Ride from Goatfeathers

No, I wasn't taking the photo...I was riding in circles on my bike while the rest of the crew went down to the beach at Topsail.  Once I'm on a roll, I just can't stop.  (This was a 13-14 mile ride.)  Thanks for the photo, Al!

Left to Right:  Al Quackenbush, Ron Thompson, Chris Schaal, Carol Thompson, Diane Newby, Lynn Quackenbush

Biking Week of Jan. 29-Feb. 4

Note:  If anyone cannot get the RSVP feature  to work (by clicking on "comment" at the end of this post) please call me at 815-592-5923 and I'll walk you through it.  We appreciate RSVPing for several reasons:  To know who to expect and wait a few minutes if you might be running late;  to make reservations for restaurants who require/prefer them;  and to let others know who is riding!

Monday, Jan. 30:  Meet at 2PM at Majestic Sun's front steps.  You can park across the street along #98 (Scenic Gulf Rd.) or in back of Majestic Sun.  We'll bike the sidewalk down to Sandestin and do some bayside riding, then return to Majestic Sun.  We'll head up to the Cabana Cafe in Seascape (Ariel Dunes) 3:30PM, have a Coke or a drink, and enjoy some music by Banjo Rama, starting at 4PM.  If you want to have dinner there, you can do that, too, as they play until 7PM.  (As of this posting, I'm planning to do dinner about 5PM there.)  Who's interested?
(Note:  Beautiful day for biking.  Five of us enjoyed the in's and out's of Sandestin Bayside and then some of us ended up for drinks and dinner up at Cabana Cafe, joined by some spouses and other friends.  Fun day, guys!)


Tuesday, Jan. 31:  New ride!  We'll try an early morning breakfast ride today!  Meet at 8:30AM at Majestic Sun's front steps and we'll ride down to the end of Scenic Gulf Rd.  Halfway back, we'll turn down a side road which will take us to Don Pedro's for a great breakfast!  (If you routinely eat breakfast before this time, maybe just grab a piece of fruit to hold you over so you can join us!)  After breakfast, you can choose to just ride back to Majestic and put your bike on the car and head home OR ride home from there OR do some more biking (which I plan to do.)  Your choice! 
(Note:  A little windy in spots, but a nice sunny morning for the ride!  Thanks to the Olsons, Don Pedro opened just for us!  I had read (wrong) that their other location was open at 7AM every day, not this location.  But Terri and Roger had dinner at this location last night and mentioned we'd be here this morning, so the owner came in especially for us 8 to open and serve us a delicious breakfast!)


Thursday, Feb. 2:   Meet at 11AM at Kelly Plantation (restaurant/golf club parking lot.)  Kelly is gated, but all you have to tell the guard is that you are eating at the restaurant and he'll let you in.  We'll need to do two loops to get in 10 miles (I'm diverting us off of that bumpy road section we did last time) but Kelly does not have busy streets and it's lovely.  Afterwards we dine at the golf club restaurant. 
(Note:  We were turned away from Kelly Plantation.  Seems the homeowners association is not allowing "outsiders" to ride bikes on their property, even if we do give them the lunch business afterwards.  We rode at Sandestin and it was a lovely day for riding!  P.S. to group:  By the time I got my bike all hooked up on my car, I had an emergency of sorts and had to skip lunch.  Sorry I couldn't reach you at the restaurant;  hope you weren't worried.)


Friday, Feb. 3:   Meet at 10:30AM at Clement Taylor Park (131 Calhoun Avenue, Destin) for a repeat of the Old Destin ride.  We'll ride on un-busy streets in bike lanes or along sidewalks down to the original location of Mattie Kelly's plantation, where we will see the mausoleum in which she and her husband lie at rest.   This will be a 10-11 mile ride.  Afterwards, we'll put the bikes on the cars and head over to The Florida House or AJ's or Dewey Destin's or Harborwalk, if anyone knows a good restaurant there.  Group vote!
(Note:  This ride is postponed to a future date.)

