| Ride Stats |
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Distance:
119.08 miles
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Altitude Gain:
2,093 ft
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Avg Speed:
17.54 mph
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Route:
Around Okeechobee
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Avg Grade: 0 %
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Max Grade: 0 %
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Max HR: 0 bpm
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Avg HR: 0 bpm
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Terrain: Road: Flat
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Bike: Look 585 Carbon Road
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Club: Schuyler County Cycling Club |
| Weather Conditions: Sunny 74 F SW wind @ 14 mph |
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Lake Okeechobee is the second largest freshwater lake in the lower forty-eight at seven hundred and thirty square miles. It isn’t very deep with a maximum depth of thirteen feet and an average depth of only nine feet. It is surrounded by the thirty foot high Herbert Hoover dike that is topped by the Lost Trail. Had intended on riding around the lake on the lost trail but had to abandon that as much of the trail is closed as the dike is under construction as it is being reinforced. Plan B was to circumnavigate the lake on the surrounding road system. Needed to get an early start by eight to avoid the winds that would be ever increasing throughout the day but delayed a little to let the temperature rise above sixty. Got on the trail at Taylor Creek and rode the familiar paved section of the trail to Buckhead Ridge. The first section had gone well with cool temperatures a light crosswind and abundant avian wildlife sighted. It was too cool to see the alligators and didn’t have to dodge any snakes this morning as they had not gotten out to warm themselves on the pavement. Ran out of trail after seven miles and hit the road and the headwinds. The next twenty miles was a fairly straight road section of into a constant headwind through the cattle grazing on the Florida prairie. Turned out of the headwind at the little burg of Lakeport and stopped outside of town to celebrate with a crunchy bar and a ceremonial draining of the bladder. Found a bike trail along the road in the next section and it felt good to get off the road. Although traffic was light and for the most part friendly a good deal of the trucks here pass at a very high rate of speed. Only got in a couple miles of trail before it veered to the right and headed off along a canal into the west. The section I wanted to be on heading south was under construction so it was back onto the road. Spent a few miles focusing on an oasis up the road that turned out to be Moore Haven. Wasn’t pleased with the route after Moore Haven as the road became the high traffic four lane RT 27. I decided to take a risk and try a side road that might take me back to the Lost Trail that might be open and might be paved. I was now on the southern section of the lake which was no longer prairie but cane fields. Locals told me that they didn’t even like to drive in the cane fields as "no one knows what goes on out there." I could see straight ahead for a few miles and figured it wasn’t a dead end as the quality of the pavement looked good. So headed off into the fields. Once in the fields you can’t really see anything but the cane and black smoke in the distant sky where the some of the fields were being burned off. Only saw one white truck in the cane that was cruising along at about twenty miles an hour. Assume it was some kind of company truck doing an inspection or security sweep of the fields. Guy seemed friendly when he finally passed and didn’t turn out to be a backwoods serial killer type that I assumed he might be when I first observed him. Started to pass out of the cane after a few miles and could see a huge processing plant in the distant that looked like an island in the cane. Started to encounter some homesteads that appeared to be Bo and Luke’s poorer relations. Came out of the fields and got back onto the four lane and pedaled into Clewiston and stopped for lunch at McDonald’s. The internet write up I read about doing the loop described Clewiston as a place you wouldn’t be safe walking around at night. Didn’t feel comfortable leaving my bike unattended while I had lunch, so ate my meal with the bike in the parking lot. Tried to get back on the trail again but it was closed and had to do a few miles on the highway. Traffic was stopped on the other side of the road to clear away a multi-car accident that from the appearance of the wreckage involved some fatalities. Miles passed quickly as the road surface was good and had a strong tailwind. Got back off the main road and onto a side road near Belle Grande. Felt good to be off the highway but had to exchange my tailwind for a crosswind as I started heading back to the north. The side road had slower traffic but lacked a good shoulder. Still was a pleasant ride through the tall palms and small towns. Found a park just south at Pahokee that had an open bathroom and a fountain to refill my bottles. Got off the road and back onto the trail after the bridge at Port Mayaca and finished off the ride back to Taylor Creek. Wind was viscous for the last twenty miles but was a following cross so figured I got through the day with a positive tailwind quotient. Ended up with one hundred and nineteen miles total. Ride was long but not difficult being flat and with favorable winds. Would like to try it again once the trail is reopened.
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