Author: Ken Steinhoff

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7th Annual Rotary LOST Ride-Run-Walk March 27

If you’ve been wanting to ride the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail (LOST), but haven’t done it because you didn’t want to be out there alone, with no bathrooms and no refreshments, March 27 would be a great time to get your initiation.  The local Rotary Club is sponsoring its 7th Annual Ride-Run-Walk event that Saturday.

Restrooms and refreshments will be provided.

The ride starts and ends at the Scott Driver Boat Ramp on Highway 78, west of Okeechobee and on east side of the Kissimmee River. They are featuring 12, 20, 40 and 54 mile round trip courses. 54 miles will take you from the north end of the lake down to Port Mayaca and back. Since there is only one trail, it’s impossible to get lost on the LOST.

There is nothing magic about those distances, either. Just ride until you are half as tired as you want to be at the end, then turn around.

Spiffy Rotary Club web site

This year the Rotary Club’s LOST ride has a spiffy new web site. You can see it here. There are details about the ride and an entry form. (We’ll have one of those at the bottom of the page.)

The Hampton Inn has special rates for LOST riders. If you want cheap and clean, but nothing special, I’ve had good luck with the Okeechobee Scottish Inns. Here’s a review I did after last year’s ride.

Photos from the 2009 ride

Here are still photos and a video from last year’s Rotary Club event. It was a great morning with perfect weather, except for a gusty wind.

Starts and ends at scott driver boat ramp

Scott Driver Boat Ramp on Highway 78

A ride on the LOST can change your life, good and bad

Mary Garita, a coworker for more than 20 years, showed up for the 2004 ride, having done very little riding and not knowing what to expect.

She liked it well enough that we became regular riding partners and logged thousands of miles together. For awhile, we were riding the LOST a couple of times a month including an unsupported century on the south end of the LOST in November of 2006.

A month later, she crashed on the LOST, fractured her skull in five places and hasn’t been able to work or bike since. There’s a reason for that helmet requirement for that ride. Trust me.

The LOST isn’t a dangerous place to ride, but a few simple precautions are in order.

Here’s what I carry, supported or not:

  • Suncreen. There is NO shade up on the dike.
  • Spare tube and a way to inflate it.
  • Plenty of water; there are no facilities to buy any on the dike (although it will be provided at the rest areas)
  • A cell phone, just in case.
  • Emergency contact information (remember Mary?)
  • Mosquito repellent. Not necessary in the daytime, but bugs are brutal for about 45 minutes right at dusk.
  • A camera; not absolutely necessary, but I guarantee that you’ll spot something along the trail that you’re going to want to share with your friends.

Here’s the entry form

This is a great event. I’ve been to all but one of them. Here’s your Rotary Club 7th LOST Registration Form.

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How to Fix Your Bike’s Flat Tire

THAT’S a blowout

I mentioned last week that I had a problem with flat tires. Well, over the years I HAVE had a couple of blowouts, but nothing like the one on Valentine’s Day in West Palm Beach.

Just a few hours earlier, that 42-foot pile of debris behind Osa had been a 30-story condo damaged by two hurricanes. At a few minutes past 9 A.M. on Valentine’s Day, it took about 10 seconds for 2,000 pounds of explosives to pancake the building. You can see a video of the implosion on this TV station’s site.

I decided that it wasn’t worth fighting the crowds to see the explosion (plus it was chilly), but Osa and Chuck and I cruised by the site that afternoon.  [I could have used a picture of Chuck, but I looked at Osa. Then I looked at Chuck. Yep, no contest, even if he WAS riding a bent.]

How to fix a flat tire

After my flat tire experience last week, I decided to let Wayne at Bicycle change my front tire so I could video the process for those folks who are a bit intimidated by the thought of doing it on the side of the road. Wayne was kind enough to let me shoot a video of him building a wheel around my SON generator when I first bought my Surly Long Haul Trucker last year, so he was OK with shooting the flat fixing.

I’ve been lucky enough not to have so many flats that I’ve gotten proficient or fast at changing them. I’ve done it – on one memorable ride on the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail when I flatted at Mosquito O’Clock – but I figured I’d let a pro do it on camera. Plus, it’s about as easy to film yourself changing a tire as it is to change a tire while swatting mosquitoes with both hands.

Patch or Pitch?

Some of you may question why Wayne said that he was going to discard the tube because it had been punctured. Why not patch it?

Wayne’s perspective as an LBS owner is that the customer will always blame the patch if there’s ever a flat on that tire in the future. He’s perfectly happy to give you the old tube back if YOU want to patch it, but he always installs new tubes.

What’s that Presta to Schrader adapter he’s using?

Wayne prefers to adapt Presta valves to the automotive Schrader format when he’s working with tubes.

  • It means that he can use the same chuck on his air hose for all tires.
  • He thinks the Presta valve is less likely to be damaged.

