Frustration leads to Serendipity

Frustration:  feelings of discouragement.

Serendipity:  finding valuable or agreeable things not sought after.

This last saturday I experienced both of those feelings.  Susan and I started riding two-up for several reasons, but one of the main ones is she wanted to explore the local area with me.  As part of the Equinox to Equinox rally I was visiting old cemeteries and  traveling all around the back roads coming back home with interesting stories and pictures of what exactly was out there.

We agreed to go exploring, planning to take a two hour and 60 mile ride to a few places I wanted to mark off my list.  The courthouse in nearby Dade City, the Muffler Man, a couple of cemeteries.  I had heard of an old ghost town nearby...well not really a ghost town but a town that used to have over 1000 people living there that now had less than 100, yet somehow managed to preserve it's early 1900's buildings.  As fans of history we had to see this!

First however we had some errands to run and breakfast to eat, so we climbed aboard Kimmie and took off.  We had no issues, not a care in the world as we started off on our journey.

Then Susan started to tap me on the shoulder, she forgot something at the house.  We turned around.   About an hour later we left again.  And turned around again as something else was needed or forgotten.   Another hour passes.  We are now into the heat of the day....to hot for Susan to ride.  I'm on my own.

I've been looking for a way to map out my route and then have it transferred to my phone.  I have some earphones that I can plug in and listen to the GPS directions as I ride.   I head out, the voice in my ear tells me turn left, turn left, turn left...wait a second.     It seems to be stuck on one turn, refusing to advance to the next.   I try a different tack, inputting a new destination.   It searches for GPS.    It searches for GPS.  It searches for GPS.   I swear at it.  It finds GPS.

It loses signal.

Fuck it, where does this road go anyway?

I turn and start to head down a road I've never been on before.  It's a nice 2 lane road, heading into the wilderness that is central Florida.  I ride through farmland and past citrus tree, there are more than enough twisties to make it interesting.  I am the only bike on this road,  and I realize it's a hidden gem as I putt along at about 40 to 50 miles per hour.  It's a great road, no potholes, the curves well marked out.

I pull off here and there when something catches my eye, an old barn falling down or a baby calf grazing at the fence line.   I try to entice it with some flowers picked by the side of the road but it wants nothing to do with some strange man riding a noisy machine.

I ride some more, the smell of lavender off in the distance.  I turn a corner and see an old familiar sign.  I'm in the Green Swamp now.   The paved road gives out to hard scrabble but it's nothing that I've not ridden on before, Kimmie and I move forward, till the road were on dead ends at a small but well maintained little church and graveyard.

I ask permission of the dead to move my motorcycle close to the graves and take my photo.  Taking a few minutes to watch the various butterfly's float through the air.  It's peaceful here and I can understand why the Baptist Church seems to be in the middle of no where.

Off again now....through twists and turns heading home or at least in that general direction.  I cross an old wooden one lane bridge.  I worry about stopping in the middle of it, but I hear no cars...in fact I hear nothing but nature and the gurgle of the water below me.

I know now that I have to return to this road, this hidden gem.  I hope to bring Susan here, she would love the quiet and the view.  The flowers on the side of the road in their purple and golden glory.  I'm tempted to post something to the various forums I belong to.  Letting other bikers know about this find, this amazing remarkable road.  Then again it's my secret...and I'm reminded of the legend of  Brigadoon.

On the way home I was able to get a few historical markers out of the way.  So I was able to get some points towards the rally.   But the rally was an afterthought.  All I wanted to do now was ride.

A taste of the Green Swamp.

Way back on July 24, 2012...I wrote about how I was finally going to get around to riding the Green Swamp Trail.   Well leave it to a world class procrastinator like me to put it off till Thanksgiving day.   It was a clear, blue and cool day and since we were going out for Thanksgiving day there was no reason for me to stay around the house (well there is some yard work that needs done).

I actually live off of route 54 in Zephyrhills, Fl.  The Green Swamp is literally up the road from me, and I have to say I'm sorry I didn't do this before.  It really was a great place to ride, although today was different in that I was literally the only bike on the trail it seems.  I took the southern route, starting on 54 and heading down to 98 and then the left onto Rockridge Road.  Due to time restrictions I was only able to ride the beginning of Route 33.  I did manage to work in some side roads however.

