Later that day...

Yale, Becca, and Wayne returning to Cook's Landing

after the 3rd trip up Ft Roots.

Robb talking about the ride we are planning on Saturday.

Or was he teaching us the song,

Pop goes the weasle?

Wayne wondering how he gets himself into this stuff.

Hey, this is the Wayne that did the perfect pull on our last ride.

Jo, Chris and Rebecca.

Part of the crew that championed the 3rd go up Ft Roots.

Robb warns the poppa-razzi to back off. HA!

The next 3 photos were ones I had to stop and take.

The sunset to the end of a great day riding with great friends.

The in-laws are here from FL and this is what I had waiting for me when I got home. Fresh gulf shrimp right off the boat from behind Habour Docks in Destin.

I got off from work and drove over to Burns Park to unload the bike and get ready for the Thursday night Fast Girls and Slow Boys club ride. The plan was to try a new electro replacement but the little tube was for a whole gallon. I asked a couple friends if they had tried it and Ian had and gave it a semi thumbs up. Said he put Gator in it to add some taste.

Starting riding toward Ft Roots and got to about the police union building and saw JBar and one of his friends and then a few seconds later saw Kyle McNeese. I was about 5:25 and I needed to be at the other end by 6. No problem. I passed John and told him i was just trying to catch up witht the juvenile that just passed them (referring to Kyle). Caught up with him and had a nice chat. Noticed his arm had the tattle tale signs of road rash. Yep, he was trying to get around a couple last week and ended up going off the trail. Just another badge of honor.

I had looked in my bag for gels or something but nada. So I rode with water which was fine but I think I would have riden better if I could have replaced some electros and food.

I think I heard Chris Irons count off 18 riders tonight! Big group.

We all head off knowing we'll stay on the NLR side of the river but climbing Ft Roots multiple times. You'd sort of think that the pace would have been a tad slower (I hear you all laughing!) but no way baby. We were rolling at 24mph at times and we are just out of the gate. I can see JBar pulling. Crazy man...strong rider. Everyone was riding strong and we hit Ft Roots the first time. I had stayed back a bit after one of our riders couldn't get around a couple walking and didn't want him to get dropped off the bat. So I had it in me to move on the hill. I felt great and kept in in the big ring and about 10mph. There's something about when you first start up the hill and you round the first switchback it seems to be tough but then from there on, I enjoy the climb. I keep meaning to get ahead of the group and shoot this hill so you can have a visual. It's, to me, one of the prettiest places in NLR.

We all regroup at the top and start to head back down and the first curve greeted us with on of the city buses. In most town the city buses are ruthless but I'll have to tell you everything I've been in NLR the buses are courtious to bikes. Thanks CAT! So everyone zips down the hill dreaming of going 60 while we'll going 30. Bottom of the hill everyone sort of regroups again. Some fat boys like me can enjoy the pull of gravity down the hill better than others.

We're back out on whatever the name of that river road is and riding along. I know that once we get passed the couple of houses someone will break into a sprint. It's an unwritten rule. I'm sitting pretty far back and I see Robb start getting antsy, then Chris Shaw stands, and it hits...Sprint time! WooHoo! I looked over to my left and there are no riders and the sprint has already taken off. Do it, don't do it. Do it, don't do it. DO IT!!!! I stood and pushed hard getting to 32 before shutting it down. I caught 'em but I'm very sure they weren't pushing their limits.

We swing around through a vacant lot for the return since the actual park is closed/blocked for Riverfest. On the way back, I got the honor of pulling so I kept it 19-20 mph.

More later...