Final Day To Enter Contest And Tomorrow's Ride

For those of you who haven't sent in your contest entry as yet, you have less than a mere 15 hours left to do so! It ends tonight at 11:59pm! No entry will be accepted once the bell tolls midnight tonight! Don't miss out on your chance to beat Left Lane! (Oops...I mean don't miss out on your chance to win big prizes!) If you have no idea what I'm talking (writing) about, just take a look at the previous Blogazoidal post below. Get your entry in now before you get overwhelmed with your Friday. Come on, this is good fun and so far the response has been fantastic! Get in it to win it! (Made that up myself)

Now, for a few housekeeping notes concerning tomorrow morning's Around The Sound ride. We start at 7am leaving from Fish and Wildlife and will maintain a moderate pace until the first rest stop. We'll head south across 3 Mile Bridge and loop through Gulf Breeze. (If you don't like riding across the bridge, meet us in GB at the south end of the bridge around 7:20am or so.) After cruising through the National Park, we'll take parallel roads to 98 to our first rest stop off Soundside. At this point, the short route group will turn around and head back using pretty much the same route for a total of about 40 miles.

The longer route group will continue around the Santa Rosa Sound using either East Bay Blvd or Hwy 98 with a rest stop on Navarre Beach just before heading across "The Desert Road" to Pensacola Beach. I'm sure there will be no speed limit along this stretch as the group will have the hammer down!

Important Note: The National Park Service has lowered the speed limit for approximately 5 miles along the "Desert Road"  from 35mph to 20mph in honor of the nesting birds. Be careful! I met a cyclist from Minnesota last year who received a ticket from a NPS Ranger who had clocked him at 25mph in the 20mph speed limit zone. Evidently, they are quite serious about the Arctic Terns and their baby terns and will ticket even cyclists! And it was an expensive ticket. I guess the Federal Government may need the money?! (I'm not badmouthing the Rangers here, I was one myself in California in the 1980s! I'm trying to keep us from getting a ticket!)

We will regroup at the Circle K next to Flounder's Restaurant in Pensacola Beach before heading back across the bridges. All told, should be about a 60 to 65 mile day for the long route group. And don't worry about the recent storm damage...I did a little recon yesterday and all roads are clear with the exception of some sand on the shoulder/bike lane. We are good to go!

See you out on the road,
Bob

It's Contest Time Again!

It is time for the 4th Semi-Annual Blogazoidal Contest! 

This time around, we are combining your Tour de France knowledge with your Blogazoidal experience to bring you the most exciting, unique contest ever! (Well, kinda...) I would encourage the contestants to go to the Tour de France website for the route map with the descriptions of each stage and team for all the details to help you with your answers.

In lieu of a lot of hype, let's go over the rules and get right to the questions. So, here goes and best of luck to everyone!

Rules:

1. All entries must be submitted to: rjgravesjr@cox.net no later than 11:59pm this Friday, June 29, 2012. The Tour de France starts the following day with coverage on the NBC starting at 8am. Winners results will be posted on this Blogazoidal no later than 5pm on Friday, July, 13, 2012. Anyone can enter, you don't even have to be a bike rider, however only one entry per person.

2. Only one answer for each question will be accepted. Please submit your answers using the following example:  1. Fred Flintstone
               2. Barney Rubble
               3. 27,123 miles
Any answers that are not clearly understood are disqualified.

3. In the event of a tie, the tie-breaker question will decide the winner.

4. Prizes are as follows: 1st Place $25 gift certificate; 2nd place $15 gift certificate; 3rd place $10 gift certificate. The gift certificates are once again provided by our good friends Tom and Brian at Cycle Sports Bike Shop on Palafox in Pensacola. Thanks guys!

5. Remember, this is a fun contest and should be entered in that spirit. The Blogazoidal author has sole discretion as to the determination of the winners. Every effort will be made to assure the scoring is accurate and the prizes are awarded in a timely fashion. Good luck and have fun!

Questions:

1. As you know, the Tour de France starts this Saturday with the Prologue Individual Time Trial. This very short ITT will declare the first wearer of the leader's Yellow Jersey. Who will win this Prologue ITT?

2. Of the first 6 stages, 5 are considered sprint finish stages. Which one of the big sprinters will win the most stages in this first 6 days of racing?

