FL Part 4: Sarasota to Panama City (The Nice Part of FL)

North-central FL, the northwest coast, and the panhandle are a completely different world from the east and SW coasts. Somehow these areas have been spared relentless development, even along the beaches, and beautiful natural areas dominate the landscape. The ride north of Tampa and west along the gulf coast were a much welcomed change in scenery.

My cousins from NY recently moved to the boondocks in Dade City, so rather than continue up the coast from Sarasota I rode inland.  Once I got north of Tampa a wonderful thing happened: I looked up and saw countryside, and a hill that wasn't part of a bridge.  Horses, cows,  pasture, and orange groves were everywhere.   I saw share the road bike signs and even crossed paths with a group of cyclists.  After a 90+ mile day, I got a hearty meal of soup, a ping pong tournament and a comfy bed.  I am so glad they gave me a reason to ride to that part of FL.

Riding north the next morning two cyclists, Vinny and Jim, rode with me for a bit and took me out to breakfast.  One of them founded the San Antonio FL bike shop.  The area is apparently a cycling destination in FL.  There is even a nice country bike path, which I followed north through Floral City, home to a recumbent specialist bike shop.  I camped at Ft. Cooper State Park just off the path.  More nice country riding to Gainesville and along the way I stopped at Rainbow Springs State Park for a swim.  What a good decision!  The clearest water I have ever seen (120' of visibility I was told) and 72 degrees year round.  I would take this over the beach any day.

Rainbow Springs swimming area

Florida Part 3: SW FL

The Key West Express ferry arrived in Ft Myers Beach after 10PM.  My bike wasn't off the boat until around 11PM. I didn't feel like riding 20-30 miles to the homes of the the people I met on the boat, and I suspected they wouldn't want to stay up until after 1AM getting me settled.  So at 11PM, hungry, and with a seat soaked in saltwater I rode to a nature preserve a couple miles away that I had scoped out ahead of time. Along the way I saw an open hotel office so I stopped and asked how much a room would cost.  $60.  I decided I wasn't that desperate.  The weather was windy, but dry and not too cold.  The woman at desk said they were open all night if I wanted to come back.

Florida Part 2: The Keys

I read on the FL Bicycle Association website there are 3 ways to get to the Keys.  First is route 1 straight to Key West, second is Card Sound Rd.  to Rte 1 in Key Largo, and third is to take your bike on the bus.  Route 1 has a shoulder but very heavy fast moving traffic.  Card Sound Rd. is low traffic, no shoulder, but longer and supposedly crawling with crocodiles.  The article warned crocodiles can move at 30 mph and cyclists should be ready to sprint for their lives.  I only saw one crocodile, and 3 manatees, in the mangrove river along the road.  None of them chased me.

Card Sound from Card Sound Rd. 

FLorida Part 1: Daytona Beach to Miami

FL is a big and diverse state. I am still in FL, writing from Tallahassee, and have done over 1,200 miles of riding here. I haven't been keeping the blog updated, but that was for the best now that I have a more complete picture of FL. Before I got north of Tampa I was sure FL was a giant over developed over landscaped beach town with too many Publix grocery stores.  That turns out not to be the case.  The east coast beach towns,  the southwest beach towns, the greater Miami area mostly fit that description, but the Keys, and especially north FL are much different. First, the east coast beach towns and Miami.

Charleston, SC to Daytona Beach, FL: Asking for Help

After 3 nights in Charleston I left with fresh legs and a hangover.  A couple UConn friends were at a wedding in town so I met them at a bar downtown, The Blind Tiger, for the post wedding reception party. Riding out of Charleston was not as pleasant as coming in, with high traffic, no shoulder, and a hangover. There was a bike path for a few miles, but it eventually turned to dirt so most of the riding was on highway 17.  The only highlight on that stretch of 17 was finding another flag.  This one was orange so I added it to my bike figuring it only makes me more visible.

I didn't know whose flag I was flying until I stopped to speak with an eight grader named Corbin on a back road in Adams Run SC.  He saw the flag  and asked if I was a Clemson fan.  Apparently there is a big rivalry between USC and Clemson, and according to Corbin most people liked USC in that area.