Fl update

Things are looking up in the sunshine state as soon, we'll be able to buy alcohol on Sundays in Citrus County, and if you already have a concealed carry permit you can now display your gun "accidentally" without getting arrested. I honestly didn't know the latter was a problem. As for alcohol on Sunday, that means you'll be more easily able to tolerate those long sermons you're subject to at church sometimes, and you can now stay home on Saturday night and get smashed without the worry of a DUI while driving to the store to get booze for the Sunday fishing trip. Ahh; just another day in paradise!

moonlight ride

There is going to be a moonlight ride on Sunday June 12, at 7:00 PM, leaving from the bike shop in Floral City and going to "River Ratz Cafe' in Nobleton just 7 1/2 miles down the trail under an almost full moon. Out and back @15 miles total. Lights flashers and helmets please.

The weather is heating up early this year so we try to get out early in the morning for our rides on our days off, but we still get hot and sweaty. Summer afternoon rains should be starting and greening up anything left in a brown winter state. The pair of blue birds has taken up residence in the little bird house in the back yard and are feeding hatchlings at this time. I hope it doesn't get too warm for the baby birds with this early heat wave. We've been leaving meal worms for the parents to help feed the little ones and once in a while we'll see mom or dad carry out a poop sack form the nest. This is a good sign the babies are alive and not baked blue bird. Maybe if we're lucky we'll get to see the youngsters fledge as we did last year.

Shuttle

Tomorrow morning we hope to get our butts out of bed and go to Moonrise Resort and watch the shuttle Endeavor launch over the lake. Scheduled to go at 8:56, with a 70% chance of favorable weather.

Uncle Al

This morning on my way up the trail to work I got a message on my phone that my uncle, Albert Marks died after several strokes. If I'm not mistaken he was an architect. He was also the husband of Mary Foster my mother's sister who preceded him in death, and the father of 7 children, all who are productive members of society and the cousins I hung with throughout childhood most ,since they lived within easy walking distance on Ardsley Ave. in Pittsburgh. I kind of thought of him as Uncle Al the kiddies pal since he was the great organizer of games and fun things to do at the family reunions. He loved model railroading, and beer can collecting and gave me a great number of his collection which included from Iron City Beer, Old Frothingslosh, the pale stale ale with the foam on the bottom. On the can there was a picture of a zaftig woman named Fatima Yuckhburg. I'll toast a beer to you uncle Al. Thanks for the fond childhood memories.
Regis

Spring and Cats

Spring has sprung here in sunny Florida, well actually about 2 weeks ago with the blooming of the Red Bud and Chickasaw Plum trees and now the fragrant Wisteria and orange blossoms to make for a pleasurable olfactory ride on the Withlacooche rail. Peacocks and turkey are out fanning their tail feathers to attract a mate, and the bluebirds are hastily nest building in the many boxes along the trail. March is a busy time on the trail and in the shop with so many people enjoying the near perfect weather and getting out and riding their bikes.
March 5 and 6 was the weekend of the annual Catrike Rally with the ride and factory tour on Saturday and our ride on our trail on Sunday with lunch at Frankie's Grill. The weather forecast called for rain on Sunday so we only had about 40 people show up for the ride, which turned out to be spectacular with no rain at all. I hope everyone had a good time. The Monday after the ride we took Larry Varney on a kayaking adventure to the Weeki Wachee river and up Mud Spring. Hope he got some nice photos while he could still hold up his arms. Bike ride to Cattle Dog Coffee Roasters tomorrow then back to the grind for me.
Happy Trails to one and all till the next installment.

Catrike Rally

The annual Catrike Rally is scheduled for Saturday March 5 & Sunday March 6.
On the 5th you can Tour the Catrike factory and meet the Crew who put together these
wonderful machines! You'll have lots of fun riding the beautiful West Orange Trail. On Sunday come on over and Join us on the Withlacoochee Trail. For the early birds we will have coffee and a few treats starting at 9am. We hope to get the riders together by 11am to ride into Inverness to Frankie's Grill. This is the weekend that Floral City will be having their annual Strawberry Fest. We will give directions to anyone wanting to ride over and check it out.
Don't miss out on the FUN!

Merry Christmas

Hope everyone has a nice safe Christmas or Holiday season with lots of friends and family around. We are here on New Smyrna Beach visiting with friends and camping in our Airstream. Got 2 days of riding in all around town and to the Canaveral Seashore National Park. Saw a pod of dolphins frolicking in the Indian River off the North bridge. They looked like they were having as good of a time as we were. Today, Sunday Dec. 26 has turned rainy and cold with more cold coming in the next few days. You reading this have a very happy New year.

