Moccasin Island Conservation Area. To Nowhere and Back Again.

Moccasin Island - Fat, Flat, and Splat 

The tires are fat.  The land is flat.  Cows - no cars - are where it's at!

Six riders.  60 degrees.  Twenty two miles.

 

One stop to gaze at the cows gazing at us.  A good bit of cow splat ends up in the tread.  All in a winter day's ride.

Here on the coast, aside from the currently-closed Malabar Dikes, Moccasin Island Conservation Area is the only off road we can conjure up!  It's dirt and double track, and the cows use it too, but it's close, and it's what we got.  Popeye and I usually drive over to the Little Big Econ State Forest to ride off road, but once a year the old gang can be gotten together for a local ride-between-the-holidays. 

The tract is mostly open, but some old oak hammocks on the water make the south end worth the ride.  The north end?  When you just plain want some miles under your wheels, it goes further than we have ever had time to explore! 

Just be prepared to wash your tires off when you get home.  And your frame, and your water bottle, and the backside of your shorts, and your shirt, and your helmet... 

Then make it all better by going for enchiladas and Dos Equis after!

The Mystery of the Cosmo's. Eat, Bike, Eat!

Christmas Day

The Mysterious Cosmo

 

Even on a gloomy day the stars can align when it's Christmas in Florida. The Chickenless Chick and her hubby weren't due for a couple hours. The pork loin was whammed flat and rolled, with nuts and goodies stuffed inside, the green beans were snapped, the pie was baked...

 And the sun came out. A sign from the bike gods. Quick! Get moving! Pump those tires! A fast 2 hour out and back to the south beaches, a bit of caught-in-a-warm-rain-so-who-cares, a chance meeting with friends, confirmation for both a Boxing Day and a Sunday expedition... and no time for photos! Until the Cosmo's, that is.

It's Florida. I'm into it. So is the Chickenless Chick. I like pink and green at Christmas. A Cosmo seemed just the thing. They're so pretty! Not the sort of drink we make every day around here, so naturally I followed the standard recipe printed on the side of the glass cocktail shaker. They should know right?


Well, it looked pretty, for sure. The Chickenless Chick and I just couldn't stop taking pictures!

Then came the tasting. What is that weird taste??? Too much lime? Too much triple sec?


More cosmos were made. Some dumped -some consumed. And no one figured it out. They tasted good, just weird. They were pink, and definitely pretty! Mission accomplished. But the mystery of the strange, sharp taste remained.


The second mystery of the evening:

There's the pork loin, the braised cabbage, the cranberry relish, the two kinds of potatoes...still, the plate looks sorta empty doesn't it?Hmmm. Big plate? Never mind. Smells great, let's eat!

The next morning, there were the green beans in their casserole dish, perfectly seasoned and steamed, waiting for rescue from the cold, cold microwave.

One mystery down. And one to go. Until I reached into the fridge to get the eggs for the two-pie breakfast. Whoops.

Ah well, it was a refreshing change from plain old cranberry.

On to the Two Pie Breakfast.

The Chickenless Chick and hubby headed for the inlaws, and Popeye and I headed out to meet Scout, Pie-Man, Sailor and Cap'n Bligh for a ride up Tropical Trail.

Boxing Day.  Eat, Bike, Eat!

Sailor and the Cap'n were visiting from Ft Meyers and the rest of us were all anxious for them to see our "backyard ride" ride along the beautiful Indian River.

I talked Sailor into switching bikes with me for the ride back.  She took my favorite bike, and I rode her new, full suspension, Specialized 29'r.  Wow, from Pony to Horseback!  With fat tires for shoes!  

From the river to the beach, and back here for beers, with time for a nap before dinner at Scout's. She made Boxing Day Chili, and Sailor brought her Texas Tamales. (Recipes, ladies?  Pretty please?)  For desert: cheesecake and flaming cafe bru-let! (How the heck is that spelled anyway - it's pronounced brew-lay, that's all I know.)

Scout, you are one brave cook!!!! I will have to beg some photos from you. And that recipe. YUM!

Whew. What a couple of days!  Ridin' and eatin' - what we do best.  And another planned ride to look forward to tomorrow... if I can get this poor ole tamale-belly out of bed in the morning!

Winter Solstice, Manatee visitation

Winter means manatees!  It's 50 degrees.  The manatees are taking shelter in our spring fed lake.  They raise their heads to poof out a breath, take another, and roll back underwater again. 

