Van Fleet State Trail

Since I couldn't make it to the Catrike Rally this weekend, I decided to join the Polk Spoke Folk for a pre-rally ride on Friday. Leaving pre-dawn put me in Mabel, FL just after 8 AM where I met Tom Fort and Richard Hart as the three of us agreed to take on the trail together.



We had a rather consistent breeze in our face the entire trip south which continued to promise welcome assistance for the return trip. A staggeringly pleasant morning was ours to enjoy outdoors, away from traffic. Birds, snakes, maple trees and gopher tortoises seemed to agree on the fact that Spring was just around the corner.

The Green Pond Road Trailhead parking lot was packed beyond capacity and, to my surprise, the Ranger informed Tom and I that we were trikes 48 and 49, leading me to assume there were well over 50 recumbents on the trail Friday! That's twice the turnout the actual Catrike Rally had on its first annual event, and this was only a "pre-rally" gathering!

After visiting briefly with a few folks there, we continued on to the Polk City Trailhead where the rest of the trikes had gathered. Here was one of those opportunities to admire all things trike, to see what others had chosen to add, modify, or create to enhance or adorn their vehicles.

Finally, the group mustered the energy to begin the trek back to the north, to the picnic site at Green Pond Road, departing in various sized, small groups and continuing conversations. One conversation piece stood on its own as a four-wheeled, recumbent "car" which clearly had the stability contest won, hands down.

After lunch, Tom and I finished the last 19 miles back to Mabel handily, sharing thoughts, and that wonderfully helpful tailwind.

I've put my photos up in the Gallery. Please enjoy.

58 miles & smiles
O\vo~