(Note: the adapter is installed upside down here on my tire. I keep it that was because it’s easier to take off.)

If I’m home with my Blackburn floor pump, I’ll use it in the Presta mode. If I’m on the road, I’ll use the Schrader adapter for my Topeak Road Morph with Gauge or my CO2 inflator.

That keeps me from having to switch heads around and lessens the chance of damaging the Presta valve stem.

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Endeavor Didn’t Have Any Flats

The Space Shuttle Endeavor’s crew and I both took a ride this weekend. Clouds and low ceiling postponed their launch, but it was a picture-perfect liftoff 24 hours later. Here’s what it looked like from our front yard in West Palm Beach, FL.

Sorry for the bumpy video. I crawled out of a nice, warm bed at 4 in the morning to find temps in the mid-40s and I hadn’t bothered to grab a tripod. I wish I had. The shuttle was visible for a longer period than I can remember seeing any other flights.

My luck wasn’t so good

The mid-day temperatures on Saturday were great – in the low 70s – but the winds were brutal. They were 19mph sustained, with gusts into the mid-30mph range. They were mostly out of the west, so we decided to cruise some of the inland streets that my new riding partner, Osa, hadn’t been on.

She saw the house we rented when we moved to Florida in 1973. It still has a big tree in the front yard that we planted when Son Matt was born in 1975. We were afraid that a cold snap had taken it out about 10 years ago, but it’s doing great.

Some of the neighborhoods we rode through show tremendous improvements from the 80s when you could buy crack on almost any corner and drive-by shootings were common. The area has really turned around.

Osa had never been in Woodlawn Cemetery, where many of West Palm Beach pioneers are buried. It’s also the final resting place for 69 victims of the 1928 Hurricane that killed thousands in The Glades. Sixty-one of the 69 victims are white. When the scope of the tragedy became clear, non-white victims were turned away from Woodlawn. Nearly 700 other black victims were buried in a mass grave near 25th St. and Tamerind Ave. The grave has been neglected until recent years.

When we made a turn in the cemetery, the bike handled badly. I looked down and saw the rear tire was nearly flat. That was Flat One.

Osa on Dreher Park bike trail

After replacing the tube, we started off on another ride to Dreher Park, where I shot this photo of her. After cruising around the lakes on the north part of the park, we hit the south side, which has what passes for hills in West Palm Beach.

Osa chased down an ice cream truck. I thought my bike handled a little squirmy when we stopped for the break, but I was more interested in snarfing down an ice cream sandwich. When I got back on the bike, the FRONT tire was half flat. That was Flat Two.

There was enough air to make it home, but the bike really handled badly. Another few blocks and I’d have walked it home.

Flat Three

When I got home, Son Matt was building a garden for this mother in our back yard. When I started describing my flat problems, she said, “You didn’t have two flats today, you had three. The right-rear passenger tire on your car was flat, too.”

Good thing I wasn’t on the Endeavor crew. It much be a real bear to change a flat on that thing.

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Florida East Coast to Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail

Thad S sent me the following question:

I am planning on doing a loop of the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail (LOST) the first week of March. I plan on riding from Jupiter and taking about 5 days, with possibly a day off in Clewiston for a day of fishing. Is there a good way to get there from Jupiter? Also how regular are motels/sleeping accommodations and places to eat around the lake? We are not planning on any camping.

We will not be riding mountain bikes with suspension, but race-ready cross bikes with panniers. I don’t think my single speed MTB would fare so hot on this long one! We would like to ride the dike as much as possible, but I will follow your advice for parts that are not suitable.

We would like to do between 40-60 miles day. We can go over 60 if we need to. We are both experienced cyclists, and have done some long rides in the past. I myself am a mediocre cyclocross racer, and my girlfriend is a seasoned commuter/recreational cyclist. Also, we live in South Philly, so traffic is not a problem!

Hobe Sound to Port Mayaca is a great ride


View Hobe Sound to Port Mayaca LOST Trailhead in a larger map

When I was scouting a route for Son Matt and me to ride across the state, I talked to some club riders in Hobe Sound about 708 to 76. “Oh, I wouldn’t ride that if I wasn’t in a group. It’s too dangerous.”

I don’t know where he got that idea. It was one of the nicest stretches.

Traffic on the road is light and friendly. Almost every vehicle pulled way across the center line to pass me.  I’d give them a wave of thanks after the pass. I’d see them looking in their mirror, and they’d give me a wave in return. THAT’S how you know you’re in the country.

You can resupply or overnight in Indiantown

If you’re hungry or need water, you can go into Indiantown when you reach the intersection of 76 and 710. There’s a tall bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway that doesn’t have shoulders, but traffic is light enough that you can catch a break fairly easily. If you decide that’s far enough for the day, you could stay in the historic Seminole Inn.


View Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail in a larger map

Clockwise or counter-clockwise? Let wind decide

When you hit the 441-76 intersection at Port Mayaca, you have a choice.  You can go north on the paved LOST to Okeechobee or you can take 441 south. I generally let wind direction determine whether I go north or south. The dike is under construction between Port Mayaca and Pahokee (and a few points south of there), so you have to ride the road there.

441 south of Port Mayaca has been repaved recently and has small, but adequate, shoulders if you don’t mind riding in traffic.

Unless you enjoy being beaten to death or have a mountain bike with suspension, I suggest you stay on the road on the west, unpaved section of the LOST. Y0u can read about my Surly LHT’s shakedown cruise here.

I’ve marked the overall map with some places to eat.

LOST lodging options

Your best chances for finding a room are in Okeechobee and Clewiston.

I recommend the Scottish Inns in Okeechobee if you’re looking for no-frills cheap. If you want something more upscale, there are plenty of motels on the road going into town.

West of Okeechobee is the Lakeport Lodge, which looks new.

The last time I was in Clewiston, I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express (because my wife picked it out after being freaked out by Reid’s Motel in Moore Haven). If you want a more historical place, go for the Clewiston Inn. It was a little rundown when I stayed there in 1990, but it’s been rehabbed since then.

The Loggerhead Club and Marina right on the lake next to the trail in Pahokee has a number of small cottage-like accommodations. They were brought in after the 2005 hurricane season. When I called, they said the rooms rent from $80 to $125. They suggest making a reservation two weeks in advance because they fill up quickly in season.

Approximate distances for planning purposes

(Hobe Sound to counterclockwise loop of Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail)

  • Hobe Sound to Port Mayaca Trailhead – 34 miles
  • Port Mayaca Trailhead to 441 Pier in Okeechobee – 22 miles
  • Okeechobee Pier to Okeetanta Trailhead and 78 – 4 miles
  • Highway 78 to Moorehaven Trailhead – 34 miles
  • Moore Haven Trailhead to Clewiston Marina Trailhead – 13 miles
  • Clewiston Trailhead to Southbay Trailhead – 13 miles
  • Southbay Trailhead to Pahokee – 11 miles
  • Pahokee to Port Mayaca – 14 miles

Some of these distances are accurate; some will be longer if you have to detour around construction.

PalmBeachBikeTours Pages with more LOST info

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Mary’s Life 3 Years After Her Crash

Three years ago, my friend, co-worker and riding partner crashed on the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail.

Her skull was fractured in five places, she had double vision, vertigo and short-term memory loss, plus the normal road rash. To keep from rehashing the details of the crash, go to my July 9, 2008 post.

H-Word Warning

Some cycling forums and lists ban the mention of helmets because the topic invariably creates more heat than light. Be warned that the H-word does come up in the video and in the original story, but helmets aren’t the focus of either piece. For the record, neither Mary nor I were wearing magic foam hats the day of her crash (mine, in fact, is visible in the photo, strapped to the back of her bike).

How’s Mary doing?

Mary’s friends (both real and virtual) and former coworkers ask me from time to time, “How’s Mary doing?”

I have to confess that we’ve had less and less contact over the months, especially since she and her significant other, Tammy, moved a county away with 2-1/2-year-old Nicholas.

I used the anniversary month of the crash as an excuse to visit them in their new home in Palm City.

I’ve never been much partial to kids, but Nicholas immediately won me over. He’s bright, inquisitive and has the most beautiful eyes imaginable. After watching me take pictures, he ran to get his Viewfinder to “take pictures” of his two moms.

What’s the good news?

Mary seemed as happy and content as I’ve ever seen her.

She’s fit and tanned. She still has a few road rash “badges of honor” barely showing on her knees, but there’s no visible signs of her head injuries.

She loves her new life as a stay-at-home mom caring for Nicholas while Tammy is out working as a police officer at FAU.

Their new home is perfect for raising a family. It has plenty of room for Thomas the Train toys and all of the other stuff that a growing boy accumulates. There’s a sizable backyard and kids nearby.

What’s the less good news?

Three years after the crash, she’s still unable to work because of the problems with double vision and vertigo. Special glasses with prisms help with the vision problem, but the solution isn’t perfect. She copes with the memory loss by sticking reminder notes on the refrigerator.

She’s been told that surgery could end up making her vision worse instead of better, so she’s not going to take the risk at this point.

She hasn’t been back on a bike. She says she goes out to the garage and looks at it from time to time and she enjoys looking at the Adventure Cycling Association magazine, but she can’t bring herself to climb back on two wheels.

Part of it is the vertigo that would cause balance problems, but she told me for the first time this visit that she thinks she’s afraid to get back on the bike.

Overall, though, she’s glad to be alive

Here’s a video where she tells the story about how her whole life changed in milliseconds.