Yes, it’s back! Catherine and Pata’s coffee ride! This is of no particular importance to anyone other than the principals in the matter. And yet, I’m moved to share this with you, dear FIFI readers.
First, the details: my friend Pata and I have been meeting up for years in Arlington center (pronounced “Ahlingtun centah”), riding up the Minuteman Bike Path to Lexington Centah and stopping at Peet’s Coffee for beverages (which vary according to time and temperature of day, but usually ice coffee for Pata and iced tea/lemonade for me). Then, we either continue on the path to Bedford, possibly turning onto quiet country roads, or we return back to Arlington and go back to our respective homes. Length of ride for me has ranged from 16 miles to 30-plus miles.
As pleasant a summer pastime as this is, Pata and I hadn’t managed to get together on our bikes at the same time and same place this season until last Friday. But get together we did. And ride we did. And stop for coffee we did. Here’s photographic evidence:
I love love love these rides with Pata. We go at an easy pace (a bit more brisk after the coffee), we take in the scene of pedestrians and dogs in Lexington, and I point out the flowering plants. We complain about cyclists going too fast on the multi-use path (there are strollers, dude!), slow way down for families on bikes and older folks with walkers, and say hi to other cyclists we know. It’s a low-key but perfect summer experience.
This summer, between my family visit and Pata’s work travel, this is the first time we managed to do a coffee ride. We have another scheduled for this week, and then we’re both on the road again– me to upstate NY with my aunt Cathy, and Pata to Philly and various other places for work. But we’ll reconvene to cycle and caffeinate and converse and cover ground, all on two wheels (four in total).
Dear readers, what are your low-key summer activities that you particularly love? Let me know in the comments if you’ve got a minute.