3. Stage 9 on Monday, July 9 is the first Individual Time Trial of length. Who will win this ITT?

4. Who will hold the leader's Yellow Jersey on the first rest day, Tuesday July 10?

5. In honor of the London Olympic Games, which begin almost immediately following the finish of the Tour, we have our Tie-Breaker question! How many total Blogazoidal viewers within the month of June 2012 are from Great Britain? (Hint: it is a number between 1 and 200)

Good luck everyone and I'm looking forward to awarding our great prizes to our winners! Until then, I'll...

See you out on the road,
Bob

TERAD Tonight, Contest Tomorrow!

I'm looking forward to the TERAD tonight, aren't you? The weather is a bit hot and I'm sure the pace will be also. In case you haven't ridden the TERAD lately, we start at 5:30pm from Maygarden and Summit. The course is about 25 miles and the pace will vary anywhere from moderate, (high teens) to very fast (above 30) and always has a sprint finish on Maygarden to complete the ride. Who will get the bragging rights this week? Good fun and a great ride with a bunch of characters. Come on out!

Also, it's that time of the year again...Blogazoidal Contest time!!! Usually, we put together a list of 3 to 4 questions regarding some Blogazoidal factiods, but this time we are incorporating the Tour de France into the mix which is sure to make this contest a lot of fun! Bigger prizes too! The Tour starts this Saturday and the contest will be posted tomorrow! Stay tuned to this channel for the up to the minute details on this new contest!

Who knows, maybe you could win the big prize this time around?!

See you out on the road,
Bob

How About A Ride In The Hammock?

The Twisted Hammock to be more precise! Tomorrow's weather looks fantastic for a ride in the Twisted Hammock. Leaving from the Maygarden and Summit runway at 7am the peloton will enjoy nice weather according to the latest forecasts...with one exception, there appears to be an east wind (headwind) for the trip back. However, not too stiff a breeze though. All in all, looks to be an enjoyable ride!

Again, as in the past, we will have two rest stops for this 55 miler and there will be two groups forming after the first stop then reforming at the second stop. Total miles for short group is just under 50. The pace will be moderate until the hammerfest down into the Hammock itself at which point all bets are off as the group tends to go as fast as they possibly can towards the first and only prize of the day, the coveted "Twisted Hammock Sprint!" The ride back is, well...harder to get out of the hammock than to get into the hammock...especially if it's twisted! Great ride and really great fun!

It all starts tomorrow morning at 7am! See you there and as always...

See you out on the road,
Bob

PS Look for the Semi-Annual Blogazoidal Contest coming real soon!

The TERAD Report

Well cycling fans, it was another fantastic TERAD evening of racing...uh, riding. Yes, the group enjoyed some great Pensacola weather and one another's company as they started out upon the Super Figure 8 course. For your reading pleasure I have yet again enlisted the creative writing flair of none other than the Left Lane himself for this TERAD report. And, for the sprint commentary we have a surprise for you! Yes, sports fans, not since somewhere across the midwest plains have we heard from the Masked Writer but he has honored us with his report from the bushes at the finish line! (Not sure what he was doing in the bushes...)

Note to reader: Seriously, this guy is infamous. He shows up out of nowhere, writes a report and vanishes into the night before you can say abracadabra, or something like that. Met him once in a dimly lit cafe in a dark alley in Kalamazoo back in '93. He was wearing a cloak and a wide brim hat that covered most of his face. (He doesn't actually wear a mask because as he explained, then people would know he's the Masked Writer.) He spoke with a British accent...or was it Aussie? Maybe New Zealand? He appeared to be in his mid 50s or maybe early 60s...I don't know. But, he definitely is "the most interesting man in the world."

But to start us out, here's the View From The Left Lane:

Had a great turnout for the TERAD.  Around 20 riders or so with many of the usuals including Murphy, Big Motor, Bad Mayo, Crusher Fox, Prentis, Nestordamus, Bryan, Coolio, Hurt Burt and his son Little Burt, Chris, The Chunginator a guest appearance by James Stinson and a cast of thousands… well maybe five more.

Bad Mayo was again on Josh’s Rolling Red Wagon (RRW) complaining about oxidized paint trying to justify the Low Ball Offer I am sure Dave will make to Josh now that he realizes he is faster on this machine than his ThunderBolt GreaseSlapper regular ride!!  Hurt Burt was going on about not riding for a month….seems Work is getting in the way of his Riding Career…but somehow I figured Scott would still be up near the front at the end.

