Tour De mort - Halloween bike ride.

So, how was your Halloween ? Do anything fun ? Did you have an adventure ? I sure did. I went on an "exciting, fun" bike ride with Seattle/Cascade Bicycle Clubs and a few other "social groups".

Looking for a Halloween party idea, I came across this event in the Seattle Times:

Pedal through 13 cemeteries as part of Saturday's Tour de Morte, Cascade Bicycle Club's annual Halloween costume ride. The ride starts at Northacres Park in North Seattle, and goes for 33 miles, making a loop, with short stops at different "haunted" cemeteries".

Sounds like fun, right ? I mean what else could be more "Halloween ", than exploring local grave sites ?

The "before so popular " ride , attracted about 16 people this year. Though, "costumes and lights were encouraged ", only one person showed up wearing a dorky cape and a mask and another wore some kind of a "spooky " decoration.
The average age of the group was ( I want to say 100) late 40'. Riders' fitness level varied from "hard core, spandex-clad, $1500-bike" to " why am I still alive ?" At first everybody was trying to "be part of the group/leave nobody behind/let's get to know each other". Withing the first hour we had the first "flat", and being "one for all", we waited for half an hour before one of the members fixed his tire. Then , we rolled into the first "haunted cemetery"- Acacia Memorial Park, stopped for a couple minutes and then...rolled out. The same happened at Holyrood Catholic Cemetery ( so much for " visiting"). Another "tire" incident tested the group's "comradeship", leaving two group's leaders behind. I was next. On a hill climb, my bicycle chain skipped and I had to stop for 5 (!) minutes, when I turned around , nobody was there. At least, before the ride I was provided with a map ( good idea! I guess it happened before with other Seattle/Cascade Bicycle Clubs first timers). After trying to catch up with the group (unsuccessfully), I decided to call it a day.

That was my first "social/group ride " and I guess, it will be the last one ( at least for a while). I wouldn't say I had a horrible experience : I felt safe riding in a group; the route was well chosen to suite all fitness levels; I had fun meeting and talking to new people. But, I think I will stick to riding solo ( or with my friends). I think there are outdoor activities that are best done in solitude. And I will share my thoughts about it in my next post.

P.S. : If you really want to see cool pictures of "haunted cemeteries" (like this one below), visit Wend.com