The Holidays have arrived! What is better than riding on a Saturday morning? Nothing. Saturday, December 16, 2017, TeamOne members (Dawn, Diana, and Z) joined other cyclists for the Peloton Cyclist Club (PCC) Ride #17 – A Holiday Event.
The start time was 8 am. This would prove to be an exceptional ride.
PCC (http://pelotoncyclistclub.com) is a fun and unique company that has set out to unite the cycling community. TeamOne members joined in for Saturday’s 48-mile course of quick-paced group riding through Winter Garden all the way to Disney and back.
All PCC rides are fully supported with mechanical and nutritional support before, during, and after the events. PCC has designated fully stocked SAG stops along the route to meet every rider’s need.
The Ride
Winter. It officially arrives in most of the country by now. Florida is no exception. Of course, winter here means temperatures in the 40’s to 80’s. Northerners laugh. Snow in Florida comes in the form of rain, if at all. Today, the Team One members enjoyed temperatures in the mid-60’s to low 70’s. A nice break from 90+ % humidity over the summer.
Eric, Tim, and Rustin had set up breakfast, as usual. The team and of course other riders now expect this wonderful start to the day, and the breakfast goodies left no disappointment there. Today the set up included bagels, granola bars, bananas, juice, and Dunkin coffee.
The planned PCC route was 48 miles. All cyclists today would ride as one group starting in Winter Garden and make their way through Disney, thanks to one of the PCC Members, Gilberto. He had been able to get special permission for this holiday ride onto the grounds. What a treat! Even though there had been a ride here before, it was not during the Holiday season.
The pace started quickly. With speeds in the 17-18 mph for the entire group, a flat tire was not welcomed. A few stayed behind for a quick flat repair while the majority of the cyclists kept on. The first stop appeared rather fast, even though it was almost 15 miles into the ride. The entire group stopped for a group shot in front of the enormous Holiday tree in front of the Disney Contemporary Resort. Photo opp mean a lot of selfies, small group shots, and maybe a little bit of silliness. After the pictures, the group started back on the next short leg to the SAG stop.
The PCC trailer pulled in after the riders. Hydration! Water and Gatorade were at the top of the list. The snacks were, as always, plentiful and varied. Bananas, trail mix, snack bars, and cookies were quickly consumed. The sun was out, shining, and the temperature was mild still. With beautiful, green surroundings in the middle of December, thoughts of the holidays might not seem to be apparent. Not with this group. The fun and holiday spirit manifested themselves in the conversations and frivolity (imagine…group shot from a human pyramid).
After filling up on snacks and refilling water bottles at the SAG stop, all the riders started back for the next stretch. The day was an incredible day for riding. The best part was the perfect temperature! The wind played its role, as usual. Tree-lined roads filled the route in many areas. The pace continued at a moderate speed through the rest of the grounds.
Outside the Disney grounds, the larger group split into smaller groups. Each group then kept its own pace to the finish. The roadways were filled with cars, but the cyclists took care along the entire way.
The last stretch of this course gave way to some hills. Yes, Florida is flat, basically. The small(ish) hills gave no break to the riders, though. Each downhill stretch was a welcome relief from pedaling. There was even a little bit of countryside to see on those downhills. Finally, with the end in sight, the next part of the day was about to begin…the celebrating.
Post-ride celebration time at a local park. Chef Ray outdid himself today. Lunch was wonderful Chicken Rollatini with Red Pepper Cream Sauce, Cilantro Lime Orzo, Herb Broccoli, and Carrot-Tomato avocado salad. Delicious!! The PCC Members and guests all know that Chef Ray of Craving’s by Ray Vega provides the best lunch anywhere. Rounding out the food was soda, water, and a beer or two.
With the holidays soon approaching, a holiday ride gave everyone a chance to catch up with each other before getting too busy with family, visitors, and the bustle of the season. As always, this day was filled with great conversation, camaraderie, and the beautiful weather in Florida.
The last ride of the year was a great time for reflection. PCC riders enjoyed many rides during 2017. As always, the PCC team ensured each event was fun, enjoyable, and topped off with great food. Tim, Eric, and Rustin plan out the events, including providing course routes pre-ride, to make each ride so much fun. Where else can you get breakfast, lunch, snacks, a ride back if you need it, route planning and full SAG support for minimal cost? Check out what they have to offer at their website: http://pelotoncyclistclub.com.
2018 promises to be another exciting year of riding!
Event Day Statistics
This is the course charted by one of the TeamOne members who participated in the 45-mile route.
Video
If video doesn’t load properly you can also view this video on YouTube https://youtu.be/5QjJ8CbLtX0
Photos
Provided by Jun @ 18mph Studio
Ciao,
TeamOne
Thank you Diana, Dawn, and Z for representing TeamOne in yet what appears to be the only ride not to miss in December.
Have a great holiday season!!!
This was such a great day of riding!! Can’t wait til the next Ride:)
Wow!!! This ride was a great ride, weather, and people. The fast riders held back the horsepower so everyone could stay together for the majority of the ride. Of course, towards the end, the single group broke off into 2 groups which was great for the slower riders.