Weather was near perfect but a little windy and we started off with Bryan and then Prenti leading us toward the first trip up Langley.  As we went by the runway the ever fastidious Coolio almost took out the Left Lane as he tried to avoid the sprinklers system which was running over into the bike lane. Luckily not a drop got on his sparkling blue machine!! Pace was moderate for a TERAD and the usual Hammerfest never happened on the first Langley trip (into the wind) with Left Lane actually leading the last ½ mile or so to Spanish Trail.  Group stayed together up Spanish and through the Crit running at a moderate pace until we turned in from Scenic and the hammer went down into the upper 20’s.  Even Bad Mayo on the RRW did the whole ride (as opposed to his normal “Reverse Crit”) and kept up with the group.  

Usual hammerfest on the long straight before Chapel Street with Murphy leading the way.  As we completed the neighborhood loop and headed to Burgess, Chunginator worked his way to the front and had the bit between his teeth with Left Lane on his wheel.  Unfortunately he dropped his chain as he was picking up the pace, but was able to reacquire his gear with out incident as the peloton hammered by. 

No breakaway antics today with the wind in the face on Langley and after what seemed like an endless wait at the two lights the boys were ready to rock…well not until after the runway (as per Dave’s request) where I believe Chung and Bryan went back to the front and kicked up the pace.  The Hammerfest was on with upper 20s to low 30s as we turned onto Spanish Trail with light turning green just in time and the group hammering through the turn.

At this point the peloton motored on mostly together with the exception of Prenti, Bad Mayo and the “Infirmity Division” of the peloton …the recovering Foxinator, the lame kneed Left Lane (I would have been back here anyway!!).  Also falling off was Little Burt who had a great ride and kept up the whole ride until the Peloton exploded up Spanish Trail. Watch out for this kid in a couple of years!!

That’s where my story ends where the View From the Left Lane became the View from the Back!!  Great Ride as usual!

Now, here's the report from The Masked Writer...somewhere in the bushes near the finish line:

The group made the turn from Langley onto Spanish Trail.

Twin Six took the initial pull and increased the pace to 24-25 mph with the pack in tow.

Turned onto Maygarden with a brief check due to oncoming traffic.

Pace increased hard.  Brian (you'll have to meet him and provide a name) starts the pull with Bryan "Juan Pelota" Paul, James "The Piston(s)" Stinson and Twin Six in tow. There are others behind but, don’t know who since I’m focused on the four riders in front. The winner will come from these four I surmise. Brian takes a monster pull and rolls out. Juan Pelota is next up battling a fierce headwind. Big Pistons remains behind him while Twin Six Murph sits behind Big Pistons dreaming of Mountain Dew, which he shared with me that he has given up for a while because "It makes strong like bull." Check that...Coolio says; "Wind makes strong like bull." (Me thinks someone is full of bull...) 

Back to live action:

These guys are fast! The pace has escalated from 23.5 mph to 27 mph down the chute into the headwind.

Juan Pelota Paul rolls off with about a kilometer to go.

Then the Big Pistoned Stinson gets in the drops and increases the pace. They are going ballistic!

Brian gone.

Juan gone.

No more thinking about Mountain Dew and hamburgers, Twin Six has the lead out of his life! Big Pistons is about to launch the Twin Six missile into orbit!!!

Big Pistons is spent at 400m to go leaving Twin Six Murph all alone to roll through the sprint point at a wind battered 30 mph. The fans were going absolutely wild! This hidden reporter was a bit disappointed frankly. I was really looking forward to the rare sighting of a Sprint Royale! (For those of you unawares; a Sprint Royale is where at least 3 competitors are charging for the finish line ala Mano-O-Mano! Although very rare, it is a joy to behold.)

Rest of the pack makes their way in as I yawn from my place of concealment. Started for the car but did a u-turn just in time to see Papa P beat David "Bad Mayonnaise" Mayo to the line. Bad Mayo is definitely quicker on the shiny red machine. And the added bonus of the riders behind him not having to dodge parts as they fall off his older machine he used to ride!

Young Jacob Burt makes a great show for the evening and wants to return next week.

