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01-19-08, 03:16 PM
This is my first post in the forum because of today's experience. I'm Dave from Homestead Fl.
There I was! Nearly at the end of the BusWay Max (south) headed for Card Sound Road. Up ahead I spy a gaggle of what must be cyclists. I thought they must be the local group I have seen from time to time. They are four women in dayglow green Tee's. I catch them at the very end of the BusWay and they are discussing which way to go. They decide to go left and east to US1, I continue south on the bike path that curves east to US1 and the beginning of Card Sound Road. I didn't know it but, I had just been encountered
by "Wandering Wheels".
When I get to the beginning of CSR, I spot another cyclist in the median with same color tee and surmise he is with the group. I go on down CSR. This is the only road nearby that has a 10 mile stretch of no intersections, stop signs etc.,that is safe enough to ride. Today, the ride out on CSR was a headwind hill. Flattest road in the world and the wind makes it a 10 mile hillclimb.
About halfway down the CSR, I was encountered again by Wandering Wheels, this time a lady outside her WW van parked on the right saw me coming and started offering me water. I declined and continued. I still didn't know what I was encountering this morning. Onward and upward on the hill of wind.
I approach the end of the outbound leg with the curves in the road and pass Alabama Jack's just before the CSR toll booth. Here, I stop to catch my breath, drink a liter and a half of water and turn around. While there, a big motorhome with the Wandering Wheels logo ques up to go through the toll booth. That was close!
Now, I have not just the sun but, the wind oh yes, the wind at my back. 10 miles of uninterrupted road with a really good tailwind. I get to see something new. There is a near endless stream of bicycles going in the opposite direction. The headwind has gotten them spread out but, there are many of them. The riders are apparently older and on every kind of bike. Road bikes, tourers, hybrids and mountain bikes. I had time enough to note the gear that one older man was using, very low but, he was getting near the toll booth and I didn't see him coasting.
Several gaggles of Harly's whizzed by on their way to Alabama Jacks.
I finish my 30 mile roundtrip Saturday morning ride and look up Wandering Wheels on the web. This is what I encountered.
http://www.wanderingwheels.org/January%20Keys.html
It is only then that I realize what I had encountered, a group ride that started at Cocoa Beach, far to the north of me and will terminate far to the south and west at Key West. 13-22 January.
My little, puny 30 mile joy ride this morning seems trifling by comparison.
There I was! Nearly at the end of the BusWay Max (south) headed for Card Sound Road. Up ahead I spy a gaggle of what must be cyclists. I thought they must be the local group I have seen from time to time. They are four women in dayglow green Tee's. I catch them at the very end of the BusWay and they are discussing which way to go. They decide to go left and east to US1, I continue south on the bike path that curves east to US1 and the beginning of Card Sound Road. I didn't know it but, I had just been encountered
by "Wandering Wheels".
When I get to the beginning of CSR, I spot another cyclist in the median with same color tee and surmise he is with the group. I go on down CSR. This is the only road nearby that has a 10 mile stretch of no intersections, stop signs etc.,that is safe enough to ride. Today, the ride out on CSR was a headwind hill. Flattest road in the world and the wind makes it a 10 mile hillclimb.
About halfway down the CSR, I was encountered again by Wandering Wheels, this time a lady outside her WW van parked on the right saw me coming and started offering me water. I declined and continued. I still didn't know what I was encountering this morning. Onward and upward on the hill of wind.
I approach the end of the outbound leg with the curves in the road and pass Alabama Jack's just before the CSR toll booth. Here, I stop to catch my breath, drink a liter and a half of water and turn around. While there, a big motorhome with the Wandering Wheels logo ques up to go through the toll booth. That was close!
Now, I have not just the sun but, the wind oh yes, the wind at my back. 10 miles of uninterrupted road with a really good tailwind. I get to see something new. There is a near endless stream of bicycles going in the opposite direction. The headwind has gotten them spread out but, there are many of them. The riders are apparently older and on every kind of bike. Road bikes, tourers, hybrids and mountain bikes. I had time enough to note the gear that one older man was using, very low but, he was getting near the toll booth and I didn't see him coasting.
Several gaggles of Harly's whizzed by on their way to Alabama Jacks.
I finish my 30 mile roundtrip Saturday morning ride and look up Wandering Wheels on the web. This is what I encountered.
http://www.wanderingwheels.org/January%20Keys.html
It is only then that I realize what I had encountered, a group ride that started at Cocoa Beach, far to the north of me and will terminate far to the south and west at Key West. 13-22 January.
My little, puny 30 mile joy ride this morning seems trifling by comparison.