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Group Ride in FLA in January??

Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 1:06 pm
by kdeal
Hey gang,

I am trying to gauge the interest in a group ride in Florida in January. I can guarantee no snow, and possibly some very nice weather. I was thinking the best place for this is a State owned park called Croom, or possibly Ocala National Forrest. Croom has many advantages, including two hotels at the entrance, former Cannondale bike shop at the front gate, fast food and a large grocery store within 1/2 mile of the front gate. There is overnight camping with facilities (water,power, sewer dump, bath house with warm showers, etc) as well. Another good thing is it's about an hour from all the major attractions (Disney, Universal, Busch Gardens, etc). Let me know what you think and a rough date.

Ken

Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 1:17 pm
by cannondale27
Oh yeah I am in anytime in January.Kids go to Disney I go riding.Cool!

Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 1:20 pm
by IRONSIDE
Ken, you know I'm in on a FL group ride. Croom would be my first choice. :cool:

Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 4:57 pm
by kdeal
Admins,

Thanks for making this a sticky.

Ken

Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 8:45 pm
by kdeal
Here is some links with more info:

http://www.atvillustrated.com/feature_arti...ochee/info.html

http://www.floridatrailriders.org/articles/croom.htm

http://www.atvflorida.com/croom.shtml

The terrain is sugar sand almost everywhere with some hard packed clay mixed in. The area used to be an old phosphate mining area and some of the pits are still there. The riding can be challenging and fast or slow and technical. Remember it's Florida, so there is not much change in elevation except in the pits. There is a huge open area pit shown in some of the photos, that has water in the summer & dry in the winter. It is a heck of a good motocross track when dry. That pit is probably a 1/4 to 3/8 of a mile across, with trees at the top of the bowel. One of the day areas is at the top.

Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 11:14 pm
by dunnbandit1
ill go if its after january 16 (i will have payed vacation days after the 16th)smile.gif

Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 12:09 am
by jfarrar
hmmmm.........might need to start saving some money.my granparants go to florida in the winter and i can never seem to make it down there.croom is 34 minutes from there place in homosossa springs:) im with you steve kids -> disney dad ->:ride:

Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 1:02 am
by Brad Oakley
I always try to find a few warm days each Winter. This might be just the thing!!!

another option

Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2005 3:58 pm
by kstevens
this place is awsome, something for everyone, great peewee track and the main motocross track is for the high jumpers, just another option.... dont mean to step on anyones toes
http://www.hardrockmx.com

Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:15 am
by Jman
I'm in! That's if you don't mind a two wheelie in the group.