Flor'Easter: Day 4

Let me introduce you to my best friend this week.  Friends, meet the Kona Tanuki Deluxe.

Today was "pick-up the rental bike" day.  Given that there are very few places that rent mountain bikes in Florida, this involved an hour and a half drive to Orlando.  I managed to talk my wife and mother-in-law into making the trip under the guise of a trip to the Orlando mall.

If the weather had been nice, this would have been the perfect plan, however the rain kept me from the Orlando area trails and instead I wandered aimlessly around the mall for a few hours while my wife did her best to raise our credit limit.

Despite the retail torture, the trip was well worth it.  Kyle's Bike Shop , a small independent shop located in Orlando, provided the rental at a great rate and were extremely accommodating.  Their offering, a full-supsension Kona Tanuki Deluxe, was one of the bikes I rode when testing full-suspension bikes this past summer.   The geometry is very similar to my Giant Trance, but the Tanuki actually has a better suspension package.  All told, it was easier and cheaper to rent with Kyle then to try and ship my full suspension bike from home.   I highly recommend them if you're flying into Orlando and looking to rent a bike in Florida.

This week is shaping up to be epic.  The forecast is clear with temperatures in the sixties through the weekend, and today's rain will harden the sandy spots on the trails putting them in peak riding condition. 

I think I might have a hard time sleeping tonight.  Christmas comes tomorrow for me.