Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - I did the Van Fleet! (yet another...)

Inspired by other posters who have done, I wanted to break my personal distance record of 38 miles by doing the Gen. Van Fleet trail. I started at the Mabel trailhead, all the way to Polk city and back. The odometer says 60.17 miles in 5:52h. To that you could add a 20 minute break at the Polk city trailhead and another 5 minutes at one of the middle stations (water comes in, it has to come out).

And since my current road bike doesn't really fit me, I did it on a (drum roll here...) $59.95 cheapo MTB from Walmart that weights 51 pounds and has both wheels out of true.

My only regret was not taking my camera with me. As expected, I found lots of squirrels and 2 snakes. But the bunny that tried to race me for 1/10 of a mile was a new one. The deer that jumped in front of me was very pretty and unexpected. And I really wanted to get a picture of my exhausted self, flipping the bird at the nasty looking vulture that was circling above me for the last 90 minutes (I'm not dead yet!).

I feel great! :D

PS: The bunny won...:(

Congrats! I rode the Van fleet trail today as well but started at the polk city trail head.nice day to ride! see you out there.

tons of snakes out there today!!!!!!! a few rabbits,turtles,squirrels and wild turkey. The wind was blowing but not that bad.

I did it again! This time I took the camera with me. Again I started from Mabel city, went to Polk City and came back. Here are some pics:

This is one of the wooden bridges, there are a few...
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn53/RubenX_Longwood/small-001.jpg

The trail is so long and straight that it disappears in the horizon...
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn53/RubenX_Longwood/small-004.jpg

The bunnies were to fast so I decided to race the turtles!
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn53/RubenX_Longwood/small-005.jpg

This is at one of the trailheads...
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn53/RubenX_Longwood/small-006.jpg

Some historic marker from the railroad era...
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn53/RubenX_Longwood/small-008.jpg

Taking a break....
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn53/RubenX_Longwood/small-009.jpg

The concrete bridges say they need repair...
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn53/RubenX_Longwood/small-010.jpg

No kidding, they do need repair...
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn53/RubenX_Longwood/small-011.jpg

And don't you dare go under the bridge M'kay
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn53/RubenX_Longwood/small-012.jpg

Bathrooms at the second trailhead....
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn53/RubenX_Longwood/small-013.jpg

The whole thing is FLAT. So even a noob like me can fly!
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn53/RubenX_Longwood/small-015.jpg

There are only a handfull of intersections, mostly private or rural roads with little or no traffic...
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn53/RubenX_Longwood/small-016.jpg

Here's my favorite resting spot...
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn53/RubenX_Longwood/small-017.jpg

Yeah, another break...
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn53/RubenX_Longwood/small-018.jpg

and finally, Polk City! (remember I still have to go back)
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn53/RubenX_Longwood/small-020.jpg

nice pics!!!

I like the pics.:thumb:

Nice going. I ride the Blanchard Park trail everyday. I do 21.5 from the Goldenrod entance and back....my house is just off the trail, so I'm pretty fortunate. I have to try the ride you did....round trip of course.

Ruben,
You should give the Withlachoochee Trail a try. Essentially just as flat, but thre's a curve here and there over the 46 mile route. About the same as the Van Fleet, just a handfull of very low traffic crossings. Easy to add a few extra miles in either at the turn around or along the way to make it a nice century. Easy to pick up near Dade City - Trailhead is approximately a mile South of US 301/98 & CR 575 in Trilby, FL
http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/7/4/a/9/global_2909865.jpeg (http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/7/4/a/9/highres_2909865.jpeg)