Favorite Shop Ride

Today I participated in the Jack & Adam’s Steiner Steakhouse shop ride for the second time.  I’d done this ride once before back in September.  I found this ride through the Austin Cycling Meetup group I had joined a few months back.   The plan was for our group to meetup about 15 minutes before the start of the ride.  The weather was nice enough so I decided to ride my bike to Steiner Steakhouse along Bullock Hollow Road.  Last time, I took a right on Oasis Bluff.  This time I decided to straight up Bullock Hollow Road.  Let me tell you, it may not be as steep, but it’s actually harder.  It was all I could do to keep my pedals moving.  I arrived at Steiner Steakhouse right at 8:15 after traveling about 10 miles.

I immediately spotted my friend Allison who’s also our meetup organizer.  She does a good job making sure those who RSVP’d for our meetup actually meet one another and today was no exception.  I ran into a few people I knew from previous meetups as well as one of my regular riding partners, Robert.  The shop ride has 2 options, a no-drop 15 mile ride for beginners and a 30 mile ride that is split into intermediate and advanced riders.  Robert and I decided to take off with the advanced group.  I fell behind climbing the big hill at the Crystal Falls Country Club, but managed to catch up to a few of the stragglers from my group just as we turned back onto Lakeline Blvd.  I stopped there to detach the sleeves from my convertible wind jacket and let my wife know where I was on the route. I managed to catch a few of the stragglers from my group before getting back to Steiner Steakhouse.  I ended up riding a total of 42 miles with a few decent hills in there, bringing my weekly total to 219 miles.  This is the most I’ve ridden in quite some time and I could really feel it in my legs.  I’m going to have to pay closer attention to how I train to get myself in better shape.

The best part of this ride is the discounted brunch at Steiner Steakhouse afterwards and the plan was to have my wife meet me there after the ride for some of their delicious pancakes.  If you’ve not been there, they have excellent food and a killer patio.  It was fun chatting with my ride buddies.  I’d been to Steiner Steakhouse for dinner and our meal excellent then as well.  But, brunch on the patio with that view on a cold clear day made for a relaxing time.  The best part is getting your bill and realizing it’s cheaper than McDonald’s.  Awesome!

My wife wants to try the 15 mile route one of these days, but it was pretty cold this morning so we’ll probably wait for warmer weather, but this ride will be on our calendar from now on.  If you’re looking for a social ride with an opportunity to relax with new friends you made on the ride, I highly recommend this shop ride.