Some of the best times I've ever had was when I was on my bike.  I started really riding in 1982 when I joined the Western Wheelers in the bay area of California.  We used to ride a 100 miler every weekend, our most popular ride was from Woodside to the beach near LaHonda and back.  The weather on the bay peninsula was always perfect for riding and stays between 55*F and 85*F even in the middle of summer.  Occasionally some friends and I would get together and ride all the way to Santa Cruz along coastal highway #1, Oh what a beautiful ride!  I was living with my dad at the time and rode a lot without the club too.  From Redwood city to Cupertino and on the Stanford campus everywhere on the peninsula was great riding territory for me, my favorite ride was on the Portola Valley loop on Alpine and Sandhill Roads.  The feel of the wind going by and the pedals spinning was so exhilarating and I had many favorite routes through the area.  The bike I bought in 1980 was a Peugeot and it rode beautiful, I think I only experienced one flat the entire life of the bike.  We moved to the Sierra Foothills late in 1986 where I kept riding the Peugeot.  Although the weather is hot in the summer it just took some getting used to, and the hills were a challenge too.  After about a year of riding I had the entire place mapped out and so did a lot of other riders that I saw as I worked out.  The hills were full of riders much to my surprise and the Nevada City Century was held nearby so I kept riding with a aim in my heart.  The local cafe, in town, I found was a nice spot for a cup of Coffee and a Scone, I got to know a few other riders who frequented it too and we made plans to ride.  One guy that I saw there I often saw on my rides as he passed me on the left, when we met at the cafe we would always talk about our rides and know all the best ones by heart.  The technology of my old bike was starting to get outdated so one day I decided to just buy a new one. I picked one out that costed $900 dollars and was shiny and new.  The moment I tried it at the bike shop It felt great and I was out the door with it quickly.  My biker acquaintances were not too surprised that I bought a new bike and neither was I.  There is nothing that feels as good as a nice ride through the Pines and hills of the Foothills.  I have my favorite routes here too, some are just out of the way where you don't see hardly anyone nearby, and that is where I get my best workout.  Well see you on the flipside, it's time to go riding!