Were speeding down the infamous 599 forest road, aka The Dragon tail from CFiTT fame. Its 10pm at night and I am doing all I can to give my girl instructions on how to navigate this wet hilly forest road in my truck and not get stuck.
In the back of my mind I worry a bit, but try to calm my nerves by reminding myself that the conditions are not all that bad and that Edith for sure can handle the return trip to tarmac.
When you have to actually work instead of ride for a living and you still yearn and crave the adventure that comes with off road touring, you have to do crazy things like getting dropped off on a sandy wet fire road in the middle of the night.
Curt Reffner should have already made camp by now. He rode out from his house, because of my other obligations and because I wanted to have dinner with my girl before I took off for another weekend long adventure, I had to meet up with him at the stealth camping spot instead of rolling out together.
The entire ride out to the forest after we left the Cuban Restaurant was filled with mental checklist that had me prepared to get wet or soaked the minute I stepped out the car.
Alas, it was all for naught as not a drop of rain caught my brow. I gave my girl a big hug and kiss and watched as she drove away asking her to text me as soon as she hit the pavement again.
I rode out following the green breadcrumb track I mapped on my etrex when it turned off and refused to turn back on.
Angry at the fact that my very expensive and essential toy was malfunctioning, I carried on. I knew everything and where I was going on this route all the way till I crossed the river on the historic fort gates ferry. By that point I should be able to access map my ride and glance and look at the track and follow it, plus Curt had his track and gps as well.
Onward I went, I got the text from "E" and I relaxed. Log hops ensued. Flowing downhill singletrack ensued. Nice little long flat looking climbs ensued. There was alot of ensuing.
I hit the boardwalks that mark the location of our camp for the night and find Curt all set up and comfy.
I say my greetings and get to work on setting up my Hammock. It doesnt take me long to settle in and put something dry on and arrange my gear in the branches to keep it all off the ground.
After some conversation, we both turn in knowing that Saturday was going to be a big day in the saddle.
That Cuban Coffee I had was a fail. It kept me up too long or made me sleep to light. I felt like the forest was alive and teaming to the point that I did not sleep soundly till closer to the morning when the nocturnal citizens decided that it was even too late for them.
I open my eyes and its bright outside. Look through my hammocks mosquito net to see Curt is almost done packing. I jump right out and get to work on packing up, it was 728am.
I really didnt bring any food except for a plastic container full of dark chocolate roasted almonds. AS it was I wasnt hungry, so we hopped on the bike and took off riding after discussing the days plan and options.
So far I liked traveling with Curt. He seemed to be pretty realistic and trusted my ideas on where to go and what to do. We had agreed to hit Juniper for a water refill and a soda and then push on to Silver Glenn. I told him if he had never seen the Glenn he really needed too and it was only about 6 miles round trip.
Juniper went fast, the forest roads were rolling fast I couldnt help opening up the legs and stretching them a bit. Eventually passing an SUV in the process.
We reunited and continued on the pavement. The morning was Humid and over cast with a slight chill. I was actually comfortable in my rain vest. Only one other car was at the Glenn and after buying some peanut M and M's a Coke and a peanut roll, we walked to the waters edge to eat our breakfast. `
Its been a good year since I had been to the Glenn and I noticed that there were about a dozen Turkey Buzzards just hanging around.
I get to my peanut roll discovering that its a pretty discusting candy and start slowly feeding the buzzards. In fact I got them about 3 feet away from me allowing Curt to snap some pretty good up close pictures. They are actually very interesting animals when you get a look.
Not long after I hand fed the buzzards, we remounted our rides and left the Glenn ready to ride more skinny trail. The plan I told Curt, was a hot Lunch in Salt Springs and according to the new maps I have, there is singletrack all the way into town.
I have never ridden this section of skinny in the daylight and was quickly pleased by all the cool things we came across.
