If your riding mountain bikes & If it ever dries out (with all the rain it may never dry out). You should try a couple of the non paved trails off of the Gainesville Hawthorne trail. They are pretty fun and not too technical at all. If you go to the trail head in Gainesville instead of going to the left as you normally do to ride the trail go to the right (headed back towards G.ville) About a half mile down on the left just before the sematary there is a pretty cool trail that leads back to a CLEAR running stream. It must be spring fed it is so clear.

If you park at what I call the center of the trail at County road 234 there is some more non paved trails (really need to wait for it to dry out to ride these though). These trails are a bit longer winding through pines and most of the time shaded. You eventually wind up at the stream that you cross that that everybody fishes from by ST. RD 20. There is a picnic table there where you can take a break if need be.

Yep ... NO ride today.... it has been raining from the time I got up.... and still raining now... SO MUCH FOR the trails drying out.... DOH!!

Thanks for the heads up on the mb trails. We didn't know they were there. Next time we'll have to take the mbs and ride them. The one to the right of the Gainesville trail head sounds like a good one. We have found a great place to ride out west of Ocala. It's part of the Southwest Fl water management district. This is the website. http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recrea...s/halpata.html

The first time we rode we started at the SR 200 trail head. It was July, very sandy and HOT. I didn't make it too far that time. The next time we rode we started at the 484 trailhead that is behind Pruitt Trailhead. It's very hidden. Great ride...we didn't make it to the river that time but the next time we did. We normally see lots of wildlife of this trail. The Pruitt Trail is another great mb ride!

Thanks again for the mb info.
LindaN

Thanks for the info on the trails west of Ocala. Sounds like another day trip bike ride in the making for me. Just wondering should I wait for dryer weather before heading that way? The first trail I mentioned above with the clear stream should be okay to ride just about any time. But don't plan a whole day just to ride it, its not really that long maybe 2.5 miles. If you rode all the branches on the other trail I mentioned (when it dries up) it would be around 4 or 5 miles I think.

Thanks for the info..... Jay....

Jay, it might be better to ride both of these after a rain...not alot of rain but some. There are some sandy parts on the beginning of the Pruitt but my husband doesn't seem to have a problem. I'm just not as agile in the dirt as he is. I really prefer hard packed stuff. On the other hand, the other trail behind Pruitt has some really wet spots in it and can be muddy. It would definitely be a day trip for you. The last time we rode all the way to the river it took us about 2 hours or so...but again, I'm not really fast.

I think I mentioned that we've seen some wildlife on both trails. The last time we rode Pruitt I swear we saw Hogzilla. HUGE! Luckily he ran away from us when we saw him. Here's a picture from Pruitt from last summer. http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=143257

This is one I found on the internet that someone took at Pruitt. Have fun!
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=143258

"I think I mentioned that we've seen some wildlife on both trails. The last time we rode Pruitt I swear we saw Hogzilla. HUGE! Luckily he ran away from us when we saw him. Here's a picture from Pruitt"

That's funny you mentioned the hog, because the first thing I came across when I looked up the trail on google was the 2 or 3 day hog hunt they have every year there. They close off the whole park for the 2 or 3 days, I think it was in late Feb.

I guess if your going to ride off road in Florida your going to hit sand and mud... and maybe just maybe once in awhile some hard pack LOL. I remember riding in a state park south of Gainesville I think it was on 441, I dont remember the name of the park. But anyway I came to this pretty long sugar sand stretch of trail. I'm thinking "I can make it through that"... I get about half way across and come to almost a complete stop.... And Fall over before I can get un-clipped. Its the middle of summer so i'm all sweaty so naturally the sand sticks to me.. Cant wipe it off.... LOL... So I keep riding along... do a big loop and come back to the same spot.... I'm thinking I can make it this time.... NOPE...... got in the middle of the sand & did another slow motion clipped in fall.... Funny then, funny now....

Went to the Gainesville Hawthorne trail and rode 25.38 miles (on the road bike). My friends 16yr old son and I started at the Hawthorne end and rode to the top of the big hill towards G.ville end. It was his longest ride ever. I told him the last time we were there that if he could climb the big hill without stopping I would give him 10 bux. The last time we rode and started at the G.ville end. (a lot shorter ride to the hill). So we get to the bottom of the hill and he asks will I still give him 10 bux to ride to the top... I'm thinking there is NO way he is going to do it after having rode about 12 miles to the bottom of the hill. But I tell him sure.... He really surprised me and made it to the top.... So i'm out 10 bux and he is FULL of confidence that he can ride that far even ... with a big hill in the middle.... He is already talking about doing the whole trail next time.. Fun ride... a bit slower than when I go by myself.... but fun..

