[bobthib]

I guess there is still time to reconsider, but....

September 4 · 6:30am - 1:00pm
Location John Stretch Park

Most of the route is on the levees which are super smooth paved asphalt about 10 feet wide with no traffic allowed, what a relief to ride with no cars.

The path looks like this (click the link for an overview)

https://www.tlausser.com/LakeOkechobee/LakeOkeechobee_2008_03.htm

Here are some other pix:

and this

and this

and this

and this

There are a couple of good climbs (for FLA) with a few bridges especially the one over the St Lucie canal, it comes at about 90 miles and hurts, take a look

and this in Moore Haven

We will drive and meet at John Stretch Park which a nice little park with bathrooms and a nice parking lot and is situated right on the levees edge, the park is about 5 miles west past South Bay on US27 on the north side of the road.

The ride will leave at 6.30am, we cannot leave any earlier as it will be pitch dark and there are no lights out there at all, it is about an hour and a half drive north of my home and about an hour drive from Palm Beach.

This is not an organized ride as there is no SAG. It is being set up by a local enthusiast who has done this ride the last 6 years.

It will be hot and humid (90 and 90) and then there is always the possiblity of a freak storm, but not so much early. I think it will be a real test!

 

[been200mph]

Looks like fun. Just watch out for these:

I competed during the 5-day race at West Palm back in November '91. Had gators in the canals around the drag strip, lol. Not to mention the coral snake I saw at the end of the track after my first pass. Yikes! I actually skipped the final day to sleep in and then ventured over past the lake and Sebring to race one night at Bradenton before heading back to Iowa.

 

[CActuskid]

you call that bridge a hill?

 

[bismo37]

I'm originally from Florida. Looks like a really hot ride! Wear lotsa sunscreen! There ain't a dang tree out there.

The mosquitos and biting flies will make sure you don't fall off pace or take too many rest stops.

"A tabanid fly (such as a deer or horse fly) has been clocked at 90 miles per hour (145 km/h)," says Rudy Scheibner, entomologist emeritus at the University of Kentucky in Lexington.

Pedal fast and have a great ride!

 

[bobthib]

you call that bridge a hill?

CActus, just to be clear, I didn't call it a hill. The guy who is organizing the ride did when he wrote that piece for FB. :lol: But then it's all relative. Have a look at the elevation profile.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31573

I'm planning to do the Horrible Hundred in November in central Fla. 6k of climb. Not much opportunity to train for that around here.

As for the other "Obstacles," there is always the "logs" in the road.

Some signs just beg to be ignored.

 

[petalpower]

CActus, just to be clear, I didn't call it a hill. The guy who is organizing the ride did when he wrote that piece for FB. :lol: But then it's all relative. Have a look at the elevation profile.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31573

I'm planning to do the Horrible Hundred in November in central Fla. 6k of climb. Not much opportunity to train for that around here.

As for the other "Obstacles," there is always the "logs" in the road.

Some signs just beg to be ignored.

Where do they find 6K of climbing in FL? Is that like over 400 miles or something?

I lived in FL for 15 years, and couldn't see myself riding a bike in any of them.

Good luck on your rides.:thumbsup:

 

[FatTireFred]

you call that bridge a hill?

it is for down there... but, a "good climb"? prob not.

 

[bobthib]

Where do they find 6K of climbing in FL? Is that like over 400 miles or something?

I lived in FL for 15 years, and couldn't see myself riding a bike in any of them.

Good luck on your rides.:thumbsup:

I stand corrected. It is only 4k of climb. At least that's what it was in 2009. Here's the route.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/15379

 

[xbox390]

I've done that several times with my scout troop but not all in one day. The part between port myaka and pahokee is under construction so I would call south florida water management in Clewiston to make sure you can get around that section. Also, it is bumpier than hell between clewiston and lakeport as that portion I do not believe is paved unless they have paved it in the last year. But the times that I did the trips were the funnest (is that a word?) scout trips that I went on. I saw the picture of the gator a few posts up and I don't think that was from the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. It's way smaller than the ones we saw on the trail. You may see a few 15-18 footers between Okeechobee and port myakka in the canal between the dike and the road. Also, I have only done this trip on a mountain bike due to unpaved areas. If you could have a road bike for paved and mountain bike for unpaved that would be ideal.

Edit: You need to call the Army Corps of Engineers in Clewiston, not South FLorida Water Management. (863) 983-8101

 

[cdhbrad]

Horrible Hundred is a great ride. However, I couldn't see myself riding around Lake O. You'd better hope its not windy that day.....no place to hide up on that levy.

 

[bobthib]

I've done that several times with my scout troop but not all in one day. The part between port myaka and pahokee is under construction so I would call south florida water management in Clewiston to make sure you can get around that section. Also, it is bumpier than hell between clewiston and lakeport as that portion I do not believe is paved unless they have paved it in the last year. But the times that I did the trips were the funnest (is that a word?) scout trips that I went on. I saw the picture of the gator a few posts up and I don't think that was from the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. It's way smaller than the ones we saw on the trail. You may see a few 15-18 footers between Okeechobee and port myakka in the canal between the dike and the road. Also, I have only done this trip on a mountain bike due to unpaved areas. If you could have a road bike for paved and mountain bike for unpaved that would be ideal.

Edit: You need to call the Army Corps of Engineers in Clewiston, not South FLorida Water Management. (863) 983-8101

X, thanks for the heads up on the construction. I'll call today.

You have a sharp eye. I think you are right about that pic. I believe it is from the Shark Valley road.