Wow! That was a great report from our two guest commentators...one from the Left Lane and the other from the Masked Writer in the bushes. The suspense is killing me..."Who is that guy?"

See you out on the road,

Bob

It Was Lillian With A TERAD Chaser!

I love the Lillian Loop, don't you? I really enjoy those country roads and the minor amount of vehicular traffic. And this past Saturday was no different! We had a group of about 20 or so that headed out under sunny skies. The pace was docile until the Jackson Street hammerfest. (Jackson just seems to beckon the riders to dial it up a notch...or two.) Lillian Hwy was nice and then onto 98 and across the bridge into Alabama to our first rest stop. Now, the roads between the first and second rest stops usually have the pack form into two groups. The faster group enjoys a pace in the mid 20s and the slower group is around 20mph. However, for the first time ever, the slower bunch took a short cut which allowed everyone to pretty much arrive at the second stop together. (Imagine that, sometimes things work out anyway, despite the best laid plans!)

After this second stop however, is where the "fun" began. It was an absolute slogfest (kinda like a sufferfest only "more funner") back to Fish and Wildlife into that 15 to 20mph headwind. Although, as the saying goes, "A headwind is a great neutralizer." And it was true Saturday! The bunch stayed together all the way back into town...with the exception of the red (yellow) light at Pace Blvd. (Crusher says it was orange!) But all arrived safely with the usual stories to tell. Great fun and a great ride! Even Left Lane seemed back to his normal antic laden self. Had a couple new faces too! Hey, anyone seen Gianni Bugno lately?

Maybe he'll be out for the weekly Romp and Stomp which is the TERAD tonight?! We meet at the Maygarden and Summit Launch Pad, Terminal A at 5:30pm for lift off. I think the boys may be again a bit frisky as we head around the 25+/- mile Super Figure 8 Loop. Word on the street is all the big sprinters will be in attendance as well as a couple of breakaway artists, (red light runners) this evening. Should be the usual antic filled ride with the cast of unusual characters (COUCs). Come on out and enjoy a few miles with a fun group of nincompoops...uh, cyclists!

And don't forget Wednesday evening! Yes, it's another fun filled ride leaving from WSRE at 5pm with the WFW peloton. This 25 mile loop has a few more hills and is definitely a hammerfest (kinda like a sufferfest only "more funner"). Come on out for one or both rides!

See you out on the road,
Bob

Lillian, Lance, Big Brothers, Big Sisters And A Partridge In A Pear Tree...

We have a virtual potpourri of cycling issues for your reading pleasure today. I don't normally do this kind of thing but once or twice a year. I've found that once you open the proverbial door to things like these, next thing you know there's a rash of emails promoting everything from the latest technological advances to the newest causes to fight for...to the best chamois cream. (Don't misunderstand me, moisturizing is an important newsworthy issue within the cycling community.) Therefore, in an effort to crack the door a bit without opening wide to the ever pressing latest fad, here's a couple of issues for your consideration that have been forwarded to me by several of you.

First, (not necessarily in order of importance), our ride this Saturday on the Lillian Loop; we will meet at Fish and Wildlife at 7am for this 50 miler that is one of our group's favorite routes. There will be a shorter version for those of us not quite up to the full half century. This shorter route is about 42 miles long and takes in two short cuts enabling the shorter (slower) group to stay with the longer (faster group). Both shortcuts are on route between the first and second rest stops. Also, for those of you who may want an extra 10 miles or so, take the Bauer Road/Gulf Beach Hwy option after the second rest stop. Regardless of which route you choose, there's good fun to be had by all!

Second, I have received more than a few emails, texts, etc. about these new (latest) allegations against Lance Armstrong. There is so much to be said regarding the 7 time Tour hero. I could write several blogifications about his antics on and off the bike. His comeback story is absolutely amazing whether you like the man or not. What I personally believe about Lance is irrelevant except to me. However, I do not appreciate my tax dollars being spent on something that amounts to no more than a witch hunt. I have read several books and articles, good and bad, regarding the rider and there is no hard evidence to convict him of anything other than being absolutely driven to win.

