Pinellas County Rails to Trails Conversion

The Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail is a linear park and recreation trail used by thousands of people each month for walking, jogging, bicycling and skating. The trail was created along an abandoned railroad corridor and named in honor of Fred Marquis, who served as Pinellas County administrator during the trail's creation. The trail runs from St. Petersburg to Tarpon Springs. It connects several county parks, coastal areas and points of interest through multiple access points along the way. (Information from the Pinellas Trail map)

You can access the website for the trail HERE

Yesterday, I took off on the bike with no particular destination in mind. After cruising the neighborhood for a mile or two, I headed West on East Bay Drive and picked up the Pinellas Trail, heading South. The trail is a well-maintained black top and winds through a shaded corridor away from the noise and traffic of the major arteries. Since I had only been on the trail a few times before, I was not sure where I needed to get off to head toward Indian Rocks Beach. After asking directions a couple of times, I found my route and headed West again.

Two of the gentlemen that helped me were Auxiliary Rangers (Volunteers) that not only gave me directions, but they also supplied me with a map of the trail and adjoining bike routes. I expressed appreciation for their work on the this trail and asked if they had ever heard of the Katy Trail in Missouri. They had -- one of the gentleman said he was going to Missouri to ride the entire trail in a few weeks. Of course I recommend he stop at Kate's Coffee in Augusta and Picasso's Coffee in St. Charles.

After getting off the trail on Ulmerton Road, I caught Walsingham Blvd. and rode West to the Gulf. I crossed the drawbridge / causeway on Indian Rocks Beach. I had to swing by our favorite eating place in Florida --- Crabby Bill's Seafood. Did not stop for breakfast today, but we did have lunch here yesterday,

A quick stop on the beach for a picture and I headed back the same way I had come. On the way back, I rode through Walsingham Park. This is just across the boulevard from the Florida Botanical Gardens. Walsingham Park is situated on 354 acres, divided by 100-acre Walsingham Lake, one-quarter mile west of the Pinellas Trail. You can check out the website for this park HERE.

This beautiful park is worth spending at least part of a day exploring. I didn't have time this morning, so I got on the Pinellas Trail again and headed North to Rosary Ave., returning to Largo. I was back by 10:00 AM and had cycled 25 miles along paved trails, beautiful parks and Indian Rocks Beach. Not a bad way to start a day!!

Thanks for taking the time to view my blog. I enjoy sharing my travels with you. 

A man who has friends must himself be friendly,

But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24

Visit Hope Bible Church's Website HERE.

A Tropical Oasis - Eagle Lake Park in Largo, Florida

I've been intending to update the bicycle blog, but haven't done any unusual rides in the last few months. That has all changed since Mindy and I have made a trip to the Gulf Coast of Florida!  We've only been here a few days, but I have really enjoyed some beautiful riding. I'd like to tell you about it and show you some of the great places I've seen. 

First, I must say how much I appreciate our friends, Mike and Lynn Sauer, for putting one of their Trek bikes at my disposal. We thoroughly enjoy staying in their lovely apartment and appreciate access to the bike. It could not be more convenient-- Thanks, Mike and Lynn!

Yesterday I stayed close to the apartment and explored the Eagle Lake County Park, just a few blocks from where we are staying. 

You can check out the website HERE

Or listen to a brief AUDIO TOUR HERE:

Here is a little synopsis of the park from their website:

Great care was given to the restoration of the land’s natural habitat during the park’s development. One key feature is a wetlands section on the western side of the park which has been restored with 100 percent native plants. The park is home to fox squirrels, numerous bird species, gopher tortoises and water turtles.

The 163-acre park originally belonged to the Taylor family, one of the original pioneer families in Pinellas County. The Taylor's used the property for cattle grazing and as a citrus grove. The park comprises two parcels the county purchased in 1998 and 2006.

Although there are many amenities in the park for all kinds of family activities, the biking and walking trails are what interest me. There are miles of trails, mostly paved, as well as, some crushed gravel. A bicycle ride through the park is like an excursion in a tropical garden. The variety of exotic trees and plants is not something I'm accustomed to seeing on my rides in Missouri!  The lush vegetation is really something to enjoy.

Mindy and I walked over to the park last night with a couple of sandwiches and had a picnic supper on one of the many benches along the trails. We crossed a very busy, noisy road to enter the park; as we walked just a little way into the park, all of the noise of the traffic almost completely disappeared. It is truly a tropical oasis for exercise or relaxing, just a short distance from where we are staying. 

There are a variety of citrus trees throughout the park and at the right time of the year, oranges and grapefruit can be plucked right from the trees! 

We will see a great deal of this beautiful place while we are here. 

Day # 327 Brings My Consecutive Days of Riding Streak to an End.

All good things must come to an end  . . .
     Day # 327 (February 17th) brings my CONSECUTIVE bicycle riding streak to an end. Since April 1, 2014 I have pedaled 6,273.5 miles averaging 19.18 miles per day. Unfortunately, ice covered roads have made it to treacherous to continue. Maybe by next winter season I will acquire a fat tire bike and be able to negotiate the slippery roads a little more safely. Thanks for following along on this adventure.

