Fifty Plus (50+) - BubbaFest

Has anyone done this ride from Key Largo to Key West? Sounds like a nice addition for the Fall.

I've not done it, but I understand it's not the greatest ride. It goes right down US 1, which is the only road all the way through the Keys, and parts have good shoulders and parts do not, but it's always crowded with cars. Riding with a group certainly would be the way to go on that route.

If you're looking for a good fall ride in Florida, Bob Burns and I are putting together a ride, probably on Sunday Nov 13, from the gulf to the ocean. We start at a park on the Gulf of Mexico west of Crystal River and ride 128 miles to the ocean at New Smyrna Beach. It's flat and not real interesting scenery, but the ride all the way across the state is a great accomplishment. Let me now if you're interested.

I have been to the Keys. There is pretty much only one road (US 1). It has a fair amount of high speed traffic. I was on a century. A friend asked me to take a lady from the keys under my wing for the century. I did so. At one point, we were riding on the shoulder of a 4 lane highway with high speed traffic and ferocious headwinds. She smiled happily and said that it reminded her of home! That might tell you something.

My wife and I would be interested, and if we can't make that date, we'd love to have the route.

Just checked with Bubba and the trip is sold out. The ride starts in Key Largo and is supposedly 65% bike trails and 35% shoulder. I think the only road down there is 1-A-1. Pretty hard to get lost.

I have biked a bit of the keys, south of Marathon. Very, very narrow shoulder in many parts and , depending on the time of year, a lot of pissed off drivers trying to get by you..all in all not very relaxing, and there often seems to be construction going on as well.
A few places open up a bit and have trails and sidewalks..people seem friendly and there is always a place to get a slurpee.

I didn't know this was an organized tour. In any event, we'd opt out.

It seems to me that a lot of cyclists take their sport and themselves too seriously, so it's great to see a name like "Bubbafest" for a ride. With an attitude like that, it's got the potential for fun, good roads or not. Reminds me of the "Tour de Donut" rides in Houston and elsewhere.

Bubba is a pretty cool guy. A retired cop, I think. He runs Bubba's Pampered Peddlers which provides full tent camping services for riders on several organized rides. I know him from BRAG. For a considerable price, he provides a tent, sets it up and has your bags in it and ready for you when you reach the day's destination. He sets up a big canopy with chairs for his customers to keep cool in the sunny afternoons and he provides some snacks and beverages. Bubbafest is his own ride.

I have never used his services, but people who have speak highly of it. My little band of misfits on BRAG have our own setup of hauling our gear and camp setup and I have met Bubba on days I drive and we are both looking for good locations for our setups.