Monthly Archives: June 2007

Choose Your Own Adventure

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Aside from establishing the “Summer of the Bull” on the golf course yesterday I spent a good bit of time wandering between my own ears trying to conjure up some inspiration for adventure.

Cold Water Weekend was a good one, with unexpected sights and random turns on unknown roads; and so was our last epic ride, although it felt more like cold-blooded mercenaries executing an emotion-less plan of attack.

My summer is booked up as tight as my chamois, so an actual vacation is not likely to come around for a few months. I’m looking for the 2-3 day epics. Of course there is Tsali, Deep Creek, and other known quantities, but how about some variations?

Back in the day there were: All day spelunking trips in Climax Cave (and no, that is NOT code!) The ominous paddling trip into Tate’s Hell Swamp- thanks again fellas, for finding the truck. Even the textbook Sopchoppy paddle/ bike route seems exotic. It’s not that I want off the bike, but a workout less ordinary would be nice. It is just a thought, please feel free to share your ideas. As the W.B. says, “We’re just spitballing here”!

a creaky little post to get the week started-

Juancho

What will it be?

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Pick your poison stranger.

Another moist summer weekend is here and after last week’s successfully epic ride I’m wondering what kind of adventures are brewing out there?

I’m interested in a little paddling myself, and of course a ride or three, perhaps some cocktails on the lanai late in the afternoon?

Report in with your bright ideas please.

On other fronts

The Cobra Kai gang has raised $601 to date for Aucillasinks penitence fund. For those unaware I am referring to the recent dispute between the father of the Fern trail and a shitheel property management company that took offense at his continued trail development on their “easement” -a euphemism for “strip mall retention pond”. I adhere more to the native american concept of land ownership. Land is eternal, and cannot be owned.

None of this changes the fact that our boy needs $3,000 to keep the dogs of justice off his back and the folks who darken Joe’s door down at Lake Ella are not making it happen. Why oh why must we continually be humiliated by those Cobra Kai thugs at Higher Ground? Time and time again, they sweep the leg.

Sell some plasma, steal the kid’s piggy bank, turn a trick for all I care, but go to Joe’s and hand over some loot please, Aucilla would do it for you. Come on, restore my hope in cyclemanity.

And yet other fronts

Apparently S’quatch got pulled by the law the other night while riding his road bike through a bad part of town in the dark with headphones on, after a couple of beers so “just another ride” for him.

By the gleam of the dancing blues, the officer opened up his trunk to display a collection of red blinkies and other cycling equipment and proceeded to hook S’quatch up like a fake Rolex salesman in Times Square.

Yes, my eyebrow is raised too, actually.

In an attempt to impress or intimidate the officer S’quatch mentioned he “knew people at the Big Ring Circus”.

I would like to set the record straight for the officer- I may have done a favor for that guy a time or two, but he ain’t a made man in my organization, so do what you need to do next time and get that bum off the streets.

-Juancho

TEAM TYPE 1

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I found this little nugget in the INBOX today from Bigworm, who is crewing for the TEAM TYPE 1 gang in the Race Across America. Yes, all the way across the country. Yes, they all have type 1 diabetes. What, you don’t know what that means? Well, click the link then!

More later- J

Juancho, just wanted to shoot you these links. Paul Macmanus, Carl, Darien, and I fly out to CA on friday to crew for Team Type 1’s second attempt to win the overall in RAAM. We missed it by just minutes in our rookie year, so it’s ON this year! I talked to Cupcake, and he was interested in following along online, so if you could forward these links to anyone who may have interest, that would be cool. Team Type 1’s site should have a daily blog, and RAAM’s site will have time splits at all of the time checks along the way.
Anyway, I’ll be back in a couple of weeks, and will be very anxious to actually ride, rather than just help others ride. See ya then.

BIGWORM

http://www.teamtype1.org/

http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/

45?

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No, I’m not guessing at Mystery’s age, I’m thinking that we got between 45 -50 miles yesterday.

Six of us rode out promptly at 9:00 A:M and we hit the Fern trail on a dead run. Dead as in, “If I we keep up this pace I will die”.

But we did, and I did not.

There was some blood and a couple of breakdowns, but not enough to stop us. Miraculously, we climbed the final hill behind the Democrat (our local paper) still in a row like tired burros.

It looks like we might save the summer form after all.

Nature paid us tribute by finally dumping some rain on this town after two very dry months. Nice of it to wait until we were all laid up on our various couches, rehydrating with our chosen beverages.

And now it is raining again, and I’m hitting the road.

Catch you in a couple days-

Juancho

Longbow

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The call is out for a long morning ride tomorrow or Sunday. The proposed route is from town to the Miccosukee land co-op by way of the old familiars.

S’quatch is the one making all the noise about it.

If you are into that idea, please note your interest in Saturday vs. Sunday in the comments section below. All are welcome except the following:

People who will insist on maintaining a consistent pace.

Pretty much all of bike church (sorry guys, I love you but you’re just to fast). If you really must attend, you have to carry a watermelon in a backpack out to the Co-op.

People who are likely to sing Kelly Clarkson tunes out loud (or Steely Dan).

People who at some point will lobby to cut the ride short.

Other than that, we would love to have you.

We will stop for breaks at the following points.

Joe’s Bike Shop
Behind the Democrat
Behind the Armory
The Beginning of the Cadillac trail
The end of the Cadillac trail
The levy (I’m afraid to call it a dike)
Pedrick fields
Miccosukee Greenway parking lot
the next Miccosukee Greenway parking lot
The store on Crump Road.
The catwalks at the Co-op
A random convenience store on the way home

Other than that, we are going to be kicking some ass!

Tonight is First Friday, meaning that art abounds around town. I will be down at Railroad Square “getting my culture on” and enjoying the V-89 Summer Solstice party so if the ride is tomorrow, and I stay out late tonight, I am officially calling a “cultural”.

That about covers it I think.

Juancho