Brrrrrr, and the Palm Tree Bikers 1st "Pit Stop"

Surly, all of our "Northern Friends" will be lambasting us for complaining about the cold but we can take it. After all, we are "die-hard" bikers and nothing comes between us and our bike ride, er lunch!

Let's see, battery heated socks-check, hooded sweat-shirt- check, hand warmers- check, Vodka and water mix- check. Fourteen of us headed for Celebration and our brisk ride. Pat and Darlene would meet up with us for lunch (after they hit a few stores in Celebration).

It took us a couple of minutes longer to "stage" ourselves before hitting the "trail." Rose and Ray once again with us, we were still chatting about getting the PTBs all together as the "SnowBird" season commences. (It was more like... do we really want to do this?) Off we went! No turning back now.

Heading into the wind at a blistering 8.4 mph the wind chill factor dropped to roughly 32.879' f. (Steve, no need to confirm my figures with your Scientific Calculator.) It seemed like our first stop at Celebration Hospital came up quicker than usual. (I think Pete was excited about having Ray back so he didn't have to concern himself with finding our way out of the back streets of Celebration!) Leaving the hospital Jim mentioned to Judy (in jest) they were serving hot cocoa and cookies. Judy thought she missed out on the treat.  (Its not nice to play jokes on people when someone has the "power of the pen" to put them in their place!)


Off we went. We peddled back to the open part of our ride and into the wind. Now we can feel the cold "licking" at our faces only to be sprayed by a series of lawn sprinklers along the sidewalk. The cold was beginning to lace its tentacles into all the tiny openings of our clothes.

Our second stop was in the sun and the only "whiner" was Jim mumbling something about his nose and frostbite! Judy told Jim the tip of his nose was white! He didn't seem at all concerned but when we saddled up to move out we could see Jim looking into the little bicycle mirror on Pete's bike to check his nose!

Rumbling over the wooden bike/walk path is the best part of this ride. We try to keep alert for any and all kinds of critters this thickly wooded area camouflages so well.

Sandy's husband Bill took a tumble at a sharp corner as we left the wooden pathway. Fortunately he was fine and his bike ended up with a couple of new adjustments he had to make. (We'll hope and pray that there are no more "spills!")

We pass by more beautiful homes and you can feel the pace pick up. Lunch was beckoning. (It's more likely that our leaders got a whiff of the food cooking!)

A change of venue was on order. Our outside lunch at the Town Tavern didn't have its usual luster in 40' temperatures so we traveled on.... to the next building, the Market Square Restaurant! Our normal ten mile ride turned out to be just over nine miles... or so. It appeared there were more than a few riders deliberating just how many tenths or so that we actually rode. Where is Steve when you need him?
Gee, what was up with Jim, he kept looking at those little mirrors!
The food was great and so were the portions... and everyone got to warm up!

Our story continues... our fun loving riders got together for this year's "1st Pit Stop" at Pat and Dave's abode. It was fun watching all of them riding in on their bikes with boxes of spirits and food bungee corded to their backs! Naw, that didn't happen... it was even colder today than our bike ride yesterday!

Our group gathered under one roof to share the afternoon with outstanding food, conversation and friendship.

Remember the "good ole days" when you went to a teen party/dance? Remember how the boys ended up on one side of the dance floor....

...and (with one exception) all the girls on the other side! Well, it wasn't that bad but close enough to notice!

Our group is a great mix of personalities, backgrounds and experiences. Together we enjoy a unique bond that makes our "winters in the south" that much more enjoyable.

All too soon, one by one, they made their way toward their homes away from home looking forward to many more "Pit Stops" and bike rides!

Next week its back to Fort Wilderness... Reuben, Reuben, Reuben!

A taste of Hollywood and another bike ride!

We headed out for a few hours at Disney's Hollywood Studios and hit the Animation Academy to draw "Stitch." Along the way we couldn't help but notice the Disney Christmas spirit in bloom!

After a peaceful but frustrating drawing session (Stitch is somewhat frustrating to draw) we tried in vain to get into "Toy Story Mania!" (Grrrrrrr!)

