Finished the florida tour last night and was thinking of a Key West tour whenever time was available (this can be weeks or months away who knows)...

Not really planned but a good ride would be from Miami to the most western point (the end) which happens to be a state park...

Anyone ever ride down there before? How is it?

-Mike

Looks something like so:

Mike

I'm ready for another Fl tour and the Keys sound like an excellent destination.Now if we can just get some of these lazy Fl. riders off their airconditioned couches.Seriously I am guessing this would probably be a fairly leasurely tour and an excellent opportunity for any first time tourers looking to get started as the last Fl. tour was for all of us. Carl

Mike In searching the internet on biking the Keys it is thought of as a realitively safe ride with wide shoulders and scenic views.There have been some complaints about debris primarily coral littering the shoulders at times.Most of these comments were from some years ago so I don't know if still a problem.Some mention to watch for swinging rear doors etc. on campers/RV's passing by.Bikers and hikers whose journals I have read seem to have no problem finding camping spots and there appears to be a multitude of poach,RV and state park sites. There are also plenty of cheap motels and there are also hostels in Fl. City and Key West.The Fl. City hostel sponsers canoe trips .Anyone else have any direct experience to add to this? Carl

Mike....I'm up for the Keys. I'm doing South Carolina next week. Have ZERO scheduled after that.
I've never been down that way. Would be interesting.

beowoulfe Welcome. As Mike hasn't posted in a few days I thought I would reply to your message.Sounds like we may have a tour forming. How does trying to plan a Keys trip 4th of July weekend sound to you.I thought this may be attractive due to the long weekend opportunity however traffic would probably be heavy and others may already have plans.The June rains should be tapering down and hurricane season will probably not have started in earnest.What are your thoughts I am actually fairly flexible but eager to do another tour. Any other Floridians interested? Carl

Carl, I won't be able to make it the 4th weekend. I will be in South Carolina on a tour.
I will follow the thread if another date comes up for you. Thanks.

beowoulfe I am fairly flexible in that most any weekend would work with a day or two extra off.Why don't you suggest a time period convienient for you and maybe we can go from there. Carl

After the 4th, I am entirely flexible. I don't have anything on the calendar until mid October.

Looks like we got something in the works here. Lets make it happen.

--Oceanrider, you down for this one?

Hey Mike Just got back from a ride out to the Everglades on 27.I stopped at a boat launch,campground place just west of 27 and Griffin and I found out about a series of double track dirt roads mostly along levies leading out from there back into the Everglades on Water Conservaton Dept lands(no motorized vehicles allowed ).One was a 15 mi. loop and another apparently heads farther down your way to Krome Ave. I rode a few miles back and the views and wildlife were spectacular even though a mtn bike would probably be more suited to the terrain.Anyway it got me psyched for another trip.What is your schedule like?If no one is ready for a Keys trip this coming weekend I might just head north on 27 to Lake O. and who knows where from there. By the way have you heard from Dave .I hope an Alaskian Grizzly didn't make a meal out of him. Carl

Thanks for the invite but I'm skipping this go around. I'm preparing for a vacation trip to San Francisco next month and I need all my bucks. It sounds like a nice trip though.

The weather lately down here in miami is so crappy that this tour would have to wiped off the list completely until we can at least get one week without showers everyday.

Im thinking oceanrider may be right for touring in fall...once fall hits rain wont be an issue...pain in the ass is when your trying to poach camp all wet and nasty.

aww man, now you're talkin'. I'm getting my new bike in October. Looking for something that will get me there loaded but good for zipping around too. Now ladies, am I the ONLY woman on the forums in this area who wants to do local tours? Geesh. Oh yeah, you'd be glad to know I'm giving up on waiting for sunshine or anything remotely like it and have now taken up rain riding. Let's see now... I got over my fear of bridges, Federal Highway and now I'm toughening up with rain rides. Yep, should be ready by fall.

Just be sure to wear nylon(preferably coolmax or similar)clothing and shoes and socks.Don't bother trying to stay dry this way you will dry right off after the rain stops.In Fl a light to moderate rain is actually a relief from the heat but a heavy rain can be dangerous due to visibility.Sound like you fall tourers are determined to encounter a hurricane LOL.