Granted, I couldn't stand the arrogant man that won every major race in the States and was World Champion before his battle with cancer. I think very few cyclists liked him. But then, he was struck down with that awful disease and emerged a different rider, a different person. No surprise, he had changed. Or, maybe more accurately cancer had changed him. It would change you too! Think of it, you are at death's door for many months, not knowing if you would live, much less ever ride a bike again. Then, after almost two years, you're given a conditional clean bill of health. Finally, you have your life back.

Now, perhaps he had cheated before his illness. Perhaps it caused his cancer. I don't know. However, I do know that if any reasonable person remotely suspected that the disease that almost killed them was due to some substance they had been taking, any reasonable person would never do that again. You may argue his amazing performances; he must have doped. He may have. But, I would also argue, he weighed 27 pounds lighter! In other words, the same guy that won the World Championship now weighed 27 pounds lighter. That alone could explain his stellar Tour victories. Not to mention that was pretty much his sole focus...winning the Tour de France.

Regardless, I don't want my tax dollars spent on hunting down Lance Armstrong, a man who has been an inspiration to millions of cancer victims and who has done so much in the fight against the horrible disease. Therefore, when our own Chris Johnson sent me the following link and asked me to post it on our Blogazoidal, well, here's the petition you can sign to support Lance: 

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/we-support-lance-armstrong.html

Sign it if you want.  It is certainly something worth researching.

Lastly, the Fenner McConnell/Matt Wantz Century is coming up again this October. This annual event is the flagship of our local cycling community. I have received several email, including one from our own Mrs. Bad Mayonnaise, who expressed we should all support our local Big Brother Big Sister organization which is the sponsor of our century year by year. Here is the link to their website:  bbbs@bbbsnwfl.org
They, along with the West Florida Wheelmen, have done an excellent job for this century ride that we all know and love. Why not sign up today? 


Now, let's see, what am I forgetting? Oh yes, a partridge in a pear tree! Well, if you come out tomorrow morning at 7am at Fish and Wildlife and ride the Lillian Loop with the cast of unusual characters, I almost guarantee you will see the rare bird in a fruit tree somewhere in the south Alabama countryside. If you don't, it's probably because Left Lane scared it away. He has that effect on little creatures you know!


See you in the morning, (great weather by the way), and until then, I'll...


See you out on the road,
Bob

YHOP Wins On SF8, More Action Tonight!

As predicted, it was a frisky ride last night with the COUCs and company! Hardly a minute to catch your breath before another attack was launched. No lack of controversy either! Ah yes, the TERAD...close cousin to last year's WERAD. Never a dull moment when the cast of unusual characters get together and it doesn't appear to matter what you call it!

The peloton launched from the Maygarden and Summit staging area under beautiful sunny skies. Bryan "Juan Pelota" Paul led the group and then the Vortex took them around to Spanish Trail. Count Fishbone was quite game to follow any attack including several by Lawnchair Eddie! However, there was just too much horsepower in this evening's peloton for any "legal" escapes. We cruised around Burgess Park and on to Burgess where the real controversy began.

You see, this is usually where the Left Lane tries to gain a gap but with the likes of Dave "Twin Six" Murphy; Ty "Turbo" Turbyfil: Dana "Danaimal" Foster as well as several other big pistonned beasts of the bunch, it was highly unlikely. However, the sage old Leftius Laneius Maximus, (his Latin name) had pressed out the ever so slightest of margins with the likes of Juan Pelota and Younger Half Of Prenti (YHOP). As these three amigos approached the lights at the Bermuda Triangle, it turned yellow and then red as they rolled through. The rest of the peloton sat back as if behind some invisible force field like you would see in a Star Wars movie. I actually heard that force field humming sound too. Or was that Coolio's motor hidden in his frame?!

The second light, where the three were halted, always turns green before the first one, which is where the group sat, spitting out all sorts of vile hatred in the direction of the three. (Well, kinda...you get the idea. Makes for more entertaining reading if you can picture a sweaty group of riders hurling slurs at the other three just a few yards ahead of them and absolutely nothing the group could do about it except the traditional calling of names.) The second light turns green and off the three rode. This, of course, was met with more name calling in the general direction of the three who were now free to fly.

Finally, the light that held back the barking pack of dogs turns green just in time for the second light to turn red which, as you would suspect was again met with an increased amount of complaining generally about the three "illegal" escapees! This is all in good fun of course because every rider wished they had pulled the cheeky move that the Left Lane instigated three had pulled. After what seemed about an hour, the second light again turns green and "Who let the dogs out?!" The race was on!

