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Florida 2023 Tour Preview

“Sure it’s the same route, but is it?”
Tampa to Lakeland to Disney World, sure but it’s refined!
Improved route on day 1 – optimising better route from TPA to MLK Blvd (avoiding waterfront this time)
Brought my route north of downtown this year to avoid weekend activities intervening like last year’s marathon
A morning coffee and breakfast in Ybor CIty, the Cuban and Latin American-influenced part of Tampa
Different hotel in Lakeland this year to have me closer to a local dining option rather than gas station cuisine
Day 2 features another ride into WDW, with the option of the longer route to the north entrance – more to come on that, and it would be my preferred option pending time (short days) and energy

Gear
I briefly considered the Safari and stealth camping near the Van Fleet trail but decided against it… FL wildlife is just too much of a question mark
Also it’s much more logisitically to haul. May scope out to see if stealth hammock camping would be an option this trip.
Brompton it is… credit card touring it is
Sidebar – my Brompton is over at BicycleSpace (my DC LBS) and let’s just say I’ve ridden down the original drivetrain components to the point that it needed quite the overhaul. But… it’ll be ready by the time you hear this for 2024 adventures (thank you Pedalshift Society and anonymous donors for your help on that!)
May consider doing the older backpack version to eliminate the need for the duffle? More carrying capacity, but likely wouldn’t use it.
If so I might consider an expanded cockpit option with the luggage block being freed up
Or… may stick with single pannier plus drybag on rack.
SIDEBAR 2 – I got new Ortlieb backrollers, but orange is no longer an option so I went with blue, which was the most stealth-friendly-ish option. I’m probably going to make the orange ones full time Brompton ones so end of an era, but not really?

Weather
Last year was sunny and flirted with hot. Will be more prepared this year to cover up and have sunscreen in hand before day 1.
However, we saw some truly cold temps during the late year storms in 22 so it’s always possible this ends up being a cool to cold ride… will know more about 10 days out and can bank on things about 3 days out.

Things I want to do
Ybor City – every time I go through there I feel like I need to make miles. This time, I’m stopping.
Dinner at a more “Florida” option in Lakeland
Get a victory drink (to break Dryuary Part 1) at the Coronado or Polynesian Resort
Keep my caloric party within reason

Things I don’t want to do
Run into 10ks
Lose my ID
Get sunburn or otherwise too much sun
Have a Brompton mechanical… there are very few options in central FL!

First entry of the tour journal is in two weeks! Next week’s best of is the start of a multipart adventure highlighting my DC to Boston using (mostly) transit and a little bit of (very critical) folding biking!