I occassionally run into women riders, but i dont know - its more like a hobby for them, the cruising that is. Ask them "hey wanna go on a 500 mile bike tour" and "what are you smoking?" is usually their response...

ive thought of posting stuff around town to get riders...maybe a bike club type thing...

-ocean; you're telling me you dont know any chicks that ride bike?

Anyone up for a Keys Tour one of the next two weekends? I was thinking of a three day tour starting in Florida City and taking a Friday off.I have now done a tour early June and early July so wanted to keep the streak going in early August.

Nope. Not a single one. Sad but true.

I'm trying to remedy that. I'm in the process of posting ads in select places. Of course, on the net too. Not one response yet. Not even the occasional nut case. Maybe I should resort to posting on the bathroom door? For a good time on a Florida Road, call Kathy??

oceanrider How is the recoperation going?Are you going to be ready for the hurricane tour this fall?

Ah you haven't been keeping up with my ad nauseum whining on my knee surgery woes thread? Can't say I blame you Not limping anymore but today it's sorer than it's been. Last night I tripped over a "plop" in the road when I was chasing after my cat whose name is Pita which stands for Pain In The Ass. She thinks she's a dog and chases me on my bike. Sometimes she gets downright suicidal and jumps in front.

Been on the bike for short easy mile rides of 15 minutes with no problems. This week I'll work my way up to 30 if everything goes ok. Will I be ready for a fall tour? I don't see why not. I'm not sure which bike I'll take. I should have a new Fuji Finest WSD. Or I may choose to take my Trek Navigator and make it more road worthy although there's not much more I can do for it except throw on some MTB road slicks. I've already changed out the saddle for something more functional. I'm wondering if I can put some type of aero bars on it.

I would personally prefer a road bike over a hybrid due to the multiple hand positions which is important on a long trip.Shawn seemed to like his aero bars and at the end of the first day on our first trip he went flying by us using them(of course he had been dragging ass resting up all day too).So you plan on getting a Fuji.I like mine but it has been acting up lately however I think it may just be the tires.Don't forget to work on strengthening especially your knees as touring can definately put a strain on your knees as well as the rest of you.

So I can't tempt anyone with gentle ocean breezes,remote bay backcountry and endless Marguitas.LOL actually it was hotter than Hades on my bike ride yesterday over to Sawgrass Mills which always is a hot ride. Must be all the pavement ,traffic and distance from ocean.I actually was intended to get a camelback I had been eying on sale fior a few months but when I got there it was back to regular price.And the other neat outdoor store there sort of a REI clone had closed up for good.

Now that we have a larger Florida complement, what'dya say we begin discussing our proposed fall tour? I've been looking at a Florida trails book and it really looks like the prettiest rides are in the big bend area i.e., Ocala and parts north and west into Gainesville and the panhandle. If we do an early November shot, we should be able to take advantage of some fall color using the Florida Trail as our route. The camping should be nice. Cool temps and no mosquitoes. There are gorgeous trails in the preserves and forests but they would require mountain bikes. Ten days looks like a good amount of time to accomplish something like that with ease but not everyone has 10 days available.

Anyone have any thoughts to throw in? Also any female riders out there interested? So far there's only one. ME!!! Why?

I didn't realize you could ride a bike on the Fl Trail?Rt.27 is the road route through that area that most cyclists mention.On our first Fl tour when we crossed 27 on 70 I was tempted to head up 27 extending the trip a few days as we were ahead of schedule on our trip .While I decided not to I would definately like to get back that way.I would not be up for off road biking but would be interested in a backpacking trip as an alternative(or combined w/ cycling) if interested along the Fl Trail(maybe Ocala Natl Forest)or preferably Western N.C. where you could through some elevation into the equation.

That's great you guys are talking about organizing a nice ride through FL. I hope it comes together. If I wasn't having so much fun on this tour, I'd be looking forward to joining you!

I see there are a few more S. FL Bike forumers.

Dave