A
t my first-ever Florida Strawberry Festival several years ago, I didn’t hesitate to challenge myself physically. The only problem is, after eating about half a pound of strawberry shortcake, I had to go home, lie down and not think about the stuff for about a year.
Between then and now, I let other Plant City Times & Observer staff writers and editors take their turns doing the off-the-wall, fun stuff at our favorite festival. I also
redeveloped an appetite for strawberry shortcake. But, this year, I decided to get back into the mix.
As soon as Cabot Creamery contacted us about their attempt to make the world’s largest smoothie — specifically, when I saw the part about blender bikes — I signed up. I’d much rather punish my legs than my stomach, especially knowing that whatever was left of the smoothie after it was finished and sold on the grounds would be donated to food banks in Plant City and around the Tampa Bay area. Plus, I would feel a whole lot better about the Amish doughnut I’d end up eating later that afternoon.
At 2 p.m. Friday, March 3, I hopped on one of the two bikes and got to work.
It wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be, even though the blender containers attached to the bikes were about the same size as what readers probably have at home. For those of you who ride stationary bikes at home or at the gym, I’d say it was about equal to pedaling at resistance level eight. Definitely doable, but I regretted not stretching better beforehand.
After I worked through a couple of blenders, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Rays mascots came to the tent for some photo opportunities. I figured, we’re all competitive humanoids by nature — I’m a human sports writer, they’re a couple of animals with opposable thumbs that root for sports teams — why not see who can blend the fastest?
This life’s never uneventful.
Here’s where I have to give credit to Thunderbug: I was the first to finish a blender, thanks to a strong start that wiped me out later, but the Lightning’s mascot gave it a good, honest effort. He got on that bike and did his job and, if I were Jon Gruden, I’d name him last week’s “Gruden Grinder” for showing such grit.
I got off the bike for a quick break and, when Raymond showed up, I got back in the saddle again.
Now, about Raymond… sheesh. He gestured a big game, because those “strong, silent types” aren’t much for talking but, because my bike’s blender mechanism briefly stopped working, the Rays mascot got off his bike and acted as though I had sabotaged the thing like I was scared to race him. With staff writer Daniel Figueroa IV as my witness/photographer, we got it working just fine right after he turned his back on me.
We were cool last year, when I met him while handing out the 2016 StrawBuddies, but I can’t say Raymond’s my favorite mascot in the world right now. Did he think I was looking for a cop-out? Was he intimidated by my “guns,” as publisher Karen Berry would say? We may never know, but I’ve got unfinished business.
If Cabot comes back next year for more smoothie action, I’ve got a blender with his name on it.