Did You Ride Today?

[RonH]

I felt much better today so managed 50.5 miles.
No riding tomorrow. Going to visit my daughter and family in Myakka City -- wherever that is. I hope my GPS can find it.

[kjc9640]

47 hard miles yesterday with 18 mph wind gusts that just seemed to come from all directions

[RonH]

I guess I'm over the swamp fever I had so did 42.5 miles today. When I got back to the apartment I put new tires on the bike (the old ones were wearing out). Replaced the 700x23 Conti GP 4 Seasons ($80 each ) with 700x25 Vittoria Rubino Pro Tech ($35 each). I'll give a report after a few rides.

[RonH]

Did a nice 38 miles today. Not sure if I'll be riding tomorrow. We may head over to the fair in Inverness.

[kjc9640]

47 miles again today, perfect weather, good friends. Looking forward to the ride saturday in inverness.

[zzOtherlandzz]

Yep.... Short 8 mile ride on the mountain bike with friend and his new bike. Some pavement, some trails, some SANDY roads.. all in 8 miles. He loves the bike though, first time he has actually ridden a bike that fits him.

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[RonH]

Did a great 58 miles yesterday. Today we'll be cleaning the apartment, returning the Bright House modem, turning in the PO box key, etc. because we're home on Sunday morning.
I hope to see everyone at the Clean Air Ride tomorrow. I'm doing the 48 mile option.


For you people who live here and can ride on these great trails whenever you want, I have one thing to say --

A terrible day on the Withlacoochee Trail is always better than a whole week of good days on the Atlanta-Stone Mtn bike path.
I'm sure gonna miss the trail, and the friendly people, little to no traffic, beautiful scenery, etc.

[kjc9640]

Ron, I plan to meet my group at the registration desk at about 8:30. I will be wearing my West Virginia Blue and Gold jersey. If you see me step and say hello.

[zzOtherlandzz]

Yep.... Rode x 2 yesterday.... (Friday) Short ride in the morning (6 miles) to the tax office with friend who just got the bike the other day. And later in the day a longer ride with both friends to town that ended up being about 23 miles when we got done. The one friend had 2 flats on the ride to and from town. And these flats were on mountain bikes (they mad me ride m mountain bike... cus they were riding mountain bikes)... Even though we were on the pavement the whole way. First flat not sure what caused it... just a small hole in the tube, nothing in the tire. The second one he ended up with an inch long cotter key stuck through the tire into the tube. I was mad that I didn't take a picture of it.

We did have to cut the ride short though.. The one friend had major back surgery about 5 years ago (one with the flats today).... and every once in awhile his back will just go haywire and he will start having back spasms. That happened today about 7 miles from home.

Friend that had the flats decided he would try a mushroom he found while taking a nature break. He took about 4 bites each time saying it tasted my crap... LOL
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[mrz80]

Ok, I'm back. First ride of the year. Threw off the lazies, aired up the tires and got the Lycra sweaty. Just 6-1/2 miles (pitiful ain't it? ) with plenty of wind, and a big red radar blot of rain coming in from the west. Nice solid leg cramp at 5-1/2 talked me out of going the 12 to 15 I had mapped out. Such a wuss. Still, it's a start I guess.

[curly666]

Did 16 today, temps in low 40s. Just put a new Brooks B17 on and starting to break it in, think it took about 400 miles to break in my other one before it was really comfortable.

[kjc9640]

50 miles today on the Clean Air Ride, had planned to do about 70 to 75 but 4 flats in the group today and rain about 10 miles from Inverness changed our plans. One friend had a flat before we started then his wife had 3 on the same tire about 9 miles south of Floral City. Still it was a great ride.

