SWFL Bikes and Hikes

This will be a special night out if weather permits! Join us for sunset watching and a bike ride not only at full moon, but even better at "Cold Moon" Supermoon!

The "Cold Moon" is also sometimes referred as "Long Night Moon" or "Oak Moon". It reflects the arrival of winter and long nights associated with the season.

Please use the parking lot at the end of S. Casey Key Rd., it will be open until 10:00 PM.

We will meet at North Jetty Beach at 05:00 PM for sunset watching. We will be sitting somewhere close to the jetty. Bring along beach chairs or blankets, snacks and drinks if you like. Sunset will be at 05:35 PM.
The Supermoon will rise at about the same time.

After sunset we will return to our cars, store our belongings and get on the bikes. The moon should be bright by then (depending on weather conditions).

We will start our ride once it is dark outside, latest at around 06:15 PM. Beachgoers will be gone by then and traffic will be very light, making it very safe to ride in the dark with our bike lights on. We will be highly visible, even from a long distance.

The ride will take us to the north end of Casey Key where Stephen King has his property. Once there, we will turn around and head to the parking lot at Casey Key's Fish House.

We should be able to enjoy the supermoon and its reflexion over the Intracoastal Waterway.

After the break we will ride back to the North Jetty parking lot facing the moon.

Total distance will be 14.4 miles, enough for a little exercise.

Don't forget to bring along sufficient water and your bike lights. A lock won't be necessary. Check your bikes (and lights) before the ride.

As always, if you have questions or need directions, you can contact us at (917)774-0941.

Fellow hikers, it is time to hit the trails again, so you might want to sign up! We will have plenty of shade along the trail, ideal in case it gets hot.

Join us for a casual 6.8 mile hike within the Little Manatee River State Park. The loop will last approximately 3.5 hours including breaks. We will take three breaks at scenic spots, one of them at a primitive camp ground.

The trail is quite diverse and picturesque. Among others, we will walk through mature sand pine forest, over hills, wooden walkways & bridges and along floodplains and scrubby flatwoods. At some point we will cross Cypress Creek, a major tributary of the Little Manatee River which we will follow on our return to the parking lot.

Please carry water, bug spray, sunscreen and bring a snack if you like. The trail is fairly easy to walk, unless it has rained the days before when it will be muddy in some areas.

Entrance to the park is $ 5 cash per car for 2 to 8 people and $ 4 cash if you are a single occupant. You will have to get an envelope at the trail head, detach the inner part and place it on your rear mirror in the car.

We will leave at 08:00 AM sharp. Please allow extra time to pay the entrance fee, unless you are a Florida State Park Pass holder.

You can call or text us at (917)774-0941 if you have further questions or need directions.

This event is an "Add On" to our Annual Getaway in Winter Garden. However, you can also sign up for this event even if you don’t plan to participate in the getaway.

If you sign up for this event and also join us in Winter Garden, you should know that you no longer will have to drive on the always traffic jammed I-4 to get there. Instead, we will continue going north on Hwy 301 via Dade City and cross over on Hwy 50 via Clermont to Winter Garden. It will take around 1 1/2 hours to get there. We should be in Winter Garden by 03:00 PM, leaving sufficient time for check-in and refreshment before we regroup at 04:00 PM across the Edgewater Hotel.

THE EVENT:

09:30 AM: Let’s meet at the P3 parking lot inside the park and join us for a casual hike in Hillsborough River State Park, known for its beauty and good amount of wildlife. Once home to Fort Foster during the Seminole War, the park offers a variety of hiking trails through dense hydric hammock forest and a rare view of Class II river rapids in Florida.

In total we will hike a bit less than six miles while exploring the Rapids, Baynard and Seminole Trail that meanders along the Hillsborough River. Along the way we will also cross a suspension bridge.

This will be a casual hike and there will be plenty of time for pictures along the way. Expect the hike to last 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

Once we are finished with our hike, we will have a little picnic at one of the pavilions near the parking lot. This way, we won’t have to have an empty stomach all the way to Winter Garden.

NOTICE:

At the time of writing, all 3 trails are still closed due to damage caused by last years’ hurricanes. FEMA is currently assessing necessary repairs and there is reasonable hope that trails will reopen until December. Otherwise we will have to postpone the event.

As always, if you have any questions or need directions, you can reach us at (917)774-0941.