Biking in Florida

See this map in full size on the
Florida Greenways & Trails
Foundation website.

I’m writing this on the last day of January.  The sun has been up for less than an hour, although I have yet to see any hint of direct sunlight.  Clouds shroud the mountaintops to the south; all I can see is the valley floor and the bottom half of the mountains.

Where we live the temperature should hit the freezing mark by 3:00 PM for the high of the day.  (But there’s a layer of snow or frost on the road, so riding up here today is out of the question.)  50 miles to the south, Boise should reach a high of 38 degrees by 3:00 PM.  In the area we’re moving to later this year it should reach 68 degrees by 3:00 PM.  Guess where I’d rather be?

Most people get to hang their bikes up in the garage this time of year, or else they really have to bundle up before they go out and get in a short ride.  We’ve had a couple of rides this year, wearing several layers of clothing for warmth.  We survived and were grateful to be able to get out – but I’d much rather get out in the sunshine and shirtsleeve weather!  Of course this is the main reason we will move to Florida and live out the rest of our cycling lives there.

We’re excited about the opportunity to be able to ride just about every single day of the year.  Yes, the summers might be a wee bit miserable.  Perhaps that ‘s why some people go out early in the morning or late in the evening for their rides.  Then there are those who simply acclimate to the weather and humidity and just get out there no matter what. 

But back to lamenting about the lack of winter bike rides.  Wouldn’t it be nice to pack up your bike and get out of the snow-zone for a week or so for a little respite and to get reacquainted with your bike before the traditional spring thaw?  I’m excited about a couple of trails that are nearing completion in central Florida, and would recommend to anyone who enjoys recreational cycling or touring to bookmark these links and keep an eye on them.  One day they’ll be a “must do” destination getaway.

The Coast-To-Coast Connector is a project that should excite anyone who likes to bike from “Point A to Point B”.  The trail will link St. Petersburg on the gulf coast to Titusville (and then east to Cape Canaveral and the Atlantic Ocean).  There’s a 27 minute long video on the website that’s worth a watch when you’ve got some spare time.

The Heart of Florida Loop utilizes part of the C2C trail on the south as well as arcing up toward Ocala and Dunnellon to the north.  This would make a wonderful diversion (or extension of your trip) if you were riding round trip from St. Petersburg to the Atlantic and wanted some different scenery on the return leg.

Getting there will take a little planning, as you could fly into Tampa or Orlando, or take Amtrak to several locations near the C2C.  Of course, one could always drive there, although in the winter driving long distances is something most people hope to avoid!  If one flew into Tampa, it’s just a matter of getting over to the St. Pete side of the bay to connect with the Pinellas Trail, which will merge with the Coast-to-Coast Connector.  There’s either the Gandy Bridge (U.S. 92) or a “trail only” bridge north of Florida 60 (Courtney Campbell) that can get you over the bay.  I have no personal experience in this area, but it sounds from opinions posted on the Internet that getting to either of these options on your bike is not for the weak-of-heart!

As these trails reach completion I would expect people in the area to start thinking about how they can get trail users from the major transit centers to the trailheads.  As they would say in Field of Dreams, “If you build it, [they] will come.”  With the promise of the financial shot in the arm these trails will bring to the communities along the way, someone will figure out how to get you and your bike there.