More kooky than spooky.

We should've kept planning.

Mark set this particular ride in motion - we'll call it our first annual Halloween ride - simply because the weekend forecast was looking pretty nice. An e-mail to Rick and the rest was set.

Saturday the 27th arrived and despite the 30-ish temperatures, the sun was out and making the world look and feel much warmer than it was. Spokane's spectacular fall colors were everywhere, and by 10:30 or so, a group including Rick, Mark, Brian and Crystal, Kevin, Pat, Bob, Jack and Melissa pushed off from the Rocket for a low-key, in-town ride.

Riders were supposed to decorate themselves, their bikes or both for Halloween, with the best of the bunch getting a free lunch courtesy of the losers. As it turned out, Rick was the only one to give it a go with a giant cutout pumpkin, witch, and little black bats stuck to his Sprint. We'll do better next year.

After a nice 20-mile ride including a stop at the Bowl and Pitcher overlook and Painted Rocks, the group stopped for lunch at the Wall Street Diner - a nice all-hours brunch place - where Charlotte and several police cruisers were parked outside.

Turns out the place had just been robbed, the first time ever, according to the owner, and the police were taking statements from witnesses. Good news was the hapless thief had managed only $40 from the till, and patrons had apparently hurled glass and coffee at him on his way out the door.  A TV crew arrived a few minutes later to record the scene. (Our 'scoots were on Q6 at 6:00!)

But soon enough, the mess was cleared and the diner was running at capacity once more, primed by ten hungry riders and a TV crew.

Like Rick's bike, the day was more kooky than spooky, but everyone seemed glad to have taken part. We'll be sure to plan a repeat for 2008, and start imagining ways to REALLY do justice for a Halloween ride.

Oh, and while you're thinking about it, check out what some riders elsewhere do for Halloween on the weblinks below!

Halloween Ride Gallery (Flash™ images)
"Old Skool" post (Weblink)
"Soleilisme" post (Weblink)