Quote:
Originally Posted by Gillingham
good read Hank cheers for sharing, impressive distances you were managing each day especially whilst drinking. Any more rides planned?
Thanks Gillingham, most of the impressive mileage days were done under the influence of spliffs only not booze which when consumed improperly really sap one's strength. It probably took the better part of two days to feel really fit after my last drink in North Fort Myers.
Certainly more rides planned, in the short term I'll have about a 10 days off work in mid March and potentially from June to August I'll have another block of time with which to explore the Earth on my bicycle.
I'd like to attempt a shorter 3 night tour sometime before summer where I go for a personal best in total mileage somewhere between 150 mi-200 mi then take two days to ride back. There are quite a few wilderness areas within that distance here in North Fl and South GA many long sections of unpaved roads which make for great cycling if the conditions are right.
Ultimately if time and finances permit a cycle around the planet would be my number one bike tour but I have lot's of things to work out before them not only with my bike and kit but brain.
After leaving North Fort Myers I made it to the amazingly beautiful and historically fascinating Payne's Creek State Campground arriving well after 10 PM that should have been around a 75 mile day. The camp gates were locked requiring me to unload my bike and pass the bags and bike over the fencing, then I proceeded to get lost on the trails which wind around Peace River and Payne's creek until I decided to just camp on the edge of the park near a service road so I could get out early in the morning before Ranger Bob hit me up for the plethora of violations committed.
Payne's creek was the site of a Seminole Indian attack on a trading post operated by two US sutlers, the men were killed and their store looted and burned down.
In response to this the Army constructed Fort Chokonikla (burnt store) but it's location next to a swamp resulted in many dying of malaria. The fort was closed less than 9 months after opening.
misty morning ride into Bowling Green FL just north of Payne's creek.
Downtown Bowling Green, second structure was an abandoned Inn/Hotel
Ride to Fort Meade
Peace River citrus plant in Bartow, would have been nice to take some more photos inside the fence, think this is where many people's OJ starts getting processed.
The Fort Fraser trail was awesome, it ran from Bartow to Lakeland and contained lot's of inspirational messages on utility poles along the way.
Riding into Lakeland I felt rather drained, then suddenly when the traffic starting picking up and the stoplights got more frequent the riding conditions and maybe music gave me a crazy burst of energy that saw me tear through the town at what must have been a 15-17mph average over 10 miles.
Passing cars and keeping up with traffic is part of it, also there is so much more visual stimulation in some ways with all the shops, people turning into and off of the road that your brain starts pumping out adreneline kind of nice actually.
Riding out of Lakeland on Highway 98 was pretty dreadful, long straightaways with heavy truck traffic in both directions so I looked at Google Maps and they suggested a bicycling alternate that added a few miles but reconnected with 98 after 10-12 miles going north on SR 471 then west on the "Florida Trail".
Once again crossing the very fun to pronounce Withlacootche River near Colt Creek St Park.
The Florida trail is primarily a hiking and equestrian trail but you can ride bicycles on certain parts, I was enamored going from the drudgery of highway 98 to unspoiled wilderness complete with a pack of 4 deer who bounded away from me in the first half hour.
After a few miles I dead ended into the swampy banks of the Withlacootche which besides being impassable/unfordable had nothing but wilderness on it's opposite bank.
If I continued any further on the trail it lead me to this locked gate dotted with no tresspassing signage.
So I was faced with the dilemma of backtracking a few miles along scenic but slow and bumpy terrain or lugging my gear over this fence and risking discovery by property owners, it seemed based on looking at the google map that this trail/road would lead back to 98 in less than two miles so I went for it.
After a few hundred yards I came upon an expansive pasture at the opposite side were several parked cars and trucks, luckily the road I was on fronted their fence line so I booked it through before arriving at a very impressive homemade bridge spanning the Withlacootche.
Last leg of road leading to highway 98
I was quite relieved when upon arriving at the locked gate just before 98, heart was pounding as I hefted the bags over the fence and just as I lifted the bike over it a car came speeding of 98 into said driveway. The woman was initial quite agitated and informed me that I had just traversed a hunting ranch full of well armed visitors but calmed down when I explained my circumstances.
The ride to Dade city was uneventful but pretty going through more cattle ranches, I tried to take an alternate again using old Lakeland Highway but it had no shoulder and carried heavy traffic so I shot back over to 98 on this pretty dirt road.
After riding through Dade City I had a nice big meal around 7pm when it started to rain lightly at which point I gunned it for the Withlacootche Trail where I would set up camp under the pavilion at Croome near Highway 50 and that pretty much completes the missing gaps of my bicycle tour.
Bicycle touring to me is an ideal way to really explore the world I'm not a good enough writer to really elaborate on why but it has something to do with the pace and tranquility that allows you to cover reasonable distances but is flexible enough for you to stop and explore the little details of your surroundings. The physicality of riding a fully loaded bicycle for 8-12 hours day after day and logistical challenges of finding campsites, provisioning, navigating are challenging aspects I enjoy. Being able to eat just about whatever you want with little increase in waistline is great too.
The Florida trail seemed like a step back in time, riding my bike along wagon trail where I didn't see a single soul until the lady who discovered me hoping her fence. It makes a strong case for making the great divide trail my next tour which spans the Rocky Mountains from Canada to Mexico primarily along paths free of motor vehichles which traverses unspoiled wilderness.
Until next time,
Hank
Last edited by HankTheBank; 01-12-2017 at 01:11 AM.