Touring - Biking Florida

Howdy,

As you may know <probably not though...> i live in Miami Florida. I was curious if anyone else here on bike forums lived in the area <broward/ft. lauderdale/hollywood area>...I was thinking of organizing a bike tour within' florida and was interested in finding anybody in florida that would be interested.

The tour isnt really set yet, since i want to try and get alot more people, but it should be soon...ive been thinking of going down to the keyes and camping out there, or maybe even going up north...it really depends on what is worth riding far for. I want to do it mostly for the ride itself, but it'd be nice to have a nice cold margarita waiting for me when i finish about 100 - 150 miles <keyes>. Im not some "pro", or looking for magnificent riders, but just people who can carry their own weight and like to ride/camp. Anyways, let me know people...i'll answer any questions that come up.

-Mike

Mike, I live up on the Gulf Coast just north of St Pete.
I would be very interested in a tour!! I'm doing South
Carolina end of June.

Are you planning to do 150 miles in one day!! Might be
a bit much. I like sipping those margaritas enroute. I
thouroughly enjoy self-contained touring and can do a
century if pushed. I prefer 50-60 miles and fun along the
way.

150 Miles in one day is strenuous...but possible of course <breaks along the way> Most likely it wont be that much 50 - 100 miles a day is good ... Im glad you're interested.

Tell me, do you have camping experience and gear? Know of any other good places to go rather than the keyes. The keyes isnt the best place to ride since you have to take federal state hwy. down there (US1) but there is life and partying down there. I wouldnt mind doing it to somewhere else...as long as there is some small shred of civilization.

One more thing...what type of bike do you have?

-Mike

Ya, I've got plenty of expierience and gear. I haven't done solo in a while
though. Did 1500 miles in Europe in '95, but it was a combination hostel-
camping. It was also 45-50 miles/day (lots of 2hr wine/lunch/nap days)

For FL riding, I've done the Bike Florida rides since '99. They hang out
in the central-north part of FL. The riding there is much more laid back,
traffic is less. The downside is there is less to do. (Lots of Springs though...swimming).

The Keys sound good, never been there. I really wouldn't want to do
more than 70 miles in a day. I've done 125 loaded, but I had to. (Solo
In NM)

I rode a '85 mtn bike around Lake Superior last year (motels, no tents),
but usually ride a Vision recumbent in FL. Have a GTO trike on order
due in July.

Hi Mike. I live on the Broward/Palm Beach County line on A1A. Nice to meet ya. I believe there's a local group that sponsors a conch republic bike tour but for the life of me, I don't recall which one. It's fully supported and they're breaking up the ride to 50 mile daily increments and I believe they're carpooling back. Maybe you're not interested in a fully supported big thing kind of tour and just want to stay loose.

I ride a comfort hybrid so a tour with a bunch of roadies wouldn't suit me at all but I did want to introduce myself. I can do maybe 30 miles at half a roadie speed. Now if someone wants to do a more leisurely hybrid tour when the weather cools, I'm definitely interested. Heck I'll go north, central or south. Time is not a factor. Where do you ride locally? I can usually be found anywhere between Pompano Pier and Spanish River Park on A1A.

Kathy

Hi Kathy...

That supported bike tour sounds good, but i dont think its suited for what i want to do. I feel somewhat the way you do, yknow ride with ease at times and have fun along the way. I want it to be a good ride and good times <with a large supported tour, you dont get much say in what goes on>...

I live in Coral Gables FL. to be exact. It's a mostly residential city within Miami <quite beautiful>. Usually i'll ride over the rickenbacker <key biscayne bridge> or along federal state hwy. to get lunch. I want to do everglades, and most of all Oleta, soon.

If you're REALLY interested in touring somewhere with whoever wants to go, let me know. I'm not hitler on a bike, stopping off for a good time is always the plan.

-Mike

I grew up in Miami and lived in the Grove for a while. Used to ride my 10 speed with my ex down Old Cutler... a real nice ride. We had matching bikes. I'd like to get down there again for some riding down by Viscaya and Old Cutler. It's been years and I'm sure the area has changed.

Your tour idea has me intrigued and interested. If you TRULY have something in mind that's laid back and fun and you don't want to die of heat stroke or get eaten alive by mosquitos, and would do something like this when it cools, it may be just what I'm looking for. I'm sure we can get a like minded group together and pull out the old Florida map. I'll email you with my email addy.

