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Old 10-19-05, 11:00 AM
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mollusk
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Edge City
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Bikes: 2009 Spooky (cracked frame), 2006 Curtlo, 2002 Lemond (current race bike) Zurich, 1987 Serotta Colorado, 1986 Cannondale for commuting, a 1984 Cannondale on loan to my son

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Originally Posted by will dehne
I have a question please: Assuming someone like me moves to that part of Florida,
what about summer? Say May through September. Is the heat such that one can bike in mid day or not? Forgive my ignorance. I made a summer vacation in Arkansas once. It was ridiculous from a heat standpoint. I cannot imagine biking in that heat.
What is your experience please?
Believe it or not you can acclimate to the heat and humidity in Florida, at least around Gainesville where I live. The one thing that you have going for you is how dependable it is. Every afternoon from June through September it will be in the low 90's F and humid with a chance of a thunderstorm. A heat wave will put the afternoon highs into the mid 90's. Upper 90's are unusual, but brutal with our humidity. May is much nicer in a normal year: Highs in the mid 80's and relatively dry.

Summer riding in the AM is the usual option as it normally will get down to the low 70's every night inland and the chance of rain is much lower. Also it helps to plan routes with a fair amount of shade.

The local rail trail (http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/guide...ille_hawth.htm) that I ride on is suitable for 20+mph training either solo or in a small group of two or three riders most of the time. I know it is OK for 20+mph training because that is what I do on it. Sometimes on weekend mornings there are too many trail users near the trailhead so it will slow you down some for a mile or two. The trail is 15 1/2 miles long and crosses three highways that you must slow way down for and occasionally come to a complete stop if there is traffic. One nice feature of this trail is that it leaves the old RR right-of-way for two miles and winds around and goes up and down some hills for a nice change of pace from the relatively straight and flat path that the old railroad took.

The more central part of the state that has been discussed earlier has some very nice cycling both on and off the rail trails. The riding between Clarmont and Ferndale is very nice if you like rolling hills. This ride would be a good introduction: http://www.floridafreewheelers.com/f...rrible2005.pdf
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