Though most of us had individually been to the Pearl Bakery before, we hadn’t visited as a bike group.  Our impetus today was its recent ranking as the 10th best bakery in the country.  Hang-out wise, its strengths are the full windows to the west and south, and the nice early morning buzz at other tables of friends obviously using the Bakery as a meeting spot.  Its challenges are limited seating options, which coupled with an industrial feel, could deter long discussions.   However, we do need to admit that they did not deter the five of us from energetic, often buoyant discussions on our growing lack of privacy, computer scams, the films Muscle Shoals and 20 Feet from Stardom, the chutzpah that is needed for most artists to be able to make a living from their craft, our cynicism over how bakeries can be ranked, how much of living to an older age we can control, and mushrooms, LSD and spirituality.       102 NW 9th    http://www.pearlbakery.com