Have managed to get in a ride here and there, alas, with weather and medical appointments, winter just seems to be really hard to get to do continues rides! We did get fortune enough, to find out about an event a couple of days before the ride.
This is the Alex Pretti Memorial Ride for Colorado Springs, CO. Alex Pretti was gunned down by ICE agents in Minnesota, he was a VA Nurse and supposedly went to help a lady who got pushed down and then was surrounded by Agents, they saw he had a gun, he had a Permit to Carry a firearm. The encounter, got out of hand and he was shot. Now, I wasn't there and will never know what really happened!
Alex was also a long-time bicyclist and a great customer at a local area bike shop, the Bike Shop decided to have a Memorial Ride for Alex, it was posted by FACEBOOK, and they asked Bike Shops around the country to also have a Memorial Ride for a fellow cyclist. There were over 250 bike shops across the USA that on Jan. 31st. at 11 AM, held a Memorial Ride, we joined the one here in Colorado Springs. Not to protest but to show solidarity and remembrance of a fellow cyclist!!
230+ riders, stopped to fix a flat by the "CREW", heading to America the Beautiful Park
We arrived at the Julie Penrose Fountain in America the Beautiful Park, gathered to hear speakers and take a group photo. Some headed back to the Lincon Center for a gathering at the Goat Patch Brewery. We don't drink liquor, we decided to ride up to Sinton Trail and get a cheap hot dog lunch at the Mavrick Station Store, then to Angletech to buy a better helmet MIRROR for my new SENA R1 Smart (intercom) helmet.
The old-style helmet mirror I had was designed to attach to glasses and just wouldn't work with the new helmet. Safe Zone Helmet Mirror, very adjustable and easy to attach, with a much larger mirror!! We prefer helmet mirrors over trike mounted mirrors, more view of different angles rearward. A bit pricey at $43.00 but worth it and made in the USA! :)
The weather started out quite chilly but warmed nicely with lots of sunshine, a nice improvement for days before, good ride, nice company, no problems, except the flat tire someone on the ride had!
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February 1, 2026- Food and Supplies Run and headed to the Creekside Coffee House- We don't own a car, so it's been tough with the weather to get to the food store, we were out of everything! Sunday was even warmer than Saturday, headed to Walmart Market Place via the Rock Island Trail and side street or two. Pulling the cargo trailer behind my trike, did the shopping, loaded up the trailer and panniers, then back home to put away the frozen and cold items, then headed out to the Coffee House.
LOL, we forgot it was Sunday, the Creekside Coffee House is hooked to a local church, it's closed on Sunday's! We rode the PPGW north and picked up the Cottonwood Creek Trail east to the CC House, turned around and headed back on a fast downhill to the Starbucks on Woodman and Academy Blvd for iced tea to go with our brown bag lunch! The sun on the patio felt good and we finished lunch and headed back down the Cottonwood Creek Trail to the PPGW south and back to apartment as it was nearing 4 PM. Nicely, the sun is now up till about 5:15 PM so we can ride a bit later in the afternoon!
Cottonwood Creek, from one of the MANY bridges that cross back and forth over the Creek on the Cottonwood Creek Trail. The view looks west towards Pikes Peak
Well, that's a rap folks, today, Monday Feb. 2 Happy Ground Hog's Day, it very gray, cloudy and chilly and I have medical appointments/classes, for both Tues. and Weds. Hopefully be able to get in a ride on Thursday and Friday. Maybe also on Sunday, Taxes getting done on Saturday so no ride RATS! Till we come together, next time, Happy Trails!