Kathy

Ahh yes,

Old cutler...I do that ride every once in a while...It's quite nice and the scenery is lovely, all the huge trees. As for vizcaya, I usually just cut through it as i head towards key biscayne. Funny that you mention you and your ex riding matching bikes...i see that quite often... In fact last night i was in the grove and as i was leaving I saw a couple unlocking bikes to ride home, and I mentioned to them that i thought it was cool that they ride bike to the grove rather than drive...the guy replied "this is our transportation." ;)

I'm definatley serious about the riding. I wanted it to be sometime later this or early next month, even since its so damn hot lately. I really dont mind riding in the heat, since ive been doing it alot lately. Anyways, let me know if you have any other places for a good tour. I'm open to suggestions.

-Mike

Brother,
I should be down in Miami in less than a week. Training is going well right now and I think I'll be up for a tour somewhere soon after arriving.

Its cool to see people that are interested in getting together for a ride. I would love to join up. I think maybe heading over to the west coast via tamiami trail and then up the west coast might be nice. I think some camping near Peace river would be nice. Take a break, go canoeing down the river before heading back. Anyway, I am up for anything. It would be nice to have some company too.


Dave

Originally posted by beowoulfe
Ya, I've got plenty of expierience and gear. I haven't done solo in a while
though. Did 1500 miles in Europe in '95, but it was a combination hostel-
camping. It was also 45-50 miles/day (lots of 2hr wine/lunch/nap days)

For FL riding, I've done the Bike Florida rides since '99. They hang out
in the central-north part of FL. The riding there is much more laid back,
traffic is less. The downside is there is less to do. (Lots of Springs though...swimming).

The Keys sound good, never been there. I really wouldn't want to do
more than 70 miles in a day. I've done 125 loaded, but I had to. (Solo
In NM)

I rode a '85 mtn bike around Lake Superior last year (motels, no tents),
but usually ride a Vision recumbent in FL. Have a GTO trike on order
due in July.

Hey beowulfe...you talk about good swimming spots...any good canoeing areas up there? Springs, or other nice camping spots <lakes, etc.> Let me know. A trip like Dwagenheim reccomends would be cool...down to the keyes then back up but on the upper western coast of florida to a nice destination.

Maybe even throw the keyes out of the mix since it is hard to find good camping down there.

Get back to me
-Mike

WOW....sorry for the vacant spot. Got called out of town suddenly.

You bet, lots of canoeing up there. The best one is the Rainbow River. There is a state campground right on the river with canoe rental. I've been there numerous times with my own canoe to paddle up the river to the headwaters (only 1.5 miles), hop out and do a float-snorkle trip back. Water is clear as an aquarium. Lots of fish, turtles and bubbling springs on the bottom.

Ichetuknee (sp?) has canoe and tube rental. Not sure about camping around there. On Bike Florida we always stayed at schools that were on spring break.

Most every major spring has some kind of recreation associated with it.

Sorry for the silence.

Gryndle's bane

Hey Mike, I live the Gables too. I plan on biking from Miami to San Francisco,and was wondering if you or anyone out there would like to join me on part of the ride. If not, do you know any good routes to get me out of Florida. I expect to start riding maybe in mid June or sooner.

Sokool,

Whats going on man...Routes to get you out of florida? Hmm, not too sure due to not really getting out that far...Where in the gables do you live? Maybe we could go riding sometime...

-Mike

Hi This is my first post to this group.I live in NW Broward (Coral Springs)and use my bike(a mid80's Fuji sports/tourer)for transportation currently.I have been riding 30-50mi./day lately(up to 3 or 4 days in a row) while trying to get in some hiking milage and maintaining a weight routine.My rides have been mostly in to Ft Laud. and along A1A in Broward and So. Palm B. Co.While I have done no bike touring I am experienced in backpacking/camping and have been looking into trying a trip to the Keyes similar to this.I have read journals of several who have biked the keys and even two who backpacked.The concensus from my reading seems to be the best routes out of So. Fl. are A1A(or1)north and south and 17 northwest and that 41 across the everglades is too dangerous.I would also like too try to get in some hiking and canoeing (novice here)if possible.I was thinking of a solo trip but a group would probably be preferable as long as its not too structured as this sounds it wouldn't be. Carl

Carl,
Hey. Welcome to bikeforums. I am glad you found us.

