bobthib

So Joy and I went up to visit friends in NE Orlando this weekend. When we do, I take either my solo bike or our tandem and do the Saturday ride with the Winter Springs Cycling Club. My wife wanted to sleep in on Saturday, so I took the solo bike.

When in the Oviedo area, I make a point to meet the Winter Springs Cycling Club for their 7:30 AM Saturday ride. I left the house at 7 for the short ride to the meet up point at 434 and Tuskawilla. I went about 200 yards and came to a turn. The road was wet from some sprinklers and BOOM... the bike went out from under me and I was kissing the ground!

I could tell I had some road rash on my right hip, but other than that, no obvious blemishes on me or the bike. My kit was a bit soiled in places, but since I did not have a spare with me, I decided to just continue on.

I arrived at the meet up point 20 min early. John D, one of the founder of the club arrived about 10 mi later, and was the first to greet me. I only ride with this club a few times each year, but I always have a great ride, and despite my sore hip and soiled kit, I was looking forward to another great ride.

In the past, the club has featured 3 rides on Saturday: a A+ 65 mi ride, beyond my capability, a 42 mi B Fast ride, which I usually join, and a B Nice 35 mi ride, which Joy and I do on the Tandem. I was pleased to hear that they had added a new 52 mi B Fast ride to Ft. Christmas. I had heard of this ride, but previously it was only offered "as hoc" on Sundays, and I don't ride on Sunday, so it was a new challenge. I was tempted to join this ride, but with my sore hip and the previous night's Cinco de Mayo celebration only a few hours behind me, I was unsure.

"To hell with it" I decided. I got my phone with a GPS, and my Garmin 305. If I get dropped, I can always find my way home. When 7 or 8 others rolled off when the ride was announced, I decided to join in. I never looked back.

Doug was the ride leader, and once we were on 434 we were doing 22+ and all felt great. I was 4th in line, and felt good doing my pull. I did about a mile or so, and tapped off. Assessing the riders, I felt I was not the weak link, but very near the bottom.

The ride was super fun. We kept a very even pace, and I ended up with a 21.7 mph ave for the ride.

I was getting pretty tired toward the end as the final sprint to the finish is mostly up hill, but I managed to finish 3rd or 4th. I was pretty happy with that. Not bad considering I could have been their father.

https://ridewithgps.com/trips/628714

doctor j

Well done, especially after the close encounter with terra firma! Without a good tail wind, I couldn't maintain 22 for that long

bobthib

Tail winds are nice, but wheel sucking is the key! I did manage to pull 4 times, but as the speeds rose above 25, the time became very short! Had to leave it to the young guns.

NomarsGirl

I couldn't go that fast even downhill.