| Through the years, I’ve owned more exercise bikes than most sane people, not to mention treadmills, steppers and other contraptions that ended up as expensive clothes hangers. And then I came to my senses: Why exercise inside when the beautiful, sunny climate of Florida is just outside the garage or spare room?
Our state, I soon gleefully discovered, is blessed with a bicycle-friendly infrastructure. Mountain biking, recreational riding and racing can all be enjoyed in the Sunshine State’s 67 counties in some measure or another, including paved and off-road biking beckoning pedaling pleasure.
Florida’s bike trails meander through towns, state and county parks, wilderness and even over the bridges connecting the Florida Keys. Leisurely rides through these areas offer glimpses of wildlife, historic rivers, pre-Civil War forts and bubbling natural springs.
For example, take Pinellas County ’s 43-mile Pinellas Trail. It stretches from Tarpon Springs – famous for its sponges and Greek food – to St. Petersburg. The trail links some of the area’s most picturesque parks, towns and scenic coastal areas. Eight overpasses allow trail-goers to travel above traffic at busy roadways. At Curlew Road, a three-mile spur runs west along the beaches of the Dunedin Causeway to Honeymoon Island State Park. A ferry service takes you to Caladesi Island State Park, one of the prettiest beaches on Florida's Gulf Coast.
Florida ’s Office of Greenways & Trails manages several bike trails throughout Florida, including the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, Nature Coast State Trail, Withlacoochee State Trail and the Florida Keys Historic Trail.
The Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail circles Lake Okeechobee, the second-largest freshwater lake in the United States. The trail takes you atop the Herbert Hoover Dike, built in the 1930s.
The Nature Coast State Trail provides a great chance to experience Florida off the beaten path. The trail consists of two primary alignments built along former rail lines that connect Cross City, Trenton, Fanning Springs and Chiefland. A historic train trestle carries the trail across the Suwannee River near Old Town. Trail users can cool off in the oh-so-refreshing Fanning Springs State Park.
The Withlacoochee State Trail is presently the longest paved rail trail in the state at 46 miles. The trail corridor runs through small towns, ranches, the Withlacoochee State Forest and close to the Withlacoochee River.
The Florida Keys Historic Trail follows Henry Flagler’s Florida Overseas Railway, which was built to connect the Keys in 1912. The paved path runs through a variety of small Keys communities with frequent views of the Atlantic Ocean and Florida Bay on either side.
Bicycling at Shark Valley in the Everglades National Park is a great way to experience the quiet beauty of the Florida Everglades. Along the trail cyclists can see alligators, herons, egrets, deer and many other species. An observation tower at the half-way point provides a panoramic view of the Everglades. It’s a long ride but worth it.
So my fellow outdoors enthusiasts, forsake that treadmill, strap on a helmet, fill your water bottle and get up close and personal like no other mode of transportation can take you – by biking it. |
