March 14, 2010
In kind of a roundabout way I was introduced online to a woman who recently moved here to the Orlando area from my home state of Texas named Kathy. She was supposed to attend yesterday's Flamingos ride, but wasn't feeling well and missed it. She and I had a conversation and we decided we'd attempt to get together for a ride today. I had already committed to doing the monthly Eastside Expedition ride, so I decided that I'd just go ahead and do both.
So with Red in the truck I headed out at dawn, which turned out to be around 7:15 a.m. since we sprung forward last night. It was a beautiful sunrise, which I attempted to capture from my car on the way to the ride start!
As usual we met at 8:00 at Lake Mills Park to do the 42-mile Eastside Expedition route. Several of the usual suspects showed up.
The ride is 42 miles, but I knew that I was going for a second ride with Kathy, plus Steve and I had plans in the afternoon, so I knew I was going to split from the gang after the rest stop at Fort Christmas so I could squeeze it all in.
The pace for me in Ride #1 was pretty fast. This is a C ride, but it seemed like we were going at a B pace, which I can do for a little while, but then it gets over my head, and then I tire out from all the B pace exertion. So I hang with the group for a while and then caboose it the last bit into the rest stop. I noshed on a banana, took a pit stop, visited with the group for a bit, and then we headed back out on the road. Less than a mile later I said my goodbyes and went rogue back to the ride start. My total was 27 miles.
At that point I loaded Red back in the truck and headed from Lake Mills back to Lake Mary where Kathy lives. Even though she lives right on the Seminole-Wekiva Trail, our plan was that I would pick her up at her apartment complex and head to one of the nearby trailheads so we could start from there.
There was one slight glitch in the plan. After using the bathroom at Kathy's apartment and getting her bike down the stairs, the truck decided it had had it. Dead. Done. We tried to jump it, but nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch.
I called...you got it...Mr. Rescue (no need to Search)! Plan B was Steve would put the bike rack on the car and come to rescue me and Red and we'd leave the truck sitting where it was until we could tow it to the dealership. Since it would take Steve a while, Kathy and I just decided to go ahead and head out on the trail from her place and go north instead of south as we had originally intended.
It was a very windy, albeit beautiful, day and the trail had leaves all strewn across it. Reminded me of playing in the back yard when I was a kid during the fall.
Kathy was a trooper. This was the first time she had been on the trail and really loved it.
After Ride #2 (short six-miler) was over...here he comes to save the day!...Steve came and loaded Red on the bike rack and then we all proceeded to Panchero's for some yummy lunch.
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