LiamSkymom

Riding with Goldfinch is awesome. She's very good about not blowing leaving this poor slowpoke behind. I only wish we could have gone farther (or is further) together. Thanks Goldfinch!

goldfinch

Yes, it was fun and thank you for my first ride with a Bike Forum member! I enjoyed the tour through the park. But you beat me back, I ended up adding a few miles by missing my turn off and spacing out as I headed back. At least I beat the rain.

The Withlacoochee trail is beautiful. I still need to do what is supposed to be the prettiest section, south of where we were today. Any time you want to meet up let me know.

Beachgrad05

Yay for enjoyable rides with BF forum members!

LiamSkymom

I can't wait until you can come down and do more of the southern end. Definitely don't pull a me and remember your water bottle on this end though. Sure you don't want to fly out and join us Beachgrad05?

goldfinch

LSM, I did a ride today with some people in our park. I forgot my water bottle. Fortunately, it was a ride to breakfast, eat, and return so it wasn't an issue.

I'm pooped. I am still not up to day after day long rides. I am working on that though because I am doing a multi day tour this summer.

I'm thinking of driving to Floral City with the rv next Wednesday and do the southern end from there. Maybe 50 miles? If you want to join up for part of the ride let me know. Oops! Just checked the weather and the one rain day next week is Wednesday. So, I guess it will be Tuesday or Thursday.

Neil_B

I'm waiting for the Sayre/Goldfinch ride.

goldfinch

Hey, any time he wants to come over I am up for it.

LiamSkymom

I think Tuesday sounds better than Thursday provided I survive my son's first violin lesson early that morning. Thursday is Valentine's Day and a bit cold for this Florida native.

goldfinch

OK, I am set for Tuesday. I am going to drive the motorhome down to Floral City. I'll let you know later on when I expect to leave from there. The total from Floral City to the end of the trail seems to be 25 miles. We can meet up any where along the way, either when I am going down or coming back.

LiamSkymom

If nothing else, which I hope it will be more, I will do the six most southern miles and back(total of 12) with you.

goldfinch

I am going to try to leave here early enough to get to Floral City by 9:00am. I then will have to get the dog settled. I'll call you when I leave Floral City.

BTW, I used to play violin. The learning curve is steep.

Sayre Kulp 

I'm struggling to keep my head above water what with buying a house and all. I'm hoping to get a weekend free pretty soon, but it's going to be tough. This weekend is a half marathon that starts and finishes on Daytona International Speedway. Next weekend is the HPRA Florida Challenge down in Pembroke Pines. And the weekend after that is the big Catrike Rally over in Winter Park. And probably right after that, we should be closing on the house and then moving the rest of our crap down from Pennsyltucky.

But, I suppose there is always hope...

goldfinch

When is the Catrike Rally? I am kind of curious and might want to check it out.

Sayre Kulp 

March 2nd. Starts at 9am and they ride on the West Orange Trail, which is one of my favorite trails that I've done since moving down here.

Everything starts at Lakeview Park (850 Surprise Drive) in Winter Garden.

If I'm not mistaken, I believe Hampton's Edge is having a ride on Sunday on the Withlacoochee Trail as well. If I can swing it, I want to finally get a chance to check that one out as well.

LiamSkymom

Sayre - I think Regis and crew make fairly regular rides. I didn't see anything on his blog or website.

Goldfinch - Sounds good. The music teacher called earlier this evening and said they had to move the start date back so he won't actually start until Wednesday now. I'm very worried about that learning curve.

goldfinch

LSM and I had a nice ride today on the south part of the Withlacoochee trail. I had the advantage of a head wind for the first half of the ride and a nice tail wind for the return. The south half of the trail is quiet with very few roads to cross. I took the hybrid and 50 miles on the hybrid are tough on my feet. Otherwise, it is nice sitting up and looking around at the sights. And I managed not to run over any squirrels today and the snake got out of the way too.

LiamSkymom

I'm glad to see you made it back safe and sound. If you hadn't posted, I was going to call to make sure. You did realize when we got to the snake, I was telling it to go, not you. I realized later it probably sounded fairly odd.

Goldfinch did 50 and I did far less, but hopefully, like the snake, it broke the ride a little bit for her.

goldfinch

It sounded like you were cheering the snake along, as it wiggled its way wildly across the trail!

Thanks for the company!

Podagrower

I really, really hate snakes. And your telling me this Withlacoochie trail we're going to ride on Sunday is crawling with them. I'm pretty sure that trying to bail off the bike and run while clipped to the pedals isn't going to work. But it may make awesome video.

Sayre Kulp 

You hate snakes and you're in Florida?

Don't worry. Most varieties you'd encounter on a trail are entirely harmless. Heck - I get them in my back yard pretty regularly.

Just remember that they are deaf and all you have to do is stamp your feet a little bit. They are actually much more afraid of you than you are of them. Hard to believe, but just think about it from their perspective. You're like 30 times taller than they are!

LiamSkymom

I've been riding the trail for years and seen maybe four or five snakes in that time - none of which were poisonous. That being said, I've hiked some of the little side trails to the river and ran into one right beside the river. It was more frightened of us than we were of it, and immediately slithered to the river and swam away. If the weather is as cold as predicted, you won't have to worry very much anyway. The one we saw yesterday I am fairly sure was just a black racer - good good snake.

I get them in my back yard on a regular basic including at least one endangered variety. As long as they aren't poisonous and don't try to get in the house, we usually leave them alone, even when the make it in the screened in back porch. If they come back on there for a second time, they will meet their demise. Lucky for them, none has made that mistake. My older son claimed to have seen one this evening on the porch, but my DH and I couldn't spot it.

Podagrower

We have a variety of mostly Indigo/black racers, coach whips, and coral snakes that I have seen at the house. Pygmy rattlers are all over the area, but rarely seen. They all had a pass until the coral snake wanted to come inside the house. But now, I have my own herpetologist on speed dial. He really wants the mating pair of coach whips we have, but they are not frequently seen.

Check out Orianne Society if you are a fan of black racers/Indigos. And yes, I hate them all.

CraigB

I'll be expecting a full report.

Sayre Kulp 

I'm heading out to do the Catrike Rally tomorrow morning and then heading over to Floral City to check out some bikes before spending the rest of the daylight hours on the Withlacoochee. Anyone else riding over there this weekend?

goldfinch

I am. Currently, my plans are to ride out with a group from 11 miles north of Inverness at 8:00am. We then will have coffee in Inverness. Then, likely down to Floral City with one or more riders. There is a strawberry festival there to check out so parking may be tough. Inverness may be a better bet for parking. I think you have my phone number. Call and I can let you know where I am on the trail. I am kind of pooped out from overdoing it so I am taking a slow bike and taking it easy. I could do the 22 mile Inverness run in the morning and come back later, driving down to Inverness and going south from there if you figure you will come in the afternoon.