February 11th update . . .
320 CONSECUTIVE days and still going.
STILL GOING - - - On February 10th I reached my 320th day of riding. I have traveled 6,181.81 miles and still averaging 19.3 miles per day. 
     The unseasonably dry weather pattern for the past month has made it possible to keep riding. We've had some very cold weather but the minimum among of snow and ice have allowed the pavement to remain clear. This is very unusual for the St. Louis area in January and February.
     Lord willing, I'll keep pedaling until inclement weather sets in. I'll keep you posted on my progress. Thanks for checking out my blog.

The End of Nine Months of Consecutive Daily Riding NOT QUITE YET
JANUARY 20TH, 2015 UPDATE
Although I had intended to quite riding everyday 10 days ago, old habits die hard. No longer worried about maintaining an average of 20 miles a day or more, I pressed on. This morning's ride to work marked my 300th consecutive riding day. Since April 1st, I have pedaled 5,822.14 miles and still maintaining an average of 19.4 miles per day.

On April 1st I started a consecutive-day riding streak with 30 Days of Biking. You can visit their web site HERE. The idea is simple --- Ride your bike every day for 30 days (1 mile or 100 miles, it doesn't matter) and you are likely to get in the habit of riding your bike regularly. It is a good plan and it does work. 

Nine Months (290 consecutive days) Later
       That was 9 months ago. I really did not have a particular goal in mind when I started. After I hit 150 consecutive days, I thought I would shoot for 182 days, which would give me six months of daily riding. Six months came and went -- I pedaled on! Each ten day mark made me want to do another ten. So, here I am at 290 consecutive days! 

3º with -16º windchill on January 8th

                                                                        5⃣7⃣4⃣0⃣
Weather and Average Miles per Day
       Early in the game, I said I would keep going until cold weather brought slick pavements or I dropped under a 20 mile per day average. It looks like I have reached both this weekend. This morning I calculated my total and average; I have traveled 5,744.19 miles since April 1st; because of the extreme cold mornings, my daily average has dropped to 19.8. With the forecast of sleet and freezing rain on Sunday, I figured this is a good place to stop. I would have liked to make 300 days, but I really did not think that was feasible this time of the year. 

The weather does not look promising for the next few days.

I don't want to end up like this guy!

This has been one of my most ambitious cycling goals. I am grateful to the Lord for the health and ability to do this. In 2014, I rode more total miles than in any previous year. The year-long stats revealed that I averaged over 16 miles a day for the past 365 days. I can live with that. I’m grateful I can ride at all. I have met many wonderful people, visited many interesting places and enjoyed many delightful hours from the seat(s) of my many bikes. I hope 2015 will be as enjoyable as the last year has been!   

A man who has friends must himself be friendly,

But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24

Visit Hope Bible Church's Website HERE.

COMPLETION of My Most Ambitious Cycling Goal - 327 CONSECUTIVE Days of Riding.

All good things must come to an end  . . .
     Day # 327 (February 17th) brings my CONSECUTIVE bicycle riding streak to an end. Since April 1, 2014 I have pedaled 6,273.5 miles averaging 19.18 miles per day. Unfortunately, ice covered roads have made it to treacherous to continue. Maybe by next winter season I will acquire a fat tire bike and be able to negotiate the slippery roads a little more safely. Thanks for following along on this adventure.

February 11th update . . .
320 CONSECUTIVE days and still going.
STILL GOING - - - On February 10th I reached my 320th day of riding. I have traveled 6,181.81 miles and still averaging 19.3 miles per day. 
     The unseasonably dry weather pattern for the past month has made it possible to keep riding. We've had some very cold weather but the minimum among of snow and ice have allowed the pavement to remain clear. This is very unusual for the St. Louis area in January and February.
     Lord willing, I'll keep pedaling until inclement weather sets in. I'll keep you posted on my progress. Thanks for checking out my blog.

The End of Nine Months of Consecutive Daily Riding NOT QUITE YET
JANUARY 20TH, 2015 UPDATE
Although I had intended to quite riding everyday 10 days ago, old habits die hard. No longer worried about maintaining an average of 20 miles a day or more, I pressed on. This morning's ride to work marked my 300th consecutive riding day. Since April 1st, I have pedaled 5,822.14 miles and still maintaining an average of 19.4 miles per day.

On April 1st I started a consecutive-day riding streak with 30 Days of Biking. You can visit their web site HERE. The idea is simple --- Ride your bike every day for 30 days (1 mile or 100 miles, it doesn't matter) and you are likely to get in the habit of riding your bike regularly. It is a good plan and it does work. 

Nine Months (290 consecutive days) Later
       That was 9 months ago. I really did not have a particular goal in mind when I started. After I hit 150 consecutive days, I thought I would shoot for 182 days, which would give me six months of daily riding. Six months came and went -- I pedaled on! Each ten day mark made me want to do another ten. So, here I am at 290 consecutive days! 

