Full Thunder Moon Lives Up to Its Name

The Full Thunder Moon came through for us last night with a pop-up thunderstorm, right at ride time, that seemed to mushroom directly over our area.  I was riding up Maguire on a 1974  3 speed Raleigh Sports (bolt upright riding position) when the storm started, and I began pedaling like mad toward the meet-up place, acutely aware of my Almira Gulch impersonation. Some of us took shelter, if you could call it that, under the small pavillion at the Cady Way Trail parking lot area, but the gusty winds from the east blew right through the shelter sideways. We began our usual Central Florida summer pastime of checking our smart phones for weather radar, looking at the sky, discussing and debating what to do and how to convey the information to others. We know this drill really well, and it’s always a crap shoot. We decided to wait out the storm and ride. Just as we readied to ride off, Keri had a flat rear tire on her Big Dummy cargo bike. During the brief delay, we had a bit more time to chat with Tim Bustos, the Executive Director of the Florida Bicycle Association,  and discuss gear ratios, lights, routes, etc. with a fun and diverse group of riders. The flat was quickly fixed, and we were off.

Keri always chooses the best routes you can imagine, and this one was no exception. Several more riders met up with us when we rode through Mead Gardens, and we had a delightful ride. My clothes dried quickly, and the rain had eliminated the opressive heat from earlier in the afternoon. We caught glimpses of the full moon through the trees. We rode folders, road bikes, vintage British steel, mountain bikes, comfort bikes, you name it. We stopped for frozen yogurt in Baldwin Park, then finished back where we started at the Cady Way Trail head.

I rode my bike home, grateful to Cycling Savvy and Commute Orlando for teaching me the skills and giving me the support to ride anywhere I want. And for the community of people that I have met and enjoy through bicycling. Let’s do it again!