The New Year's Day Ride was begun in the earliest of our club's history, probably by either Marge Goelz or Sharon Bouchonville, or both. Probably Marge since she was here first.

The first ride was likely in 1999 or thereabouts. Not recent by any means. And we met then at the Oberlin Library parking lot because back then that was our usual meeting place. Our archives had pix from the groups that would meet then ride whatever distances, all together, not in groups according to speed or style or anything else, but that is how we did it back then. (Listen to me talk as though this was a hundred years ago.)

Many of our "original members" aka aborigines, participated in all of those since then. Some were very snowy but most were not but a little chilly.

I remember especially the turn of the century, in 2000. The temps were about 55 degrees and we rode 35 miles total and tried to find ANYWHERE open on new years day. We did find McD's in LaGrange open and we did eat and warmed there while their other customers stood agape at the fact that all these 'old-timers' were out biking that day.

As we rode past others who were out driving we shouted out "Happy New Years" and they shouted back.

Another time I recall vividly except for the year, albeit likely an early one for the club, was when a newer member showed up and said she needed only 7 more miles to be eligible for her free yellow tee shirt. We told her we would make sure she would ride those 7 miles, which we all did, all within the streets of Oberlin because it was so snowy that day and the roads were a real mess. But we were determined to help her earn her status.

Another year there was some terrible weather predicted and Pat again "canceled" the NYD ride. Well, then, as in this year also, this is not her ride to cancel just because we usually go to her house for soup afterwards. This is a club ride and a tradition that must continue under ANY circumstance.

In this particular year, in which bad weather was predicted, and she had "canceled" the ride, I felt that was not to be. So I drove to Oberlin and waited for others to show up. None did. I rode a respectable 10 miles that day, in a sleet storm coming from the west, and did manage about 15 mph heading eastward all the while hugging the thin strip of barren pavement that allowed me to maintain a road grip with my tires while riding back into O-town.

I stopped that day at Pat's house and exclaimed she owed me soup. She agreed and we have been the closest of friends since.

I suppose there are several morals to this tale (which Is Gospel-true, by the way). first must be that traditions are sacrosanct. We ALWAYS ride on NYD. We can easily figure out where to go afterwards. If Pat's not home we'll find someone else to take us in.

There is a lot to be said about traditions and things we do because we do them. That's what makes us a unique organization. Our newer members have yet to learn all that.

But I will be at the Depot on New Years Day at 1 PM no matter what. We'll find a place to eat if we must and we will ride at least one mile - because we must.

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