After one of Florida's coldest winters in history, the temperatures are getting back up into the 70s and the sun is starting to shine! This is bringing the cyclists and runners out of their winter slumber and the roads are being repopulated by bikes. I am not sue if I am just seeing more because I am looking for them, or if there actually are more bikes on the street than last year.
I rode in yesterday's Lakemont ride and have convinced myself that I am addicted to speed. At 8 miles in we were riding 4 wide through UCF's campus and I thought to myself, "Man it feels like we are flying", but I was scared to look down for fear that something would happen around me and I would cause a pileup. I couldn't resist and caught a glimpse of the number 30 on my cyclometer and my assumption was confirmed. Yes we were flying.
The wind ended up helping/hurting yesterday's road ride. It helped by slowing the pace down on the final 15 miles of the ride. It hurt because when it was my turn to pull on the front it felt like you were being pulled from behind. Mind you, we were still going about 20mph, but that was in stretches where we were typically rolling 25-30. The wind just kept you alert about where you were in the pack and kept you away from the back and in the protected middle. With gusts of 20+ hitting you in the face, it wouldn't take much to blow you off the back and riding the rest of the ride alone.
Today is going to be another beautiful day. My volunteer team and I are heading back out for another leg of the No Excuse Zone Orlando project. Look for an update on the progress soon.
This afternoon there is a tour of local, independently-owned restaurant/bars that choose to carry American-owned craft beers. The Tour begins at 2 pm at The Virgin Olive (807 N. Orange Ave, just North of 50), continues on to Cavanaughs in College Park, then on to The Imperial at Washburn Imports, and then rolls on to Bikes, Beans, and Bordeaux which is celebrating their 2 year anniversary this week! The final stop will be Colonial Lanes, plenty of everything there for the finale . . . The tour is being called Beer Bomb Bike Tour, so check it out if you are looking for an excuse to get out and enjoy the beautiful Florida spring weather.
