Messages

1

Routes / Re: Key West and Gulf Coast - State Parks

« on: March 08, 2024, 03:30:59 pm »

What I remember of the Flamingo campground from around 10 or more years ago was just a large open sandy area for tents.  For everglades experiences you need to get away from the campground,l. A boat, kayak airboat ect tour would give a better experience.  A 100 plus mile detour may not be ideal.  Taking the Tamiami Trail and the short detour to everglades city is a much less detour.  There are probably more options for seeing the everglades that way.  I remember that there were options to be transported to ground, Beach or raised camping sites in the everglades and just off shore islands (keys) to spend the night.  I usually do this to the islands by kayak every couple of years.

2

Routes / Re: Key West and Gulf Coast - State Parks

« on: March 07, 2024, 03:24:27 pm »

It has been several years since I was in Flamingo.  But it is around 50 miles each way on a road without any services.  Little to no shade and no other routes and there is not much west of Florida city until you you get everglades city then Naples.

If I was starting in Miami I would either head north west towards the southern tip of lake Okeechobee  then west or follow the coast to around Palm Beach beforeheading west.

The Florida keys are tough finding reasonable accommodations.  The state park campgrounds are booked usually years

3

General Discussion / Re: Bicycles on Via Rail in Canada

« on: June 28, 2023, 08:12:09 pm »

I forgot to mention that I didn't have to box the bike or anything, I just detached the panniers and checked them except for a "Carry-On"

4

General Discussion / Re: Bicycles on Via Rail in Canada

« on: June 28, 2023, 08:08:20 pm »

I have used VIA rail quite a few times while bicycle touring.  I tour with a Greenspeed Trike.  When I was planning several tours using VIA Rail, I was bacily told that if it fit thru the baggage car doors, and there was a baggage car and checked baggage service at the stop, then it went.

At the time I lived in Lewiston, NY, and either drove to Toronto or took one of the weekend Go trains from Niagara Falls Ontario to Toronto.  The Go train commuter train service on the weekends in the summer would have 2 cars with the seat removed from the lower deck and bike rack put in place.  Note this info is from before Covid locked down Canada.  They were expanding the GO Train service throughout the week.

I took the Canadian west from Toronto to Sudbery Junction, near Georgian bay and rode home.  This train goes from Toronto to the West coast, has sleeper cars and catered meals.  It departed every other day and had baggage service.  This is their flagship route and has been featured on History Chanel.

I also took multiple trips that went from Toronto to Montreal.  It has several trips daily with baggage cars but not all.  also connected with the Ocean route that goes from Montreal to Quebec city and Halifax Nova Scotia.  The Ocean route is a overnight route with baggage service and sleeper cars and Prepared meals.

5

Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Atlantic Coast Section 7 Jupiter bridge closure Apr. 2023

« on: April 01, 2023, 10:22:34 pm »

The US 1 Bridge in Jupiter is closed and being replaced starting March 16, 2023 and continuing about 20 months to December 2024.

see link https://www.fdot.gov/projects/jupiterus1bridge/main/bridge-closure-information for more info.

Southbound, after crossing draw bridge from Jupiter island, cross over US 1, this is Alternate A1A,  Go over a bridge with a train bridge to the right and then make a left at the first intersection, This will be Indiantown Road/CR 706. Take this until the end and turn right on A1A to rejoin the route.

Northbound, Turn Left On Indiantown Rd./CR 706, after going over a drawbridge the next major intersection will be Alternate A1A, make a right, keep going straight and it will cross US 1 and rejoins the route here going over a drawbridge onto Jupiter island.

Note the bridge on Alternate A1A does contain wide sidewalks on both sides and the eastern side (Northbound side), has a sidewalk the whole length, Southbound side has areas with missing sidewalks and bike lanes,  along with the train tracks on the southbound side can cause the right lane to be backed up with turning traffic, it might be advisable to use Northbound sidewalk while traveling southbound starting at US1  to at least Indiantown or all the way to Ocean Blvd at end of Indiantown.  The bridge on Indiantown does have wide sidewalks on both sides and bike lanes.

Much of this detour is signed for traffic.

6

Classifieds / Re: Longbikes Slipstream for sale price drop again

« on: July 06, 2022, 09:46:19 pm »

Price dropped again.

7

Classifieds / Re: Longbikes Slipstream for sale

« on: June 27, 2022, 07:54:12 pm »

Droped price

8

Classifieds / Longbikes Slipstream for sale price drop again

« on: June 24, 2022, 05:10:20 pm »

Longbikes Slipstream long wheelbase under seat steering bike.
It has S&S couplings allowing the frame to be split in two,  I have flown with the bike.
It also has a Schmidt Dynamo hub front wheel and light is attached to the front rack.
The seat is a Rans mesh back seat.
It has front and rear racks, front brake is V-brake, rear is a disc brake.  the front fork does have disc brake mounts.

Selling the bike as I had it at parent house in Atlanta and they are selling the house, house is closing next week.

Location is Atlanta Georgia.  Local pickup only!!!

$150 Or Best Offer. 

best contact is via google voice (561) 320-2259‬
or jt c o s t a nz@yahoo dot com

Any questions please call me

9

Routes / Re: Parking for two weeks in Orchard Park, NY

« on: May 20, 2022, 08:18:10 am »

The buffalo airport and offsite parking vendors are available.  The niagara falls Airport might have long term parking but with limited access due to limited flights.  The niagara falls Airport is closer to the where the nt renters the US east bound

10

General Discussion / Re: VT State Park Reservation Policy Change

« on: May 11, 2022, 09:12:33 pm »

It has been a few years since I planned a trip in VT, but last time VT state parks did have a 1 night reservation option for hikers and bikers, it required one to call the park or reservation office (I cannot remember which) to make the reservation as the website only allowed 2 night minimum reservations and it was not restricted to some days of the week.