The winter solstice is coming up too - in about an hour!  11:47 eastern time.  Yahoo!  That means the longest night of the year is behind us and ever more daylight ahead.  Ok, a minute or two per day, but we are on the upswing.

We are still learning the new camera, and the boat parade was particularly challenging.  At least the night was clear and the rain finally gave it up to cold and clear with stars and a sliver of moon.  

OK, so where are the bikes and the eats, you ask?  Ummm, well to tell the truth I totally forgot to take ANY pics of the amazing food that people brought.  Some blogger, huh?  At least I can say most of the guests were bike folk, and every single one of them was hungry, which certainly fits the mold at our house!  

Balsamic Vinaigrette and Mediocre Meatloaf

Fuel for the ride - it was that.  Super-yummy-best-thing-I-ever-ate fuel, it was not.  The meatloaf was a turkey.  Ground turkey breast loaf is simply going to require different tweaking than ground beef meatloaf.  It's a work in progress.  It was edible.  We ate.  Making it great - another project on the list for another day.

However, the salad was great, if I do say so!

We always thought we ate pretty healthfully until last summer when we simultaneously read "Anti Inflammation Zone" by Dr Barry Sears, and also "Mastering your Metabolism" by Jillian Michaels.  We (simultaneously) decided we could do better.  And one thing we could do better was ditch bottled dressings.  What surprised me was not just how great it tastes when you make it fresh, but how fast and easy it is.  Really.  Honest.  It is.  But be warned.  Once you try messing with dressing, you won't ever go back to bottled.

Good cooks have known it for years of course, but I'm still learning.  Basic balsamic vinaigrette using good organic vinegar and good olive oil (olive oil by a company that sponsors a bike team, by the way - we like that!)  is just unbeatable, and so much faster than I thought possible. 

Basic Balsamic Vinaigrette for 2 always-hungry riders

1 clove garlic
Sea salt, pepper
balsamic vinegar
extra virgin olive oil

Smash the clove of garlic in a small bowl.
 
Grind in some sea salt and pepper.  (I like salty - so I do about eight turns of the salt grinder - 1/2 tsp?)  Smash the garlic, salt, and pepper together.

Pour in about 1 tablespoon vinegar.  Mix it well.

Let this sit and meld for a couple minutes, if you have time.

Add about 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Whip it in until it is really well mixed, and lightens in color.

Try it, you'll like it.  Really.  Bottle-free forever!

Ten miles one way and ten miles the other.

Scout and I would like to ride together but most days we have different schedules and priorities.  This day, when I call, she chooses to work first, ride later.  I decide ride first, errands later.  So, off I go alone.  A little over an hour gives me a possible radius of 10 miles out and 10 miles back.  Plenty of choices. 

10 Miles south.  Melbourne Causeway.

Back streets, sidewalk, and bike path combined with a spare hour to spend on the beater can get you some pretty places when you live on a barrier island.  This is the park at the Melbourne Causeway and Riverside.  When there's more time, there's lots more beautiful parks on down the road!  You can make it all the way to the Sebastian Inlet for a fifty mile out and back and not touch a wheel to the main road the whole way.

   

10 miles north.  Boat Ramp at 1000 Islands

Sometimes you have to get creative with your hour.  A ten mile route through back streets to the bike path on A1A, then more back streets in Cocoa Beach can provide some great views.  Along  A1A, those crazy giant planes (C5's or something?) do touch and goes over your head from the air force base on one side, and half a dozen beach parks attract surfers on the other. Must be waves today.  Not a parking spot left at 2nd light.  The beautiful Banana River plays the best supporting role along the west side of the island.  No time for sight seeing stops this day, of course.  Gotta get in the ride and get home.  Decide on a turn around at the tiny little boat ramp park (on Ramp Road, go figure).  Mangroves, manatees, pelicans, wild dolphins, birds that only birders know the names of...  plenty to see.  Unless you have Christmas shopping to do! 

Home again the same day.

Back from the mall.  Coming home over the bridge, it's 3pm, and I see a wall of fog a hundred feet high rising up over the beach in the distance.  Then suddenly I am in it.  Didn't see much of anything again til the next day.   

Sometimes a good choice is just dumb luck.  Ride first work later.  Who knew?     

