday’s practically windless day. Had the wind been up, might not have been so many shiny happy people out there. Seemed to be only a small percentage of the riders that were doing the metric century though.

If I had any complaint, it would be a general one. I wish ride planners in general would just make the T-shirts optional and charge a little less. Or just sell them at the ride or on a web site. The T-shirt in this case and in most cases is great, it’s just that there’s only so many a person needs or wants.

Great ride. Would do it again next year.