I didn't travel exactly the way the map above, I stayed on 98 south to Rockridge road.  This is a nice, well maintained 2-lane highway and has some interesting land marks on it.  Sadly traffic was two heavy for me to pull over and get some pictures of two of the more unique houses in the area (one which I call the circus house, the other the bat house).  Hopefully another day.   But I was able to get a picture of an old county line marker that dates back to the 1930.  It's the only one that I know of in the area and was built during the Great Depression as a public works project.

 Rockridge Road is a nice cut of concrete ribbon through suburbia, then suddenly and almost without warning it starts to cut through the swap.  Frankly if I had not of been paying attention I would have missed the sign.  After that sign the road surface becomes rough in places, downright nasty in a few spots and with a foot deep culvert on the side in some spots.  Not knowing the roads well and on the look out for animals I took my time, which is not a bad thing because a few of the corners where covered in sand.  

I didn't have to ride to far to have my heart nearly stop.  Out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of something, it was big and coming right at me!   It was an eagle.  It swooped down over my head and into the woods.  It was so low that ducked and fully expected it to hit me but there was not even a talon scrape on my helmet and I laughed with joy for a minute or so.  It was beautiful.

This should give you a rough idea of the road surface.  Some of the scenery you will see is in the next two pics.  

There are a lot of little twists and turns on this road.  Sweepers and S-bends, and some can be rather sharp. I rode at a nice easy pace, I did not see one other bike on the road with me and could count the numbers of cars on one hand.  If something caught my eye it was no issue going back for it or even stopping in the middle of the road for a pic.  

For example, this old cow chute caught my eye and I literally turned around in the middle of the road to take a picture of it.  Florida at one time lead the nation in beef cattle production and you can still see lots of beef cattle in the fields.  This little guy however captured my heart.    

Overall it was a great ride, I can't wait to do it again and am looking forward to seeing what lies beyond.  I took my time, explored some ride roads and still managed to get back in time to go to dinner with my family. I have to admit, I've not enjoyed a ride this much in some time, and I only rode about a quarter of the entire trail!

I can't wait to try the rest.  

Epic Adventures in your own backyard - part 2A. Planning for the Green Swamp

I have no more excuse.  I am ready.  I have a full day to myself, a full day with no commitments…no meetings, no deadlines.  I decided that I am going to have an epic adventure and ride the Green Swamp Trail.  What excites me about this particular ride is that it ends and begins in my home base of Zephyrhills.  The ride itself is about 130 miles (so well within the Burgie’s range) and I understand the road conditions are good to excellent with lots of twisties and little side trips to enjoy.  I am planning on doing this on Thursday, my next day off.  

Thanks to 2uptouring.com

Most of the roads however are 2 lane highways and twisty.  I’ve rode parts of this with my dear departed friend Gary, so it’s a remembrance of him as well.  I figured I would get up early in the morning and proceed.  The whole ride should only take about 3 – 4 hours.  I'm leaving time for me to explore, get lost and maybe grab a bite to eat in Webster - which is about the halfway point.  I also understand the town has some great examples of 1900's architecture.  As well as a place to eat called the Hayseed Cafe. How could I pass that up?

My only wish is that I had someone to ride this with.  I’m not worried about riding it by myself, but I am worried about getting the dreaded numb butt and being lost.  I don’t have a programmable GPS.  I don’t have a tank bag with a plastic cover for my map.  All I have is the printed out route, my brain and my sense of direction.

I may never be seen again.

An example of a cypress pond

The Green swamp covers parts of five counties here in West Central Florida.  It is the birthplace of four different rivers and home for countless species of animals.  The swamp itself is roughly 560 thousand acres and has several distinct types of ecological systems, everything from sandhills, flat-woods, oak hammocks, river swamps and cypress ponds.  The cypress ponds that dot the landscape are characteristic of central Florida.  For an old hiker and amateur naturist like me it's fantastic  Since the ride I'm planning literally loops around and through the swamp at times I will experience each of these systems.  

The park has a nice interactive website here if you wish to learn more.  

So I'm running through a check list of things I have to do for this ride.  Pictures and details to follow!