Night Rider

Last night at midnight I was happily tucked up in bed watching a DVD when I got a call from JD.

Four and a half hours later I was on top of a multistory car park with a few hundred people on bicycles looking at an awesome view of the Texas Capitol having just completed an approximately 20 mile ride through the streets of Austin.

After I got off the phone with JD I got dressed and jumped in the car with my bike and met him for a bottle of Lonestar at Donn's Depot. From there we cycled to the pedestrian bridge over Town Lake to meet the rest of the riders.

At approximately 2.15am we took off through the streets of downtown Austin not stopping for lights or stop signs. We literally took over the streets and some of the looks on people’s faces who had just come out of the bars and clubs were priceless. The ride then went at break neck speed through neighborhoods in West Austin heading north before heading back through central Austin, down the drag past the University and back to downtown where we stopped in the car park.

Surprisingly, we saw no cops the whole time or any accidents except for the guy carrying a flag who managed to come off his bike going downhill at 15-20 miles per hour but stay on his feet and continue to fly his flag throughout. As you would expect for Austin there were a few odd people and bikes. One guy rode a penny farthing, another a unicycle, and there were many customized bikes including one with

a flame thrower! I found the pace of the ride quite difficult so I am amazed by the people who managed it on BMX's and random old kids bikes from the 70's!

Needless to say I don't think the French would have had any trouble finding dodgy urine samples from these Austin cyclists!