New York State parks was getting very bad as the 2 night minimum and reservation fees made the cost close to some airbnb and small motels.

11

Routes / Re: likely winds/wind direction in late March/early April in Florida keys

« on: April 09, 2022, 08:37:52 pm »

I just looked at the map updates and they do talk about the trail but stare thet it switches sides of the road and sometimes it looks like a sidewalk.  As the trail is right next to route 1 there are no real directions to change the route to folliw the trail.

Also included are notes about the campground rules changes.

I have noticed on many of my other trips that alot of campgrounds have removed tent camping options or have made them so expensive that motels become competitive and eastern states have made state park campgrounds very costly for travelers.  New York is a classic example. 2 night minimum stay 15 dollar plus reservation fee 35 to 45 per night. And no walkups for the last 2 years.

12

Routes / Re: likely winds/wind direction in late March/early April in Florida keys

« on: April 05, 2022, 07:38:34 pm »

On the 2 trips I did solo, I started from the Key Largo Chamber of Commerce, as they allowed me to park for several days.  My first bike trip thru the keys was with Bubba's Pampered Cycling, and it was a mostly camping and several of the campgrounds have closed or stopped allowing tents. 
Other than in Key West there were no other options then following US1, and looking for the overseas trail on the side of the road.  Most times I didn't bother crossing the road to the opposite side to ride the trail as often it seemed to be closed at the next bridge crossing. 
For planning I used Google Maps but in car mode as it has issues bicycle routing(cannot find a route around 7 mile bridge and sends one to Fort Myers for the ferry ride to Key West(387 miles instead of 100).
 Finding reasonable accommodations is very tricky through the keys from late December thru April.

13

Routes / Re: South of Buffalo

« on: March 28, 2022, 08:43:27 pm »

I have biked the area multiple times, only once did I take the rt 62/south park blvd route.  all others I stayed on/near route 5.  Headed North/east on the Norther Tier, there is a side walk on the right side of route 5 under the railroad tracks.  Also Google maps does not reflect the recent (several years old) paths added from dona street North.  The traffic around 62/179 intersection concerned me more than the traffic on rt 5

If you stay on rt 5, Turn Left onto Hover Rd at Big Tree Rd (traffic Light at intersection) and keep left/turn left with hover rd, before the light at rt 5 again. at end of road pickup the paved trail along rt 5.  take this path around the circle and use the pedestrian over pass to the right side and either use the side walk or the road/shoulder (shoulder does disappear at times).  After the train overpass, the 2nd light is Dona St, tim hortons on right, Turn left and pickup the paved path along route 5 (doesn't show on google maps or satellite but does show on street view).  This path will take you to the path along Fuhrmann blvd.  You must either take the Ohio Street (separated bike lane on bridge) or the Queen City Bike Ferry to Canal Side.

If you use the Ohio Street bridge, stay on ohio street until it intersects/ends at S Michigan Ave, go straight between the fence and the water by the tug/fire boat, this will put you at canal side right where the bike ferry lets off.

If you take the bike ferry, stay with fuhrman blvd to just before the Coast Guard Gate and turn right to the ferry.

Now cross over the pedestrian bridge and stay with the wide path that ends at Erie St.  turn right with Erie St to just before an overpass and turn left to path on the left.  Keeping with the path it will rejoin the river soon.  After it turns away from the river again turn left with the path just after rotary row.  It will take you to a new pedestrian overpass and under the Peace Bridge.  You will want to keep right and make a right U turn onto busti ave.  make a left just before going under the bridge again staying with Busti ave then make a right turn with the sidewalk going under the bridge, this takes you to the pedestrian entrance to the peace bridge.

14

Routes / Re: Greater Niagara Circle Route

« on: February 02, 2022, 09:38:33 pm »

I used to ride all the time in Canada around Niagara falls, just moved in August from Lewiston, NY to Florida.  I usually rode the off road paths/sidewalks trails except between the Former Toronto Power Generating Station and just North of the Rainbow Bridge when heading North.  South bound was usually fine until around Clifton hill.  The area that is left is mostly slow moving car traffic and easily traversed by bike in the car lanes,  there can be a lot of cars waiting to turn on to Clifton Hill making it tricky South bound.   

The western side of the Niagara Circle route is not well marked but does consist of mostly off road paved trails with mostly low traffic roads when on road.  From the Peace bridge it is a very nice ride along the Niagara river and Lake Erie then thru a very residential low traffic road to the Friendship rail trail, with a few road crossings.  One area to watch out for is when following the trail it take you along the old Weland canal and it ends at a rowing club.  turns right to connect to the road and goes over a railroad.  I recommend turning left after the bridge over the rail road and keeping the canal on the right here as staying straight there are a couple of road bridges, the last being division street and bridge 13.  after this there are no accessible bridges to cross back to the west side where the trail is.
At the North end you will be on Lakeshore road which has minimal shoulder at times with light to medium traffic until you reach NOTL.  If you are lucky in your timing, you might catch a lake freighter going thru one of the many locks on this route

15

General Discussion / Re: C&O Trail

« on: October 04, 2021, 04:59:47 pm »

many years ago I did the C&O and GAP tour with Adventure Cycling on a Greenspeed GTE Trike.   The max width on the trike is around 35"  at one point we crossed paths in the tunnel with a troupe of kids.  It was a tight squeeze, I rubbed the one hub on the railing and they a had to hug the wall but we were able to pass them.