Well, this is what's going on at the moment. Shawn (Sokol) is leaving next week for his San Fransisco tour. I want to test out my gear on a mini tour before my big deal. So I see leaving with him as a good opportunity to do that with some company. We are talking about a departure on Monday taking 41 West. I only have about 4 days to work with going there, then I have to come back because of time. My goal is to at least hit Arcadia which is on 17. If you check out a FL map, you'll see what I'm talking about.

It would be great if you could join us. I'd love to learn as much as I can about camping/hiking from you as I'll be doing lots during my big tour.

So. what do you think? 8 days?

About the danger of Tamiami Trail (Hwy 41), I am familiar with about 20 or so miles of it out of Miami and sure the cars get going fast, but I think there is enough shoulder for us to be fairly comfortable. At least if the first 20 is anything like the last 80 getting across the state.

I hope you can join us.

Dave

Im glad I looked at the map because I meant to say 27 not 17.However your plan sounds interesting in that 4 days sounds like a reasonable timeframe for me to begin with and I have heard the Peace R. area has good hiking and canoeing.While I am in fairly good shape and have good endurance my only concern is I am in my 40's and my bike is not in great condition(stretched chain) so I might not be able to keep up with younger riders planning cross continent trips.However this might just be an opportunity to get some training with some of the best.If 41 has any shoulder at all it is better than most roads in Broward I ride on however I like to be able to jump on the sidewalk if I get tired or just dont feel like fighting traffic.What are you all planning for milages .Also my bike is not currently equipted for carrying gear.I have been using a duffel bag on my back to carry gear for dayrides.If I got a rear rack to cary a sleeping bag and tent and then used the duffel bag for food clothing etc. do you think this would work?I know it probably slows me down somewhat but I actually like the weight on my back and it rides down and back keeping the center of gravity lower than a backpack.Do you all have campgrounds planned or plan to camp in remote locations etc.(for some reason it seems rediculous to me to pay to camp out). Carl

R,
I'm with ya on the camping. I don't mind 'poaching camp' a little too if necessary. I am pretty solid about the 4 days just because I want to have a little time before I get off on my departure to Alaska.
Maybe you should run your bike to the local bike shop for some quick maintenance over the weekend.
I don't know what to tell ya about how to move your equipment, but if it came down to not having room for a few things, I might be able to pack it because I'll be taking a trailer and I'll also be using paniers. Maybe it will make up for us being such young whipper snappers! :D
About the pace of the trip. I would figure Shawn and I as a couple of laid back guys. I've been training a little hard to get into shape, but when it comes to touring, I have a lot to learn and I'm not going to be killing myself on the ride with all the added weight. I figure quite a few breaks along the way for a little reflection and conversation and thirst and stomach quenching.

I really don't have many high standards or expectations. I am just down for getting on the bike and seeing some cool stuff. I've been out to the Peace River area and it was pleasantly different from South Florida, if you know what I mean. So I am pretty excited about just getting out on the road.

I'll email you my number and we can talk more about it on the telly.

Dave

Dave Are you saying 4 or 8 days total .Also you are planning to leave this Mon. right.I originally thought you meant 4 days total leaving in 8.If its 8days leaving on Mon. I might still be able to do it but I will need to get moving quickly to get things organized.Carl

So you guys are gonna be gator bait? I'll be thinking of you guys pushing those gears while I'm snorkeling in the cool Atlantic. BTW, what is the mileage across 41? I think I'll be ready for a Florida tour during the cooler months in the upcoming year. Would love to see some other women interested. Not that I don't love you guys but it would just round things out nicely. Do we have any south Florida women cyclists besides moi?

You plan on going tubing on the Peace?

Kathy

Sarasota cyclist checking in!

I'm not much of a tourer, but this trip sounds interesting, but I wanted to make a few comments. I used to live in Arcadia (location of the Peace River). If you're planning on crossing the state along 41, you'll have to double back to get to Arcadia. The alternate route would be North to West Palm Area and across S.R. 710 to the North Side of Lake Okeechobee (sp?) then across to S.R. 70 to Arcadia.

If you do come across 41 you can come up the coast and hit various roads right along the beaches. There will be more traffic congestion this way, but the views (and the seabreeze) will make up for it!

Distance wise, you're probably talking about 250 +/- miles from Miami Area (MIA) to Sarasota.

