After what felt like an eternity of rain, the sky finally let up and allowed for one last good ride. Brad Choi, my sister's roommate, and I cycled through Colonialtown on Sunday to get to the Cady Way trail, which is a smooth ride that heads toward Winter Park, FL. We started out at 9:20 a.m., so it goes without saying that we didn't beat the heat. This ride confirmed that it's always more fun to ride with others rather than alone. Most of the ride the weather was probably high 80s to low 90s.
This trail definitely beat out the West Orange Trail just because it's so much closer to my house and requires minimal driving to get to it. Although, driving is required nonetheless. Biking from home would mean driving on 50, which would mean impending death. Rt 50 is one of the most dangerous roads in the country and several people die crossing it each year. It's kind of like the ugly strip mall road of Florida.
Anyway, I was very happy to get one last good ride in before dropping off my bike at David's World Cycle to be boxed up. This makes my move feel very real. The next time I'll ride my bike is in Washington, D.C., hopefully on Tuesday. About 95% of everything I own is boxed up ready for departing Florida on Saturday. I don't know when or how I accumulated so much stuff, but I really hope it all fits in that Uhaul...and my apartment for that matter.
My parents are having a little get together for my college graduation Thursday. The food will be catered by my mom's cafe: Roho Art and Coffee (rohoartandcoffee.com), a.k.a. yummy Cuban food. The dessert, however, was in my hands. Therefore, it's cookies in several forms all requiring orange and blue icing. Of course there's a standard cookie cake with a big mortar board from Publix (a.k.a the best supermarket in the world that will be missed when in DC) and individual cookies from Cookie Cousins (www.thecookiecousins.com).
Yes, you guessed it- individual BICYCLE COOKIES in Gator colors. This is possibly the dorkiest thing ever, and I cannot wait! I'm planning on taping info about my bike ride to the little sweet treats. Yum!!!
I actually learned about The Cookie Cousins, a local Orlando cookie designer, when I went to a Cystic Fibrosis luncheon fundraiser with my mom a few weeks ago. They had Lily Pulitzer dress cookies because it was a luncheon/fashion show. I figured if you can make a Lily dress, sure enough you can make a bicycle out of dough. Too bad I can't fund my own fashion show to raise money- that would be awesome.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Deconstructing the Bicycle
My one hour lesson on how to fix a flat at David's World Cycle gave me a new appreciation for my bicycle. I first learned how to take off the back tire and then completely deconstructed the front wheel, pulled out the tube, checked for my hypothetical hole in the tire, replaced it and put it all back together. Of course I watched the instructor do it first and then gave it a try. I never realized that the tire completely comes apart with a tube in the middle and little spoke holes all around the rim. How cool- now I can speak bicycle.
He also taught me a nifty trick that if there's a visible hole in the tire to use an empty gel packet wrapper or dollar bill before putting the tube back in so you can make it safely home without getting another flat before entirely replacing the tire. It's definitely reassuring to know that if I'm out cycling on my own that I can take care of a flat without freaking out or being stranded. I'm keeping my fingers crossed to stay lucky with no flats, but at least now I'm prepared for whatever comes my way.
There's no such thing as free lunch, so my free bike repair lesson turned into a shopping spree. I bought womens gloves and then tested them out on a short ride when I got home. They're very comfortable and cushony, but rather drab and ugly. I really wanted to buy the kids gloves because they were so cute and colorful, but that didn't work out. I also got an extra water bottle holder, so I'll have two for hot days, and another mini air pump. Last week at Orange Cycle I got a cycling jersey on the clearance rack for $34, marked down from $118. I can never turn down a good bargain, especially when it comes to cycling.
All the accessories really start adding up, so it's good to find the deals. It's especially nice when the local shops have decent sales because then I can still save and support local businesses. Although, I must say the Shimano pedals I bought awhile back were a to-die-for deal online. So, you never know where the bargains are, just keep your eyes peeled. The only item I've purchased for cycling and have regretted is my odometer. I really should have bought the wireless version that gives the average miles per hour for the entire ride instead of just the changing speed as you go. Not to mention the fact that I couldn't figure out how to change the clock after day light saving time, so I'm an hour off the rest of the world. It would be nice to know the average speed per ride and try to improve upon that instead of just guessing.
I'm looking forward to a sunny Memorial Day Weekend that will hopefully include a trip to the beach and lots of cycling. The past six days it has rained constantly. Rain, rain go away. Sunday I'll be trying out the Cady Way Trail with my sister's roommate.