So, with our dampened spirits, we strolled over to see "Mulch, Sweat and Shears." They put on a great show and played some "rockin" Christmas tunes....

They always manage to out-do themselves with "guest interaction!"

Pat was "thrilled" to get to meet the "Manager" up-close and personal!

To top the evening off we took in a few minutes with the "Dancin' Lights," all five million plus of them!

Then Monday came along and another bike ride. It was north to Winter Garden. (Did I forget to mention we'd finish our ride with lunch?)

I'm sure all of you thought we didn't actually ride with all the talk of lunch but, there we are. See all the smiles, dry shirts and natural skin complexion. (That lasted about one third of the way.) It was muggy and Mother Nature provided us with just enough wind to make you think you lost 30% leg muscle tone.

Our leader, Pete, was on a mission. The new high-tech rear axle on his bike needed to be "exercised." He was pushing the limit (11 mph) over hill and dale. We blew right by our first "watering hole" stop. Yours truly was beginning to assume the "tailgaters" position (the wind you know)!

At last, the Kilarny Station!

Some of the members checked out the bike store while others found the chairs and water bottles.

We "set up camp" on the shaded deck and proceeded to correct all of the worldly problems!

The respit was short lived, lunch was five miles east. The return pace seemed a tad more energetic. Somewhere along the trail something caught my attention in my handle bar mirror. Two of our riders behind me seemed to be peddling at a "blurring" pace. Suddenly, the normally laid back "tailenders" blew by me leaving a dust trail! Judy and Joan zipped by shouting something about food!

All too soon I realized I was now the "tailender." The gap between me and the group stretched out and I began to feel like my brakes were on!

The gap in this photo lies.... it's three times zoom!

No one even looked back! Come to think of it I think I remember hearing Judy and Joan shouting something about, "can you smell the tomato sauce" as they sprinted to the front of the pack!

At last the center of town was in sight and the Winter Garden Pizza Company was literally a "sniff" away.

Any vehicle getting in our way would be dealt with. Hah, we laugh at danger, lunch is near!

Lunch was interesting, we got to see that Judy can be tough on Jim when it comes to sharing her pizza!

Oh, and Pete did a great job leading the group, we never got lost... the trail was straight five miles out and five miles back!

Out and around!

Our "circle of friends" are slowly but surly returning and our activities are picking up. The "Palm Tree Bikers" are still waiting for a few more members to arrive but our numbers are increasing.

As you can see, we're at the end of the ride and eager to enjoy a good meal at the "Wave" in the Disney's Contemporary Resort. The Reuben was the main choice for most of the riders! Our bike group is beginning to get a "reputation!" Nearly all of the wait staff and management of the "Wave" have come to welcome our monthly visit and enjoy our fun loving members. Our favorite hostess, Betty, just happened to be off this day and you can be sure we'll let her know about it.
My sources say that the bike ride around Fort Wilderness was uneventful. They didn't get lost. Steve found the GPS signal (I think), and they found their way to lunch. All in all it was a great ride!

Here's a couple of local places we took in over the past few weeks.






Here is what the Christmas Light Show at Hollywood Studios looks like before it's lit up.......

We'll get there again before the holidays to see it in all its glory.

Then a few of the "lights" from Downtown Disney....



Ahhhhhhh, the home of the "Sinful Cinnamon" Pretzel!



We've already sampled a pretzel or two, but there's always room for more!!

This "Statue" is quite interesting. She's part of the evening entertainment at Downtown Disney. She's a terrific crowd pleaser, especially for the children.

Speaking of Downtown Disney, Disney has recently announced a major change to the property. Pleasure Island will be leveled and over the next few years will undergo a major transformation. New restaurants, shops with a night club or two will complement the "Hyperion Warf." The "SoundStage Club in the background will be removed along with "The Adventurer Club" and a host of other older night clubs.

Lake Magic Resort, home to most of our riders and friends is also "gearing up." Dinners, shuffleboard, cards, ice cream socials, breakfasts, along with a myriad of activities are underway. Even though we're still missing some of our fellow "snowbirds" we're anxiously awaiting their arrival over the holidays so we can "kick it up a notch!"

