The Keys

I only live less than 6 hours away from the FL Keys and with the BP Oil spill, I had wanted to check it out again just in case the worst thing happened.

Jode & I left Friday @ 1ish loaded down with camping gear, snorkeling gear and cameras.

It was a great time...the vibe in the Keys is the best. We stayed (camped) in the Bahia Honda State Park on Big Pine Key.

Hanging out at the camp ground watching the sun set, snorkeling, visiting Fort Vachary & running into hanging out with Karol, going to Sloppy Joes for chow and drinks (they got a brain freeze drinking).....it was a great time. I picked up 4 indigious FL plants (Seven Year Apple & Spider Lily) and renewed my love of the Keys and the coral reef there. More pictures are here. I just hope the oil stays away.

Ciao,
Rick

I have moved again?

Good grief....I needed to move again and this time I'm in my OWN apartment, no more sharing. I like how someone wanted to know if I was in a witness protection program...it has felt like for the last 1.5+ years I have been on the go the whole time.

Clearwater Beach was a cool spot and location for doing the beach thing and riding with the Ride-n-Roll crew, but my room mate's schedule and mine just didn't jibe. After looking for 2-3 days I found a SMALL apartment in St Pete's. I'll post some picts of it soon. It's a year lease so I think things should stablize for me a lot and I definately need some of that right now.

The riding here is really good and if I was ever able to run again...the TRI scene is huge here.

Next weekend I'm heading to the Keys for camping and snorkeling; the the oil disaster that has happened in the Gulf, I want to revisit that special place in case the unthinkable happens to it....

Ciao,
Rick

things are going well

Update long overdue.
Sold the Mini Cooper Clubman....really liked the car but not the monthly payment and I have a "free" company car....it's just a thing.
Looks like the refi is going to happen and Gary will be moving into my place soon.
I have been riding "naked" without my Garmin 405CX for a week now but will be getting that back Tuesday?
Broke the Ti rail on my Selle Italia SLR seat and that's the next thing to "fix"
Doing a lots of Ride-n-Roll groups rides and having a difficult but good time of it.

Hopefully I'm getting back into shape and things are finally failing into place after all heck breaking loose in Nov 2008....patience is a virtue but it's been a difficult lesson to learn.

Every day is getting better....

Caio,
Rick

Up and Down

So, I had just moved in, raced my first crit and found a really cool EARLY morning (5:30am) group ride to do....and I get sick again. Real sick this time. A week and a half goes by and I figured I'd do an easy ride over the weekend to see how I'm doing.
Ride from the house to the St Pete ride (22 S) and back by rickadams60 at Garmin Connect - Details">My ride Saturday

"recovery ride" from the house south and back by rickadams60 at Garmin Connect - Details">My ride Sunday

No crit race or fast group ride this week but I will get in more zone 3 miles til I'm 100%.

Here's looking towards the weekend!
Ciao,
Rick

Riding & Moving today

I'm going on a group ride out of St. Pete this morning then moving to a beach cottage two blocks off of Clearwater Beach. I'm pretty excited cause when (it doesn't happen often)the waves are good, I want to be able to do the Dawn Patrol then go to work.

I'll post some pictures of the place later; Tim is going to be my house mate so I'm hoping we will get along together well....he's dating a TRI gal so it will be nice to have active people around the place.

I did my first training Crit race this week and finished in the pack and felt pretty good. My left leg still hasn't loosened up yet so I'm going to see about getting a message or something to help loosen it up....it's still pretty sore.

Sold the Mini Cooper this week, that helps a lot....I'll miss it but I can always get one later.

Well, mucho packing/riding to do.....I hope everyone has a good weekend and here's to Aimee's doing well at her TRI this weekend.

Ciao,
Rick

Mountain Biking in FL?

Yes there is great mountain biking in FL. This is the second time I've been to Alafia River State Park and I think it's a blast to ride.

Alafia River State Park by rickadams60 at Garmin Connect - Details

I met up with Chris B and two buddies of his today.

More later....bed time and a road ride tomorrow morning.

Ciao,
Rick

Tampa Crit

The Tampa Crit is something I wanted to do in a bad way...short story is I was making progress in my conditioning and then got sick again 4-5 days before the race.

That sucked and I'm racing down here as a GDI so I thought it would be dumb to race not feel'n it so I went and took photos of it.

So I got better rode well for another couple of weeks and got hit again by another cold...laying low for a week but am going to go out for an easy ride tomorrow night.

Best of luck for my northern friends entering race season now.

As far as my racing season.....we will see.

Ciao,
Rick