Riding with a Buddy

Sometimes you ride alone, sometimes with a group, and sometimes with a special Buddy. My friend Bob and his wife Elaine came to Long Island to visit this weekend. Bob and I met at Columbia University in the mid 1970's. He was getting a PhD in Biochemistry, and I was working in the chemistry department with dreams of going to medical school. We became regular Squash partners, and have been friendly since that time. He lives in Moraga, California, just east of Oakland, and has become an avid cyclist. He's the kind of guy who brings his own helmet, pedals, and cycling shoes on a trip. Of course I lent him one of my bikes and off we went on my local hilly ride. We ascended the usual suspects : Turkey Lane, Stillwell Road and Snake Hill Road. Although he is two years older than me he KICKED MY BUTT on all of them. The temperature rose to the upper 80's with plenty of humidity. The photo shows us at the beach in Huntington Harbor. Bob on the left and myself on the right. After arriving home we jumped in the pool and had a great barbeque. Riding with friends is one of the aspects of my lifelong involvement with cycling that I enjoy the most.