Put in 15 miles with some wind. Rode over to Distant Island and back home through downtown.

Man, it was windy in Birmingham AL and points east today. I did 40-45 miles, but my legs feel like it was a lot more.

Yes, about 9 miles on the Withlachochee Bay Trail. Great ride and lots of bikes on the trail. Left there and headed over to the Inglis Island lock spillway area. It's part of the State Greenway and Trails. Great area for mountain bikes. You ride across the spillway and onto the island. Some places were a little sandy but I did much better this time than before. I think it helped that we've had rain recently so the dirt was a little more packed than before. I think the last time we were there it was July and really hot and very sandy. The weather was great today as far as temp but lots of wind. We stopped and ate at one of the picnic areas when you first cross over to the island and then headed out on the trails. I'm not sure how many miles it is. Maybe just under 10.I know that I felt great when we got back and the last time I was really wiped.

Here's info on the Inglis Island trail in case anyone is interested.
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/guide...ils/inglis.htm

yeah, this evening... it was totally gorgeous out! put fresh batteries in my lights and headed out on a few roads I'm familiar with, spent a good bit of time stargazing. I did find out that the state park is really spooky at night illuminated by 1/2 watt LED, and I actually passed through a couple of deer standing in the road, and then nearly ran over a raccoon... took my light off and held it in my hand, constantly sweeping and backed the pace off considerably. I was originally going to double back through the park but decided I didn't want to run the gauntlet again and went home a different way... came up with almost 20 miles.

A friend and I went off on a little ride late this afternoon (thrs). Turns out there is a small trail in a state owned forest VERY close by, that I never even knew about. The trail is only about 2 miles long total. So we jumped on the mountain bikes and rode to the trail, rode the trail and then came home a different way. I think it was about 8 miles total, 1/3 on dirt roads and trails and 2/3 on paved roads getting to and from the trail. 8 miles was about the max my friend could ride. Had fun .... got a ride in on a beautiful day...

April 3, 40+ miles, what agreat day, sunny 70/80* weather and light wind.

I rode the Moses Creek trails near Crescent Beach -----> http://sjr.state.fl.us/recreationgui...eek/index.html 14.92 miles on the mountain bike. 9.02 of it on the trails (mud, grass, sand sand & more sand LOL). Pushed my bike for 2 miles through sugar sand. The part of the trail the follows the power lines was all sugar sand. I had never been to the back part of the trails before because I never wanted to walk the power lines. There was what I think was and eagle nest on top of one of the huge power lines. The nest was huge. About 50 feet away from the power line they put up an observation pole with a seat at the top for viewing the nest. Crossed Moses Creek at the end of the power line part of the trail, the water was not quite up to the pedals but was moving pretty good. They put rock in the creek bed for the trucks running the power lines so was an easy crossing. I still didn't make it to the end of the trail it was still flooded, black muddy swamp looking water and no way around it. I think i spent 2hrs 24 mins riding/walking the bike. Way back out in the most remote part of the trail I came across a man & a woman walking. She had her shirt off and bra on, but by the look was kind of embarrassed. As I passed I said sorry & she said... its ok.... it just got a bit hotter today than it was supposed to. I have to say of all the things I thought I might see on the trail today.... that wasn't one of them ......... LOL ....

Ohhhhh and since I'm from Michigan ..... I'll say..... GO ...... MSU!

If all goes well...... maybe it will be WV vs MSU ......

Tonight I will root for MSU and WVU but Monday it will be all WVU

Goooooooooooooooo Mountaineeeeeeeeeeers Beat Duke...then MSU (edited) Butler

Good luck to you guys.

Well that didn't work out so good for either one of us.... Duke vs. Butler it is... I guess.... DOH!!!!

Yeah Duke just took us out behind the woodshed and gave us a royal beat down. WVU and MSU still had a great run. Final four is nothing to be ashamed of.

Football season has officially started as of today.:lol::lol:

did 30 miles yesterday, took a couple of pictures. Not a terribly interesting ride. Had one pickup truck honk as it passed. bastard.

17.75 miles (on the road bike) today on the Gainesville Hawthorne trail with my friends kid (who is also my friend .... LOL ). He did good again. He kind of ran out of gas at about mile 14 but finished up pretty good. Nice ride with TONS of people on the trail.

Rode longer and harder than usual on Friday. :beer: Rested yesterday (I'm 65) and rode today. Didn't have the energy to do the same distance as I did on Friday. :(
I hate getting older. :notamused: