I sent the following to the Randonneurs Ontario distribution list and it’s worth repeating on my own blog. It’s something that’s been floating in and out of my brain over the past couple of weeks as I’ve been riding.
With the cold winter and notice of cancelled bike rides, I thought that perhaps I would write about riding in Florida, for anyone interested.
What comes to mind when you think about riding in Florida ? Hot ? Flat ? Traffic ? Well, sort of.
Hot ? Well, not always. Our January through March rides can be quite chilly; yes, we do get frost, especially inland in northern Florida. I’ve had rides where it didn’t get above freezing until noon. That’s not the norm but we do need to be prepared. I’ve seen a couple of newbies in “club kit” almost suffering from hypothermia.
Flat ? Well, mostly, but not always. In Central Florida, close to Orlando, there are some hills. It’s easy enough to pack 6000+ feet of climbing into a 400k. Of course some of that is repeating the same hills in different directions … better mind the cue sheet because the lines on the GPS cross themselves !
Traffic ? Well, sometimes. That depends on where in the state you’re riding.
Florida has three Randonneuring regions; three Regional Brevet Administrators (RBA’s) – South (John Preston), Central (Paul Rozelle) and Gainesville (Jim Wilson). With reasonable riding year-round, there can be crowds out for the 200k rides – close to 100 in Southern and Central -- and then of course it dwindles as you get to the 600k’s. This year being a PBP year, many brevets are offered and many riders are out doing them.
South Florida is very picturesque along the coast and also busy with traffic. The causeways and ocean views are very pretty; the traffic can be heavy. It’s hardly ever really cold. Once inland, however, either around Lake Okeechobee or in the Everglades, the roads are deserted. Flat, flat, flat – there are no hills other than bridges in South Florida. However, there is always wind, which to me is harder than hills. Sometimes you get a treat and it’s behind you but the wind does change direction during the day with the development of thermals as the land heats up, so it’s quite possible to have a headwind both ways … and I’ve never experienced a tailwind both ways ! Inland you’ll see sawgrass, cattle, sugarcane, some orange groves, the occasional alligator in a canal if you keep a sharp eye. No, they don’t attack !
Central Florida rides range from the Gulf Coast to the Atlantic Coast and, as mentioned, there are hills. It’s not as busy at the coast and the inland roads are generally deserted, except around Orlando. There are a number of trail systems so you might find yourself on 20-30 miles of trails. They aren’t generally busy but, as usual with trails, you feel like you’re going faster than you actually are. Feeling faster doesn’t get you to the end of the ride faster ! Depending on the area you might be in citrus groves, tree farms and see lots of small lakes.
The Gainesville rides are mostly on deserted roads, National Forests, mile after mile of pine. It’s busy in the city but that’s usually just at the beginning and end of the ride. There are rolling hills and some rides take you up to and over the Georgia border, but none so far into GA that you get into real climbing. On that score Central Florida has more hills. There are many horse farms in this area.
If these things interest you, road kill ranges from snakes to armadillos to opossums. The turkey vultures take care of the road kill. They’re ugly birds. You’ll see ospreys everywhere.
The rides are well supported. South Florida has a crowd of eager volunteers and usually a pre-ride for the workers 1-2 weeks beforehand. It varies by ride but some have every Control staffed. At the very least there is lunch, even on a 200k. There’s usually some cold adult beverage at the end …
Central Florida is a little more on your own as there are fewer volunteers. That said, there’s usually a lunch control and some of the aforementioned adult beverages at the end.
The Gainesville rides have home cooking at a lunch control and/or finish. Intermediate Controls are usually convenience stores.
The rides are a little different; the support is a little different; the terrain is a little different, but you usually know that you’re in Florida even without checking car license plates. Motorists are generally courteous, by and large the roads are flattish, wind is usually a factor. Temperatures vary widely from early start to mid-day. My rack-pack gets filled with clothing which I then have to re-don into the evening.
With the flatter rides and to help with the wind, there is more pace-line riding than I’ve seen anywhere else. Then again, there are more riders so that’s a contributing factor. Only in Florida can a group of riders complete a 400k in a little more than the legal minimum time. Many enjoy that but I don’t --personal preference. I’d prefer to fight the wind alone and see the scenery than stare at someone’s butt all day, but that’s just me.
We do get rain, but not as much as I’ve seen in Ontario, and it’s generally warmer rain rather than bone chilling. It can be very heavy !
During some winter to come, if you decide to visit Florida either for a vacation or just for a long weekend, keep in mind that I have a couple of spare bikes. If you want to squeeze in a brevet, there are many on the calendar – almost every weekend from January through the end of April. With the lack of significant climbing (mostly) you can consider doing a longer brevet than you’d attempt without a lot of prep miles. You’d be advised to bring your own pedals and saddle which you can pack easier and cheaper than a bike.
Oh yes, and be prepared to talk miles and Fahrenheit. Florida Randonneurs do understand the conversion from kms to miles but don’t understand Celsius. Cue sheets are in miles. If someone at a convenience store asks how far you’re riding, you’ll get a blank look if you quote kms.
See you on the road later in the Spring …
Dave.
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