Biking Week of Jan. 22-28

Rain predicted on and off this week, so we'll try to navigate around it.  In the event we need to cancel a ride due to weather, I'll try to reschedule another day so we can still get in at least three rides this week.  Here's our schedule:

Monday, Jan. 23:  Meet at 12:30 PM in front of Majestic Sun on the bike path (we can sit on the front steps to wait for everyone to arrive and park the bikes on the grass so they are out of the way of walkers/bikers.)  You can park your car across from Majestic Sun along #98 or behind Majestic Sun in the parking lot or parking garage (parking garage behind the building, not the one below it as that is for owners only.)  Majestic Sun is at 1200 Scenic Gulf Drive in Miramar Beach -- it is part of the Seascape resort.  Google the address if you are new to the area and not sure what building it is.

We will bike along scenic #98 (not highway #98, known as the Emerald Coast Parkway) and weave in and out of the beach neighborhoods to the end and back.

We'll end up at Majestic Sun for those who need to put their bikes back on their cars and we'll hop over to the Cabana Cafe in Ariel Dunes behind Majestic Sun for a late lunch about 2:00 PMish. 

Bonus:  For those of us who are pumped up and would like to stay in good company after we ride and lunch together, we can stay and enjoy Banjo Rama from 4-7PM for a full day of fun!  (You obviously don't need to stay until 7PM...but maybe an hour of some good music would be fun!)
(Update:  Fun time today everyone who rode!  A few of us stayed to hear Banjo Rama and it was a fun day!)



Wednesday, Jan. 25:  Cancelled due to lack of interest (or short notice...sorry, guys, some rides will be kind of spontaneous!)
Meet in the parking lot of Embassy Suites on Scenic Gulf Drive (#98) at 10:45AM.  We'll ride sidewalks down to Sandestin and do some beachside and bayside biking before ending up at Beef O'Brady's for lunch around noon - 12:30PM.  It's a short bike ride back to Embassy Suites after lunch.



Friday, Jan. 27:  Old Destin Ride.   Meet in the parking lot of AJ's (park out near the street) at 9:30AM and we will eat after the ride at The Florida House next to AJ's.  You will be able to order breakfast or lunch at that time (11-ish.)  I scoped out about a 10 mile route in old Destin along the bay, with riding mostly in bike lanes on very un-busy streets and sidewalks.  This is a new one, guys! 
(Note: What a fun ride 9 of us had --- 12 miles, a little sightseeing and we had the lunch place to ourselves...how cool was that?! Thanks for coming and now that you all know how to RSVP, I'm looking forward to seeing your comments on here!)


Saturday, Jan. 28:   #30A ride with lunch at Goatfeathers.  Meet at 11AM at Goatfeathers and we'll take off from there.  We'll ride about an hour and lunch afterwards at Goatfeathers.  Google or mapquest Goatfeathers for exact location on #30A.
(Update:  Thanks, Quackenbushes, for the entrance to Topsail along our ride!  Great day for riding, great lunch at Goatfeather's afterwards!)


Check our site often for updates.  And remember to always check the site before rides, as weather, no RSVP's, or emergencies can cancel them!

Great Ride in Seaside

A group of about 15 of us had a fun ride through beautiful Watercolor and ended up at the Great Southern Cafe in Seaside Jan. 20 for a lovely lunch!

(Click on photo to enlarge)

Left to Right:  Terri Olson (Roger missed photo), Ron and Carol Thompson, Stan Newby, Linda and Ray Brazeau, Terry and Dick Beaune, Al Quackenbush (Lynn with friends at separate table), Gerry Beaupre (ducking out of shot), John and Luan Beach, Allen Price and Chris Schaal at next table

The group was too large to fit at this long table and some were at separate tables, joined by spouses who didn't ride.  Come join us next time!

To bike or not to bike?

Friday, Jan. 20 Bike Ride in Watercolor/Seaside ------  I'm watching the Weather Channel to see if showers will dissipate by our shove-off time.

Remember the protocol is to check this site before heading out to see if we've had to cancel/postpone.  But just in case, I may make calls to those signed up whose phone numbers I have if we have to cancel.....

Stay tuned.



