Bike Ride, Anyone?

If you're a cycling enthusiast, who follows Lance Armstrong on Twitter and happened to be in Glasgow, Scotland, on Tuesday — it was your lucky day.

The seven-time Tour de France winner tweeted: “Hey Glasgow, Scotland! I’m coming your way. Who wants to go for a bike ride?”

The impromptu invite rallied 200, despite the rain. We can only imagine the numbers if the sun had been shining. But for pros and amateurs alike, it was once in a lifetime experience. Former world champion Graeme Obree joined in the fun, as did Julie Watson, a fan and biker of 10 years.

The 44-year-old nurse told the Associated Press, “It’s a bit out of this world,” she said. “It’s quite dreamlike. It’s a chance in a lifetime to ride with my hero. He’s an inspiration that I’ve followed for years since his cancer.”

After an evening out at U2 concert followed by a ride through town, a happy Armstrong tweeted, “Thanks to everyone who turned up to ride in Paisley! I figured we’d have a nice ride for a dozen or so. But 100’s came. Haha! Awesome!”

Photo courtesy of markagibson, via Creative Commons and Flickr