Yep.. the park ride is a very fun ride!! Be sure to actually ride back into the park, its another 2.5 to 3 miles of scenic almost no traffic roads. With picnic tables for a nice rest stop. They have never charged us to ride back into the park.... But you never know they could charge the 2 or 3 bucks whatever it is. We didn't do the park ride the other day, friend had to get back.

Looks like a nice place to ride. How many miles, what kind of roads and how much traffic?

There is a paved trail away from but along side the road up to Gold Head State Park. There are a few spots where you need to be careful of driveways and cars crossing the path to get to the road though. There is hardly any traffic in the park now that the lake has pretty much dried up.... Which is sad.. The ride around lake Brooklyn is nice, mostly local traffic and not really much of it. Nice hills all the way around the lake. The ride from the light in Keystone Heights up to Gold Head is about 6 miles. The ride into the park is about 2.5 to 3 miles (5 to 6 miles out and back). The Palatka Lake Butler trail is 19 miles of pavement now. (actually longer than the Gainesville Hawthorne trail)

About 50 miles of trail riding out and back.... Plus a bit more if you ride the park and do the loop around Lake Brooklyn.... Worth a trip if your looking for someplace new to ride for a day.

Took a different (less traveled) route out of my neighborhood and back at the end of my ride. Lots of folks out today. The weather was perfect.
Still several homeless people (I guess) hanging out all day in the big pavilion at the Hernando trailhead. I just don't feel comfortable stopping there other than to fill my water bottles and then keep going.
Rode to the north end of the trail and had a Hammer bar and some water. Then headed home.
Roda a total of 38.1 miles.

Great ride today - Spoonbills & Sprockets ride supporting the Friends of A1A. Rode from Marineland to Flagler Beach then inland for a while. Rode over two bridges and felt like I was back in hill county. I Highly recommend this ride if you are in NE Florida - next year. Lots of WIND today - 18 mph average headed south for 15 miles, 12.5 mph average headed back north. Several ride choices were available, but I opted for 32 miles because of the wind and a two hour drive back to Ocala. Hamburger/hot dogs and music afterwards. GOOD Day!!

I wanted to ride yesterday but we opted for the annual block party. We figured that since we're the new folks on the block it would be a good idea to go and meet our neighbors.
I headed out this morning even though the wind seemed kind of treacherous. Had a strong headwind while riding east along CR486 heading to the trail. Got to Hernando and headed north. Seemed like the wind kept changing directions. I had a tailwind part of the way when headed north. Then the wind was coming from the NE so I had a headwind.
Stopped at the top end and had a Hammer bar. Then headed south. Had a nice tailwind till I got to Holder. Then the wind changed again and it was coming from the east or SE.
When I headed west along CR486 it seemed the wind was coming from the south because when going down the big hill and doing 28+ mph I could feel the wind playing with my front wheel so I slowed down a little.
Rode a total of 35.8 miles.

Didn't feel like tackling the hills on CR486 today so drove to the Hernando trailhead. Rode south from there. For some unknown reason I didn't have much energy today so only rode to the Citrus/Hernando county line (it's painted across the trail). There's a nice bench there so I stopped and had a Hammer bar and water. Then headed north to Hernando and the car. Didn't break any speed records today.
Rode 38.7 miles.

It was a lovely day and the temperature was perfect so I headed out to ride the Withlacoochee. Headed north when I got to the Hernando trailhead. Stopped at the north end and had a Hammer bar. Then headed home.
Lots of riders out today as all the parking places were filled at the Hernando and Holder trailheads.
Rode a total of 35.8 miles and 690 feet of climbing thanks to the two "big" hills on CR486.

Sat.... Me and 4 friends went to Santos Mountain bike trails. We decided to park at the landbridge trail head and ride west. It was the first time I had ridden out west of the landbridge. Some pretty cool trails out that way.. Cool & more tough than some of the ones to the east. A bit more sand (but no too bad), LOTS of ups & downs. We did a bit over 25 miles ... And for the last 3 or so I was running out of gas and just wanted the ride to be over. Of course after the ride was over and we were having a late lunch at the trail head.... ALL WAS GOOD!! Great day of riding!!

Sunday.... Took a late afternoon/evening ride on the PLB trail. We started at the east end and rode west to the trail Christmas tree near Grandin to hang our ornaments. When we started the ride my legs kept saying..... "why are we riding, we are still tired from yesterday at Santos"..... I told the legs to shut up and pedal... We had a nice leisurely 18 mile ride (my legs quit complaining).

Great weekend with perfect weather..... Glad I got a chance to ride both days!!

