Tampa Biking Events :)

Dear Tampa BayCycle Supporter,

We are pleased to announce that our campaign won the Florida Bicycle Association’s Program of the Year award last week at their annual statewide conference. And our own Jim Shirk won their Volunteer of the Year award. Kudos to all those involved (pat yourself on the back at this time).

National Bike Month is wrapping up but we still have several activities planned. Check the website for full details. Here is a quick list:

· Friday 5/21 National Bike to Work Day - rides into downtown Tampa and USF campus

· Saturday 5/22 Hands on basic bike maintenance clinic from 9:30 – 11:30am, RSVP to www.citybiketampa.com. $25/person includes toolkit

· Saturday 5/22 Hub Grub Bicycle Ride, 3-6pm visiting various restaurants in Seminole Heights, sponsored by the Seminole Heights Bike Club.

· Tuesday 5/25 Hands on basic bike maintenance clinic from 5-7pm, RSVP to www.citybiketampa.com. $25/person includes toolkit

· Thursday 5/27 Urban Restaurant Ride, sponsored by CityBike Tampa

· Wednesday 6/2 Ambassador party at Splitsville. RSVP required.

We hope to see you at one of these activities. Thank you for helping to make the Bay Area a great place to ride.

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13.6 vs 21.9

Tried another alternative today. I parked my car at a shopping plaza 6 miles away from the house (A Publix, off of MLK/9th and Roosevelt if any of you know the area), kinda of a ..middle ground for the ride. Dimitrios was a bit adamant on me doing this - as me going down Roosevelt during 5pm traffic and near the I-275 Interstates during that time makes him a little nervous. I still have yet to fully experience it, but I can see why it would be sketchy just riding through it on the few mornings that I have. Even with hardly any traffic, cars are coming off that exit at a pretty fast pace (rightly so - they just got off the Interstate), so yea. This might be the best alternative that I found so far.

Parking the car and then riding the rest of the way is still going to save a good bit on gas so I'm ok with it. Anything at this point. Also another reason why I'm looking at bus routes as well. One of these days I'll get the courage to do that. Maybe during the summer.
It's not so much the 'courage'. I guess that's the wrong word. It's more of the anxiety of 'IF' I miss the bus, I have to wait for the other, which will in fact, put me 30 minutes late. And I hate being late...to anything. Anxiety issues that happened from a young age, what can I say. Unfortunately, I can't even 'test run' the bus route on the weekends as the routes that go over to Tampa DON'T RUN ON THE WEEKENDS (yes, our Mass transit is retarded).
There's also the fear of someone jacking my bike. I know this is probably HIGHLY unlikely, as the bus driver will hopefully be paying attention on who's bike is who -but still - you never know. Again, I know I can just keep an eye on it from the bus, but there's still that...anxiety of it happening.
But I'm sure I WILL have to take the bus one of these days over. Even if it's just one way home in the afternoon.

I still love the mornings here in the Tampa Bay Area. Riding over the water is so relaxing compared to being in the car. It makes me like where I live again. And able to tolerate it for just a bit longer.
Cyclist's aren't joking when they state "The World looks better on a bike".

Rain Rain - All Week and Today

Forecast actually told the truth for once this week.
I am currently listening to rain pelting my tin roof of my porch enclosure.

Looks like ..the only good riding will be tomorrow (which is the usual day I plan on riding in)...so we'll see.

Rain for the rest of the week....even going into Saturday.

Guess the rainy season is upon us.
Now to just accommodate the biking schedule for it...or just ride the Miyata for the next few weeks and not give a damn if I get wet or not.

Winds ESE at 18mph...

Gusting to 23mph....I weigh roughly 123-125...the wind will only pick up when I get on the bridge where there's no resistance (ie. trees, buildings, etc) to protect me. .....I think it was a good decision to turn around and drive in today. Stupid Wind...

Tomorrow is another day..and I will cross the Gandy Bridge this week via bicycle like I have the past three weeks...dammit.

Sometimes..the Cyclists Wins

Click the title for more info :)

Mark your Calendar

Mark your calendar! The Florida Department of Transportation is holding regional workshops around the state to obtain public and partner input on the future of transportation in Florida as part of development of the 2060 Florida Transportation Plan. Tampa - Monday, June 7, 2:30 - 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time FDOT District 7 Auditorium 11201 N. McKinley Drive Contact: Lee Royal 813-975-6427 lee.royal@dot.state.fl.us

Then there's the pleasure of the early morning ride...

I rode into work...
Nobody bothers me on this long ride. I have yet to be honked at - bitched at, yelled at or even buzzed.
I thought that Tampa and the Gandy Bridge would be horrid - especially since traffic over in Tampa always seems to be just so..Bad...

However, this is the second day I have rode in and had..nothing.
And it made me feel a lot better about stuff...in general.

NEW RULE: Instead of being mopey pants - MUST.GET.ON.BIKE.WHEN.FEELING.BAD.TO.TURN.THAT.FROWN.UPSIDE.DOWN.

:D

Only catch is - when you're feeling mopey - the bike sometimes is not as inviting as it could/should be ya know? The couch seems to call your name a LOT more when you're depressed.
But man does it feel good to be on that bike.
This afternoon however, when I'm riding back over the bridge - I WILL be cursing the wind AND the sun today. LOL...just like I did last week as well. :D

Green Stats

Green Stats
Total Workout Days: 260
Distance Traveled: 2,885.90 mi.
Gas Saved: 160.33 gallons
Money Saved: $557.94
Carbon Offset: 3,104.0 lbs. of CO2

Two of the routes I've done in the past month

Daytona Beach (from our hotel on our vacation on)
http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/fl/south%20daytona/798127297297522715

My Route to work
http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/fl/tampa/largo%2c%20fl/528127297335144637