There seemed to be no break looming in the cool, windy, overcast day so I struck out on my own to ride the Hawthorne Trail. My late start insured that, for the most part, I saw only oncoming traffic and essentially had the trail to myself on the return to Gainesville. Still beats not riding.
Joe McCormick joined Colleen & Charlie Weill and me in St. Marks for a ride up the Tallahassee St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail on Saturday morning. Joe guided us on a real nice little tour of greater St. Marks before we headed north to Capital Circle. This trail could easily qualify as the friendliest in the state in terms of trailside restrooms per mile pedaled!
Another perfect weather day polished off with lunch on the St. Marks River at the Riverside Cafe after the ride.
Colleen & Charlie wanted to see more of northern Florida so we met in Madison at the Four Freedoms Park and rode the Four Freedoms Trail up through Pinetta to the Withlacoochee River. Joe McCormick and Rachel Cornett joined us for the jaunt and we all enjoyed absolutely perfect weather. Greeted by the very friendly folk at the fire station and the polling place next door, we enjoyed a brief rest in quaint, downtown Pinetta before rolling on toward the Georgia line.
In a surprise turnout, we had fifteen folks meet up and thirteen riders rode a dozen vehicles including eight recumbents. Retirement and birthday celebrations were our excuse, but we seemed to focus on enjoying being outside together more than anything else.
A visit to Blue Water Bay in Melrose for a very special lunch capped a ride off quite nicely!
Several members of the CRABS joined us for a ride on the O'Leno to Ichetucknee Trail from one state park to another. Lunch afterward was in High Springs.