The Owl Ride

There was an Old Man with a owl,

Who continued to bother and howl;
He sat on a rail
And imbibed bitter ale,
Which refreshed that Old Man and his owl.

A few Saturdays ago, Scott and I joined 2,000 other bikers for the second annual Owl Ride. There was no "bitter ale" for us, but bottles after bottles of water. After loading our bikes and gear and pulling out of the driveway, I noticed the temperature--87 degrees at 10:15 p.m.

The Owl Ride is a 16-mile ride that takes place at night--from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m.--benefiting The Meyer Foundation for Disabilities. This year's event attracted over 2,000 participants from 11 states.

The views were amazing. The city lights sparkled and thousands of cyclists with their bikes illuminated, lined the streets. Throughout the 16-mile course there were four "Owl Perches." These were sponsored rest stops that offered water, snacks and a little rest to the hot, weary cyclists.

At one of the "Owl Perches," attempting to hydrate.

Hot, sweaty and enjoying breakfast.

After we finished the ride, breakfast burritos and quesadillas were waiting for us at the finish. We quickly enjoyed, loaded our vehicle and headed home for showers and sleep. Other than being a bit tired and having a sore rear (if you can find a bike seat that doesn't make your rear sore, buy it…no, buy ten of them), I felt great the next day. We had a fantastic experience on the Owl Ride and we're hoping to wrangle some friends and family to join us next year. And because I've been fighting the urge the entire time I've been typing this, I'll end with an over-used owl quip--the Owl Ride was a hoot.