I’ve been wanting to do a Florida tour for several years. When Randy proposed we do the ride, I was eager to give it a go. My impression is that although this collection of trails forms a nice network, it still has a long way to go. The signage is nearly non-existent and most riders would have difficulty traversing the section between Clermont and Brooksville since it involves trafficked roads. To make this a more friendly route, there needs to be a better way to close that gap. Until I’ve seen a better way to do that, I can’t really recommend this unless you are seasoned road rider. As for the trails themselves, they were all well maintained. Our favorite trail was the Starkey Trail going through the preserve.
Timing for our trip was good, but the weather was a bit too toasty – especially the hot sun. Much of the route is not shaded. I used a good portion of a bottle of sunscreen and drank a lot more than I normally need to. If I were to ride this again, I’d probably shoot for December or January, trading off the chilly mornings for a cooler afternoon.
If you’re considering this route, I encourage you to carefully create your route and carry maps or GPS files along with your cell phone. You’ll likely find yourself looking for directions often. I also think the side trips we took, such as starting on the north of Cape Canaveral, heading west from Tarpon Springs to visit the Gulf, and especially going to Clearwater, were well worth the extra miles.
- Statistics:
- Miles 266.9
- Time Riding: 19 Hours, 53 Minutes
- Elevation: 3,537 Ft. (wow, Florida is flat!)
- Flat Tires: Matt – 1, Randy – 1, Matt’s Car – 1
- Raindrops: 0
- Turtles: Approximately 20
- Geckos: Innumerable
- Gators: 2 seen, undocumented, but really I did see them!
- Turkeys: 1
- Dolphins: 2 seen by Randy only
- Causeways crossed: 4
- Non-existent roads suggested by OpenStreetMaps / RideWithGPS: 2
- Energy bars consumed: Lots
- Electrolytes & Sports Drinks: Gallons.
With that, I’m closing the chapter on this adventure.
Peace – Dcn. Matt
