American Flyers Cast Reunion Set For Interbike Awards Dinner Sept. 22

It will be hard to top last year's reunion of the Breaking Away cast, but the folks at Interbike are back at it with another bicycle-theme movie reunion at September's annual trade show awards gala on Sept. 22.

This time, four of the top billed cast members of the 1985 film American Flyers will stage their reunion at the awards dinner.

Members committed to appearing are David Marshall Grant (David Sommers), Rae Dawn Chong (Sarah), Alexandra Paul (Becky) and Luca Bercovici (Barry "The Cannibal" Muzzin).

And the movie's biggest star -- Kevin Costner -- is still considering. So is actor Robert Townsend.

Last year's Breaking Away reunion was a real crowd-pleaser as three of the four Cutters -- Dennis Christopher, Dennis Quaid and Jackie Earle Haley -- attended and I wrote this blog item on the story behind the reunion.

For more on the American Flyers movie, check this out:

Released in August of 1985, “American Flyers” was one of the earliest films that Kevin Costner ever starred in, and showcased some of the most beautiful cinematography ever shot in the Rocky Mountains. The movie focuses on the lives of two brothers that race bicycles and travel across the U.S. to participate in the annual “Hell of the West” Stage Race in Colorado, which was based largely on the Coors Classic Stage Race that was staged from 1980 to 1988. Interbike will host a free showing of the entire movie for all Interbike attendees (popcorn included) on Wednesday night at the close of the show in the South Pacific Ballroom.

Hitting The Road To Jack Island

Jack Island State Preserve is one of those quiet beautiful gems, a spit of land in the Intracoastal/Indian River Lagoon off A1A in north Fort Pierce beach.

You reach a 4 1/2 mile loop by this concrete bridge and follow a service trail around the perimeter of the island. There's access points to the water all around.

And the upclose views of the mangroves are gorgeous.

Vero Beach's Secret Ecotourism Paradise

Cycling north and south of Vero Beach along A1A is one of Florida's nicest pedaling experiences.

And it's just one of many outdoor ecotourism options available in the Vero Beach/Indian River County area, which can boast of hosting the nation's first wildlife refuge to worldclass sea turtle nesting beaches to osprey breeding grounds further inland.

That's not even considering the two gorgeous Atlantic Ocean inlets 15 miles north and south of Vero Beach, the kayaking and boat rides along the Indian River Lagoon and the fishing in freshwater lakes and offshore.

I take a look at why the marketing and promotion of Vero's ecotourism gifts are so poor.

Sunday Morning: Day of the Bicycle

Early Sunday, around 7 a.m. or so, the bicycles take over the roads of Florida.

The motorists in the Sunshine State are not the most friendly around the country.

But when daybreak hits on Sundays, bicyclists rule because the motorists are still snoring in bed.

I pedaled to the Sebastian Inlet and met this fella on the bridge spanning the inlet.

He was a speedy guy, and I drafted for about three miles.

I dropped off when I realized I couldn't go fast enough to pull him back south to Vero Beach.

But I sure enjoyed Sunday -- when the bicyclist rule the roads of Florida.