Speaking of "kicking it up a notch," we visited EPOCT one afternoon to take in some of the (er) "talent!"

Here is the Morocco band "MoRockin" ... and their belly dancer!

Well, we presented a tiny overview of our activities, we don't want you to think we just sit on the Lanai and while away the time!

Oh, we also take in some of the "locals" from time to time.....

This three inch grasshopper spent an afternoon on our screen. Naw, they don't bite but don't stand in their "flight path!"

Even Winston got a chance to see the FL wildlife up close and personal....

And so it goes folks, we just sit and rock our time away in "Gods waiting room!"

Another bike ride.... another lunch!

Can you believe it, we're actually talking about how cold it is the past few days! In the mid 40's in the morning. Now that I've tweaked all our Blog Friends in New England where it's in the 20's at night, I'm sure I'll get "beat down" for that. We actually had to wear long pants and sweaters. We had to warm up our bike seats!

And so we headed to Winter Garden and another ten mile ride finishing up at another favorite place for lunch, "The Winter Garden Pizza Company." This time, our leader, Pete turned right heading east instead of west. Our five mile ride "out" was somewhat more hilly than some of us "first timers" to this trail expected. We hid our pounding hearts and throbbing quads behind smiles and subdued panting! We were never going to let on that we had to struggle up several hills that felt like we were climbing Mt. Washington.

We made it look so easy... until several speedsters in spandex blew by us as in a blur. That was humiliating... they were girls! We pressed on and made it to our five mile marker only to brag about how exhilarating the ride was. None of the "pros" in our group caught the oxygen bottle being passed around camouflaged as water bottles! Although, Judy and Jim brought along some sort of "elixir" called "syrup water!" It must have been some sort of "energy drink!" Jim turned it down but Judy did seem to ride to the lead on the return leg of our ride!

We did take advantage of one of Florida's "locals" and took a (breather) stop to admire this young six foot gator...

Funny how they always look like their "dead!" Yeah right! We admired him from afar and rode on.



The five mile return trek became a mission. It was getting close to noon and I noticed the pace quickened... for some of us! Strange the "down hills" on the way out seemed so much shorter on the return trip! By this time the sun was higher and just right to remove our sweaters. I think some of us took our sweaters off so we could expand our chests for more air intake.

We all made it in great shape (cough, cough) and bragged how easy the trail was!

Now don't take my "tongue and cheek" too seriously, after all it's all in good fun! Can't you tell by all those smiling faces? (You'll notice we are in a private room. It's soundproof, so the rest of the guests can't hear all the moaning and groaning!) Oh, wait a minute, come to think of it that might have been Judy who claimed she didn't eat an entire pizza by herself! Judy's husband Bill wouldn't verify her claim!

We're Baaaaaack!

The gang is slowly returning to their Winter refuge. One by one they burned up the highways and byways to nest once again amongst the palm trees, fire ants, snakes, and tiny wind blown sticker buds that can blow out a bicycle tire! Ah, but its all worth it! We'll be free from the cold, snow and ice we spent much of our lives dealing with.

After a brief reunion eight members of the "Palm Tree Bikers" headed out for their first weekly bike ride. Our caravan of five headed for Fort Wilderness campground. The "loops" of this picturesque campground provides the opportunity to check out what can easily be called the most eclectic gathering of RVs anywhere. The shear variety of RVs is matched by the creativity of the people that own them.

As usual, we enter the campground via the rear entrance. This day however, proved to be somewhat different! A shiny new pair of entry/exit gates were in place. The sign politely states that parking has become a premium and only registered guests and guests with restaurant reservations are allowed. Our five vehicles dutifully turned around and headed into the main entrance. With that stumbling block out of our way, we unpacked our bikes, helmeted up and road off undaunted by the interruption.

This slight "speed-bump" managed to get us "buzzing" about things and we took a tad longer at the Ranger Office getting our selves together.

Our intrepid leader, Pete, headed out on his new bike. It was so quiet it took us several minutes to realize he left! Playing catch up is always fun. Dodging buses, horses and golf carts gets our blood  pumping!