It was all for naught of course, as the three had amassed an unassailable lead with the Bermuda Triangle's help. However, at the "Kiss and Cry" area it was reported that YHOP had indeed out sprinted the other two for the win on the Super Figure 8! (Albeit a bit tainted Gold medal.) Great fun on a great ride! We even had David "Lawman" Carroll out for the first time in 27 years...uh, a few weeks. (Again, it makes for more entertaining reading.)

Hey if you missed all the fun, that's okay, we're riding again tonight!!! Meet at WSRE parking lot at 5pm for the WFW Hammerfest! It's about 25 miles of rompin', stompin cycling that's a blast! See you there and as always...

See you out on the road,(Amidst more controversy!),
Bob

A Dry TERAD Tonight!

Well cycling fans, finally a dry day and just in time for our fabulous TERAD this evening! And don't look now, but shortly after we finish the hammerfest tonight, it appears more storms are moving in with more rain. Man o man, has it been raining or what?! However, not tonight for a few hours as if someone turned off the faucet just for the TERAD!

I was able to get in a quick 25 miler yesterday and decided to ride the Super Figure 8 loop. I wanted to see if there was any damage to the course after almost 20 inches of rainfall. I'm happy to report that the SF8 is in good shape and open for business! I'm sure the group will be laden with friskiness as most haven't been able to ride for quite a few days. However, a word of caution; there is a bit of debris and sand on the roads and especially in the corners so please be careful!

I can't wait to see everyone this evening at 5:30pm at Maygarden and Summit! Should be a fantastic ride with a slight breeze out of the west and temps in the low 80s. Come on somebody!!!

See you out on the road,
Bob

I Wonder If It Will Rain Today?

Wow! It sure has been pouring water out of the heavens like I haven't seen in many, many years! I heard a rumor that someone spotted animals lining up two by two...on Spanish Trail! I guess that have an inside word on the water getting that high...

Seriously, this sure does make it difficult on those of us who enjoy riding. Although, I'm sure many of us have ridden in the downpours before. I sure have. It wouldn't be my first choice, but it's not awful either at these temperatures. I remember getting caught out on a ride one day in Ohio in October when it started raining. As the temperature dropped, it turned from rain to sleet to kind of a mixture of rain, sleet, frozen rain and finally an all out snowstorm. Being soaked to the bone, I was in a real desperate situation almost 10 miles from home. That was a rainstorm you wouldn't want to caught in!

However, here, in the deep south in June, we have no worries like that. It's basically an inconvenience. Although, there are some of us that can't stand the machine getting rained upon or even riding on damp roads. In fact, I'm sure that one beloved rider would rather stand naked in the rain on Bayou Blvd. then to allow his bike to get a drop on it. (We won't name names!) So, whether you hate or love the rain or perhaps you are some where in between, it is a major factor for riders in this part of the country.

I'm sure those from the southwest for example, would have a hard time understanding why the big deal over a little rain. It's because they don't really have any rain. In fact, I happened to be in Phoenix, Arizona when they had their once a year rain event. It was really a remarkable thing to observe. People all over the area were talking about how it was supposed to rain. Then, when it actually started to rain, (what they called rain...it was actually just a sprinkle), folks were coming out of their houses and places of business into the streets with their faces toward the sky. They loved the rain! It was such a welcome change from their continual sunshine! I can attest, their is almost non-stop sunshine in the Valley of the Sun!

On a recent trip to the sunny, hot and dry region, I took off on an afternoon ride. I like riding up the mountain roads alone. There is something just so therapeutic about a ride alone with nothing but you, the Lord and the machine. I decided on a particular road that sloped upward and proceeded with the task at hand. As you know, the road up for a big Clydesdale is a bit slower than some of our smaller, more genteel brethren. However, knowing that the pace didn't matter, I just enjoyed the scenery, sunshine and exercise. It was a great day for a ride up a mountain!

