45under45: Bike Ride in Flatwoods Park

So, as a family we are now doing some bike riding and we decided to go to a wilderness loop near USF called The Flatwoods Trail. Shawn loaded up the gear, we donned our "bike riding costumes", and we were off!

Once we got to the park we went into the office where they had a fabulous aerial photo. I studied it. (I love looking at satellite/Google Earth images!)

I shared with the rangers on duty that Nicholas had just learned how to ride a bike with gears and that he was really excited to try out his newly acquired skill on an off-road adventure. They suggested that we take the "1800 Trail" since it was just a small wooded bit that hooked back up to the main road. I took a copy of the map and joined the rest of Team Wolf in the parking lot.

The paved main road is a seven mile loop with three water stations along the route. (The start of the 1800 Trail was about 100 yards from the parking lot...just off the map.)

I hoped that neither number would be necessary!

To get ourselves warmed up and to pass the time while we waited for one thing or another...the parking lot was quite handy!

Purple camo and bright lime skort. Check.

I usually ride in the rear of the group. I figure that this is a good spot for me. Shawn is in the front of the pack, then Summer, then Nicholas, and then me. I ride at my own pace and use my cat herding skills to keep us all together and somewhat safe.

And we were off into the woods! Down shift to a lower gear everybody. Slow n steady wins the race.

The 1800 Trail was a total disaster! Bugs galore in huge swampy swarms...mosquitos, horseflies, noseeums so big that you could easily see 'em... And sand pits. And tannic standing water covering roots and deep ruts. There was no gear low enough to shift into to be able to get through certain sections. My bike has 24 speeds and I still just fell over from lack of forward momentum to help me keep my balance. Of course, as soon as I put my foot down the muck went about half way up my shin. Summer was crying, "This is the WORST day EVER!"

And then I had to pass the family because they were all walking their bikes and slogging through the slough, swatting bugs, and making shrill noises like devils bathing in holy water. Suddenly one blood curdling wail rose above the rest! A man eating goliath grasshopper darted from a his hideout and attacked Summer! Her guttural howl was almost ...music to my ears. I slowed down as I chuckled to myself, wishing I wasn't in the lead because I couldn't actually see the flailing limbs that accompanied the vocal freak out. My poor little sissified city girl, we really need to get her out more often.

Summer's leg on the left, mine is on the right.

Water stop number one.

Awww... People who understand my "righteousness"!

To the right...

In case you accidentally chose to turn left, you have a gentle reminder not to.

Watering up along the path.

Shawn's selfie with an unknowing Summer cameo. At this point in the ride, she was now ticked about: the sun, the heat, the bugs, her seat, her hands, the length of the loop, that we were trying to tease her, that she was even related to any of us...