Into the rental units we headed. We took in all the "left over" Halloween displays from the night before and our leader trudged on as he started to go around the same loop again. Our "Gadget Guru" Steve's GPS failed to pick up a satellite and for a minute we were "lost!" The trained eyes of Jim averted any redundancy in our ride and we quickly regained our heading and composure.

Thankfully, we were quickly distracted by the abundant Halloween artifacts that some sites were dotted with....

This site is familiar to any one who has headed to the beach in the 100 loop. There is so many things in this site you cannot notice the 53' trailer the the guy needs to haul it all.

Our rides always include a stop for lunch. The call was heralded for our usual when we bike Fort Wilderness Campground... Reuben, Reuben, Reuben! There was no discussion. We headed to the "Wave" at the Contemporary Resort, met up with "Betty" our gracious and fun loving Hostess and started off the '10-'11 bike season with some great conversation and food. For the record, there were six Reuben sandwiches, one chicken sandwich and one Bisson Burger ordered.

With hunger appeased a welcome boat ride back to our bikes gave us some much needed digesting time. Our ride back to our vehicles went without a hitch. We didn't get lost or loose anyone... and Steve still couldn't pick up a GPS satellite! (At least Steve's new bike didn't have any issues!)

...and then there were none!

We said our farewells and watched as Darlene and Buzz made their way out of our campground "home" for the winter of '09-'10. As they edged out of sight Pat and I took one last look around the sparse campground.
For the  record, Darlene and Buzz were the last "official" members of our group to leave the park. Pat and I had already moved to another spot outside the campground. We dropped in to see Buzz and Darlene off and check our mail.
Most rigs you see have been left on-site for the long hot summer. The campground is eerily quiet. The only golf carts you see are the workers and a few year-round residents. The last to leave can take a moment to bask in the sights and sounds of our friends and fellow campers "in ou minds." All the things we did, places we went and people we did it all with are memories and hopefully... we'll all get to do it again in a few months.
We too headed north. We planned a three-day drive with a two-night stop-over in Amish country in PA.
What we didn't plan on is 51' temps and rain! UGH!

We had forgotten what it was like wearing "long pants"... AAAAHHHHHHGGGGGGG!!!!

WELCOME BACK TO REALITY!

Trails end!

Well, we wanted to represent our bicycle group with class, dignity and lots of memories with one more lunch at one of our "regular" trails end lunch establishments. Our intrepid group now has a name and (thanks to a couple of our riders) classy Tee-shirts coming in the Fall of 2010. The “Palm Tree Bikers” will be more than ready for the trails of central Florida this up-coming “snow-bird” season.

In fitting tribute to our hearty group of riders, the remaining four members thought it most fitting to “represent” our fellow members by visiting one of our favorite restaurants, “The Wave” at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and bid farewell to our wonderful and gracious hostess, Betty as well as their servers, manager and staff. Betty escorted Buzz and Darlene, Pat and I to a table where one of our favorite and familiar waitresses, Lisa made us feel right at home and bid greetings to all of our group members.

You can bet that “The Wave’s” hit of the menu was on two of our plates, the Classic Reuben.

Lisa cheerfully took our picture with our exuberant hostess and enjoyed a final lunch with all of our absent riding companions sitting with us in spirit.

After lunch it happened that another familiar face, Rich the Manager was talking with Betty and each of us in turn bid farewell with promises to return (and call ahead when our group climbs to over forty members). Rich, Betty and Lisa all sent their greetings to all of our riders and have come to enjoy our visits as much as we enjoy their friendship and great food. We send kudos to the Managers and Staff of “The Wave" from the riders of “The Palm Tree Bikers.”

We will all miss their great food, outstanding service and friendly interaction with each and everyone of us and their guests.

We’re planning our “Bucket List” of places we just had to visit before we leave for home. We made it to the “Flower Power” “Davy Jones” concert in EPCOT

and plan to see “Chubby Checker” this coming Friday. In between, we have a few more favorite restaurants and sights to take in.

We’ll finish our “Blog of the South” once we settle in up north.