An hour or so into the ride, I noticed that I was starting to run low on the water supply. I began to look about and for the first time discovered that this was actually desert...with absolutely no trees, no shade, no water of any kind any where. This had come as a real revelation to me as I continued on up my mountain road. Being from an area that knows no limit to water, this was a bit of a shock. As I arrived at the top, I stopped to take in my surroundings...barren, hot and dry. What an incredible difference to what I was accustomed to riding in. I gobbled down the rest of my Clif bar and popped a gel shot then reached down for some water to wash it down with. To my amazement and concern, I had less than half a bottle left and the water in it tasted as hot as my morning tea!

For the first time in many years, I knew I could be in trouble if I didn't hydrate and do so quickly. Granted, almost the entire way back to civilization was downhill, but there were a few uphill sections that would require some moderate effort. About 3/4 of the way to the bottom was a little town. I had noticed on my way up a small strip center with stores. As I made my way ever downward I finally came to the stores and found a Subway shop open. (The Big Hoagie would be proud!) I dismounted in the shade of the front awning and took the bottles inside. After filling up with ice and water, I rested in the shade pondering my situation. I glanced over at a bank that had a time and temperature sign flashing out the warning; 104 degrees!

I tanked up and started heading for the house a little wiser. I always have loved riding in the bright sunshine. Rain was always the enemy. However, what a welcome respite a shower would have been that hot afternoon in the desert. It's so easy to complain about our situation, isn't it? Too much sunshine, too much rain, not enough of one or the other...

See you out on the road, (when it stops raining),
Bob

Today's Ride Cancelled!

In case you haven't looked out the window, today's ride is cancelled because of rain and overall drowsiness, (uh, dreariness) actually sleepiness would be more accurate. So, hang the bike back up in the garage, and head back to bed for this weather is good for something if not riding...namely sleeping!

See you tomorrow afternoon at 2:30pm at Firestone and Summit or for some of you, check out the WFW ride at 8am at Bagel Heads!

See you out on the road...just not today<
Bob

How About A Ride On The T3AL?!

Saturday morning we have the Twisted 3 Amigos Loop on tap for the cast of unusual characters (COUCs) and all who dare to enter as well. The weather looks a little bit iffy so stay tuned for up to minute reports (not) and details for the early morning departure time. Hopefully, things will clear up a bit or at least long enough for the peloton to enjoy a romp on the T3AL! This classic route will take familiar roads north and west towards Pine Forest then south along Blue Angel and a return to the ever popular Lillian Hwy. Then the 98, Bauer Road and return to town on one of the group's favorite haunts, Gulf Beach Hwy! All told, about 50 fabulous miles!

If it's not raining, meet at the Maygarden and Summit launch pad at 7am! If things are looking a bit sketchy, I'll send out a mass email early Saturday with a "Go" or "No Go". I'm hoping we'll be cleared for take-off because I can't wait to see the COUCs! Word on the street is that Crusher is back and 10 pounds lighter! Could this possibly be the challenge Coolio has been waiting for?! Enquiring minds want to know...the rest of us really don't care. We may even have a Left Lane sighting as his knee is 87% better! With the return of several of our MIAs we may have more than the 25 riders we had last week...or not. Regardless, should be a fantastic ride! See you then and as always, I'll...

See you out on the road,
Bob

Ride Schedule Change

After much discussion and peering into the skies, the decision has been made to change the route for Saturday's ride. If you remember from the Rides Calendar, we were going to ride to Innerarity Point and back. However, after we consulted everyone from the Bad Mayo to Jim Cantore, we have decided to move our All The Way Around The Bay loop up to tomorrow! The weather will be much cooler and the wind direction is more conducive to the ATWATB loop. Therefore...

Meet at Fish and Wildlife at 7am tomorrow morning for this Rite of Spring classic. We will meander back up to Spanish Trail and connect to our traditional route even though we are starting in a non-traditional meeting place. The reason for the start at Fish and Wildlife is the WFW rides announcement has already been sent out this week. Doesn't matter though, it's the same miles no matter where you start on the loop. The total miles is between 75 and 80. If we need, we will have a shorter route of 65 miles as well. Regardless, the pace will be in the moderate range. Which means, for those of you who haven't read the Pace Chart, about 17 to 20mph. A little slower on the uphills and headwinds and a little faster in the opposite direction.

Should be a fantastic ride with temps in the mid 60s at start time!

Don't forget the FULL MOON RIDE Sunday evening out at the Casino Beach parking lot at 7:30pm!

I'll see you in the morning and as always, I'll...

See you out on the road,
Bob