Left 11PM yesterday for the 12 hour drive to sunny warm Fla. An exercise in sleep deprivation training. Wimped out at 5 AM and took a nap for a few hours, made it down by 1PM Friday. Quick round of hugs and "Hi, how r ya's'" then off for a 60 minute spin in 75 degree sunny Florida weather - yeaaaaaa baby. It was good to get the blood flowing to the right places after 13 hours in a car. Nice din-din then bed time for Bonzo.

47 degrees as I rode down to Winter Park in the pre-dawn darkness to hook up with the first 7:30 group for the 41 mile loop. WHAT? This is Florida?!?! It warmed up quick as the sun rose. At Thanksgiving I went on this ride for the first time and it was all I could do to hang on to the fast group. Looked like a few less this time as we rolled out, but we picked up many in the early miles. Gotta believe we had about 50, with some familiar faces in the crowd. This time no one was ready to pin the pace from the start so we eased into it. Took a few pulls and stayed in the first 10 for the first half of the ride and got to see the real action. The last pull worked me and it was all the way to last wheel. After fighting back through to the front as we went through Tuscawilla I jumped from second wheel and got a quick 20 yard gap before they reeled me in. Easy to pull a stunt like that when you know you're not riding the last 6-7 miles! I sat up, did a cool down loop around the neighborhood and went home for the Holiday festivities. Every time riding with a group like this I learn a lot about position and pace. It's WAAAY easier to take those turns at the front of a large pack than the back. Really a great bunch of cyclists to ride with.

Hope your Holidays are going well

RideOn

JB