Southeast - **Navy Guy, New To Jax And New To Cycling. Saying Hello!**

I just got transferred from Pensacola to NAS JAX. I just wanted to drop by and say hello. I finally pulled the trigger and got myself a bike. A bunch of my buddies convinced me to buy a bike and try it out. I'm pumped to get out there and try out this sport. It's killing me waiting for my pedals/shoes to come in. I was wondering what are some good street/routes to ride in my area (south side)? I live a mile from saint john's town center right near the FBI building. I plan on joining some clubs down here. Any recommendations? Look forward to meeting some of you guys.

Welcome to BF. I beleive you'll fird the NFBC a good group to check out. There's also a group out of NAS JAX that I've ridden with a few times on the Tour de Cure Jacksonville in the spring over the past few years. Seemed to be a fairly active crowd. Quite a few nice trails and routes over that way, I'm sure you'll find getting that bike to be a great choice.

Thanks for the kind words. I actually bought my bike at the LBS. Bought the rest of the gear online. I've noticed shipping seems to take forever with bike stores. I picked up a new 2006 fuji roubaix sl. My buddies told me I had to jump on that deal (though it was more than I wanted to pay for my first bike). I just hope I really enjoy this sport. If not, I just bought a new bike, a crap load of clothes/gear and a bike rack w/carriers. I will indeed check out these clubs. Thanks!

there are some great groups to ride with. Velobrew is another

here is link www.velobrew.com/

Most lbs' have rides from the shops, in orange park we ride 6 days a week, but we can go kinda fast for beginers. We have many military and civilian personel who ride with us from nas and cecil.

Here is a link to the NFBC http://www.nfbc.us/

I ride that area all the time. In fact I rode from my house near Bowden Road out to Hanna Park which is up near Mayport. They have put in a lot of bike lanes on this side of town, so you should find some fairly easy riding. Just watch the area in front of Cosco going into the town center, that is deaths doorway at the wrong time of day. When spring pops back around, Bicycle Etc has a weekly ride on Monday at 6 pm for an easy 20 from the shop on Philips to the Acosta and back.

The Jax Baldwin Rail Trail is also a nice change of pace on the West Side 30 miles round trip and only a couple of spots where you need to check for traffic. By the way, thanks for your service, ex-Navy here.

welcome to the forum.... i'm a former navy guy...
tons of rides out there .. hope you find one soon ... u'll luv it

Thanks for the kind words jax, but I'm not even operational right now (still in flight school) so I don't really feel like I did any service as of yet. So thank you, for your service. Where is this jax baldwin rail trail?

a brother inlaw (you can call him that) was a flight instructor for @ cecil field for a few yrs

what are you slotted for after flight school?

a brother inlaw (you can call him that) was a flight instructor for @ cecil field for a few yrs

what are you slotted for after flight school?

Oh nice. I already know my which aircraft I'm going to be selected for. I start training on my primary aircraft next month (P3-Orion).

is there any other aircrafts at NAS?

I know they also have SH-60 helos over there as well.

Oh sorry, I should have noted my sarcasm. As someone who has been here most of my life, the bird I associate the most with jville is the P3.

Oh nice. I already know my which aircraft I'm going to be selected for. I start training on my primary aircraft next month (P3-Orion).

You will get to know GNV pretty well. I see a lot of low flying P-3's around Gainesville so my guess is that they must be doing touch and goes at the local airport. I'm pretty sure they aren't hunting for subs in the local lakes.

Thanks for the kind words jax, but I'm not even operational right now (still in flight school) so I don't really feel like I did any service as of yet. So thank you, for your service. Where is this jax baldwin rail trail?

P-3 is a great plane, I have almost 6500 hours, Ordnanceman, when they used to fly in them 20 years ago, :lol:, anyway, the Jax-Baldwin Trail is up off of I-295 and Imeson Rd, up near Commonweath. I see the P8s around the area now as well. I work with a guy who's brother was the test pilot for them at Boeing.

http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/guide/regions/north/trails/jacksonville_baldwin.htm

i was out of nas atsugi in japan......... the japanese civil defense flew p-3's
pretty familiar with them .... i've even seen a f-14 get t-bone by one of them when we use to bounce for carrier qual's down in iwo