The Land Bridge Trail Ride

I needed a change of pace. My mountain bike was feeling neglected from all the asphalt touring as of late. It was to my good fortune that I was invited by my good friend Mike to join him and his buddy on a leisurely trail ride from the local land bridge trailhead. For those of you who do not know, The Land Bridge is located in Ocala, Florida and was constructed in 2000. It was built with the intention to be a safe alternative route for people and wildlife to cross over interstate 75. Personally,I find that the trail keeps me immersed in my ride. I am grateful that people cared enough to put forth the effort to build such a wonderful addition in our community.

The idea was to construct a path to wondering animals from one side on the interstate to the other while keeping the façade of the native environment.

Indigenous trees and plants line the trail and the walls are covered in rock as an added natural element. The bridge is enjoyed by hikers, bikers, animals and equestrians.

We started out by letting curiosity lead us and lead us it did, right to an equestrian trail. The trail was definitely not intended for bikers. The sand was so deep it sucked my tires in past the rim. It was only the belief that this trail was leading us back to our intended bike trail that kept us going.

After peddling several hundred yards through this humbling gauntlet of sugar sand we made it back to the main trail. From there we rode through several different changes of scenery. We peddled through Oak Hammocks, Pine Flatwoods and scrub. The trail surface changed from sandy to gravel, frequently and without notice.

It was a good trip and I enjoyed ending my week at work by starting the weekend as preferred, peddling through God’s gracious Greenway. Tomorrow Buddy and I are off to explore some trails through the villages again as we continue our training for big trip on the L.O.S.T trail in August.

Villages Road Trip

Today we were in the mood for a change in scenery. Buddy wanted to take off from his front porch and see what we could see so I thought it was a good idea and joined him on this 30 mile local road trip. We started out riding a few miles down the street just to get to our destination, The Villages. We left early (around 7:45) so traffic heading out was minimal.

The villages sounded like a decent place to ride since we needed practice riding with road traffic. The idea was that dodging golf carts would be a good place to start instead of dodging cars. It was also assumed that drivers who travel the roads around the villages would be used to looking out for recreational riders as well as golf cart enthusiasts. :-)

Once we were actually riding in the villages the paths became groomed and landscaped. This made for some scenic vistas and great backdrops to our ride as we peddled along. When we finally made it into the villages Buddy and I were welcomed with some really nice paved golf car trails which led all over the town. One of the coolest features were all the built in tunnels used to accommodate the golfers and village residents.

We kept riding all the way through until we reached Wildwood. At that point we turned North-ish and headed home. All in all the trip was nice and enjoyable. I especially prefer riding a loop since the scenery changes.

Croom Tract

We rode a 40 mile trip today on the Withlacoochee into the Croom tract Wildlife management area. The weather was cool in the beginning but then it became nice and warm as the day progressed. We had a strange thing happen today as a squirrel ran full speed right into Buddy’s front tire as we cruised along at about 13 MPH. He nailed it pretty hard but then turned tail and scurried back into the woods, no doubt scared but hopefully unhurt. We made it a point to eat right, stay hydrated and we made sure we stopped briefly to replenish our glycogen levels with some sports gels.

After the 3 hour ride we left feeling good and it was obvious we hit a great balance between our workout and our energy levels. Buddy and I are thinking that we need a break from this trail so next week we are planning on going back to the Hawthorne trail in Gainesville.

Starting next week I plan on taking you with me out on the Santos Mountain bike trails with the Santos Bike Shop. It should be a good time and will get me off the pavement and back in the woods where I really belong on this bike.

Using a GPS Device on Your Bike Ride

I find using a GPS device to track my bike trip is not only enjoyable but a great addition to the experience of riding with my friends. For me, the main benefit of using GPS is realized after the trip has ended and I have a nice visual record of my accomplishment. I recommend keeping a logbook (or blog) so you can save the maps and statistics of your rides. It’s nice to revisit certain adventures and share your memories with others. Using a GPS may sound intimidating or costly to some people but it doesn’t have to be.


Adapting GPS technology to your bike journey can be easy and inexpensive, especially if you have a Smartphone such as the Droid X or the iPhone. There are several options for tracking your trip using GPS. You can buy specialized gear such as a GPS wristwatch or bike mounted unit. Also, you can use applications that are available if you already own one of the fore mentioned Smartphone devices. I have used 2 different applications on my Smartphone to track my progress via GPS and both programs gave valuable information such as distance, time, elevation and even calories burned. The advantage of using an application for your phone is that most entry level apps are free to try or use. The free applications usually come with basic features for tracking speed, distance, and elevation. If you are interested in a workout log as well, there are some free apps that will record all the basic mapping features and keep track of pace and calories burned.

Benefits and concerns of using GPS
It’s always a good idea to have your bike journey planned out beforehand. Never depend on a GPS blindly to take care of your trip. You should have an idea of where you are and where you are going, especially if it is your first time in a new area. Adding the element of GPS is a great way to enhance your tour but it should never replace using common sense or being prepared and responsible. There are several benefits to using a GPS on your cycling trip; for example, safety. If you or someone in your group were to have an accident, you can get help quicker to your exact location. A GPS device can also enhance the recreational factor of your ride. On a day trip you can use your GPS to spontaneously locate places close by to visit for restrooms, food or points of interest. If you are off a paved trail or in an unfamiliar area, your GPS can help you find your trail back to where your trip began reducing the frustration of getting lost. Another possibility is participation and interaction. As applications get more advanced, we are seeing opportunities to have your trip data automatically uploaded so that friends and family can watch your ride as it unfolds.

I highly recommend using GPS during your rides. I think once you use it you will always like having the information at your fingertips.

Biking the Withlacoochee Trail South

Today we decided to take the trail South. Our intent was to get 32 miles in but Buddy had a personal emergency come up so we turned around at the 14 mile mark

We came across a ride for a recumbent bike group. The bikes were outfitted for distance, some of them had rain and windshields as well as luggage compartments and headrests. They looked like something my dad would enjoy riding.

Further down the trail we came across what looks like an old cracker building. This was a good place for me to try out my Jelly Belly Sports Beans!

They were good!

All in all this was a great scenic ride. Our plans are to do 40 miles next week in preperation for our sceduled 110 mile ride around lake Okeechobee this summer.