If you are one of those folks holding out, please share your images.

The Gulf Coast Tour de Cure is one of the most scenic and breathtaking routes along Northwest Florida. Three course options are available for everyone from novice to experienced cyclists including a 22-mile, as well as 42- and 62-mile rides. Each course is supported from start to finish with full-service, SAG Vehicles, rest stops stocked with energy snacks, hydration and restrooms, mechanical support and medical teams. At the finish line you will be welcomed with cheering volunteers, a post-race lunch, music, massages, fun and much more.

Many people will participate in the Gulf Coast Tour de Cure for the stimulation competition, camaraderie and physical cycling challenge, but the real reward comes in knowing that every mile we ride and every dollar we raise brings us that much closer to stopping this disease that affects nearly 26 million children and adults in America.

Take the challenge and get ready to Take the Ride of Your Life! The sense of accomplishment that you’ll feel as you cross the finish line can only be matched by the difference you’ll be making in the lives of people with living with diabetes.

If you sign up, be sure to register as part of the West Florida Wheelmen team HERE. For more information on the event, visit the main website or contact Keith DuBose.

In the meantime, we want your photos! With the plethora of cameras, GoPros, camera phones, bike cams, and that one guy with the IMAX camera strapped to his back there are sure to be a ton of photos out there.

We will collect them all, sort them, post the best, and make as many as possible available online so you can find all those sweet shots of yourself attacking off the front of the peleton.

The easiest way is to email your photos to our photo email address. If you host your own photos online, you can just send us your flickr, smugmug, or other link to your photos too. If you are a FaceBook’er, you can share the photos on our FB page too.

Sacred Heart Sports Care, a division of Sacred Heart Health System, has teamed up with the West Florida Wheelmen to provide medical coverage at events and injury prevention information to riders of all ages.

While no one expects a torn ACL, injuries are a common problem both on and off the course. In the event that you are injured, the Sacred Heart Sports Care representatives, Will and Michael, will help you get the medical attention you need as quickly and safely as possible. Your emergency is our emergency, and we understand that time is of the essence when navigating the healthcare system. Both of our representatives are there to serve as your personal concierge service for you and your family members’ medical needs.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the program, please feel free to contact Will (850-554-9564) or Michael (850-384-8783) at anytime or visit their website.

The ride will take place April 28, 2012 at Spanish Fort High School. There will be a 28 and 45 mile bike routes as well as a 2-3 mile fun ride for families.

The entry fee is $35 for the longer rides and $20 for the fun ride. In addition to supporting these two wonderful organizations, your entry fee gets you a t-shirt, goody bag and a post ride meal. There will be SAG support, fully stocked rest stops and cheering fans encouraging you to get up the hill.

To register, go to active.com and search for Ride for More. Registration closes on April 15th. You can register at the ride, but it is $10 more and you may not get a t-shirt or goody bag.

You may also donate to these organizations by going to www.active.com/donate/rideformore

10th Annual Battleship Ride

19 February 2012, 8:00 am, leaving from 2860 Mandeville Lane, Pensacola, Fl. 32526

This is an annual tradition and a great early season century from the West side of Pensacola through the rolling hills of Escambia and Baldwin County to the USS Alabama and back. Shorter options for this ride exist, including one way rides out or back (often depending on which way the wind blows). Many of the Alabama WFW members ride toward Pensacola and meet the Floridians somewhere in the middle of Baldwin County and make the ride to the Battleship together. The ride is unique due to the continuous SAG vehicle support, and food at the rest stops.

New for 2012 is the opportunity to make a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project’s Soldier Ride (a rehab through cycling program) and/or toward my quest for a Masters National Championship title with the US Military Cycling Team. As a proud, retired Marine and a passionate cyclist I will continue this journey to a national title while supporting our US Military Wounded Veterans no matter how many years it may take.

Also to commemorate a decade of Battleship rides each cyclist, sponsor and volunteer will receive a one of a kind USS Alabama Battleship Wounded Warrior Soldier Ride Metal.

Come join us for a fun filled day of riding in Honor of our Military Services. There will be a great group photo op with the battleship as a backdrop.

Please RSVP to gysgtdavis@netzero.net for the pre-ride head count to determine Sag supplies and commemorative metals needed.

Download the flyer and route sheet HERE.

 The “bad weather date” will be 26 February, 8:00 am.

As of today, that is a question you no longer have to ask. I present to you… the ONLINE REGISTRATION FORM where you can sign up for your 2012 membership and even PAY your membership fee! Now you can no longer use the excuse that you forgot your wallet on the Sunday ride (you know who I’m talking about).

But wait there’s more! You can now complete your 2012 cycling kit order online as well. Check out our kit page for full details on the clothing, or just head straight to our ONLINE ORDER FORM. There you can pay via Paypal or credit card. Remember the current deadline for orders is January 31st, so head on over there now to place your order.

For the retrogrouches out there, don’t worry, you can still ferry your paper membership application or parchment kit order form in by mail carrier or even by hand on your 92′ Trek with downtube shifters. Either way we are happy to have you as a member or displaying our kit proudly.

Now go out there and Tweetter or BookFace this to all of your friends, or whatever it is you fancy kids do these days.

[UPDATE] You can now order your kits ONLINE! Visit the new online store.

Due to the overwhelming response to the 2011 design, the overall design will remain mostly unchanged for 2012. The main difference will be in the featured sponsors.

Visit the kit page to see the complete design, view the sizing chart, and download an order form.

Don’t forget: Orders and payment are due by January 31st.

We did a race in downtown Pensacola back somewhere around the mid-80′s; it was called the Fiesta of Five Flags Criterium.  The pictures are from that race.  I’m the one sitting up with no hands in the one pic, trying to intimidate the rest of the riders into thinking I may fall and take them out; Aldo is behind.  There’s another of us waiting at the start for the rest of the riders in our category to line up.  The one of Larry shows him blowing by the field in the final sprint.

We had some great participation and many of the riders went home with some nice door prizes from Cyclesports and Truly Spoken.

Thanks to everyone who came out and a special thanks to John Preston who provided us with these great photos!