  

The partial passing of KFC, Parmesan Crusted Chicken

OK, so it was just a little blurb on the news coming from the other room but it got my attention.  Shutting down some of the local Kentucky Fried Chicken Franchises?  Somehow that does not compute.  Wasn't fried and fast destined to be the last food standing?   Granted I haven't set foot in the place for years, and the commercials they play are truly schizophrenic; grilled chicken one minute, Kentucky Fried Cholesterol Bowl the next.  And it's tough right now to lose a job, even that job, so it is not with 100% joy that the tidings are borne.  It's more like... Holy moley, who woulda thunk it?

And so the dinner of Parmeasan Crusted Chicken.  Actually a dual inspiration here.  If you pull your chicken breasts out of the fridge and they are only partially thawed, they are just begging to be sliced horizontally into thinner slices for pan frying!  Too easy.

But first up, it's Friday night!  So what that we are home and the TV is on and it's been a whole year and more since we were in Moab drinking the real thing, but hey the memories.  That's why you buy the souvenir glass, right?

Friday night's ahh right.

Goodbye KFC.  Hello Florida Fried.

Slice your chicken breasts horizontally to make two flat pieces where there once was one fat piece.

Whip one egg (or egg whites) in a bowl

On a plate mix equal parts Panko and grated Parmesan cheese

Dredge the chicken in the egg, then the parm mixture

Fry it in a pan with a couple tablespoons extra light olive oil

Turn it once, fry on the other side til done.

All right!  Florida Fried Chicken!

A word about ingredients.  Use meats with no antibiotics and no added hormones whenever possible, and organic eggs.  Panko is crunch in a box, so it's a prime candidate for added hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats.  If they are on the list - no matter how far down, put it back!  Use flour instead.  But keep on the lookout for the good stuff.  You never know when you might need some crunch in your life.      

Toll House Cookies and the Gym

So, what do Toll House Cookies and the Gym have in common?

Always there when you need them! 

When the weather turns so gray you feel like someone placed a pewter bowl over the universe, the gym is there, lights blazing.  

When other cookie recipes let you down, Nestle's Toll House always comes through! 

Nothing special here.  Just the good ole sugar and butter, flour and eggs combo that has been a staple since I was a Brownie.  Sometimes the simplest is the best.

I tried out four different cookie recipes for the boat parade party.  Add to the judging, one of those famous Neiman Marcus cookies offered up at the hair salon this morning.  (And who am I to say no?)  But the winner - by a country mile -  sorry Neimans, sorry Martha -  Good old Toll House!!!!

So with a couple of these under my belt, it's time to get moving.  It's all fuel, of course - just that some fuels work better than others. The rest of this "fuel" is headed for zip loc bags and the freezer for next week's party. 

Whenever possible, stopping at two cookies is one good plan.  Having a plan for the rest - even better!
     
   

Going for speed: A downwind sleighride and Super Fast Chili

Mathers Bridge

the only swing bridge left in Florida?

Biking, like sailing, requires a check of the wind before departure. 

It's 8:30 am, 76 degrees, and blowing 15 when I push out the door to spend my one available hour on MFB (my favorite bike).

 Unstable-blustery-tropical-humid wind sweeps up both rivers from the southwest.  The sun pokes fun at the whitecaps in a hundred different bright spots.  Huge dark rainclouds build around the edges.  In other words - it's winter, it's Florida, and it's beautiful!

One quick snap of the camera in each direction, and I promise to get a better photo of Mathers Bridge when I turn for home.  Just a few minutes riding downwind first...  one mile...  OK, two. 

This is too easy.  The allure of a downwind passage up a deserted Tropical Trail is irresistable. And then, there's the rare west wind for a boost over the bridge at Pineda Causeway.  Time constraints be darned, no turning back today!   Downeast isn't always just for sailors.

I tell myself I won't stop for any pictures unless the peacocks are out, commit to the downwind leg, and effortlessly make 20+ toward home.  A peacock cries once from the Banana River side, but none are visible.  When I clump into the stillness of the house, the wind is clocking at 20+ too! 
 

Time is short!  I look to the leftovers for nourishment before heading up-island to the bike shop. 

But, they aren't leftovers...

Long story short, I made chili in the crockpot yesterday and Popeye's brother and his family from Pittsburg showed up for dinner.  It was decided, as delicately as possible, that we would go out to eat rather than partake of chili since they had a flight out today.  So LongDoggers it was, and the chili went into the fridge. 

Technically the chili was never even tasted, let alone left over.  And that, said my growling stomach, was about to change!

Going for Speed

Fast Food Menu:  scrambled egg beaters, chili, cheddar.  Apple and coffee for the car.  Less than 5 minutes prep.  Ah....