Heritage Days

Wow, December already! That means the Holidays are upon us and all the events that go with them. This Friday night kicks off Floral City's Heritage Days with luminaire lining Orange Ave, and tours of many historic homes, live bands, food and fun. We will be open late that night serving libations and snacks so stop by and say hello.

Thanksgiving

At this time we at Hampton's Edge Bike Shop would like to thank all our customers, many who have become friends, for your patronage over the years. It's been our pleasure to serve and know you and hope to continue in the future.

Happy Thanksgiving,
Happy Trails.
now go eat some turkey!
Regis and Cindy

Thanksgiving Day Ride Gobble, Gobble!

We will be doing a Gobbler Road loop ride Thanksgiving Day starting at the bike shop at 9:00 am, going south on the trail to Floral Park Rd. making a left then up the hill, then down to Istachatta Rd, to 48 then rt. for @ 800 ft, to left on Trails End, to left on Withlapopka, follow to Gobbler Rd. make a rt. and follow to the Trail again where you go south or north to where ever you want to end up. Happy Thanksgiving.

Finally a moonlight ride

Finally the moon is going to cooperate for a ride this Saturday starting at 6:30 PM at the bike shop in Floral City and going to Inverness where we will dine at Frankie's Grill behind the K Mart/Sears off 41. Lights and flashers on the bikes and helmets on the heads, yeah even trikes. Gotta play by the rules.LLLLLLLets get ready to ride! Should be a nice night 1 night before full moon, in the high 50 s so dress appropriately.

Floral City Super Saturday

Floral City Library will be having a "White elephant sale" with proceeds going to the library, so bring your unwanted items priced accordingly to donate. Along with this many of the businesses in town will be offering discounts or services to patrons who enter their stores. We at Hampton's Edge will be offering free safety checks on bicycles, so stop in and make sure everything is functioning properly and get a free change purse so you'll have a place to stash cash and ID on your bike.
Another note: I have 2 kayaks for sale both very stable boats designed for fishing or paddling down Florida's many scenic rivers. Both come with paddles and seats with back rest.
Also, I am offering my house on the trail in Istachatta for seasonal rental. E mail me at bentedge@earthlink.net for inquiry.

home again

My mother, with whom we visited on our way back is now in full blown Alzheimer's and has a few words like "what day is this" or "look at all the trees" used to be the one with the sayings like, "home again home again, jigity jig", and that is where we are right now. Home again. The Florida state bird came out in numbers to help us carry things from the camper to the house while feasting on our exposed skin. Welcome home. It was a good trip although not always going as planned. The time seemed to speed by this year making us wonder how we got everything we did last year accomplished in the same amount of time. It's good to be home but I still yearn for the road and hope one day to give it a try full time.
That brings me to mentioning that my house on the bike trail is for sale or for rent, seasonal. It's listed with Gottus Realty here in Floral City. I'd even rent it full time to the right person who would keep it up.

50th Escapade 2010

Finally made it to Goshen, IN. for the 50th Escapee RV Club Escapade, which is a large rv rally or should I say humongous, giant, gargantuan rally which in my guess would be over 1000 RVs of all sizes and types from Airstreams and travel trailers like ours, 5th wheels, class C,B, A to huge Prevost busses and huge 5th wheels pulled by commercial type tractors usually seen pulling semi trailers. There is one person with a box truck converted to an RV which has a big deck built on back, and one lady, Darrel with a very nice restored 66 Airstream 18' that in my opinion is best of show if there were to be given such an award. There also is a Canadian built Award travel trailer here too. All kinds sizes and shapes. Lots to do and be done, with seminars, happy hours, lunches, jam sessions, entertainment, and shopping at the many vendors of all types of RV accessories and gadgets. Escapees were founded by Kay and Joe Peterson back in 1970 when they decided to hit the road full time in their trailer, and now has become a huge club with their own RV parks and even a care center for older RVers that need some help staffed by mostly volunteers and funded by donations from club members. Truly something to behold. These pictures do not do it justice of the enormity or scope of this event. How are we going to get out of here!

