This Mass is CRITICAL: The June CCM Ride
It started out a hot and sultry day spent mostly in a car...needless to say I was feeling a little cranky and almost didn't want to go on my favorite ride of the month. Fortunately I got my ass in gear and started riding downtown, Mike Gill at my side, in the rain and humidity. The hot rain actually felt amazing and cooled my negative thoughts, even though we were running late and a flat tire slowed us down. Miraculously, we made it to public square, just in time!
The mass of humanity was taking off when we arrived, a mob of smiles, bells, horns, and my favorite..."Happy Friday!" was all you could hear...
Bystanders and drivers never really understand what's going on but enjoy the spectacle...lots of high fives and hooting and hollering can be heard as we, a mass of over 400 (420 by concensus of the counters), ride by. My mood instantly lifts as I ride with all these kindred spirits. My mind wanders and I suddenly miss those who couldn't ride tonight (Erika, Reid, Julie, Josh, Lenny, Kim, and Logan someday) but thankful for my crew that did ride (you ragers know who you are!).
Critical mass isn't just a large group ride, but something anyone can be a part of and find a sense of comfort and belonging. It's a few hours of being a little kid again, without a care in the world. I am grateful for these mass rides and always spread the love by convincing new people to hop on a bike and ride with us and show Cleveland some TLC by enhancing her streets with some positivity and dedication.
Also, a huge thank you to everyone at Kamm's Corners for making CCM so welcome, and a personal thank you to Cisco for post-ride snacks and drinks!