Crockpot chili isn't my favorite way to do it.  Convenient, but hours of simmering does something to dumb down the flavors.  Chili on the stovetop is way better.  And faster!

Super Fast Chili

1 pound ground lean beef or turkey

3 cans tomatoes - one with garlic if possible

1 can WELL RINSED dark red kidney beans

Diced onion and bell pepper to taste-or leave it out to be superfast

Chili powder to taste

Cumin to taste

Tabasco, jalapenos (heaven forbid!) to taste

(a small can of green chiles works better for us wimps)

Beef bullion to taste

Brown and drain the meat.  Dump it in a big pot with the tomatoes, peppers, onion and spices.  Bring to a boil, then lower to simmer.

Taste.  Taste.  Taste.  Adjust. Adjust.  Adjust.

Now start adding the veggies to your family's tolerance level...

Sliced mushrooms

Fresh or frozen kernal corn

Fresh or frozen cut green beans

Fresh or frozen cut okra
(You get the idea!)

Taste some more.

Stir it all in, simmer 10-15 minutes, or for as long as you need to make a salad to go with it.

Make it fast.  Eat it slow. 

And avoid early morning flights unless they're on your bike.

 

Rainy Saturday in the "Unshine" State

Well, the cats have got the sleeping part down.  When it's pouring, they're snoring.  No kind of day for the bike!  

I am just too stubborn to go to the gym, so it was a quick couple miles up to the beach and back on foot.  Sit ups, pushups, some dumb bell sets back at home to help justify the decision not to ride.  TOO Boring!  

Invites have gone out for the boat parade parties!  So it's time to start baking and freezing an assortment of cookies for the guests.  Didn't repeat any of the tried and true this year.  After a morning of double chocolate walnut, and old fashioned sugar cookies, I wish I could say I'd found a new keeper for the recipe notebook, but nah, not so far. 

They have to be pretty darned good cookies to "waist" all that sugar and butter, you know? 

Gol darn it!  Too many Christmas gifts to go and too little time!  Nope.  No patterns.  Every single one is an individual learning experience.  

Back to clear weather for tomorrow, so this might be it.  Thank goodness - I don't think I could stand much more "unshine"! 

KING RANCH CHICKEN - SAILOR STYLE

Good Morning!  Did I say that Sailor was an organic cook?  Well, everyone makes an exception for a traditional dish, right?  And little did either of us know how famous this dish is in Texas.  She sent me a link to Neiman Marcus.  Guess what!  They will send you the casserole -- for $80!!!  I say make it yourself if you don't mind going off your healthful eating plan for a meal.  Because this version tastes GREAT!

And here it is, in her own words:

King Ranch Chicken

Boil 4 chicken breasts (save broth) I've done 6 chicken breasts for large casserole

2 large to med onions chopped

1 bell pepper chopped (can use any color)

fresh garlic or whatever you have (1 teaspoon?)

1 can cream of mushroom soup (use lower fat/sodium)

1 can cream of chicken (low stuff)

Approximately 1 can of the saved broth

About one pound or more of cheese (use 2% Velveeta the small box(yikes but it's good in this) mixed with some other kind of mexican cheese) This is where I really vary the recipe to the right consistency)

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 tea chili powder

12-18 soft tortillas

Break up or cut chicken breasts in small pieces

sauté onion, pepper, garlic in a bit of olive oil or whatever.........or can use a little broth if you don't want to use oil (I use a larger pan for this so I can add everything after I sauté the pepper/onion

Add chicken, spices soups & broth to onion/peppers and heat

Add cheese. I don't add all the broth to the mixture at first as sometimes it will be too soupy, This is where I "wing" the recipe. heat through but you don't have to bring to boil or simmer.

Cut tortillas in fourths.

Use a little oil in a teflon skillet and slightly cook the tortillas until soft and some a little crunchy. You can do a couple layers at a time and just flip them or move around in the skillet.

Pam a large baking dish.

Line the bottom of dish with tortillas

Add a layer of chicken about 1/3

Add layer of tortillas and continue until all is used up. I put a layer of tortillas as the last layer and top that with shredded cheese.

If you're cooking this ahead of time you can not bake it until the next day. I tightly seal it with saran wrap or foil and leave in refrig if I'm serving next day or freezer if it's several days until serving.

I serve with salsa. I read that most recipes call for tomatoes and I'm sure it would be good. I think I did the rotel tomatoes one time. You can really play with this recipe and omit or add whatever you like that has a mexican taste. I think Cilantro would be a good addition if you like it. The tortillas soak up a lot of the mixture so you don't want it too thick. If mine turns out a little thin I just add more tortillas as I layer and that takes care of that.

I also use 6 chicken breasts for a large casserole and just adjust the other ingredients. You can't go wrong playing with the ingredients...........less cheese or more cheese..........etc.

The other recipe I do in the camper a lot is with lean ground beef. I basically do it the same sometimes layering the recipe with salsa as I do it in a big skillet on the stove or the dutch oven on the fire. Sometimes I add black beans and rice to the layering......and have added it to the King Ranch Chicken layering but since I usually serve it with black beans and rice on the side at home. Camping, everything goes in one pot! One time I didn't even fry the tortillas and it was fine......a little softer but good. One time I used doritos.......a little salty but fine.

It's a fun recipe and goes good with beer.

Thank you, Sailor!  I gotta admit, I am thinking it better be light beer... combined with an all day ride?  Hmmm, that's not such a bad idea!

Ride on!

My Favorite Bike and Fast Salsa Chicken Casserole

Some would call it a beater. It's not the most expensive bike, and certainly not the newest, but the old converted Cannondale hardtail mountain bike is the pony who will never be put out to pasture.  It is destined to be ridden into the ground like Black Beauty's friend Ginger.  It's my sidewalk bike, my sure footed ride to the ATM or the beach.  Knobbies long ago banished, 1.25 slick tires make it agile and fast.  It has just the right amount of suspension for dropping off an inconvenient curb or ducking off road to escape close calls with passing rear view mirrors.  It's the first choice for a solo fifty miles, or racked and packed with running shoes for the ten mile warm up ride to Wickham park for a trail run.   There are eight bikes in the Florida room right now.  This is my street bike.

Yesterday I had a long list of chores and departure for the bike shop in less than an hour.  (Work, bah humbug.)  Scanning the list of chores, looking for a way to both ride and cross off at least one other thing...  Yes!  Zoomed out for a quick 11 mile round trip to the the bank and back.  A 25 knot wind provided the Florida "hill" factor.  

I was in such a hurry, I even forgot to take anything out of the freezer for dinner later.  Therefore, the attempt to recreate a campsite casserole served to us by Sailor, one of the best organic cooks I have ever met. The key was the quick thaw Publix Greenwise chicken tenders.


Fast Chicken Salsa Casserole

In a large frying pan, cook up a pound of chicken - chicken tenders are fastest!  Shred with a fork as you go.

Pour in a jar of salsa.

Add a can of well rinsed black beans.

I always look for ways to get more veggies, so I poured in a cup each of frozen corn kernals and green beans.

If it's too watery you can either let simmer awhile to thicken or dip out the liquid.  I gave in to the late hour and dipped.
   
Pour the whole mess into a casserole - top with shredded cheddar, and bake til it's brown on top.  I left it in at 350 degrees about a half hour.   Serve with a salad, and tortilla chips.

 It smelled so great, and with the late hour, we dug in before I remembered to take a picture!  :(  But I did ask Sailor for her recipe so I will make the real thing next time and take a photo before it's demolished, I promise.

(It occured to me to actually ask Sailor for her recipe last night, but she entertains in the evenings so often I was afraid to call and interupt a probable Wednesday night dinner party.  I am asking her for the recipe as my birthday present - yes, it's today - so I am sure she will be happy to comply!)

Good food.  Power to the pedal. 

Little Big Econ, the "wheel" Florida. Mango Rhubarb Pie

We call it the Econ but some folks call it Snowhill. And photos always take the hill out of Snowhill. That's my Santa Cruz leaning on the stump - and believe it or not, that's a forty foot sheer drop to the river.

Yesterday's quick trip to the Econ didn't exactly happen right after breakfast, but we did get there with two hours to spare before dark. This is not a place to be caught out after dark unless you have: a) really really good lights and b) mosquito repellent, really really good mosquito repellent.

The Econ is easy.  15-20 miles, all flow and outstanding fun, probably explaining all the family bikes as well as more serious riders. The place is a labyrinth and the map doesn't cover the half of it.  There's always someone riding around down in there just before dark, turned around, and heading away from whichever trailhead they are trying to make. Yesterday was no exception. A family of four this time. Deciding that the way out to their car at the Florida Trail was too complicated sounding, they elected to ride out the way we were heading to Jones east trailhead and then ride the 2 and a half miles around on the road back to their car. Such is most everyone's first time to the Econ. (I couldn't even bring myself to yell at them about having no helmets, not even on the kids. Sigh. Natural selection in progress.)

Trails were in good shape, not too sandy. No gators in sight - too late in the day and getting chilly. Cold enough so arm warmers were considered (not worn, but considered.) It will be a few weeks before winter really sets in and turns Chuluota, Florida into Chilly-ota!

On to today's food challenge. Still in un-Zoned mode. I am baking a mango-rhubarb pie to take to the tree decorating party at the Pie Man's house. Pie Man and Scout are cooking a second turkey dinner for their daughters, daughters' husbands/S.O's., Pie Man's Mom over from the home, and us!

Mango Rhubarb Pie

Got a good dough recipe? Good, roll it out and fill it with...

5 cups of mango chunks, frozen from last summer's Merritt Island crop (or Dole frozen mango)

1 cup rhubarb chunks (also from freezer dept)

1/4 to 1/2 cup brown sugar (To taste. Mango is sweet but rhubarb isn't, so...)

2 Tablespoons tapioca

(I am thinking a little lemon juice too. Will try it today and let you know.)

Stir it all together, and give it a few minutes to thaw. Plop it into the bottom crust, put on the top crust, flute, vent, and all that. Sprinkle top with sugar if you like, or do an egg wash.
Bake at 400 about 45-50 minutes.

Mango rhubarb pie. Yeah. NOW it's a party!

Eat first, bike later. French Toast Casserole

Sometimes the priority is to eat. Especially when it's a Saturday off after Thanksgiving. Especially when it's chilly out and the initial 1st pot of coffee has been downed along with a couple chapters of the latest vampire novel. (OK I am a sucker for young adult fiction. I'm not young, and as for being an adult... OK, so sue me.)

Anyway, the morning is getting on, and it's time to eat!

Now I saw a recipe for a French Toast casserole thingy in Cooking Light. So I thought. But I can't find it after paging through twice, both forwards and backwards. I know there's a name for the stuff, but darned if I can think of that either! (Like I said, not young!) So there's no looking it up by name on a nice informative cooking blog or website. Looks like I am on my own here. How hard can French Toast made into a casserole thingy be?

OK. Here's the starting line. No bike required.

Get out your favorite French Toast recipe. Mine is on the bottle of Spice Islands vanilla in my cupboard. Cube up what ever bread you have on hand. (Straight to the freezer. We are normally Zone followers, so a loaf of bread lasts for months sometimes. Lucky it freezes so well. Today I find 2 peices of 100% whole wheat and a few slices of multi grain sour dough.) Mix the cubed bread with the milk and eggs, a little vanilla and sugar, maybe some sliced fruit if you have it. Throw it in a greased casserole dish and bake it. Like I said, how hard could it be?

Oh, a recipe???

French Toast Casserole

5 eggs or equivilent egg whites, or mixture thereof.

1c. milk (skim worked fine)

5+ slices bread (cook's choice)

2 T. brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 pear, thinly sliced (an apple would be good too)

dash cinnamon

dots of butter (optional)

Heat oven to 350.

Cube the bread.

Stir the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar together in a fairly large bowl.

Fold the bread cubes and pear slices into the egg mixture.

Pour the whole mess into a greased cassarole dish. My 10x8 oval worked nicely. If yours is smaller, larger, adjust cook time.

Sprinkle with some more brown sugar and dot with butter, if you like.

Bake at 350, forty minutes. Test with toothpick or sharp knife. Comes out clean when it's done.

Let it sit a couple minutes.

Then scoop it up and serve it with yogurt and grade B maple syrup on top. And maybe, if the Zone has been deserted completely - for one morning at least - a couple slices of country ham. All right!

We are ready to get rolling! Well, in a few minutes. It's an hour's drive to the Econ. Then we get rolling.

Ride on!

This is Florida. We don't need no Stinkin' Mountains!

It's the day after Thanksgiving, a traditional recovery day. The new aerobars are adjusted to the best of my ability from a standing-over-the-bike position, so it's time to get rolling! It's been early Christmas around here all week. New laptop came early, the aerobars are on my Madone, and the Leprechaun I married is already out on his brand new Trek 6.9. Life is good. But it's recovery day, more from feasting than the pre turkey ride yesterday, so it's on-on to aerobar adjustments, wrenches in bento for easy reaching....

Wind!
We definitely don't need no stinkin mountains today!