It has been three months of writing, editing, re-writing, editing, and a repeat of all with an occasional blog post. I recently took time for some mountain biking in Florida, at the Santos Trailhead, located south of Ocala Florida.
Now, after riding the dirt trails in state and national parks in the western US, I was really impressed with the 23-miles of trails, with 12-beginner, 8-moderate, and one difficult trail, along with a paved trail to warm up.
Because of my novice mountain biking abilities, I spent the day on the easy and moderate trails and left the difficult trails to the speedy advance riders including the newest addition called “The Vortex.” One aspect of aging is knowing the need to remain safe with the proper equipment, like knee, elbow, wrist, buttocks, shoulder, and chest padding to soften the impact when I fall off. 🙂
Although the elevation of the Santos trails are not steep as compared to what is available in the northeast like when I was in Vermont earlier this year or in the western US. However, the undulating sharp curvy dirt banked dirt trails, with a mixture of various rock gardens, provides even the novice bike rider like me with a great challenge.
The extensive trail network is vast and daunting at times, but with many locals who ride can direct you back to civilization. One of the newest features of the trails system is the “Vortex,” which is a banked wooden section that is challenging and fun for the advanced rider. Click the link to view this video by VECON Sports to get a great idea about the Santos trails and the Vortex.
If you get the opportunity to tour this mountain bike park, there is an adjoining campground along with Greenway bicycle where you can get snack foods, campgrounds items, bicycle repair, bicycle rentals, and beer.
In the coming weeks into the first of the year, I will return to the western US to enjoy some desert riding, so standby for some desert photos. 🙂
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