This past Saturday morning July 15, 2017, TeamOne members (Dawn, Diana, Jodel, & Z) joined other cyclists for the Peloton Cyclist Club (PCC) Ride #12. Yes…the PCC is celebrating their 1-year anniversary!
The ride was not slated to start until 7:30 am, so once again the cyclists had a well-deserved sleep-in on a Saturday morning.
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 44-mile course of beautiful riding through Lake Nona, southeast of Orlando.
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
Mid-July in Florida – HOT is the only way to describe it. The combination of heat and humidity is particularly intense now. Heat and humidity make an already sweltering day feel almost unbearable.
The day was starting off warm at 82 degrees. Moss Park was the starting point for the day’s ride. The canopy of trees provided much-needed shade. With temperatures soaring into the 90’s, and the added heat-index, riders could expect to feel 100+ degree temperatures today. Not to be deterred, PCC members, guests, and volunteers gathered around the PCC trailer ready to start the anniversary ride. Breakfast always starts a ride off right. Today the set up included bagels, granola bars, bananas, juice, and coffee.
The route today was 44 miles. With only one option, riders were grouped into 3 levels: 20+ mph, 18-20 mph, 16-18 mph.
The first group of riders (20+ mph) left on time from the scenic park. The next group left after a short wait. The 3rd group (16-18 mph), including TeamOne members, left a few minutes later.
The first and only SAG stop was about 24 miles into the ride. The PCC trailer was ready and waiting for the group. 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.
After the SAG stop, the TeamOne riders started back for the last stretch. It was HOT! Part of the route took the riders through tree-lined roads. Other parts of the ride were more populated with vehicles. The group always takes extra care on the roadways. Most drivers are courteous and give plenty of room.
The last few miles did have a bit of wind. The group kept plugging away, though, and the finish was a respectable 17 mph. Summer is in full swing now. The last ride was a reminder that, even though riding often in heat can get you acclimated, keeping hydrated by drinking often and respecting the heat and humidity’s effects remains paramount. Today’s ride brought the same message.
After the ride, it was celebration time. Not only was there going to be lunch, special drawings and massages were on the agenda. Today’s menu, provided by Crave & Eat catering, included chicken, chicken sausage, roasted corn on the cob, and mac-n-cheese.
The prizes for the drawing were a star attraction. PCC guest passes, t-shirts, caps, and polo shirts were hot ticket items. The grand prize, an original work of art by local artist and PCC co-founder Rustin Robinson, was much sought after. Our own team member, Jodel, walked away with that one (though it appeared that the beautiful bike art might have found its way to another home if he hadn’t kept a watchful eye on it).
This day was filled with great conversation, camaraderie, and the beautiful HOT weather. Moss Park offered a scenic and shady vista for all to enjoy.
As always, PCC made sure cyclists had a great day!! Tim, Eric, and Rustin plan out the event, including providing course routes pre-ride, to make each ride so much fun. The ride is worth every penny. 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
Event Day Statistics
This is the course charted by one of the team members who participated in 44-mile route.
Video
Music
This is one of the mixes by DJ Israel “El Lobel” Rodriguez we were playing on the ride. Feel free to share, like, download, or go to SoundCloud and see what other mixes and genre you might like created by our dear friend from da Bronx “El Lobel“.
View the entire playlist: https://soundcloud.com/teamone/sets/salsa-for-ridingPhotos
Provided by Jun @ 18mph Studio
Ciao,
TeamOne
That looked like an amazing ride and I love the photos and the video!
Thank you, Shawn! The members of the team try very hard to place the members who weren’t there, in the action with them through the images.