2-3 Day Loop Route in Florida?
02-05-21, 05:47 PM
#1
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2-3 Day Loop Route in Florida?
I did my first test ride here in Florida. I rode 45 miles on the Withlacoochee Trail, camped overnight and then rode back. I just wanted to get my feet wet and overall, it went really well. I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas for a 2-3 day loop route in Florida? I'd like to do around 50 miles a day, could be a little more.
02-07-21, 08:00 PM
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I have not found a good route for a short loop tour in Florida, but my daughter just moved to DeBary, just a bit NE of Orlando. There seems to be a number of nice trails up in the Orlando/ central Florida area. I haven't had the opportunity to investigate them appropriately. I'd be careful of riding on the central Florida roads though. There are a number of universities with crazy driving college kids and tourists that dangerously have no idea where they are going.
02-08-21, 07:58 AM
#3
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Last year I did a shortened 3 day ride not far from that. The first day was Arcadia to Aurburndale - the 53 miles from Arcadia to Bartow weren't much fun, but Bartow had the Fort. Franklin trail that was very nice and the last 7 miles into Auburndale wasn't scenic but pretty safe cycling.
The second day, Auburndale to Mt. Dora was a real gem - the 80 mile day started with 35 miles on the Van Fleet trail, fantastic. The rest of the miles were all fun riding, low traffic roads, some great places to stop for lunch, etc.
So, from Bartow to Mt. Dora was about 100 miles, you could probably figure out a 2 day ride or 3 day roundtrip.
The rest of trip up to Jacksonville got disrupted by weather but didn't look like it was going to all that much fun - but I was taking Amtrak back to DC from Jacksonville.
You can see my route and some pictures on Cycleblaze here.
The second day, Auburndale to Mt. Dora was a real gem - the 80 mile day started with 35 miles on the Van Fleet trail, fantastic. The rest of the miles were all fun riding, low traffic roads, some great places to stop for lunch, etc.
So, from Bartow to Mt. Dora was about 100 miles, you could probably figure out a 2 day ride or 3 day roundtrip.
The rest of trip up to Jacksonville got disrupted by weather but didn't look like it was going to all that much fun - but I was taking Amtrak back to DC from Jacksonville.
You can see my route and some pictures on Cycleblaze here.
02-19-21, 04:35 PM
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There are a couple of nicely spaced Start parks around the Suwannee River (check to see that they are open). Fanning Springs for one is a good place to start. I've done a 5 day trip from Micanopy north and counterclockwise to White Springs, Steven Foster, Lafayette Blue. Pretty quiet roads and some rail-trails.