The winds had calmed down a little today so headed out for a ride. Needed arm warmers, base layer undershirt and donned a vest for the first time this fall. Did my usual ride from home to the Hernando trailhead and headed north. Stopped at the north end for a Hammer bar and water. Then headed home. Rode 36 cool and breezy miles.

Sat..... I wen't on this thing in the woods.... Something without a bike... I think they called it a hike... LOL Soooo anyway.... Decided to ride the mountain bike In the woods today... Ended up riding about 12 miles solo in Etoniah Creek State Forest.... Then met up with a couple of friends at 4pm and did an 18 mile ride on the Palatka Lake Butler trail on the road bike... Was a nice weekend of hiking (new for me) and then riding on Sunday...

I was invited by a new dragon boat racing friend to ride with the Withlacoochee Bicycle Riders yesterday. We met at Wallace Brooks Park in Inverness and rode south to Nobleton and had breakfast/lunch at River Ratz cafe. Several motorcyclists were there when we arrived. I guess they were a little "intimidated" by a group of 20+ cyclists invading the place so they all left.
Seems I rode with the tortoises going south. Slow. Rode with the hares after we ate.
Rode 33 miles.

Yep.... We had a "Pre-Thanksgiving Ride & Picnic Sunday.... Windy chilly ride but lots of fun anyway. Had hot chocolate after the ride, which really hit the spot. Had some great food & great BS session with some great people!!

I decided to take the Litespeed out and tackle the winds yesterday. Turns out the wind was a bit more brisk than I had expected.
There are two decent hills heading east on CR486 toward Hernando. The wind was in my face so I decided to take it easy on the first climb. When I got to the second climb (sign says its a 6% grade) the wind had picked up a bit (I'm guessing 20+ mph) and before I got to the top I was out of gears so struggled to the rest of the way with the 39x23 combo. I managed to maintain ~6-7 mph.
Finally got to the Hernando trailhead and headed north. Not many riders out.
I ride home was much easier.
Rode 36 miles.

The old tires on the bike (Vittoria Rubino Pro Tech) were worn out so I put on new GP4000s. That's what I rode on in Atlanta but had to give up a few years ago after having so many flats riding thru the glass and trash in the roads. I don't have that problem now so went back to the GP4000. I was going to compare them to the Vittoria (ride's not as smooth) but with the wind an honest comparison was impossible. Maybe next time.

The weather was really nice today so I rode with the Withlacoochee Trail Riders. We rode from Inverness to the Front Porch restaurant in Dunnellon for breakfast/lunch and back. I learned a way from the trail to the restaurant without riding on US41.
Rode a total of 39.5 miles.

Did just over 15 miles XC mountain biking and then just over 15 miles paved path riding. So overall, a little over 30-miles for the day.

Rode yesterday with the Withlacoochee Trail Riders. We went south to River Ratz in Nobleton. Rode with a few fast recumbent rides and a fast road bike rider. Rode back to Hernando with the same road bike rider. He is 76 and was a little faster than me.
Rode 43.8 miles.

Rode with the WTR today -- sort of. The fast "hares" pulled away from me after a few miles. The slow "tortoises" were too slow so I mostly rode by myself. Got to the north end of the Withlacoochee Trail and turned around. Never did see any of the "tortoises" on my way south. Rode by myself for most of the ride. Did a whopping 33.3 miles.

I think I doing my own thing on my next ride.

finally got my backside off the sofa after enjoying a nice birthday week. Rode from the house to the Withlacoochee and headed north. Had a Hammer bar at the north end and rode home. No speed records. I could tell I haven't ridden in over a week.
Rode 35.7 miles.

I have been riding 2 or 3 times a week.... Just haven't been posting much

Going to try and get a ride in tomorrow on Christmas Day....

Merry Christmas to everybody!!!

Got out for a Christmas ride - just local, out to the "Davis Island Grand Prix" here in Tampa for two loops and back.

Yep.... Took the mountain bike to Etoniah Creek State forest and ended up with a bit over 20 miles. About 1.5 miles from the truck I had to give my front tire a shot of CO2 .. I think I ran over a cactus.. Slow leak made it back to the truck with not probs. A bit chilly in the woods in the shade with the wind.

GREAT ride.. Glad I went!!

Hey Y'all ! I have FINALLY got myself up, assembled the Mongoose Beast, yesterday, and for the first time since 10-05-2013 I rode a bike ! Now I am just waiting for the sun to come up and the caffeine to level to rise, lol. tom I think I will race this guy first.

Coooool looking bikes....

First ride after assembly ! I couldn't find any snow. tom