The FL Freewheelers put on a century in Clermont, FL every November. It is run through the biggest hills in the Florida's central "mountain" district. The really are not mountains, of course. But some do hit 14% for short stretches. There is one area that has most of the hills. The route goes through it north to south, east to west, west to east and south to north. If you don't have many hills, you have to use what you got. It does end up with something over 4000' of climbing which isn't bad. I have been doing the ride for over 20 years.

Of course, it is getting so I wonder if doing the 100 instead of the 70 might be a better idea but so far I have persevered.

Sunday was cold. Well cold by FL standards at being in the low 40s shortly before the start. But the sun came up and the temp climbed into the mid 60s pretty quickly. There was a brisk breeze out of the NW. I thought it was going to be a problem but it wasn't.

This year, for a change, there were police at all the busy intersections and they gave cyclists the priority. It somehow took some of the challenge out of it. No more dodging high speed trucks on SR 50. I guess I could go back and do it later. I don't think so.

I found a riding partner at mile 48 and we rode the rest of the way together. He was decently strong and did good pulls. I like pulling too. So it worked out well. We had a group of 4 others for awhile. Each time one of them took a pull, they tapped themselves out and were off the back. I guess it was testosterone poisoning. The last of them, pulled hard up a long gradual hill and I was pushing myself to hang on. Then he is over and off the back like he was nailed to the road. I mean sure it is impressive to do that but don't you think having follow through would be more impressive?

At about mile 80, you hit a string of hills with Mount Sugar Loaf being the climax at mile 86. My partner pulled ahead on the papa then buck hill. But I caught him. Then I out paced him upt Sugar Loaf. After that, I think he was done and he pretty much hung on my wheel from then on. That was fine. He had done some long pulls and probably too much earlier.

I just heard that some friends of mine went there. They noted to temperature and the winds. They made the decision to go to Cracker Barrel for breakfast instead.

Well, it will be there next year.