Good offroading in Florida? Winter trip. - Page 3

thorinoakenshield · 02-04-2013, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaydee1445

None of those on that map are any good, too many cockroaches (quads) they are all OHV trails.
I assume your 690 is tagged so you can ride any # road.
Delorme's Florida Gazetteer has most of the "maintained" roads but many are too sandy to fun alone one a 690. For you first time and riding alone I would suggest staying on the orange clay roads, many of them have some deep sand if you feel the need.
USFS published maps of legal roads here
looks like there will be a campout at the Scrub in Ocala during bikeweek

I'm trying to figure out what you mean by "orange clay roads".
Do you mean something like this (in Osceola) ?

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=osceola+national+forest&ll=30.258558,-82.448026&spn=0.003345,0.009935&fb=1&gl=us&hq=osceola+national+forest&cid=0,0,15277030980172651171&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=30.258568,-82.448052&panoid=vdEZoGJGTnY4RTonNCMIhQ&cbp=11,107.4,,0,9.04
Google street map view

The sandy road is National Forest Rd, it's labeled as road 211 in the park map (Map Index 18).
The map key in the pdf marks it as "roads open to highway legal vehicles only". Really!

FLARider1 · 02-05-2013, 12:10 PM

they look like a Georgia red clay kinda color but are a sandy mix. Usually pretty well packed but still with a slippery sand layer on top. There are places where it gets suddenly thick and is a bit tricky to handle. Usually in corners, intersections and transition to bridges. The white sand on the trails seems to have no rhyme or reason as to why it gets thick and deep. The orange stuff can be run pretty quick to run on, but still has me on high pucker cuz I don't ride it that much, but the guys that ride it all the time haul ass on those roads.

waybill · 02-05-2013, 02:54 PM

Ocala NF graded clay road, they run east/west and north/south and are all straight except one.

Two-track (not ATV trails)

Intersection.

(they're not all like this but plenty are)

There's some relatively fun dirt between Daytona and Ocala NF then you can take the ferry into the forest, LMK if you want to see it.

Also, (low key announcement to any Sandbox riders) I have a two day coast to coast to coast DS route starting from Daytona/Flagler I was thinking about running during bike week (mid-week) then realized there was one already being run, albeit kinda pricey. BUT, if there's sufficient interest I could work on putting it together. Time's running short but it's still doable. The route is 235 miles over and 275 back with designated lunch stops, probably 65-70.% dirt.

thorinoakenshield · 02-05-2013, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waybill

Ocala NF graded clay road, they run east/west and north/south and are all straight except one.

ok, so there's no way to tell from the national forest map.
so far i've printed the Osceola pdf out and taped it back up as a foldable map to carry.
i'm going to just highlight the routes Dr. Z gave me...and use that and kind of wing it I guess...not a bad method, actually.

Quote:

Originally Posted by waybill

There's some relatively fun dirt between Daytona and Ocala NF then you can take the ferry into the forest, LMK if you want to see it.

that sounds neat, thanks for the offer. it's too early to say, though.

GSF1200S · 02-06-2013, 12:05 AM

FWIW, sand does suck but it isnt impossible. I have taken those sandy intersections on a DR650 and I have little offroad experience. The one big difference is im running knobbies, but you have a far more capable bike. I have only been down twice and I ride out there all the time (for about 3 months now), so you will probably be fine in the sand. That said, places like Eglin supposedly have tons of sand and that might not be a lot of fun for a whole day. Remember that airing down makes a huge difference in sand.

My experience is with Blackwater (past Milton, FL), and there is a lot of good riding there. That is quite a drive from Ocala and all that though, so you might want to just stay there. Good luck..

jaydee1445 · 02-06-2013, 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thorinoakenshield

i'm going to just highlight the routes Dr. Z gave me...and use that and kind of wing it I guess...not a bad method, actually.
.

There will be plenty of rides from the Scrub.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GSF1200S

The one big difference is im running knobbies, but you have a far more capable bike.

This

thorinoakenshield · 02-11-2013, 08:02 PM

If anyone has any route suggestions for osceola and apalachicola, please let me know. I was able to get some from another nice inmate, but I want to add more for my mid-week rides.

That's about it. I just need to research some nice restaurants and put a new rear tire on....

jaydee1445 · 02-12-2013, 03:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thorinoakenshield

I I just need to put a new Knobby tires on....

Fixed..

thorinoakenshield · 02-12-2013, 05:26 AM

pirelli mt 21. not too bad.

jaydee1445 · 02-13-2013, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thorinoakenshield

pirelli mt 21. not too bad.

I ran one on the 9fiddy front

good sugar tire.Too small for the rear so I can't vouch for that. I'll be at the Scrub Thursday- Monday with the 400. Should be a bed in the bunkhouse for you if you don't have a tent.

thorinoakenshield · 02-19-2013, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaydee1445

I'll be at the Scrub Thursday- Monday with the 400. Should be a bed in the bunkhouse for you if you don't have a tent.

Kewl.

jaydee1445 · 02-20-2013, 04:20 AM

This is going to be epic Trans Fl Rally If I wasn't injured I'd be doing it.

thorinoakenshield · 02-21-2013, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaydee1445

This is going to be epic Trans Fl Rally If I wasn't injured I'd be doing it.

It does look epic!
But I'll be at Daytona on Saturday 3/9, so I will miss it.

Hurley959 · 02-25-2013, 04:27 PM

Once you understand the technique to riding sand you'll be just fine on your 690. I take the 640 into the super deep stuff and it doesn't give me trouble.