He also taught me a nifty trick that if there's a visible hole in the tire to use an empty gel packet wrapper or dollar bill before putting the tube back in so you can make it safely home without getting another flat before entirely replacing the tire. It's definitely reassuring to know that if I'm out cycling on my own that I can take care of a flat without freaking out or being stranded. I'm keeping my fingers crossed to stay lucky with no flats, but at least now I'm prepared for whatever comes my way.
There's no such thing as free lunch, so my free bike repair lesson turned into a shopping spree. I bought womens gloves and then tested them out on a short ride when I got home. They're very comfortable and cushony, but rather drab and ugly. I really wanted to buy the kids gloves because they were so cute and colorful, but that didn't work out. I also got an extra water bottle holder, so I'll have two for hot days, and another mini air pump. Last week at Orange Cycle I got a cycling jersey on the clearance rack for $34, marked down from $118. I can never turn down a good bargain, especially when it comes to cycling.
All the accessories really start adding up, so it's good to find the deals. It's especially nice when the local shops have decent sales because then I can still save and support local businesses. Although, I must say the Shimano pedals I bought awhile back were a to-die-for deal online. So, you never know where the bargains are, just keep your eyes peeled. The only item I've purchased for cycling and have regretted is my odometer. I really should have bought the wireless version that gives the average miles per hour for the entire ride instead of just the changing speed as you go. Not to mention the fact that I couldn't figure out how to change the clock after day light saving time, so I'm an hour off the rest of the world. It would be nice to know the average speed per ride and try to improve upon that instead of just guessing.
I'm looking forward to a sunny Memorial Day Weekend that will hopefully include a trip to the beach and lots of cycling. The past six days it has rained constantly. Rain, rain go away. Sunday I'll be trying out the Cady Way Trail with my sister's roommate.
Friday, May 15, 2009
West Orange Trail
Whenever I drive home from college, I always notice the bike overpass with a huge "West Orange Trail" sign hanging above Florida's Turnpike. Yesterday I decided to try it out. I was impressed with the trail, very similar to my favorite, the Hawthorne Trail in Gainesville/Hawthorne, FL. Although, it's a little hillier. I can't believe I complain about hills. When I used to run cross country during high school in Connecticut some of the race paths cut through mountains. The last race was tredging through snow and mountains. No wonder I don't like to run anymore. In Florida, there's no such thing as a mountain, just hill or slightly larger hill.
I started the trail out by Winter Garden and Oakland, FL. I got to ride over the turnpike, which was of course exciting. Not really sure why- just fun to say I did. I also learned that Oakland, FL got its name due to the overwhelming amount of beautiful oak trees in the area. The trail has several rest areas and even rents out bikes to people for the day, which I thought was pretty cool.
My only issue with the West Orange Trail was the distance from my house. I drove almost 30 minutes to get there, cutting through two major highways and probably racked up $6 in tolls on the Sunpass. Geez! There must be a closer entrance to home. Given my luck, I was driving straight toward the ugliest looking clouds. I would have liked to ride 25 miles, but I cut it short at nine and missed the rain by about 5 minutes. Phew! Not just any rain- it was a torrential downpour with thunder and lightning of course.
At this point I'm a little frustrated with the cycling options of Orlando. Tomorrow I'll try some of the loops near downtown, but I'm afraid of the deadending cycling lane issue. In any other state that would be ok, but people drive like maniacs here. The only place there are worse drivers than Orlando is Miami.
I'm very excited to move up, which is just 2 weeks away. Once I'm in DC, I'm counting on better trail/route options than Orlando. That should help me get into the groove of a more regular, planned out training schedule. The month of May has been extremely chaotic with packing and errands, so I'm sure June and July should be much smoother.
I took lots of fun photos on my West Orange Trail ride, and they'll be posted soon. In my jumble of packing boxes, I've somehow misplaced my camera cords to transfer the photos. Comments and suggestions always welcome!
I started the trail out by Winter Garden and Oakland, FL. I got to ride over the turnpike, which was of course exciting. Not really sure why- just fun to say I did. I also learned that Oakland, FL got its name due to the overwhelming amount of beautiful oak trees in the area. The trail has several rest areas and even rents out bikes to people for the day, which I thought was pretty cool.
My only issue with the West Orange Trail was the distance from my house. I drove almost 30 minutes to get there, cutting through two major highways and probably racked up $6 in tolls on the Sunpass. Geez! There must be a closer entrance to home. Given my luck, I was driving straight toward the ugliest looking clouds. I would have liked to ride 25 miles, but I cut it short at nine and missed the rain by about 5 minutes. Phew! Not just any rain- it was a torrential downpour with thunder and lightning of course.
