CrimsonEclipse

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Tom Stormcrowe

Trailer: Definitely, I'd recommend the BOB trailer.

As to tires, look at the Geax Evolution if you are looking at a 26" wheel bike. They are tough as nails and roll nicely on multiple surfaces! They are 1.9 wide, but you can air them down some for soft terrain. They have a raised center rib for pavement and a block tread for gravel and hard pack or grass.
They are also kevlar cored!

aAs to any thing else: Have fun and watch out for gators!

Marylandnewbie

I'd second the railer idea. TW Bents was selling a clone of the BOB trailer for a good bit less than BOB and ours has worked well.

You're on the right track with wider tires and go with whatever will fit your frame. I would feel naked riding without a helmet, but given the relatively smooth car free route you will be riding you might be safe enough without a helmet. Its really a personal risk choice. I would think a Thudbuster might be the cheapest, easiest way to add suspension although you might not need it. I don't know if the seatpost does a whole lot for the vibrating ride ground coral would provide. You certainly shouldn't need a full suspension bike. That being said, a little practice riding the levies will tell you a lot about what you feel and how bad it is.

Do watch out for gators and make sure you get good info on their feeding habits and such before venturing down to the water for refill you containers. I'd hate to hear you became a gator snack while venturing out at night! Good luck and have fun.

frankieN

CrimsonEclipse: I live in Ft. Lauderdale and was actually thinking of riding up to South Bay, getting a cheap hotel, and riding back the next day. When were you thinking of going and what route were you planning to take to get to Lake Okechobee?

NoReg

I would recomend against the trailer. I would base the decision on whether the trail is like singletrack, lots of technical ups and downs, in which case the trailer can be good; or, whether it is nasty rough, say flat with a washboard like surface, a bone shacker. If it's the latter fewer wheels with fatter tires are better, they are also better than suspension, which is better for soaking up big moves than lots of nasty roughness. The dream vehicle might be a Surly Big Dummy with Large Marge tires, but that's a spendy ride, even when it's becomes available.

Helmets are almost always better to fall on, but I don't wear them, they are largely a marketing gimmick we have been cowed into accepting, if it isn't a serious full face one like the downhillers ride, it's just a cash grab. If you're John Wayne enough not to wear one in your familly car, then you're not in any greater danger, or need on your bike. While touring I remember passing this school when it came out. Kids were running past me in order to catch their rides. Some of them were taller than me on my drops. I didn't notice them wearing helmets, playing in the traffic, sprinting past me.

Niles H.

For rough trails, you can achieve a much better ride by using the largest, lowest pressure tires you can find. It makes a tremendous difference.

(You do need to maintain enough pressure to avoid bottoming out; but some of the larger tires will allow much less pressure than other tires, and are far more comfortable.)

NoReg

Here is a photo of a Pugsley Big Dummy cross. This will smooth out just about anything.

https://www.surlybikes.com/blogimages/3_2_ride_lg.jpg

Have you seen the Pugsley canning stock route photo fest?

https://wildworks.co.nz/csr/route.php