My ride through the zoo..

So this weekend I did 60 mile ride on the Van Fleet Trail.  It is a COMPLETELY straight 29 mile trail with a 6.9 mile extension.  There is not one turn on the entire ride (no exaggeration).  It is a great and safe place to ride with only three country crossroads to worry about crossing.  There is almost never a sole on the trail to be seen on it.  It a great place to train for long bike rides.  I am currently training there for a century.

Here is more info on biking the Van Fleet Trail can be found here and here

The trail is in the middle of NO WHERE.  It crosses right through Green Swamp so there is a TON of wildlife to be seen.  It's like riding through a zoo.

My "zoo" adventure ...

Not the place to be training for the swim!!

Yes, that's an alligator and yes
I saw him off the bridge during the ride.

I saw a ton of the alligators smaller cousin.
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The Florida grey squirrels LOVE to run out in front of your bike.
My friend hit one a few months ago and it bent his rear wheel.
I always yell "Crazy Squirrel" so they run off before I hit them.
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I also pass a llama farm.

Some fuzzy, Tribble thing tried to attack me.
 

These are Tribbles for those who are not "cool" like me.
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A Gopher turtle sitting on his porch.
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Gopher turtles passed me on the bike

 

 

I passed six snakes sunning themselves on the path.
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A deer snuck up on me also.
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A wild Florida panther also tried to attack me. 

See the anger in his eyes!!

Chewie greeted me when I got home from the zoo.
He got a hair cut.

My desert rose is in bloom

DIY Race Medal Hanger Ikea

DIY Race Medal Hanger Ikea

!!My Mr T Bling!!

 

The current medal hanger was no longer cutting it so I had to get creative.  I needed something that was cheap and could hold a lot of medals (over 25 medals).  So I took a trip to my third home, Ikea. I am convinced the order of my homes are Lowes, Ikea and then my house.  Yes, in that order. 

 

For only $12.99 at Ikea.
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At Ikea I found Dignitet curtain wire.  This stiff is awesome.  It's cheap ($12.99), easy to install, has a variable length and can go around corners.  You can hang your medals via clips (Quantity 25 for $2.99).  They also sell supports (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40078030/) that can be used to support the wire for long distances or around corners.  I did not know the supports when I ran my wire.  I used curtain supports due to my long wire run but I will be going back to Ikea (Bonnie will be overjoyed) to replace them with the Dignitet supports.  Be sure to use good anchors so the ends don't pull out of the walls.

A great and easy way to hang up new medals.
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Overall, I was happy with the result.  I will be swapping out the Lowes supports for the Dignitet supports sometime next week to create a more finished/professional look. 

 

Overall cost:

$12.99 for the wire and two ends

$2.99 for 25 hangers

$4.99x2 for two supports (un-needed for shorter runs)

$5.00 for a box of 25 wall anchors

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$30.96