Palatka Lake Butler State Trail

Absolutely perfect easterly breeze and a sprinkling of white puffies on my west to east and back test ride for a newly installed replacement rear derailleur.
Twin Lakes Sports Complex has a new coat of paint on the restrooms and the trail, as usual, was clear and clean and thick with happy birds.

Nature Coast State Trail

Using Fanning Springs State Park as a "park n ride" base camp, I rode down to Chiefland and stopped for lunch with shady parking at the 19 98 Grille. Had a little trouble with the rear derailleur so went back to the park to make some adjustments. Then set out for Cross City and had a strong tailwind behind me on the last leg closing the ride with 51 miles.

Storm Damage

Took a spin on the Suwannee River Greenway at Branford this afternoon and encountered quite a bit of evidence lingering from last week's thunderstorms. Detoured via River Bend Road on the return trip and enjoyed my usual fox squirrel sighting.

Music Everywhere!

Mark Scarborough played in The Jades and I was in Styrophoam Soule and we are proud to be able to enjoy reading about those times being remembered in Marty's book. Then we pedaled 30 miles and shared a great lunch! Rock on, Y'all!

Nature Coast - Eight is Great

This seemingly mild mannered collection of retirees managed to assemble a formidable squadron of recumbent stealth as we pushed a tight formation of 24 wheels upwind on our return from Cross City. Another very fine day outdoors was framed between two nurturing visits to Chiefland's own Gathering Table. Colleen, Tommy, George, Russ, Charlie, Wayne, Bruce, & Artie at the ready.

Palm Coast - Out On A Limb

Kicking off Joe's 2016 Florida Spring visit, Gary, Russ, Dave, and I enjoyed a special breakfast at the Blue Heron Breakfast Bistro in Flagler Beach this morning before driving to the Lehigh Trail trailhead on Colbert Lane.

We rode the trail to the west and made our way north to Pine Lake Parkway, then swept the north perimeter of Palm Coast (dodging some construction) and settled on lunch at Mezzaluna in the European Village. After lunch we darted through the "Rabbit Hole" for a brief A-1-A segment, came back across the Intracoastal Waterway and followed the Palm Coast Linear Parkway down to Waterfront Park for our last break before closing the loop downwind along Colbert Lane back to the trailhead.

Severely clear skies and a consistent breeze let us see lots of birds today. Several Wood Storks watched me close in on Bunnell and the lot of us were pedaling through a small confusion of Yellow-rumped Warblers as we started the Lehigh Trail. Gary pointed out a Loggerhead Shrike very close to our passing beneath I-95. As we continued north of Palm Coast Parkway, there were many Robins and several Meadowlarks flew near the fence row, behind which a pair of Sandhill Cranes stood. Further out yet, we could make out Turkeys with tail feathers spread.

A fine day to spread one's wings was indeed enjoyed by all.

Archer Braid Trail

All Aboard the Braid! Deanne and I drove down to Archer this morning and joined Jerry and Mark for our tried and true Braid Bistro Breakfast ride in to Haile Plantation, where we have yet to be disappointed with the food, service, or delightful cafe dining experience. Big fun after the ride as Deanne test rode Jerry's power assist trike and sported the predictably indelible grin! Thanks for having us down, Jerry!