6 times a year the southeastern Colorado Springs Community area puts on a "Community Ride". The ride is also sponsored by "Kids on Bikes", BikeCOS, Trails and Openspace Coalition, (TOSC), etc. Kids on Bikes has bikes/helmets, that kids of the local area can "borrow" for the ride BikeCOS has bike ambassadors that lead and sweep the ride from the Armed Forces YMCA-South to Wildflower Park on the Sand Creek Trail. TOSC brings music, snacks, drinks and Popsicles!! I am a new BikeCOS Ambassador and rode to the YMCA to volunteer to ride SWEEP, that's the last rider and we make sure the group arrives all together!
This ride was had a bit more fanfare as the Mayor of Colorado Springs and his wife also showed up to do the ride and talk to the folks and kids of the local community. We had a police escort on bicycles so it was a very safe ride! ;) The ride is only 2.5 miles each way but it was really HOT, 90F+ so we had to make sure everyone got enough to drink to stay hydrated. The ride went well, the kids enjoyed the popsicles at the park we took a group photo and headed back.
I headed back home and about halfway back, wham, I got a "bonk", out in the HEAT a bit too long, stopped at Loaf n Jug store bought a gatoraid, (sugar free) and a small bottle of water and poured it over my head!! Ate my rice cake and rasin's snack and managed to make it the rest of the way home but I was totally tapped out for the rest of the day!!! :( Man I drank a LOT of water but I guess I needed more "electrolytes" in my system so I'm going to have to pick up some NUUN tablets I can add to the water bottle for anytime the temps get near 90F from now on!! Here are a few photos of the start at the YMCA and the group at Wildflower Park.