Weather,  what can you do.  Saturday afternoon was going to be a glorious fall color ride followed by a delicious BBQ.  But, when my phone started ringing off the hook at 3 pm with people looking towards the canyon.  It wasn’t looking good.  When I looked out the window, I couldn’t see  Mount Timpanogos.  I had to make a call, so I cancelled the ride portion of the day, but figured we’d try to salvage the BBQ.

The biggest effect of the weather was that a lot of people stayed home.  I had a lot of RSVP’s in the affirmative, and was expecting 30-40 people.  Since only die-hards showed up, we had fifteen or twenty by the end of the night.  Paul Zimm-the-man and his understanding wife, The Nosacks, several shop employees, and their significant others, my family, the Fofonov’s, Jake Weber, and Adam Loveridge.

Funny thing about Jake and Adam, they didn’t get the memo about the ride being cancelled and came prepared(ish) for the conditions.  As we set about building a fire and finding dry places to sit, they headed up to the summit, and began the ride. 

Not long after they left, the rains came down.  No reports of the floods coming up, but it was admittedly, not a ton of fun sitting in the rain, waiting for riders, and the “fashionably” late to arrive.  There was snow, there was hail, but then it broke.  Just as we were beginning to wonder if we should feel responsible if Jake and Adam became the targets of a search and rescue, they came barreling into the picnic area.  At this point, Jakes upper lip was actually frozen.  Talking, he sounded like a dental patient.  It seems, our few snowflakes were just a taste of what they were experiencing up on the Mud Springs trail.  With reports of blizzard conditions, and a tight-lipped response when we asked how they stayed warm……….they dove into the hot chocolate and burgers.  It was like Thanksgiving with the Donner Party.

Light was fading fast, so we got to the meat of the evening.  Presentation of the award for the points leader in the BPW “Not” Race series.  You may or may not remember the races we held earlier in the summer, that fizzled out as I grew lazier and less organized.  We had four of them, and Jake was at all but one, and won each one that he attended.  In recognition of his achievement, he was presented with a golden(Krylon) trophy.  Handcrafted by Riley over the course of several months.  Sadly, I didn’t get a picture of only the trophy, but I am sure, that Jake’s wife is happy to have it on the mantle.

Along with the award, came a cash prize of $50 out of my own personal pocket.  If I figure out why I made that part of the prize, I’ll be sure to explain it to my wife.

Soon after the awards, and Jake and Adam getting feeling back into their extremities, we settled into some S’mores.  Kenny and his family showed up, but then not to be outdone, the Fofonov’s showed up.  Proving themselves to be arguably, the most fashionable and the most late.(Jon is trying to grow his hair to look like mine)

All in all, it was an epic end to an epic year.  Thanks to everybody who came on the rides, participated in the events, or allowed their spouses to do so.  I had a ball.