At this point I'm a little frustrated with the cycling options of Orlando. Tomorrow I'll try some of the loops near downtown, but I'm afraid of the deadending cycling lane issue. In any other state that would be ok, but people drive like maniacs here. The only place there are worse drivers than Orlando is Miami.
I'm very excited to move up, which is just 2 weeks away. Once I'm in DC, I'm counting on better trail/route options than Orlando. That should help me get into the groove of a more regular, planned out training schedule. The month of May has been extremely chaotic with packing and errands, so I'm sure June and July should be much smoother.
I took lots of fun photos on my West Orange Trail ride, and they'll be posted soon. In my jumble of packing boxes, I've somehow misplaced my camera cords to transfer the photos. Comments and suggestions always welcome!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Above and Beyond
Just a few days ago we surpassed the fundraising minimum amount of $500 for the Bike to the Beach Race. Thank you thank you thank you! But why stop there? With just about 2.5 months left before the race there's plenty of time to keep on raising awareness and money for Autism Speaks. I'm going to look into some more creative fundraising strategies as I make the move to DC. On my list is to bring letters explaining the ride and asking for a donation from local businesses and past employers/internships. I've been looking into fundraising for cycling events and the opportunities are endless. In a few weeks there's a ride for M.S. in Central Florida and the top fundraiser for that ride has raised more than $6,000. Wow, I'm impressed. That ride is in just two weeks and would have been great practice for the Autism Speaks ride because there's an option to do 50 miles on Saturday and Sunday each, but unfortunately it's a bit too pricey- $250 to register. Another great cause, but the timing just isn't right. Although, I was very impressed to see such high donation and fundraising numbers from those participatin in the ride. It looked like a lot of the teams were companies in the Central Florida area, so I wonder if companies matched the rider donations. I'll have to look into doing something like that and reaching out to businesses. That seems like an effective way to bring in more donations.
Anyway, I'm elated to be at $675 with donations and can't wait to see where we'll be by July 31st! Share comments or suggestions!
My Updated Donor Honor Roll:
Alana Rush
Ariel Drescher
Evin & Carole Rubin
Jason Sharp
Jay Shehadeh
Jeffrey Joyner
Joe & Dianne Caridi
Kelli Gebbia
Martin & Maria Rubin
Mary Mulderig, Cindy & Allison Rubin
Nicole Varma
Rose Barnett
Suzanna Bedy
Anyway, I'm elated to be at $675 with donations and can't wait to see where we'll be by July 31st! Share comments or suggestions!
My Updated Donor Honor Roll:
Alana Rush
Ariel Drescher
Evin & Carole Rubin
Jason Sharp
Jay Shehadeh
Jeffrey Joyner
Joe & Dianne Caridi
Kelli Gebbia
Martin & Maria Rubin
Mary Mulderig, Cindy & Allison Rubin
Nicole Varma
Rose Barnett
Suzanna Bedy
Safety First!
I bought my bike 10 months ago, and still don't know how to patch a flat tire. I have all the materials, the tools, the extra tire rubber, but no idea of what to do with it all. The other day I was having an issue with my cycle chain (which was a 2 second quick fix), but I brought my bike into the shop nonetheless. My Dad and I found out that David's Cycle in Orlando offers free bike repair classes, so I'm all signed up for one in a few weeks. Somehow it slipped my mind to take a class or watch a video online before now. At least I'll get the knowledge before cycling so many miles. I'd rather be safe than sorry.
The other day I also checked out a cool Web site Mary recommended: mapmyride.com. I found a nice looking bike trail by Baldwin Park in Orlando, but have yet to try it. One of the most frustrating part about riding in Orlando is being in a bike lane and then it disappears.
There seems to be no consistency here with the lanes on the roads. I'll have to stick to paved trail rides or see if I can find bike lanes only on mapmyride.com (haven't checked that yet). The other day I rode to Winter Park, got cut out of the bike lane, and ended up on the sidewalk for half the ride :( I'm sure I'll get the hang of Orlando soon, but I'm leaving in just a few short weeks. Right now, I'm debating whether to have the cycling store professionally box my bike to put it in the uhaul trailer, or just stick it in the back of the Durango unboxed. O decisions!
The other day I also checked out a cool Web site Mary recommended: mapmyride.com. I found a nice looking bike trail by Baldwin Park in Orlando, but have yet to try it. One of the most frustrating part about riding in Orlando is being in a bike lane and then it disappears.
