NITE Ride 2008

Watching the Race in the Velodrome
I've been looking forward to the 2008 NITE Ride (Navigate Indy This Evening) for a while. I was able to talk the neighbor and his wife to come along, so it looked to be a good time. We left town before 8:00 and we arrived a little before 9:30.

Ready to Go
The worst part of the night happened right as we were unloading. The neighbor's wife lost her balance with her foot in the toe clip and went down on the pavement. She did a faceplant on the street, scratching her glasses and splitting her lip. Her description included her teeth dragging across the asphalt. Luckily, the bleeding stopped soon, and there was little swelling.

There Was a Big Crowd
We checked in, checked out the end of the last race in the Velodrome, and browsed the merch in the Bicycle Garage tent. After the bike decorating contest, it was time to go.

Happy Passenger
The route travels south to the IUPUI campus, around the zoo, across the canal, and through the Statehouse complex before circling the Monument Circle. We then stopped at the snack stop for cookies and Gatorade.

At the Rest Stop
Resuming north on Meridian and Pennsylvania, the route meandered through the Butler University campus, much to the delight of the small groups of drunk college students that cheered us on. We ended up on the grounds of the Art Museum before returning to the Velodrome. Rain showers found us on the last couple of miles, so we skipped the post ride Fazoli's and just packed up and left.

Cyclists on the Circle
A great time, and I hope to do it again soon.

Another Dog Along for the Ride
(who seems to be checking out the babes on the sidewalk)


Miles Ridden: 20.4