Eustis, FL – WOW Bonfire Ride: Diana’s Story

Fall is here! Florida welcomes fall with cooler temperatures, low humidity, and sunshine. This Saturday afternoon I saw the welcome mixed with some rain. Today was the PCC Women on Wheels (WOW) Bonfire Ride. Two club members (Dawn & I) participated in the WOW event sponsored by Peloton Cyclist Club and hosted by Tracy Draper. This ride was dedicated to the female rider and the theme was “Fun”.

Our scheduled start time was 3 pm purposefully so that we could enjoy dinner around the fire after the ride. Riders came from all over to the event. For many, it was a trek to Eustis, but that didn’t stop them. Rain poured down in the early part of the day but soon it moved on and revealed a sunshine-filled afternoon.

This ride was about having fun. There was no pressure to ride fast. We kept a group ride going at 14-16 mph. Staying together, riding safely, and fighting the wind was the main theme.

We got off to a bit of a late start, so the route was adjusted. Flexibility is key when riding with a group. No one was disappointed. We didn’t get but just a few miles down the road, though, when there was a flat. The nice thing about this event was, of course, having SAG – and there was the trusty PCC SAG ready to fix the tire (Thanks, Rustin!).

Continuing at an easy pace, enjoying the green view along the way, the group of women cyclists made it through the terrain that held a few small inclines and a lot of green views. It is Florida, after all, and we have a lot of green year-round. For those that complain about no seasons here – remember that today we got to enjoy a ride without snow! At our new halfway point, we hit the SAG stop. Tracy, Tim, and Rustin were there waiting for us. It was a short 5 minute stop. Just long enough to enjoy some water, banana, trail mix, or peanut butter crackers before getting underway again.

12 or so miles to go until we got back to Draper Acre. It was a beautiful ride. Windy of course! The route took us through some neighborhoods and countryside. The views were incredible. Before too long, we were back. With the fierce wind and sun setting early now, the timing turned out perfectly, and the changes to the route were perfect!

Tim and Rustin from PCC provided support all afternoon. I can’t say enough about how great it is to have the PCC crew there. Off the beaten path, having SAG support makes all the difference. No one had to worry about getting lost, mechanical problems, or hydration.

PCC made sure that our excellent dinner was waiting for us! Dinner included several choices of pasta, grilled chicken, breadsticks, choices of sauce (meatball, marinara, alfredo) and S’mores for dessert. Sitting around the fire in our comfortable chairs, food, and drink in hand, and a sense of humor, we continued to have some serious fun!

Tracy shared with us the story of the Donkey Ear plant placed near the fire. She had nurtured this plant from a small starter. It was huge. On the plant, Tracy had found little “pups”, and she created little gift bags for each of us of one of these plant starters in hopes that each of us would take away a fond memory of this day and remember how there are seasons in our lives much like this plant has seasons. That is what is different about PCC rides, the WOW rides, and why I keep riding!

So what was different about this ride? Today was a day of sharing and building friendships – something every ride has in common. Today’s ride gave the women cyclists the opportunity to share other things they had in common. The topics ranged from the challenges of balancing riding with family and career to how to correctly wash a kit to how to turn corners. The more experienced riders shared tips on riding, including how they had started out riding. While some started out at a young age, there were also those with a more recent beginning so the tips really helped.

I am looking forward to the next ride! The great thing about cycling … it is about having fun 🙂