Is It Spring Yet -- Part 2

Eight days, 80+ deg F, gobs of SPF 100, and bright sunshine every freakin day while on the Gulf Coast just west of Sarasota, FL.  That was my week -- it was pretty damn nice and selfishly deserved on some levels after a not so great year on the non-cycling front .... and it makes up for all the rain and cold we had in AZ last winter/spring.   But getting off the plane in SYR was a rude reminder of my reality and once again begged the question .. is it spring yet?

So the riding consisted of some group rides, some solo rides , and some combos of both but always flat as can be flat.  The big climbs consisted of getting over the draw bridges.  Hooked up with the Sarasota Manatee Bicycle Club for some great group rides and routes.  They were good folks who more than welcomed an out of towner into their ranks.  The bike lane network was really good in many areas but you were almost always around some traffic.   On the other hand, there were usually lots of people out  riding nearly all the time so drivers could not but help to remain somewhat diligent of the cyclists.  And there were all sorts out cycling too which was refreshing ... young, old and everything in between on about every type of bike imaginable.

All in all, I can't call Sarasota (and the nearby "keys") a big time cycling training destination like Tucson, Asheville, or San Diego but hey, it worked considering I had a non-cycling sig-other to consider as well.  We had the beach, good eats, decent shopping and I was able to solidify the base miles and work in some initial intensity in short sleeves and shorts every day.