Update:  Just checked www.weather.com and it has us at only a 10% chance of rain this morning!  I'll keep checking up until about an hour and a half before the ride, so let's cross our fingers, guys!

Sandestin Ride w/ lunch at Baytowne Wharf

We had a great group and a fun ride today, gang!  Thanks to everyone for coming (not you, Alligator Man...better watch your back...we're out to get you now!) 

(Click photo to enlarge)

Left to Right:  Rick and Rayne Bryla, Terry and Dick Beaune, Ray and Linda Brazeau, John and Luan Beach, Roger Olson, Mike Dougal, Chris Schaal, Ruth Ann Briggs, Stan Newby, Terri Olson, Pat and Joe Kershansky

Cross Country Bicycle Trip!

Cross Country Bike Trip Over Two Years

Ken Hendrick, one of our cyclists, is doing a cross country bicycle trip starting this year and ending in 2013. He thought there might be others who are interested in joining the group. The ride will start June 28, 2012 in Seattle, WA and end this year's leg on August 10 in Minneapolis. The trip will pick up again in 2013 in Minneapolis and end in Portland, Maine. The specific dates and price have not been set for next year. This year's cost is $3,700, which is considerably less than other comparable trips. Most of the meals are provided and the organizer carries all your gear. All but one of the overnights are in lodges, motels or churches. There is one camping night. The organizers are Ken and Nancy Wright from Vermont. For more information, you can contact Nancy at ngwright@valley.net You will also be able to discuss it with Ken in February when he joins us in Miramar Beach. The name of the ride is "Bicycle Across America - BAA".

Biking Week of Jan. 15-21

Upcoming Rides

I'm planning a ride on Monday, Jan. 16 and here is a new route I'd love to try.

Ok, who's up for an adventure?  I checked out the sidewalk from the LA Lounge and bowling alley at Matthews Blvd. and Emerald Coast Parkway (new #98) and it does appear to run all the way up to The Florida House, my favorite breakfast place.  (They serve breakfast till 2PM, along with the lunch menu.)  Parts of it are narrow and will necessitate slower, more careful riding and we'll need to do single file all the way, no riding abreast and chatting on this ride.  But I've always wanted to try it and am looking for riders who are up for the challenge.  We'll ride to the restaurant, have lunch, then ride back afterwards.   We will NOT be riding ON #98...sidewalk goes the whole way.  Meet at 11:15AM in the parking lot of LA Lounge and the bowling alley.  Who's in?  Be sure to RSVP by the comment feature below this post, or if you can't figure that out, call me on my cell:  815-592-5923 and I'll help you with it over the phone!

Rick and Rayne Bryla will lead a Sandestin ride on Thursday, Jan. 19, at 11AM.
 

You can park in the parking garage for free at the Village at Baytowne Wharf inside Sandestin (Bayside.)  Meet everyone outside the Starbucks, which is right at the entrance to the Village and parking garage.  Lunch will be at a mutually agreed upon restaurant in the Village at the end of the ride.  RSVP by the comment feature below.

Seaside, Watercolour, #30A ride on Friday, Jan. 20th,  my annual birthday ride!  :)

  

This will be a 30A ride with lunch at The Great Southern Cafe, cuz I love those Grits a Ya Ya!  Meet outside The Great Southern Cafe in Seaside at 11AM and we will take off from there to ride about an hour.  We'll return at the end, put the bikes on the cars, and eat!  RSVP by clicking "comment" and letting us know if you'll be joining us.

Be sure to check back here frequently for new info!  (And feel free to call me on my cell!)



Plan B

Ok, Walton County Snowbird Cyclists, this is our Plan B.  Given the fact that the internet service seems to be spotty at Majestic Sun, we cannot depend upon email as a reliable communication method for our rides.

So I've created this blog.

I will post rides here and you can RSVP in the comment space.

I hope this proves more dependable.

Let's give it a try.  Anyone who comes here to check the blog,  please leave me a comment on this post letting me know how it works for you.

Barbara
Your Frustrated, but Hopeful Honcho
P.S.  If you aren't sure how to make a comment, just click on "comments" below and it will take you to a comment text box in which you type.