Last summer, Linda and Tony took a group bike tour through Belgium and the Netherlands through a locally-based travel company, ExperiencePlus. Linda and Tony loved the tour and the company, and recently invited Dan and me to join a 25-mile group ride across Fort Collins that ExperiencePlus was organizing.

Before this, my longest ride clocked in around 15 miles of flat, easy road.

This ride would end up testing me in a number of ways. First off, the wind was blow-you-off-course intense. The “few small hills” that Dan warned me about were more than I’d ever faced before. There were aggressive downhill sections, some in grit and gravel. There were narrow shoulders and complex traffic crossings, including a highway. Basically it felt like a 25-mile test of all of the bike riding skills I’d been working on for a year and a half, and I must say, I am damn proud all four of us finishing it unscathed, and in about 2.5 hours.

The weather, aside from the wind, was stunning.

25 miles is a casual ride for Dan. We encouraged him to ride at his own pace, and he ended up powering through difficult sections quickly and then waiting for us to catch up. You should watch this man climb a hill, damn.

I don’t usually show my teeth when I smile, so this ^^ should tell you how much fun I had along the way.

The ride ended at Intersect Brewing, where ExperiencePlus provided drink tickets and sandwiches. I can barely remember what I ate, I inhaled it so quickly and gratefully. I do remember Intersect allowing me to use my drink ticket for chocolate milk. Don’t hate me ‘cuz you ain’t me.

Dan later told me that he thought my pace was really great, so if you need me I’ll be over here on cloud nine.