Cool down

Clear blue sky, breezy, and some time to go ride the Indian Creek Trail from Olathe KS. to KC.MO.
Another urban trail that twists, and curves through 25 miles KS. suburbia. Lots of little hills, bridge crossings and roller coaster like thrills. Care to stay on our side around corners and hope other riders do the same. The trail goes under I-35 three times, through lighted tunnels under city streets, and is paved all the way, and they are adding more.
Thought the gopher tortoise in Fl. were big, but then we ran into a real grand daddy of a tortoise who wanted to race this hare. Glad we both had suspension since he didn't want to come out on the pavement and give me a fair shot. This thing looked like something prehistoric.
Check out Larry Varney's review of the ICE B-1 he ride while we were still in Ohio on bentrideronline.com.

left the springs behind

Had to leave Yellow Springs the day George and Sue Straley arrived as Cindy's mother ended up in the hospital back in Olathe KS. She suffers from copd and is in her later 70s so things are tenuous now. If you pray, say a prayer for Bonnie Cooper. So for a while we will be camped out in Cindy's brother's driveway again, so we'll be getting some riding in on the Mill Creek and Indian Creek trails, between visits to the hospital and helping out Cindy's dad where we can. Understandably he's in a blue funk since he and Bonnie have been married for 56 years.
George and Sue will be staying at Bass Lake and Maryanne and brother will be arriving shortly, so they'll have some Yellow Springs fun. Mosquitoes shouldn't be a problem with the bats hanging around.

Hanging in Ohio

Still hanging out and riding around in Ohio, mostly on the Little Miami trail. My sister, brother in law and nephew visited and camped with us last weekend and did a few rides in the heat. It has finally cooled off for a few days but heating back up says the weather channel web site although not as oppressive we hope. Yesterday we rode from the campground to Springfield and on the way back stopped at the must see Hartman Rock Garden in a small neighborhood on McCain Ave. What started in 1932 during the depression as a small do it yourself stone fish pond by the unemployed Ben Hartman, became a labor of love extravaganza of buildings, religious figures and forts, of historic significance and whimsy. He quit building in 1939 leaving this legacy taking up most of his yard. Ben has since died in 2007. google Hartman Rock Garden Springfield Oh for more info.
Larry Varney will probably be back at the campground when we return from our daily morning sojourn to The Emporium in Yellow Springs. This morning I did the 10 mile trip on the Street Strider. Most likely do it again with Larry and Walt on a bike or trike this afternoon.

Springs Motel

Picked up Cindy's long time best friend Rhonda on Friday at the nice little Dayton International Airport, easy in and out and free 30 minute parking while waiting for someone to come out of baggage claim. Now parked in the Yellow Springs Motel parking lot for 4 days while Rhonda is here making it easy to get to the trail and town. Love this funky, artsy town. Today we rode from Xenia Station to Corwin Station only 30 miles round trip on a nice shady part of the trail. Many people on the trail enjoying the nice weather and weekend. Will be going back to Bass Lake Tuesday evening after taking Rhonda back to the airport, then on Thursday my sister Joan and brother in law Bo and nephew Steve will be joining us for a few days. Steve just finished riding the Great Allegheny Passage between Pittsburgh Pa. and Washington DC. Can't wait to hear of his adventures.

Yellow Springs

The expansion joints in the pavement on Old Mill road on the way to the Little Miami Trail to Yellow Springs, OH all but disappeared under the suspension of the ICE Adventure. Sitting here at The Underdog Cafe' and Wine Emporium with morning coffee and a cinnamon roll hoping the rain holds off for the ride back to Bass Lake camp ground. Forgot to ask if the camp ground had wi fi but we'll be here every day any way since we like this town so well. Still the same vibrant town with it's no sprawl attitude, just the way we like it. The grocery store is busy, as is the hardware store, drug store, and the movie theater is still showing movies, along with many restaurants, art shops, book store, music store, and all locally owned. Bicycles are common transportation for shopping and the like. Saturday is the weekly farmers market and next weekend is art in the park. So you see there is a lot going on. Then there is the 72 mile long Little Miami Trail, paved bliss where the ICE suspension only comes into play at bridge junctions. We'll have plenty of time to ride all of it we want since we'll be here for about a month.

Family Reunion

Well, I survived the Jones family reunion in Olathe, KS where there were about 150 to 200 people in attendance all related to Cindy in some way or the other. I've got to say she has a very nice, loving, tight knit extended family, one anyone would be proud to be a part of. We had breakfast with her parents, and aunt Irene who came from Pahrump NV. There was a couple Chris and Christy and daughter Brooklyn all the way from Temecula, CA. so you see how far people come to be part of the reverie.
Now we're in Effingham, IL. at a very nice campground, Camp Lakewood, yes overlooking a lake, a Good Sam park and very, very neat and clean. Will head out for Ohio tomorrow and our favorite town. Seems the only person making any comments on the blog is Chinese, but thank you anyway, even though I don't read Chinese and you probably don't write or speak English either. I do like your food and tiny little trees! (Monty Python) "I like Chinese" Sorry I didn't take any pics.