Bike Rides

We (I) decided we will ride our bikes once a week for the next 3 months. Then we would evaluate our future bike needs. I’m not ready to quit riding, but I am very leery of having a fall. I’m not sure whether Grant feels he can ride an upright bike anymore either. Only one way to find out. So Wednesday is Bike Day.

Our first ride was along the West Orange Trail from Chapin Station north 4 miles to Ingram Outpost and back. After dropping Clara off at school, we drove over to our starting point, Grant offloaded the bikes, we went to the bathroom and rode away. At 9:00, there were few people, either bikers or walkers, to impede our unsteady riding. It is still cool enough for me to wear a long-sleeved bike shirt with a t-shirt over it. 

By the time we got to our endpoint, it was sunny but still comfortable. We ate our tangerines and headed back. Mission accomplished. We both felt fairly comfortable in the saddle.

This week, Grant suggested we start at Magnolia Park and ride along Lake Apopka. Perfect. On eBird-alert, a gray kingbird was reported to be hanging out at the pump house. We could ride the 4 miles on the gravel dike, stop and see the bird, then head back. Dropped Clara off, headed to park, etc. This time the path was bumpy so I had to really concentrate while I rode. Although there were warblers, cardinals, and other small birds flying around, I couldn’t look and ride at the same time. There were also hundreds of dragonflies, which encouraged me to continue to avoid the mosquitoes they were surely eating.

I also did not stop at the huge alligator we passed. At first I thought it was a black plastic bag that had been thrown by the trail. When I got closer, I realized it was a gator on shore, and that was just its head. Definitely time to keep peddling. There were lots of others, including 2 different ones, each a good 6’, with big alligator gar in their mouths. I even saw a little 2’ long one, somehow not eaten by its bigger sibs.

We also saw 2 limpkins walking besides each other, weaving back and forth along the dike. I wondered if they were courting, but then 2 chicks popped out and tucked in between their parents. When we got close, one adult and the babies hopped down into the reeds. The other adult flew to a bush and yelled at us. To distract us away from the others?

While we rode, 2 helicopters flew back and forth over the lake. When we got to the pump house, we watched them land on trucks and refill their tanks with herbicide to kill hydrilla. I used my binoculars for a cursory glance down the telephone wires where the kingbird had been seen, but it was not around. Nor was the peregrine falcon that had been perched on top of the poles. Next time…

We rested a while, then headed back. About 2/3 of the way, Grant realized his water bottle was missing. I had had a drink at the pump house and not put it back in the holder securely. On the bumpy road, it had popped out. I’d drunk from his because I’d realized I’d forgotten mine about 1/2 mile into our ride. Rather than turn back and get it, we opted to go with just 1 bottle. Yes, a dumb idea. While Grant rested on a bench, I rode back to the pump house again, looking for the missing water bottle. No luck, so I guess the other bike riders we passed must have picked it up. Ah well, years ago, I’d found a water bottle and added it to our collection. Now they had one for theirs. All good. 

I returned to where Grant was, rode to the truck, and had a big drink of cold water from my forgotten bottle. All total: 12.2 miles on gravel road. A big boost in my riding confidence.