February 25, 2007
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Greetings from Orlando!
I’m in florida visiting my parents in retirement paradise. I’ve been out riding my dad’s old bike. It’s a dura ace triathalon bike from 1992. Fantastic bike fifteen years ago. Today, not so much. It has there crazy aerobars that look like they were inspired by a viking funeral and the shifters are on top of them which is a terrible place to put shifters. And the seat– well let’s not mention the seat. My mom has a matching one which is in a litle better condition. I spent quite a bit of time cleaning them both on Friday and then yesterday I ran her bike to the bike shop for new rim tape and new handlebar tape. Mom initially qinced when I explained to her that she needed $35 handlebar tape, but when I got the bike back last night and she saw how nice and thick and cushiony it was she stopped complaining.
I seem to find better riding every time I come to Orlando. The smell coming off the orange groves is amazing, but they’re slowly being replaced by crappy development after crappy development, and since the developers seem to rule the roost here, it’s development first, infrastructure later which means there aren’t a lot of roads to ride on and traffic can be pretty heavy. But I found some great riding yesterday around Dundee although I forgot sunscreen and got charred. Picture above taken by an actual redneck clad in camoulflage pants and flip flops who was on his way to swill beer and fish at the boat dock I took a break at. It’s going to rain later and my arms are a little sore from the handlebars on Dad’s bike, so I’m just going to ride a little.
