| Fat Tire Fall Foliage Fun at Santos |
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| October 25, 2009 |
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It feels like a celebration.
Fall in Florida. It means it’s time to throw open the windows at night and let the cool air rush inside; time to bike and hike and get outside; time to marvel at the hues of autumn.
One of my favorite places to admire the fall foliage – and my favorite mountain biking destination to boot – is the Santos Trailhead, near Ocala. Limestone ledges, ferns and ivy, a carpet of pine needles and a forest that seems endless are just a few of the reasons you ought to pedal on over to it.
Not convinced? Here are even more reasons:
• If you can ride a bike, no matter what your age is, you can join in the fun at Santos.
• The trails are clearly color-coded according to difficulty, and range from tame to death-defying.
• Santos offers hiking and equestrian trails, too, but they are separate from the biking trails.
• Bathrooms and pavilions.
• A “skills area” with obstacles that include a series of dirt mounds, logs and a narrow wooden bridge perched a couple of feet off of the ground.
• More than 60 miles of trails.
• The “free ride area,” which offers a challenging series of dirt jumps and fearsome obstacles for skilled daredevils, is playground for cyclists where competitions are often held.
• You can rent equipment (or buy some hot new gear) at the Santos Trailhead Bike Shop – so if you couldn’t fit your bike in your suitcase, no worries.
• It doesn’t cost anything. However, you can (and should) leave a donation for the Ocala Mountain Bike Association, the good Samaritans who maintain the trails.
Looking for competition or organized rides? Check out the Gone Riding website. Here’s an article I wrote titled “Mountain Bike Mania” that has lots more information about Santos. |
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| You can rent a bike at the Santos Trailhead Bike Shop. |
| Credit: Lauren Tjaden, VISIT FLORIDA Beaches & Adventure Insider |
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