I was bragging that six of us from Fairhaven would show for this brisk full moon ride. Two cancelled and one I never heard from. We set a time to meet to caravan to Providence, R.I. Only two of us showed up at the designated spot but just as we were about to leave, a couple with a tandem bike showed. We had to make a stop on the way to pick up our fifth.
Our crew gathered in East Providence and as we were preparing for the nine mile ride to Warren, R.I. at 4:30 PM, Dave asked, “should I put on my booties”. I replied, “fercryinoutloud, it’s almost 50 degrees.”
Some, like me, want to start and finish earlier. We start in Providence, ride to Warren and return with the group to Providence. The Warren group then ride the ten miles or so back to Warren. Usually when it’s quite a bit colder.
We had one incident. I was riding with the tandem couple and as we crossed a wooden bridge into Barrington, R.I. an older rider coming at us, moved into our lane. We all stopped, but when the tandem couple moved to the left, he blocked their way again. He did this to complain that their headlamp was too bright and blinded him. I saw through his rouse and laid into him.
“You went through all that just to berate them for their light”?
“The light is too bright” he responded.
From me he got, “your and asshole” And we rode off.
Every once in a while we run into the self imposed bike police who feel compelled to make a fuss. I kind of enjoy giving them something to fuss about.
As we were making our return ride to Providence, the temperature began to drop. We were riding along the East Bay with a slight breeze in our face coming off the bay. Everyone began to complain of having Popsicle toes. We had planned to ride into the city crossing the Washington Bridge, which was about a mile past the parking lot where we began. Everyone decided to cut the ride short because of the toes. Even Dave who had booties but did not have the sense to wear them fercryinoutloud.
Here are some photos
A Midnight Rider 
When cyclists get into the headlights that are brighter than 350(ish) lumens, they do tend to be too bright for oncoming traffic. Couple with that, the likelihood that most cyclists don’t tilt their headlight down far enough, the oncoming @$$hole may have had a point. Doesn’t change that he was an @$$hole, of course.
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