Visian
12-01-2004, 06:18 AM
Haven't posted a ride report in a while... been riding, but working too much, too.
We visited the family over the Thanksgiving holiday, and I had the opportunity to trailer a bike down there for the trip. My fave, the R80G/SPD+
With the detailed maps of Alachua County loaded into the GPS, I set out to do something I hadn't done since I was a student at UF nearly 30 (ugh) years ago. Then I used to take my Bultaco Matador Six-Day "nature trailing"... finding as many dirt roads as possible in a day's ride. Back then there were no GPS and I used to have a great time getting unbelievably lost.
Heading south along the eastern edge of Payne's Prairie, I worked my way down to Micanopy (http://www.afn.org/~micanopy/index.html)... just south of Gainesville. I just had to park the scooter out in front of one of the town's more historical locations, Cafe Risque... where "We Dare to Bare."
http://www.visian.nu/images/risque.jpg
Fortunately for the locals, I kept my Aerostich on. ;)
Heading west, I found some great sand roads out toward Williston. Man, it's great blasting down these at 70.
http://www.visian.nu/images/sandroad.jpg
Working my way north, I stopped for an hour or so at one of my *favorite* motocross tracks, the legendary Gatorback. Man, motocross bikes sure have changed since the days I rode there on my Pursang.
http://www.visian.nu/images/gatorback.jpg
The "Mini-O's" were in process and there were easily a couple thousand motorhomes, pick-up trucks and trailers packed with kids, bikes, moms and dads. Made me wish that I was still going there with my son. He won a 250B race there once. Scared the livin' crap outta me going up "The Elevator" a 70' jump upward onto the gator's back, where you land, stop and turn right all in the space of about 15' after landing.
Heading northwest toward and through Alachua, I stumbled across a classic road.
http://www.visian.nu/images/gs_trees.jpg
This road went for about 5 miles inbetween all these fantastic live oak trees... and cow pastures. Most excellent.
The rest of the day was spent puttering around roads like this. I shoulda stopped and taken a few more pictures.
Most people think that riding in Florida is about the beach. There are some great roads in the interior, and I found more than a couple of them this day.
Ian
We visited the family over the Thanksgiving holiday, and I had the opportunity to trailer a bike down there for the trip. My fave, the R80G/SPD+
With the detailed maps of Alachua County loaded into the GPS, I set out to do something I hadn't done since I was a student at UF nearly 30 (ugh) years ago. Then I used to take my Bultaco Matador Six-Day "nature trailing"... finding as many dirt roads as possible in a day's ride. Back then there were no GPS and I used to have a great time getting unbelievably lost.
Heading south along the eastern edge of Payne's Prairie, I worked my way down to Micanopy (http://www.afn.org/~micanopy/index.html)... just south of Gainesville. I just had to park the scooter out in front of one of the town's more historical locations, Cafe Risque... where "We Dare to Bare."
http://www.visian.nu/images/risque.jpg
Fortunately for the locals, I kept my Aerostich on. ;)
Heading west, I found some great sand roads out toward Williston. Man, it's great blasting down these at 70.
http://www.visian.nu/images/sandroad.jpg
Working my way north, I stopped for an hour or so at one of my *favorite* motocross tracks, the legendary Gatorback. Man, motocross bikes sure have changed since the days I rode there on my Pursang.
http://www.visian.nu/images/gatorback.jpg
The "Mini-O's" were in process and there were easily a couple thousand motorhomes, pick-up trucks and trailers packed with kids, bikes, moms and dads. Made me wish that I was still going there with my son. He won a 250B race there once. Scared the livin' crap outta me going up "The Elevator" a 70' jump upward onto the gator's back, where you land, stop and turn right all in the space of about 15' after landing.
Heading northwest toward and through Alachua, I stumbled across a classic road.
http://www.visian.nu/images/gs_trees.jpg
This road went for about 5 miles inbetween all these fantastic live oak trees... and cow pastures. Most excellent.
The rest of the day was spent puttering around roads like this. I shoulda stopped and taken a few more pictures.
Most people think that riding in Florida is about the beach. There are some great roads in the interior, and I found more than a couple of them this day.
Ian