[bob]

http://news.tbo.com/news/MGB0JFTG08E.html

 

[Drewdane]

http://news.tbo.com/news/MGB0JFTG08E.html

Heck, I hope he doesn't decide his right to sue outweighs his sense of personal responsibility.

But I also hope he's OK.

 

[FloridaFish]

http://news.tbo.com/news/MGB0JFTG08E.html

Wow that sucks. Gatorback does have some narrow ridgeline trails. He must have gone down hard to be airlifted out of there. I can't imagine trying to get out of one of those ravines while hurt real bad. I'm surpised the article didn't mention his injuries.

Bad news though, hope for a speedy recovery.

 

[KRob]

When I first loooked at the pic, I thought maybe a helicopter had landed on him. D'Oh!

Hope he's OK. I always have visions of me in that same situation when I ride the catwalk on So Mountain in Phoenix between Buena Vista and Telegraph. Usually I've got pretty good blinders for steep side hills and drop offs, but that one always gives me the willies.

 

[Becky Thatcher]

Must be a mis-print!

The way I read most of these posts is CA has the ultimate trails and the ultimate riders. It's not possible that a Californian fell and injured himself on a trail in mountainless Florida, is it?

I too hope the guy is okay. But I'll bet he's not REALLY from California.

Sincerely,

 

[brado1]

hope he's ok

Didn't know florida had that much elevation - 60 ft ravine?

 

[wooglin]

Didn't know florida had that much elevation - 60 ft ravine?

Limestone quarry.

 

[pacman]

Didn't know florida had that much elevation - 60 ft ravine?

It's not elevation, it's the opposite http://www.sinkhole.org/index.htm

 

[bob]

It's elevation

Florida is full of old phosphate mines. At Alafia they took the earth they scooped out and piled it fairly high around the area. So, maybe not real elevation but we take what we can get. It makes for some pretty intense descents and climbs. They're short but will leave a huge smile on your face. Some of them are pretty technical as well.

 

[VaughnA]

Florida is full of old phosphate mines. At Alafia they took the earth they scooped out and piled it fairly high around the area. So, maybe not real elevation but we take what we can get. It makes for some pretty intense descents and climbs. They're short but will leave a huge smile on your face. Some of them are pretty technical as well.

Yep, we were down there for Christmas and did some riding. Gatorback was a tough ride, I saw more Freeride bikes at alafia than I do here in Virginia. Actually had some of the steepest short drops I've ridden, as well as great trails. Wonderful place to ride.

Hope the rider is ok. I saw places I was too scared to ride there. I'm old enough that I 'thud' instead of bounce....

 

[johnbspinnen']

Florida Quarries ROCK and ROLL

It makes for some pretty intense descents and climbs. They're short but will leave a huge smile on your face. Some of them are pretty technical as well.

You got that right, Florida has some great MBing. It amazes me that more people dont get hurt at Alifia or Razorback. I guess its testimony to (east coast ) riders good sense. JK, I hope that guy is ok. Some areas back in Razoraback are even more remote. Quarries give rise to awesome tracks.

I know this is OT but had to throw in some "flat Florida" photos :

The good ol' Tripple Dipper, that guy on the bike sure looks small:

Climbin' out of the old quarry (granny's revenge) @ Razorback:

A nice little ridge run :

That ends in one of those "short intense descents":

Once out of Granny's you better not fall left or you'll be back down 100+ feet awful quick, NOte how Dave had the consideration to place a "catch" cable between the trees, I wonder how many people used it?

SO remember BE CAREFUL out there!! Ride Safe, especially in "flat" Florida.

 

[bob]

VA passionites in FL?

JohnB and VaughnA, Hey you guys trying to escape the 40 degree and rainy weather of VA in winter? Only kidding. I grew up in VA Beach (Kempsville) and my parents live in Staunton now. I always enjoy a roll around Walnut or Panorama when I visit them.

There's definitely some scary stuff at Alafia....some of it I walk. How does Granny's Revenge compare to anything at Alafia?

