It began like all legendary midday escapes—under the golden California sun to offset the brisk winter air, with just enough ambition to justify extra carbs at lunch. The plan? Bill and I would begin our 23-mile round trip journey to San Pedro Square Market, fueled by friendship, adrenaline, and collective craving for Vietnamese food. We hooked up with Bill’s cousin Deli in Willow Glen, for the last leg of the ride to San Jose.
Our small squad—each of us pretending we were on a Tour de France breakaway—cruised down the blissfully car-free trails, dodging the occasional jogger, rogue squirrels, and cars on the few miles of off trail street traffic. The promise of San Pedro Market’s Vietnamese eats kept us pedaling.
By the time we rolled into the bustling square, we were ravenous. Helmets off, gloves shoved into pockets, we descended upon the numerous and varied food stalls like a pack of sophisticated, cycling wolves. The orders came fast: pho so steamy it could double as a post-ride sauna, chicken salad so fresh it probably did yoga that morning, and a chicken banh mi sandwich from "On a Roll,” with a crunch so satisfying we momentarily forgot about our burning quads.
Fueled by carbs, and just the right amount of hubris, we eventually saddled up for the ride back; another successful Lunch Ride in the books, just the right mix of speed, good eats, and a touch of mischief, and a lot of joyful laughter.