There are numerous campgrounds along the way, but you'd have to do some research on that, and it would be PAY camping.

L8R

R,
8 total. Leaving Monday. You got it. Get ready, I hope you can make it. I was thinking we could all crash at my place on Sunday down here in Miami then get started early Monday morning. Maybe even get a ride out of the city to eliminate some traffic hassles and danger. I can't wait.

Dave

Kathy, where are you going snorkeling? Sounds like fun to me. Good luck getting in touch with more women for future rides. It might be a while if you are waiting for cooler weather. Its only getting hotta now!

Dave

a2psyklnut,
Thats actually a nice little loop there that I wouldn't mind taking. For instance, maybe I'll shoot for Arcadia, then take 70 east to 710 then south on A1A and so on.
Tell me, do you have any experience on that road? I wonder what its like. Sugar cane fields perhaps? Thats what I've seen around south of Lake Okeechobee.

So, figure it takes 250 miles +/- to get to Arcadia, divide that by 4 a you got about 65 miles a day. Thats not a bad average for all day riding. Unless we run into some severe rain or some other obstacle, I think we can accomplish that easy. Looking at the map, it seems as if its roughly the same distance from Arcadia back to Miami taking the top route on return.

Thanks for the tip A2!

Dave

Originally posted by oceanrider
So you guys are gonna be gator bait? I'll be thinking of you guys pushing those gears while I'm snorkeling in the cool Atlantic. BTW, what is the mileage across 41? I think I'll be ready for a Florida tour during the cooler months in the upcoming year. Would love to see some other women interested. Not that I don't love you guys but it would just round things out nicely. Do we have any south Florida women cyclists besides moi?

You plan on going tubing on the Peace?

Kathy

Yes, more women = better time.

A good thing to do would be to put together like a gear list for what each rider should bring for himself <aside from what is shared>

I think everyone should know what they would need and what they wouldnt need though.

Mike Are you going on this trip.Dave didn't mention anything but from talking too him I understand he is taking everything except the kitchen sink while I'm looking for the best way to carry gear on my bike to carry as much as possible .I just got a Blackburn Expedition rear rack and am either thinking of getting rear panniers or just attaching my Kelty external frame backpack with all gear attached to it. I know the bp idea is not ideal long-term and it weighs probably 4lbs. but it may do for short trips and I like this idea for getting too remote hiking areas in the future.Maybe I should ask this question in one of the other forums to get more input. Carl

Oh I don't mind waiting till it cools. Good things are worth waiting for, right? My snorkeling's not as adventurous as it sounds. I live across the street from the beach so I just snorkel where I swim. It's my favorite way to cool after a long hot ride.

Kathy
0^0'

Well i spent part of the late day outside with all my gear and stuff...i dont have that much stuff but so far :

1> Blackburn Trailrack
2> Blackburn Pump
3> Person MSR Zoid 2.0 tent (4.5lbs)
4> Small pan/pot/cup (few ounces)
5> 2 Panniers
6> Specialized Lock
7> 2 Sleeping Pads
8> Original Camelbak
9> Bungies
10> 2 water bottles
11> Small Pillow
12> Non-Bike Shoes (maybe)
13> Toiletries
14> Edibles
for now...

The Plan (subject to change, as always): We'll be starting from Miami going West on Route 41 which will take us across the everglades, through Naples on the West coast and then up North towards Port Charlotte where we'll take Route 17 to Arcadia. Depending on what the crew feels like doing, we might do some outdoorsy stuff around the Peace River before pushing on East on 70. Then its a Diagonal cut Southeast on 710 to the coast. From there its most likely A1A all the way down South to complete the trip.

If any of you other South Florida BFers want to ride a few miles with us when we pass your town, let us know. Or maybe you just want to hold out a cup of cold water and give us a wave.

I'm excited, how about you?

Dave

So what happened to this ride? Did you guys do it? I'm new here, so I'm just seeing your posts now... sigh.

Yes we did that tour back in june and it was a blast .For a report with incredible pictures check on Dwagenheims tour subforum and go to page 4 june 8 -12 So Fl tour journal entries.I then did a 4th of July weekend solo tour down to Key West and back which you can read the summaries of if you go back in the main touring forum to that time period and look for Keys Tour I think there were 5 different entries.Ihave recently been doing some long day rides up to the Jupiter /Jonathan Dickenson State Park area and up that way would make a good tour also.