By John Springfield
The February snow storms had me in a funk.
I needed some sunshine!
Checking out the weather maps for "no ice and snow", I headed to Florida.
I decided to ride down western Florida using a mix of rail trails and main roads.
I eventually used parts of these rail trails:
Otherwise I rode main highway 98.
Leaving the Tallahassee airport, I picked up the St. Marks Trail in a few miles.
Then it was smooth sailing for 15 miles on a very pretty (shaded) trail to St. Marks.
My body was out of shape. I had not ridden in three months.
So this short flat route was exactly what I needed.
AND NO SNOW. Perfect 60-degree weather!
On the second day I rode Route 98 for most of the day.
It started out okay with a mild misty rain.
But by mile 15 I was seeking shelter from the steady rain.
There's not much out there on Route 98.
Just as I was giving up hope, Big Red's appeared.
It was a small store/gas station.
As I approached I noticed two hikers huddling under the overhang.
To our surprise, the owner stuck his head outside and invited us in.
We were treated to breakfast sandwiches made on a tiny grill.
Food was delicious!
One of the hikers told me he started in Key West, 600 miles south!
I was very impressed. Of course he was half my age, but still impressive.
The next few days I stayed on Route 98.
The traffic was fast, but it had a good-enough paved shoulder.
Some people may not like main roads, but they don't bother me.
When I started bike touring in 1964, using main roads was the only option.
However, I also enjoyed several of Florida's rail trails.
They were all wide and paved.
And, did I mention, NO SNOW?
On the last day toward Tampa I rode the Sun Coast Trail.
It paralleled the Sun Coast Highway.
Scenery was sparse (it was only about 100 feet from the noisy highway).
But it was a super highway for bicyclists.
Many packs of cyclists used it for their workouts.
I met few touring cyclists.
But one young 66-year-old caught up to me to chat about cycling trips.
Last year he completed the 4200-mile Trans America Trail alone.
I mentioned that I had crossed the country twice (also solo).
We acknowledged our respective treks, and then he sped off on a 100-miler.
The trip was only 7 days, but the sunshine was exactly what I needed.
I should do this every winter!
For photos and my daily journal: https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/FLA2026