 

[VaughnA]

JohnB and VaughnA, Hey you guys trying to escape the 40 degree and rainy weather of VA in winter? Only kidding. I grew up in VA Beach (Kempsville) and my parents live in Staunton now. I always enjoy a roll around Walnut or Panorama when I visit them.

There's definitely some scary stuff at Alafia....some of it I walk. How does Granny's Revenge compare to anything at Alafia?

My whole family (brother,sister, aunt,parents) moved to the Tampa area from Lynchburg as soon as we moved here! I guess that tells you how much we are liked! My folks live in Apollo Beach so It's a SHORT drive over to alafia. Nothing at Panorama or Walnut that resembles the drops at alafia that I remember but I've only ridden Panorama twice and don't know all the trails. If you're near Staunton, then Douthat should be the first place on your list.

Alafia was just a different type of riding than around here. Sortof like a cross between a BMX park and mountain biking with possums on the half-shell. Roller coaster was a hoot! My wife and I did it 3 times in one day. It was pretty much rideable the whole way for her which I can't say about all the trails. I think it was moonscape that was the Beotch made for the freeriders if I recall correctly. Great setup with the restrooms and bikewash station. One of the best places to ride I've seen.

PS.. (Why is it pronounced Al-A-FEYE?) .

 

[johnbspinnen']

My whole family (brother,sister, aunt,parents) moved to the Tampa area from Lynchburg as soon as we moved here! I guess that tells you how much we are liked! My folks live in Apollo Beach so It's a SHORT drive over to alafia. Nothing at Panorama or Walnut that resembles the drops at alafia that I remember but I've only ridden Panorama twice and don't know all the trails. If you're near Staunton, then Douthat should be the first place on your list.

Alafia was just a different type of riding than around here. Sortof like a cross between a BMX park and mountain biking with possums on the half-shell. Roller coaster was a hoot! My wife and I did it 3 times in one day. It was pretty much rideable the whole way for her which I can't say about all the trails. I think it was moonscape that was the Beotch made for the freeriders if I recall correctly. Great setup with the restrooms and bikewash station. One of the best places to ride I've seen.

PS.. (Why is it pronounced Al-A-FEYE?) .

I live in Va Bch now, up off SHore Drive. The only "mountain" biking mear me is Sea Shore State park, which is basically a fireroad with some rolling 1-2 miles off rolling double track. There actually ARE some very nice (for this area) single tracks back through the woods and dunes at Sea Shore but of course we aren't allowed to ride there, or to ride through the park at night. The closest decent trails to me are around Williamsburg, York Rivere Marl Ravine is awesome and Freedom Park. I try to get up there and ride once or twice a week.

My folks moved down to Florida outside Orlando (WInter Springs) and I visit often. I've only ridden Alifia twice, but would rather go to Razorback mainly because the drive is easier from where they live.

They're about equidistant from the P's. Granny's at Razorback for me is just notable for the climb out. Its tough and narrow with roots everywhere at the start. There are at least 4 or five false tops, where you think you're done climbing (after all this IS flat Florida, right?) but you have to continue up even more.There's a fast downhill down to it but its no big deal. Dave (the guy from GoneRiding.com that runs the place with his wife Terry) told me that the old entry down to Grannys scared HIM. If it scares Dave I want no part of it!

Alifia and Razorback are very similar. Razorback has its own Rollercoaster too. There's the Big Gulp (I'll find photos somewhere) which is a virtually impossible climb up to a 30 foot drop in that G's out to send you back up a 20 foot hill. I busted both my seat rails at the bottom of that!! The last few miles of Razorback are countless steep drops, G-Outs and steep accents like Gatorback.

Anyway those Florida phosphate mines surprise allot of out of towners, they sure surprised me. I got a speed of 38 mph at the bottom of the Triple Dipper on my bike computer that I still dont believe. (It felt like 90 lol) The tough thing is that allot of those drop ins are blind till its too late to bail so the first time or two through the course requires some serious fortitude (or a change of shorts)!

