I jump out of the garage and down the trail to catch up with Bud and Rose at Benbrook lake park.   I stopped at the gate to pay my dollar entry fee (where do you get that pass, Bud?) and realized I'd left my bag open and my wallet had fallen out - could have been anywhere along the 8 mile trek.  I was screwed.  Rode up to see if Bud and rose were in the lot and then turned around.  On the way back I passed a guy who yelled "Are you Greg?  You wallet is at the guard shack!"  And it was!  *whew*  It had only fallen out about a mile back and the guy just assumed that it was a cyclist's doing the lake loop.
 
Had a *great* ride with Bud and Rose.  This was Rode's first ride in a very long time and she got back to it in a big heroic way and battled the wind longer than most of us would.  So we all chatted and had a nice sunday ride.  Had a good time, and it made for a perfect shakedown ride for the vk2.  I got my confidence back and the vk2 handles marvelously even at slow speeds and starts.  Visibility is incredible and the comfort seemed to be very good.  The seatpad is the ventisit material surrounding a zotefoam core.  I actually felt a breeze under my back occasionally (thanks to the 40mph winds).  I was actually kinda shocked at how well I was able to ride the bike.  the tica was tough to pilot at low speeds and braking was exhausting.  The vk2 stops very very well.
 
On the way back I started chatting with an upright rider who turned out to be a city councilman for Benbrook and also the president of the LMRA.  had a great time chatting about cycling advocacy and I ended up doing an extra 7 miles because of it.
 
THEN I called the guy who found my wallter to say thanks and turns out he's a Spanish teacher like me and we have a lot in common.  We chatted for a half hour or so.  
 
Ended up with 52 miles and it was a very nice day!