There's some cool stuff in the SE side of the forest around Alexander Spring, too. If I don't have anything on the agenda I might come out and goof off while you're in town.

thorinoakenshield · 02-25-2013, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hurley959

Once you understand the technique to riding sand you'll be just fine on your 690. I take the 640 into the super deep stuff and it doesn't give me trouble.

There's some cool stuff in the SE side of the forest around Alexander Spring, too. If I don't have anything on the agenda I might come out and goof off while you're in town.

Sounds good.
I think my rough itinerary is:
Arrive Friday 3/8 -- maybe ride to St. Augustine and then to my friend's house. I will probably just have half a day to do something. I think I just want to go to the Castillo de San Marcos Nat'l Monument and get my national park passport stamped.

Saturday 3/9 -- Daytona Supercross

Sunday 3/10 - Hang out at The Scrub campout. Ride.

Monday 3/11 - Ditto ^

Tuesday 3/12 - Dunno. Maybe checkout Osceola national forest.

Wednesday 3/13 - Dunno. Maybe checkout Apalachicola national forest.

Thursday 3/14 - Hit the Amtrack back home.

So I'm pretty flexible. My big thing is don't miss the train and getting to the supercross race.

Alexander Spring looks pretty cool. Let me know what's up if you are going for a ride....

02-05-2013, 12:10 PM	#32
FLARider1 Beastly Adventurer Joined: Dec 2009 Location: Homestead, Florida Oddometer: 1,020	they look like a Georgia red clay kinda color but are a sandy mix. Usually pretty well packed but still with a slippery sand layer on top. There are places where it gets suddenly thick and is a bit tricky to handle. Usually in corners, intersections and transition to bridges. The white sand on the trails seems to have no rhyme or reason as to why it gets thick and deep. The orange stuff can be run pretty quick to run on, but still has me on high pucker cuz I don't ride it that much, but the guys that ride it all the time haul ass on those roads. __________________ Sandy Beaches to Frozen Tundra RR Sandy Beaches to Frozen Tundra smugmug Sandy Beaches to Frozen Tundra Spotwalla

02-05-2013, 02:54 PM	#33
waybill cheap thrill Joined: Mar 2010 Location: N. Fla. Oddometer: 242	Ocala NF graded clay road, they run east/west and north/south and are all straight except one. Two-track (not ATV trails) Intersection. (they're not all like this but plenty are) There's some relatively fun dirt between Daytona and Ocala NF then you can take the ferry into the forest, LMK if you want to see it. Also, (low key announcement to any Sandbox riders) I have a two day coast to coast to coast DS route starting from Daytona/Flagler I was thinking about running during bike week (mid-week) then realized there was one already being run, albeit kinda pricey. BUT, if there's sufficient interest I could work on putting it together. Time's running short but it's still doable. The route is 235 miles over and 275 back with designated lunch stops, probably 65-70.% dirt. __________________ Bill 1150Adv, 950Adv, 800GS, TR650, DR350

02-11-2013, 08:02 PM	#37
thorinoakenshield ^OP ya mo be there Joined: Dec 2011 Location: santa rosa Oddometer: 398	If anyone has any route suggestions for osceola and apalachicola, please let me know. I was able to get some from another nice inmate, but I want to add more for my mid-week rides. That's about it. I just need to research some nice restaurants and put a new rear tire on.... __________________ ktm 450xcw, ktm 690 enduro r, kawasaki versys 650 "In Europe we ride about eight-tenths. If we really have to, we might ride nine-tenths. The crazy ones ride ten-tenths—but not for very long. In America, they seem to ride eleven-tenths all the time."-- Phil Read thorinoakenshield screwed with this post 02-12-2013 at 05:52 PM

02-12-2013, 05:26 AM	#39
thorinoakenshield ^OP ya mo be there Joined: Dec 2011 Location: santa rosa Oddometer: 398	pirelli mt 21. not too bad. __________________ ktm 450xcw, ktm 690 enduro r, kawasaki versys 650 "In Europe we ride about eight-tenths. If we really have to, we might ride nine-tenths. The crazy ones ride ten-tenths—but not for very long. In America, they seem to ride eleven-tenths all the time."-- Phil Read

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02-06-2013, 12:05 AM	#35
GSF1200S Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Jul 2012 Location: Moab, Utah Oddometer: 343	FWIW, sand does suck but it isnt impossible. I have taken those sandy intersections on a DR650 and I have little offroad experience. The one big difference is im running knobbies, but you have a far more capable bike. I have only been down twice and I ride out there all the time (for about 3 months now), so you will probably be fine in the sand. That said, places like Eglin supposedly have tons of sand and that might not be a lot of fun for a whole day. Remember that airing down makes a huge difference in sand. My experience is with Blackwater (past Milton, FL), and there is a lot of good riding there. That is quite a drive from Ocala and all that though, so you might want to just stay there. Good luck..

02-20-2013, 04:20 AM	#42
jaydee1445 Footpeg Crash Tester Joined: Jul 2006 Location: high sided into the orange grove Oddometer: 3,653	This is going to be epic Trans Fl Rally If I wasn't injured I'd be doing it.

02-25-2013, 04:27 PM	#44
Hurley959 Adventurer Joined: Mar 2011 Location: Ocala, FL Oddometer: 45	Once you understand the technique to riding sand you'll be just fine on your 690. I take the 640 into the super deep stuff and it doesn't give me trouble. There's some cool stuff in the SE side of the forest around Alexander Spring, too. If I don't have anything on the agenda I might come out and goof off while you're in town.