You mentioned Douthat. What an AWESOME place. I rode ( i.e.- survived) up there last weekend for the first time in the Middle Mountain Momma. 22 miles with 5,000+ feet of climbing and every technical challenge you could imagine (and a few that I couldn't). Quad burning climbs and brake searing decents with too many stream crossings to count. I cant wait to go back there.

Oh well I got a little long winded thinking about riding. HMMM, its 11:30PM about time to hop on the ol EPIC and check out some nearby single track through the dunes................

Those that don't ride, well, they just dont understand!

Be safe!

 

[FloridaFish]

Limestone quarry.

I thought it was phosphate mining. I read in a post a while back that the whole area is slightly radioactive. Don't eat the dirt!

 

[Noelg]

Not a "native" Cali man...

Smeaton had been to Alafia only once before, but his three friends - Kyle Stanford, 35, and brothers Justin and Neil Stalker, 31 and 29 - bike there with about once a week, Stanford said.

The four are childhood friends who grew up in Brandon. The Stalkers and Stanford still live in Hillsborough County, but Smeaton moved to California. When he came back to visit his friends, they took him biking.

Adam Smeaton's bike hit a tree root, and then there was nothing but air....

 

[bob]

Possums on the half shell

That's funny! I've never heard that before. I can't count how many times I've nearly run over one of them. Al-A-FEYE....I've only heard one person say it that way and she was a local. Most say AL-A-FEYE-AH.

You guys haven't mentioned Santos. Santos is tamer than Alafia but there are some crazy free ride areas. Given a pick between the two for a days ride I would take Santos. You guys should shoot me a PM or email when you're going to be down here and maybe we can ride.

Sounds like Tidewater MTBing has improved. When I left there was only Sea Shore (poaching), Ipswitch, the incinerator area behind ODU, and the state park at the end of Sandbridge (deer flys & sand).

 

[wooglin]

Adam Smeaton's bike hit a tree root, and then there was nothing but air....

That article cracks me up.

"wilderness rescue" "ruggedness of the terrain and the remoteness of the location."

They make it sound like he was deep in the backcountry instead of a state park.

"rescue workers had to hike nearly a mile"

 

[johnbspinnen']

Yup Santos is cool.

That's funny! I've never heard that before. I can't count how many times I've nearly run over one of them. Al-A-FEYE....I've only heard one person say it that way and she was a local. Most say AL-A-FEYE-AH.

You guys haven't mentioned Santos. Santos is tamer than Alafia but there are some crazy free ride areas. Given a pick between the two for a days ride I would take Santos. You guys should shoot me a PM or email when you're going to be down here and maybe we can ride.

Sounds like Tidewater MTBing has improved. When I left there was only Sea Shore (poaching), Ipswitch, the incinerator area behind ODU, and the state park at the end of Sandbridge (deer flys & sand).

The folks at EVMA have done a great job developing and maintaining the local trails.

I think the Ocala area is a great place to ride. With Santos and Razorback you cant go wrong. My typical day is down there is :
Leave Winter Springs before dawn, drive up to Ocala and hit Santos as the sun rises, ride, ride, ride, all the trails there are great and it could be one of the best developed and maintained systems around.

You can look for spiders:

Ride out the the Land Bridge:

which amazingly enough actually IS a LAND BRIDGE!

The trails are mostly mild but you can go to TOS, find the Vortex and huck the free ride areas:

Michael and Dawn are ready to help at the Santos Trailhead bike shop . They actually lent me a seat to use for the weekend when I busted mine at Razorback.

After a nice aerobic morning I head up to Razorback and get my fill of lactic acid. Then back to Orlando a handle full of Advil and a good rest! not a bad day for an ol' man like me!

Its been fun thinking about the good times in Florida and going through my old photo folders. Just dont get me started about the places to ride between here and there!

I'll shoot you a note next time I'm down there. Probably not till the 4th of July weekend.