Tour of Sebring, 2006

Labor Day Weekend, now, an annual cycling event.

Saturday
Loading the cars.
I drove the red Toyota Rav 4 with Gina as my co-pilot, and Yarnall drove her new car and carried the all important cooler.

Picture of Yarnall, behind us.

Hey, how did she get in front?

Yarnall pushing her bike into the bike storage area inside Kenilworth Lodge.
This photo taken from Room 302.

Heidi and Diane, and a few caladiums, outside of their little cottage.

Gina, Bonnie, Nora and Yarnall.

The pool at the Kenilworth Lodge.

Gina, Nora, Yarnall and Rick.

One of Florida's many creatures.

Mike and Clare.

Don and his sister, who lives in Sebring.

Chris.

Mark and Alice, on the ice cream line.

I can't resist an opportunity to volunteer.
I hold the riders last cards for the Poker Ride.

Gina and Yarnall.

The SMBC ladies; Ellen, Diane and Janice.

Gina, Yarnall, Bonnie.

Gina and Yarnall humor the photographer.
This is a mirror reflection.

Lori and Mike, after the completion of their 104 mile adventure.
They didn't know each other before the ride. Lori spent the rest of the weekend with our group.

April, Linda (Sebring's tour leader) and Tom.
For a while we thought that Tom was April's husband.

Yarnall hugging her new friend.

Here comes the afternoon rain.

Heidi and Diane check out the rain and see me taking a photo from our third floor hotel room.
Photo didn't come out like I had hoped. O'well you get the idea.

The rain.

Happy Birthday, Nora.

Mike, getting a much needed massage after his ordeal.

On the way to dinner...

...in Sebring.

Gina, Mike, Lori and Yarnall, outside Don Jose Mexican Restaurant.

The group celebrates Nora's birthday.
Yarnall, Lori, Rick, Alice, Mark, Heidi, Diane, Nora, Gina, Mike. Don showed up later, not in photo.

Mariachi dude, who had a really good voice and fabulous shoes.

Nora, enjoys the music with the sun setting behind her.

Gina at the parrot party, back at the hotel.

Heidi, Bonnie, Gina.

Susan.

Yarnall sleeps in the closet.

Sunday
The YHAMMERit? 6:45am red/black team photo.
Chris, Yarnall, Mike, Bonnie, Glenn, Clare, Heidi, Mike, Gina, Don.

Yarnall, Bonnie, Gina, and Don.

First hill with sunrise.

Second hill and morning sky.

Here comes Rich and Deborah.

Don.

Here comes the gang.

Yarnall, Gina, Lori, Mike and Glenn in action.

Gina and Yarnall.

Shadow photo.

Shadow photo #2. Can you tell who is who?

Nora on the open road.

The group rides up another hill.

Rows and rows of orange trees.

Close-up.

Gina cools off.

These weren't the same guys as last year, but it was the same exact spot and another good photo op.

A few Sand Hill Cranes.

What do you suppose this guy is doing?

Luckily, we stopped for a photo op, before the century riders could tackle us around the bend.
Is the guy in the front yellow/black jersey telling me he loves me? I think that I see Heidi in this group.

This was the photo op of the rain on the other side of the lake.

And a cool bird photo.

And it's very important that Gina says hello to all of the puppies.
Note, this was not the attack dog.

Just liked the composition of the palm trees on this stretch of road.

Favorite mailbox at top of big hill.

Great road.

We didn't ride this one, but I liked the contrast of color.

Florida has excellent clouds.

Gina takes a breather and a few new friends smile in the background.

Road directions for the metric and century riders.

I took this photo for my brother, Todd.
This would be the last photo before learning a very valuable lesson with Florida vegetation.

Bikes in the SAG van.
Good advertisement for Cannondale.

The SAG guys and Kenilworth in the background.

Gina and Bonnie rest after my ordeal.
We did ride 59 miles though.

The photo and explanation does not begin to let you know how funny this was.
I wanted to sit on something to remove the number from the back of my jersey.
I forgot that the cooler was made of Styrofoam, I sat on it.
Gina, who was watching the US Open, was also watching me, but it was too late, the cooler imploded.
I was laughing so hard that I couldn't breath but stayed for a while just to let the very cold water sooth my burning bug bites.
Yarnall never did get to take her nap.

My heroes, Manny and Gina.
Who talked me down and kept me cool by pouring their water bottles over me and Manny who gave us his cell phone to call the SAG guys.

Mike and Clare after their own ordeal.
They road the century today. At mile 95 it started to lightning and pour down rain.
Clare and Heidi took the SAG van the last 5 miles, and Mike P., road with Mike C. who also got a flat.

Mike enjoys his hard earned, pasta Alfredo dinner.

Chair party.

Labor Day
Yarnall and Gina are off to breakfast.

Group dynamics.
Mark, Alice, Deborah, Yarnall, Bonnie, El, Gina, Rich, Clare, Mike P.

Riding through Highlands Hammock State Park.
Clare, Glenn, Mike W., Yarnall, Mike P.

Clare, Yarnall, Mike W.

Always good to take a sign photo so that you remember where you are.

The interesting plants and marshes.

Self timer Monday photo: Mark, Mike P. and Clare, Deborah, Alice, Rich, Gina, Yarnall, Bonnie, Mike W.

Thanks to Mike W. for pointing out this fish.
People in small towns have some very interesting lawn art.

The morning started out extremely foggy. A photo of Jackson Lake as the sun tries to burn through the fog.

A few birds.

Bougainvillea, tree.

This bike does not look too comfortable, makes a much better lawn decoration.

Downtown Sebring.

Yarnall and Gina are ready for the pool.
A beer at 9:30am cements the deal.

Bonnie enjoys the cool water.

Yarnall and Mike.

Feet and toes.

Ed and April, her real husband (married 28 years).

The Sebring water tower.

Sebring war wounds; Lori's bruise and Bonnie's spider bites.

Thanks for a great weekend!

This year we didn't nap. We played lots of cards: Bull Shit and Gin Rummy (with Bonnie's rules) and drank beer at 9:30 in the morning.
I learned a very valuable lesson to never walk in Florida grass or weeds that are beside the road.
I am still itchy but recovering from my spider bites and all of the hives are gone.
Thank you very much to Gina and Manny for taking care of me and talking me down and pouring water on me to cool me off and to Deborah for her Benadryl.

All in all, it was a great weekend, with lots of laughter and silliness and I can't wait for our next trip. It's a great group!