There seems to be no consistency here with the lanes on the roads. I'll have to stick to paved trail rides or see if I can find bike lanes only on mapmyride.com (haven't checked that yet). The other day I rode to Winter Park, got cut out of the bike lane, and ended up on the sidewalk for half the ride :( I'm sure I'll get the hang of Orlando soon, but I'm leaving in just a few short weeks. Right now, I'm debating whether to have the cycling store professionally box my bike to put it in the uhaul trailer, or just stick it in the back of the Durango unboxed. O decisions!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Inspiration for Bike to the Beach
My cycling mileage has been lacking recently (I blame graduation festivities!), but I’ve had an extraordinary new inspiration that has gotten me even more motivated and excited about Bike to the Beach.
Just days before graduation, I met a 4-year-old named Joey who will be the inspiration for my cycling and fundraising efforts. My mentor Dr. Barnett from my favorite University of Florida organization, Reitz Scholars, introduced me to the Caridi family, and they have been very welcoming and supportive of my ride for Autism Speaks. I haven’t decided the best way to accomplish making the ride in honor of Joey, but I’m thinking a little laminated photo Velcro-ed to the handle bar should do the trick. By mile 90 when my legs feel like spaghetti and I want to pull over to the side of the road and give up, I'm sure the little photo and inspiration will help me finish strong.
In addition to meeting such a wonderful family, we made strides this week on the fundraising front as well. I finally got around to sending out personalized e-mails through the Autism Speaks Web site and talked to more friends about the race. Joe and Dianne, Joey’s parents, were also really helpful with raising awareness and donations through Facebook too.
Right now I’m listed as the second highest fundraiser of the more than 60 riders. This accomplishment was a direct result of all the generosity of family and friends. Wow! Who would have thought that? I’m really blown away. Just $45 away from the $500 minimum rider pledge donation, so I’m thinking I might have to shoot a little higher and bump up my fundraising goal!
Here’s a shout out and a big THANK YOU to all those who have donated. Did you know 1 in 150 individuals are diagnosed with autism and it is more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined? Check out the Web site www.autismspeaks.org for more info…
My Donor Honor Roll:
Alana Rush
Ariel Drescher
Jason Sharp
Jay Shehadeh
Jeffrey Joyner
Joe & Dianne Caridi
Kelli Gebbia
Martin & Maria Rubin
Nicole Varma
Rose Barnett
Suzanna Bedy
Thank you all for your generosity and support. Comments welcome and suggestions for the blog too! I’m trying to be creative and mix up the posts. Hopefully I’ll have some cool pictures this week—I’m taking the training to Orlando, as I’ll be home until moving to DC.
Just days before graduation, I met a 4-year-old named Joey who will be the inspiration for my cycling and fundraising efforts. My mentor Dr. Barnett from my favorite University of Florida organization, Reitz Scholars, introduced me to the Caridi family, and they have been very welcoming and supportive of my ride for Autism Speaks. I haven’t decided the best way to accomplish making the ride in honor of Joey, but I’m thinking a little laminated photo Velcro-ed to the handle bar should do the trick. By mile 90 when my legs feel like spaghetti and I want to pull over to the side of the road and give up, I'm sure the little photo and inspiration will help me finish strong.
In addition to meeting such a wonderful family, we made strides this week on the fundraising front as well. I finally got around to sending out personalized e-mails through the Autism Speaks Web site and talked to more friends about the race. Joe and Dianne, Joey’s parents, were also really helpful with raising awareness and donations through Facebook too.
Right now I’m listed as the second highest fundraiser of the more than 60 riders. This accomplishment was a direct result of all the generosity of family and friends. Wow! Who would have thought that? I’m really blown away. Just $45 away from the $500 minimum rider pledge donation, so I’m thinking I might have to shoot a little higher and bump up my fundraising goal!
Here’s a shout out and a big THANK YOU to all those who have donated. Did you know 1 in 150 individuals are diagnosed with autism and it is more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined? Check out the Web site www.autismspeaks.org for more info…
My Donor Honor Roll:
Alana Rush
Ariel Drescher
Jason Sharp
Jay Shehadeh
Jeffrey Joyner
Joe & Dianne Caridi
Kelli Gebbia
Martin & Maria Rubin
Nicole Varma
Rose Barnett
Suzanna Bedy
Thank you all for your generosity and support. Comments welcome and suggestions for the blog too! I’m trying to be creative and mix up the posts. Hopefully I’ll have some cool pictures this week—I’m taking the training to Orlando, as I’ll be home until moving to DC.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)