2014 Epic Bike Ride - Levi's GranFondo

October 14th 2014

Epic ride hosted by Levi himself.  Santa Rosa is the city where the tour of California ends.  This is ALSO wine country!

 http://www.levisgranfondo.com/

2013 Bike MS Miami to Key Largo

Welcome to the 2013 Bike MS presented by Point B

Bike MS : Zimmerman Breakaway to Key Largo Presented by Mack Cycle and Fitness

Miami, FL

April 20, 2013

Bike MS is the most respected cycling event in South Florida and the premier cycling event in the nation.  Traveling from Miami to Key Largo, the routes include fully-stocked rest stops every 10 miles, a great lunch stop each day and safety provided by volunteer EMT’s, SAG drivers, HAM radio operators, the Miami-Dade PD and bicycle repair from our partner bike shops. We will conclude the day at the MS Village in Key Largo (Key Largo Resorts) where you will be treated to a delicious meal, massage and musical entertainment. Everyone is up early on Sunday for breakfast and on the road where the route heads you back to Miami for a finish line celebration and a great feeling of accomplishment.

Your participation will aid in assisting support programs, services, and research that makes a huge difference to the people who must fight MS every day of their lives.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is dedicated to a vision of a world free of MS.

Pray and Ride event on August 4th at Peace United Methodist Church

The Team Peace cycling group is excited to announce our first Pray and Ride event on August 4th at Peace United Methodist Church. Road cyclists are encouraged to join us for Early Worship at 8:15 a.m. that morning for a special bike-themed 45 minute worship service (and regular non-riding folks are welcome as well), followed by bike blessings, and a no-drop ride of 22 miles (no-drop means what it looks like - nobody gets left behind - route details are posted on the Pray and Ride link on our website). We'll return to the church, where refreshments will be available for riders. This inaugural ride is intended for riders with some experience on a road bike (that is, it's not a family ride for kids). It will be safe and fun and guided. Everybody is welcome (invite your cycling club and your cycling neighbors and friends), and all are encouraged to wear their biking gear to worship. If you have any questions at all, please call the church office at 407-438-8947

Create Maps or search from 80 million at MapMyRide

Peace United Methodist Church 13502 Town Loop Blvd Orlando, FL 32837

*** CELEBRATION CYCLING CLUB ***

Greetings fellow roadies :-) Wanted to share ...

I rode with the Celebration Cycling club this morning on an organized ride from Celebration out to Avalon Road and back. Was a blast ... good folks who love to ride and are very accomodating to ALL riding levels/experience. As far as I can determine they are the closest formal riding club to us. I'm going to join the club (although membership is not required to participate - They welcome all).

They have multiple local business sponsors (including Evolve Cycle) and are associated with other state and national riding orgs. Check out their website ...

http://www.celebrationcycling.com

I will probably take part in some of their regular weekly/weekend rides and occasinally their Thursday night ride which is only 45 - 60 min (in/around Celebration) and ridden as a workout ride; ending at the Imperium wine bar - also a sponsor - for post-ride libations :-)

Checkout the ride calendar on their site and let me know if you'd like to ride with them one weekend.

Cheers!
Kevin

Combined Disney & Celebration Loops

Solo ride this morning combining the Disney & Celebration loops ... great morning for a ride!!!

Create Maps or search from 80 million at MapMyRide

*** BLUE RIDGE BREAKAWAY, Aug 17 ***

I added more info and bumped up to the top, this would be more challenging than the Savannah ride...

Gregg

Check it out ... http://www.blueridgebreakaway.com/



I'm gonna miss Savannah (again) because of work so am pondering the Blue Ridge ride instead in August.

4 routes available: century, metric-century, 40, and 24. The century looks VERY challanging witth some very steep climbs up to the Blue Ridge Pkwy ... but the reward when you hit the top is a 30+ mile ride along the ridge with some AWESOME scenery ... then its "all downhill from there" :-) Metric looks to be more reasonable, but is still hilly :-)

Any interest?

Kevin

The Blue Ridge Breakaway offers four routes, suitable for intermediate level riders to avid cyclists. All routes begin and end at the Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center.

SAG Stops are available to provide refreshments, first aid, and minor repairs. Rest areas with refreshments and facilities are conveniently located on all four routes.

Hawk - A 105 mile century ride that warms up through the farms of Jonathan Creek, winds through beautiful Fines Creek, then traverses the back roads and farm lands of the towns of Clyde and Canton. A gradual ascent past Sunburst Trout Farm and Lake Logan leads to a soaring climb to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Riders will then enjoy 32 breathtaking miles of long range mountain views on the Parkway before an equally exhilarating descent through Maggie Valley to Lake Junaluska.

The Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) regulations require the following: The bicycle operator must exhibit a white light or reflector visible at least 500 feet to the front and a red light or reflector visible at least 200 feet to the rear during periods of low visibility, between the hours of sunset and sunrise, or while traveling through a tunnel. Bicycles must be ridden single file except when passing or turning left and well to the right-hand side of the road. Around mile 80 there is a BLIND TUNNEL that will absolutely require a front light as riders will not be able to see which way is up when in the tunnel. Please purchase beforehand a front headlight prior to arriving for the ride. Vendors will have a limited number of these headlights.

Trout - A Metric Century (62.1 miles) that warms up through the farms of Jonathan Creek, then traverses the back roads and farm lands of the towns of Clyde and Canton. A gradual upstream climb past Sunburst Trout Farm to Lake Logan before the turnaround. Riders will backtrack to Lake Junaluska to complete this challenging out and back route.

Panther - A gorgeous ride through Panther Creek, Fines Creek and over Hyder Mountain. Riders will enjoy miles of river views and farmlands. Intermediate 40 mile Ride.

Rabbit Don't let the name fool you; this is not a warm and fuzzy beginner level ride. An intermediate level ride with several challenging mountain climbs. The Rabbit rolls through the farm lands of Jonathan Creek and Crabtree. The ride is marked by two moderate hill climbs over Coleman and Hyder Mountain before finishing with a scenic tour around Lake Junaluska.

My Morning Route ...

Here's the route I ride 3-4 mornings each week. Let me know if you want to join me any given morning. Meet place ... corner of OBT & Town Center. 6:15am is typical time that I hit that corner.

... approx 24 miles (from my house) ... thats all I have time for before work ;)

Create Maps or search from 80 million at MapMyRide

5 Boro Bike ride coming up

Seven Floridians and four Georgians will be riding with 30,000 fellow cyclists. 

The Norman's family van has been transformed into a bike hauler.  With four bike mounts inside and a Yakima rack on the roof for three more bikes.  The van will head to NY on Thursday with Chance and Brandon.  The rest of the clan will be flying into JFK Friday.  

• Check-in at a BB on Staten Island and the Bike Expo in Manhattan on Friday
• City tourists or a local bike ride around SI on Saturday
• 5 Boro bike ride on Sunday
• Fly out on Monnday
• Chance has resurrected Penny so he will be loading the panniers and riding to Washington DC along the adventure cycling mapped route.  Chance will stop at a friends place in NJ on the way down.   
• Stephanie and Brandon will be driving the van home via DC and Savannah or Statesboro.   

Should be an exciting weekend!!

2013 MS Bike Ride

Another great ride through the orange fields of Polk County. This year Kevin, Mathew, Sally and I did the 100 miles on Saturday. Eddie, Chance, Debra, Jeremy and Jana did 50 miles. Sally suffered the most with a new seat that was not right for her. On Sunday Chance, Mathew and I headed back doing another 50 miles. Amazing how this year the hills people have complained about really stood out.
 
 
 

   
 
 
 
 
 

Mega Medical Center loop

On April 7th Kevin and Mathew did what I am referring to as the Mega Medical Center loop.  This 80+ mile ride is perfect primer for a flat Florida century.  With St. Cloud at the mid-point and the shopping center at Narcoosee and LeeVista at the 3/4 mark; this is a great ride.  We also pass many other cyclists, usually going the other way.  Bike lanes for 90% of ride makes it a safer ride than being in the road.  On April 11th Sally, Mathew and myself did the ride in preparation to the 2013 The Citrus Tour, MS bike ride. The details are below.  Realize we did have a moderate N-NW wind which slowed are progress coming up Narcoosee.

*** Combined Airport & Narcoosee Loops ***

73+ miles ... Was bored, so I mapped out a route that combines the Airport & Narcoosee loops.

Route on Google Maps can be found  <HERE>.

I'm riding it next weekend! Who's in?

Rules of the Road

Here is a great group of "how to" ride videos. Click on playlist on the lower left of the video.

Cycling Car Hazards

Great Video by Road ID team on how to get along with vehicles while on your bike

 

Great new ride found by Eddie and Kevin. 36Miles with 90% bike lanes and water fill-up at the half way point.  We started and ended at the medical center off 417.   

Expect variations to add miles to this.