A gigantic sinkhole in the middle of the forest. A Huge pond with green water and steep edges all the way around. 20 foot tall hunting stand. I was amazed by how big Hopkins Prairie was and enjoyed the challenge of navigating the 20 plus downed trees that littered the Hopkins Prairie rideline. At times I was forced to dismount but I managed to pedal around and up and over some pretty big stuff.
After several hours of singletrack bliss I could see the road, in my head I was thinking how we pretty much just completed an Ididaride and it was only 1pm.
I stopped in at the usual restaurant that I go too, but they didnt open till four. I asked at the local convenience store if there were other options and was told about Square Meal. Immediately I took off racing, according to the intel I just received it was going to close at 2pm.
We made it in time, ate our fill and the sat outside for a bit talking and digesting our food. We had done about 65 miles already and I was feeling great and snappy and ready to pound out more miles.
We topped our water off and sped on down the forest road following the signs for the Fort Gates Ferry. We didnt know if we would have cell coverage at the rivers edge or if we were going to have to wait for a car to show or try to flash the ferryman with our bike lights, but luckily we didnt have to improvise. I got the ferryman on the phone and told him there were two cyclist needing to cross. He came after 20 minutes of wait just as a jeep pulled up. Either way we would of gotten across.
Once on the other side I managed to pull up the route using the map my ride app and just remembered what streets to follow as Curt backed up the info.
After a little bit of forest road and then pavement the route had us make a right into what looked like a long driveway. Sure enough when we got to the turn where the route was leading us there was a house. The owner came out and asked if we needed help and I explained that when I had mapped the route there were street names on this road and asked if it was all private property.
He explained that it was all supposed to be a part of Whispering Pines but eventually that plan was cancelled and it was parceled out. I asked him what was the quickest way to get to Whispering Pines since I had seen the name on the map when I had looked before leaving the fish camp ferry station. He then gave us permission to cut threw his land cause that was the fastest route and it felt like the score of a lifetime cause we were able to follow the dirty route and we had permission.
The route continued to be sweet, even the pavement was nice and after a break we started crossings Lake George Conservation area, a section I had done before when I had rode to Ft Gates, but I took the shorter more northernly route across. This was when we encountered the sandiest section of forest road eventually requiring us to take a small break once we finished our traverse to let our legs and lungs sync up again.
Eventually the route wanted us to turn left but it seemed like a dead end so we continued straight and took pavement. I told Curt once we hit the convenience store, let's look at the route, cause he had suggested that we should be able to avoid 40 almost entirely and get to Astor. I was all for that and it was pretty easy to follow google maps while riding and we managed 10 miles riding side by side without a car every coming up behind us. I declared it HERO TARMAC.
In Astor we crossed the river to eat at the Black Water Inn. The food was fine and Edith came and joined us, we even had some Celebratory Alcoholic beverages. Very good times. We took a Lil longer at dinner knowing we only had to ride 4 miles to the camp spot I had picked out. Apparently at this little park they had grassed in and outlined in rocks a little picnic spot peninsula. Very pretty during the day, I figure it should be beautiful at night.
We made it to camp quick. It was the perfect dessert after our dinner and I suggested to Curt we camp out of view and found a natural tree formed cove were I could hang my hammock and he could set up his tent.
It was 930 or so and I fell asleep fast. We had done nearly 100 miles that day and if you had told me I needed to continue I gladly would have. I daydreamed as I drifted off to sleep that if I keep improving like this, I am going to be tough to beat at the CFiTT.
It was 530 am when I opened my eyes and I felt rested and ready to move on. I packed up the bike fast, in ten minutes I was ready to go and did everything with time to spare and watched the River Swallow the moon while I waited for Curt.
15 fast miles later we made it to my girls house at 730am in De Leon Springs. She had coffee ready and made us delicious Omelette's to fill our bellies, it was by far the perfect way to end a nearly perfect tour.
Zero mechanicals, 118 miles, 13+mph avg, perfect weather as well. What more can you ask for??
Laters,
The NaKeD InDiaN
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