3º with -16º windchill on January 8th

                                                                        5⃣7⃣4⃣0⃣
Weather and Average Miles per Day
       Early in the game, I said I would keep going until cold weather brought slick pavements or I dropped under a 20 mile per day average. It looks like I have reached both this weekend. This morning I calculated my total and average; I have traveled 5,744.19 miles since April 1st; because of the extreme cold mornings, my daily average has dropped to 19.8. With the forecast of sleet and freezing rain on Sunday, I figured this is a good place to stop. I would have liked to make 300 days, but I really did not think that was feasible this time of the year. 

The weather does not look promising for the next few days.

I don't want to end up like this guy!

This has been one of my most ambitious cycling goals. I am grateful to the Lord for the health and ability to do this. In 2014, I rode more total miles than in any previous year. The year-long stats revealed that I averaged over 16 miles a day for the past 365 days. I can live with that. I’m grateful I can ride at all. I have met many wonderful people, visited many interesting places and enjoyed many delightful hours from the seat(s) of my many bikes. I hope 2015 will be as enjoyable as the last year has been!   

A man who has friends must himself be friendly,

But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24

Visit Hope Bible Church's Website HERE.

Commuting by Gondolier

Bakfiets or Cargo Bikes

The English term cargo bike has a strong and obvious connection to freight. However, the Dutch word, bakfiets is more neutral and literally means ‘box bike’. That makes it perfectly normal for the Dutch to transport not only cargo in these box bikes, but also their children. A number of years ago, I saw a picture of a “box bike” and have always been fascinated with them. 

Since the first time I saw this picture, I was intrigued with the bakfiets.

Up until a few years ago, they were difficult to acquire in the United States; if you were able to secure one, they were quite expensive. Although on my wish list, I didn’t seriously entertain the idea of buying one. 

About a month ago, I came across a bicycle company in San Diego that manufactures and distributes a number of box bikes. The company is Virtue Bikes. You can see their website HERE.

The line at the top of their page says it all for me —
It’s not sport, it’s not hobby, nor is it recreational. It’s lifestyle.

Virtue offers several different models of box bikes. (Do visit their website and see them all) I was especially interested in the model they call the Gondolier +. It appeared to be just the kind of box bike that I was looking for and seemed to be within my budget. I placed an order for the bike through Ye Old Bicycle Shoppe in San Diego. You can visit their website HERE.

Although I had never ordered from them before, my order helped me start an acquaintance with this shop. Their staff has proven to be everything you would hope for in an online buying experience. They processed my original order promptly and shipped the bike out very quickly. Because the bike required specialized assembly and set up, I had it sent to the Trek Store St. Louis for assembly and adjustment. You can see their website HERE. I might say that customer service at this Trek store is exceptional. George, John, Gary and Justin handled the setup competently and professionally. If you are looking for a local bike shop in the St. Louis area, I can highly recommend these folks. 

Parking outside the front door at work. 

Gondolier looks big next to my '69 VW Bug! 

Bakfiet Debacle or Cargo Bike Collision

Throughly pleased with my new box bike, I was commuting back and forth to work, congratulating myself on the purchase I had made. I had been so pleased with the purchase and setup, that I called both the bike shop in San Diego and the Trek Store, thanking them for their help in the buying process.

Although I have ridden thousands of miles each year for the past ten years, I have been fortunate never to have had a collision with a vehicle. That all changed a few days before Christmas. On the way home from work one afternoon, I had a collision with a vehicle at a four-way stop less than a mile from my house. Thank the Lord, although I was knocked off the bike, I was not seriously hurt. Unfortunately, I could not say the same for my new bike. Initially, it did not appear that the damage was great, however, further investigation revealed the damage was quite extensive. I decided to replace the bike with another one just like it. 

Large, stable kickstand makes it easy to park and secure with lock. 

Revisiting Ye Old Bicycle Shoppe 

After ordering replacement parts for my original bike and getting what I needed to put it back together, I told James at the Ye Olde Bicycle Shop that I wanted to order another bike. He had been so helpful in getting the necessary parts sent out on the first bike. He contacted Virtue and really went to bat for me to secure a new bike at a very reasonable price. He gave me several possibilities for a replacement and showed me all the options and corresponding cost. In the end, he sent out a newer model Gondolier + that is now on the way to the Trek Store for assembly. 

I really appreciate all the help I received from James and Jennifer in San Diego in getting these bikes and parts to me. Their competent, courteous, customer service is exceptional. Although I’m hoping I will not need to order another bike from them anytime soon, if you are in the market for a box bike or anything else they carry, I highly recommend you give them a call!

Awaiting the assembly of the 2015 Virtue Gondolier +

Thanks for taking the time to view my blog. I enjoy sharing my travels and travails with you!   By the way, if you know anyone who might be interested in a non-electric assist box bike, have them contact me….. I will make them a VERY good deal! :-)   I must make room in my garage!

A man who has friends must himself be friendly,

But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24

Visit Hope Bible Church's Website HERE.