[zzOtherlandzz]

Yep.... Solo today..... Neither friend wanted to go... Rode about 14 miles total, 9 miles on the PLB trail and then about 5 miles in Etoniah Creek State Forest. Some pretty sticky sand and grass after all of the rain earlier today. I didn't get wet on the ride but it started to rain as I was loading up to go home. Great ride though.... about 1hr 10mins on the bike

Supposed to go on a ride that stats at the local winery that is right near the Palatka Lake Butler trail head in Grandin tomorrow. They are trying to make it a monthly thing, put on/sponsored by Putnam Cycles in Palatka and Tangled Oaks Winery in Grandin Florida. I think this is going to be the second ride so far. Snacks & wine tasting after the ride.

[zzOtherlandzz]

Yep, I went on my first organized ride in the 8 years I have been riding as an adult. Went with the one friend who just got a bike... and a friend of his who hasn't rode a bike in years.. Although I use the word "Organized" a bit loosely. It was more of a group of people gathering at a place and riding, even in different directions... But it was fun... About 30 riders showed up.. All ages all different kinds of bikes so that was cool. This was only the second month that they have had the ride. It was odd they had NO sign at the winery which is almost right across the street from the trail head. I don't think they even had a sign at the bike shop when I was in there last week. Both things a bit odd to me... The trail is really new to the community and the winery is right there but not a lot of people know about it... But I think with a bit of advertising and a few signs it really could take off....... but I dunno....

Short ride..... about 13 miles.... slow pace (even for me)... Had fun though... will go again if they do it again....

[zzOtherlandzz]

Yep... rode 4-02-12 (Monday).... Rode some of the non paved trails off of the G.ville Hawthorne trail. Took me about 1.5hrs to ride 10.5 miles... Kind of slow going through some of the trails.. But had had fun!!!

Linda if your reading this... They have added another 2 miles of off road trail (4 miles total out and back) to the existing trails. A good 7 or 8 miles of off pavement trails now. Most of it in the shade too. Some roots in a few places but overall not too bad... and not any HUGE roots that you can't avoid. The trails start at the parking area at the junction of county roads 2082 & 234.

Here are just a few pictures..

Soon to be boardwalk over the dried up swamp... Might be swampy again if it rains a lot.
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The first time I rode this trail a few years ago there was enough water in the creek for canoeing. Kind of sad to see it like this now....
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[zzOtherlandzz]

Yep...... Dusted off the road bike and did 20 miles on the Palatka Lake Butler trail just before It got dark. LOTS of people out enjoying the trail this evening. Nice ride. hadn't been on the road bike in awhile.

[RonH]

Ron, I plan to meet my group at the registration desk at about 8:30. I will be wearing my West Virginia Blue and Gold jersey. If you see me step and say hello.

I didn't see this post until this morning. I turned in the BrightHouse modem Friday morning so we had no internet until we got home Sunday night.
I remember seeing a rider with a WV jersey. I guess it was you. Sorry we didn't meet up.
I posted some ride pics here.

I'm still not riding after my fall at the Clean Air Ride. My side is still sore. Had a massage yesterday and it helped. I may head out into the traffic on Friday or Saturday. I sure miss the Withlacoochee Trail.

[kjc9640]

I didn't see this post until this morning. I turned in the BrightHouse modem Friday morning so we had no internet until we got home Sunday night.
I remember seeing a rider with a WV jersey. I guess it was you. Sorry we didn't meet up.
I posted some ride pics here.

I'm still not riding after my fall at the Clean Air Ride. My side is still sore. Had a massage yesterday and it helped. I may head out into the traffic on Friday or Saturday. I sure miss the Withlacoochee Trail.

Ron, I had a feeling that you had not seen my post. If you saw a WV jersey it probably was me.

I just looked at your photos, that must have been a nasty fall, what happened? Which bike were you on? I hope you heal up quickly.

[RonH]

I was on the Litespeed.
I was about 1/2 mile north of Floral City on my way back to Inverness. It started sprinkling so I started "sprinting" trying to beat the rain. My cleat somehow came unclipped and the bike veered to the right, off the trail and into the leaves. I started skidding and the bike slipped out from under me. The next thing I knew I was on the ground. I managed to get up, pick up the bike, and then slowly started riding north toward Inverness. It started raining when I was about a mile from Hernando. I rode back to the apartment in the rain (~3 miles).
After I got back to the apt I got out my 5 mm allen and straightened the brifter. When I'm a little less sore (tomorrow or Friday?) I'll be checking over the bike.

[kjc9640]

I was on the Litespeed.
I was about 1/2 mile north of Floral City on my way back to Inverness. It started sprinkling so I started "sprinting" trying to beat the rain. My cleat somehow came unclipped and the bike veered to the right, off the trail and into the leaves. I started skidding and the bike slipped out from under me. The next thing I knew I was on the ground. I managed to get up, pick up the bike, and then slowly started riding north toward Inverness. It started raining when I was about a mile from Hernando. I rode back to the apartment in the rain (~3 miles).
After I got back to the apt I got out my 5 mm allen and straightened the brifter. When I'm a little less sore (tomorrow or Friday?) I'll be checking over the bike.

We must have been a short distance behind you it started to sprinkle on us just as we left Hamptons Edge bike shop in Floral City. Glad you are OK and hope the bike was not damaged.

[kjc9640]

62.8 today, 2 flat tires. We only had one tube between us and my tire developed a slow leak at about 30 mile out. Managed to baby it back toward home but about 6 miles from the house it gave up so I changed it. Put the new tube in rode adout 200 yards and it went flat. In my haste to change it I pinched the tube. My Buddy rode on the the trail head where his truck was parked then came back and picked me up. It was still a great ride and a beautiful day.

[zzOtherlandzz]

Yep.... Rode Sat... The mountain bike.... 4.5 miles on pavement, 9 in the woods & 4.5 back to the van on the pavement. Really bad headwind for the first 4.5 miles out on the pavement.. Extra fun being on the mountain bike in the headwind... LOL GREAT ride though... awesome weather... About 1hr 40mins on the bike.

[zzOtherlandzz]

Took off from the house on the mountain bike.... was going to go do a 3 or 4 loops in the small state forest trail near by. I thought somebody in the neighborhood was burning leaves or something. But I got about 3 miles from the house and there was still smoke everyplace. Did almost a loop on the trail and was blocked by 3 or 4 trees over the trail (no way around them this time really). So turned around rode the trail back the other way. On the way back I scared the tar out of a girl and her friend walking. I said "honk honk" and she about jumped out of her skin. Honestly though This part of the trail is just covered with dry leaves and twigs, I mean I sounded like a freight train coming .... I have NO clue how she could not hear me.... LOL.... They laughed though.... By the time I got back out to the entrance to the trail my throat was kind of burning.. So just took it easy back to the house. Ended up riding about 56 minutes... 9 miles I think...

[kjc9640]

42 miles today, great weather. Got home ate some lunch then napped for 2 hours.

[zzOtherlandzz]

For the first time in 4 days there was no smoke in the air. The wind was out of the north east.. more east than north. Soooo decided I better take a ride while the air was good!! Decided I would take a ride to the bike shop to see if my other bike was done (getting it tuned up, for some reason I could NOT get it done myself). Decided I would take the mountain bike.... That wasn't really that smart considering the big headwind on the 15 mile ride to the shop... Ohh yeah take a heavier bike, sit more upright and ride into the wind lol.. About half way to the shop I passed the guy that used to run a bike shop in Palatka years ago... He was on the other side of the road... About a mile down the road I stopped to get a drink and answer the phone and he passed me saying.. "Latch on draft if you want to".... I just kind of laughed..... He had a tow behind child carrier he was pulling... So I kept pace with him (about 500 yards back) for a couple of miles... He pulled off for some reason and I passed him. He was picking up cans and putting them in the trailer.. Next thing I know he is drafting me through most of the next 4 miles or so.... until he stopped to pick up another can... We did chat a little bit.... was kind of cool..... Still wondering how I ended up breaking the wind for him... when he asked if i wanted to draft?? LOL

Ended up riding almost 31 miles..

Great ride.... And my bike was done at the shop... Charged me 10 bucks to replace the shifter cable housing...