Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail – Palm Beach Bike Tours

May 31, 2011January 8, 2013

Eight Bike Tips from LOST Ride

Anne (of lovebug fame), Pam, a new rider – Hillary – and I took off Saturday evening for a ride on what I call Ghost Road 27. It’s an abandoned stretch of what used to be the major north-south highway through central Florida. The stretch we were riding is about 15 miles long between South Bay and Clewiston. It’s slowly going back to nature, and it’s blocked off by about five gates that have to be gone over, through or around.

Dodging gates

The temps were on the warm side of comfortable and we had a strong tailwind that made it feel even warmer, because the technical nature of the road kept us from going too fast. About a mile past where I warned the other riders about watching out for cracks in the pavement, the wide front tire of my Surly LHT fell into one. I was able to maintain control, but I felt a little sheepish.

Non-poisonous snake

We had several dogs give chase, but they weren’t serious. Some friendly folks along the way waved and spoke. We didn’t see any gators on this trip, but Mr. Snake made an appearance. Anne used her Texas snake-charming skills to try to herd it where I could get a better photo, but Florida snakes must be immune to her charms.

I was seriously sleepy

When we got to Clewiston, we stopped at a Sonny’s BBQ for dinner. I was so sleepy I thought my head was going to fall in my plate. When we headed back, the temperature had dropped and our tailwind became a headwind. At dusk, I suggested we stop to don some bug spray. With the wind blowing as hard as it was, I didn’t think mosquitoes would be a problem, but it’s easier to put on the spray when you’re not dancing and swatting. I decided to pull on my knee warmers, too. You Yankees will scoff, but I ride better with warm muscles.

Nothing between here and Europe to block wind

When we got on top of the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail (LOST) it became very clear that there was nothing between us and Europe blocking the wind. I told my much younger riding partners that they were welcome to ride their own pace. “You can’t get lost on the LOST. I’m going to gear down, crank up the tunes and get into my own zone.” They quickly disappeared.

A few miles down the trail, I saw them waiting for me. It wasn’t an act of kindness. I had the car keys. I told them that I liked it better when they were a speck in the distance. If they were close, I’d try to keep up with them. They took me at my word and blasted off again.

A couple more miles down the road, I saw they had stopped again. This time it was because Hillary had a flat. The good news is that she had a tube and a CO2 cartridge. The bad news is that Pam didn’t have a light; Anne’s light, which used a rechargeable battery was dead, and Hillary’s light, which used some kind of funky battery was also dead. Oh, yeah, Hillary didn’t have an inflator to go WITH the cartridge.

B&M IQ Cyo R N Plus and Flare 5

I have a ViewPoint Flare 5 LED light on my helmet to use as a flashlight and another one on my bars as a ‘be-seen’ flashing light. A B&M IQ Cyo R N Plus generator light is my primary headlight. It’s nice to have spare lights, particularly when you’re riding with folks who may not be quite as prepared. A generator light will provide power as long as you have legs (although mine were a bit questionable on this ride).

I also have an inflator, so I told Hilary that we’d give her tire a shot of air from her threaded cartridge that would, hopefully get her home. I also clipped my spare be-seen light on her bars and said, “Ride like crazy.” My CO2 inflator takes both threaded and the cheaper non-threaded cartridges.

Pulled out the Topeak Road Morph pump

She got about 200 yards before the tire was flat again. I dig out my tools and we took out the old tube and put the tire back together. A few squirts of air from my Topeak Road Morph Pump with Gauge made it feel like all was right with the world, so I pulled out one of my CO2 cartridges to top it off. It flatted almost immediately. Hoping that it was just that we hadn’t closed the valve all the way, we gave it another shot of air. Same result.

One of the nice things about the LOST is that you’re completely isolated from motorized traffic. That’s one of the bad things, though, because some of the pickup points are seven to 10 miles apart. Fortunately, we were within a mile of one, so I gave Pam the be-seen light and sending her off down the trail to the cars. I told her I’d follow. We left Anne and Hillary to walk to the pickup point, after asking them if they know what a python slithering through the grass sounded like.

Pam beat me to the cars by a wide margin. Wide enough that she had time to get to the car, drive to the non-python-eaten riders and get back just as I was racking my bike.

What 8 valuable lessons can we take from this ride?

Bring a light, even if you think you’ll be done by dark.
Make sure your batteries are charged and/or bring spares.
Carry a backup light.
A CO2 cartridge won’t do any good if you don’t have an inflator. You can’t always count on riding with someone who has one.
Tire tools make removing the tube easier.
Carry a spare tube. If you’re out in the boonies, two is better.
A pump will do the initial fill of the tire; you can finish it off with the cartridge, but a pump will provide air as long as you can pump. The cartridge is one-shot.
Watch nature programs so you can be familiar with the sound of slithering pythons. If you hear one, don’t warn your partner, just start to move away quietly. Snakes go for the closer prey. (It dawns on me that I was the slow rider on this trip. Maybe I shouldn’t give away ALL my secrets.)

November 30, 2009January 23, 2012

SwampStomperus and Group Get LOST

Despite our name, we don’t actually lead bike tours. That was an idea that came and went (very quickly). We’re always happy to suggest places to ride and one of our favorites in this area is the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail (LOST).

Way back in August, Dave Fletcher, AKA SwampStomperus, contacted my foodie friend Jan Norris about riding the LOST. She passed him off to me and we traded emails until the first part of November when he said he was putting together a gaggle of riders to finally do the ride.

Dave's Group taken when they crossed path with the FORCE riders

It happened to be the same weekend of the FORCE ride. Both groups were starting in the Clewiston area at about the same time, but the FORCE riders were riding clockwise and Dave’s folks were going counterclockwise.

He promised an account of his ride and some pictures. Here it is.

A group of South Floridians had their first go at the LOST on the weekend of Nov 14-15. Thanks to Ken and his great LOST maps, we finally were able to undertake an adventure that at least one or two of us had only dreamed about for several years.

Unofficial Map of Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail

View Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail in a larger map

All ages and experience

With the best support crew you could ask for (Peggy and Carol) we 7 riders set off from John Stretch Park for an unknown, but sure to be excellent, adventure. Dave, Leo, Linda, Patrick, Edwin, Jerry and Yenz, aged 13 to 59…some with years of experience and miles under our belt…and one with a brand new bike and little experience at all.

Drivers surprised these Broward riders

We were a combination of road bikes and mountain bikes—so we knew there would be some road riding ahead but our first surprise came just to the east of the park when we saw the “closed” sign on the LOST. What to do? We decided to forge ahead, hoping that we could at least get by. In fact, we made it as far as Torry Island without a hitch. Then came the road biking to get around levee maintenance. Thank God for iPhones to help us navigate the roads. As for the roads themselves, we were pleasantly surprised. We are from Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood where a road ride is equivalent to a death wish. But we found roads with wide shoulders, smooth surfaces and drivers who actually slowed down or made a significant effort to move over and give our riders a wide berth—what a very refreshing experience!

Our first casualty (so-called) came when our youngest (and newest participant) decided to call it a day. But hey—he made it 19 miles on a trail bike—which certainly would give him bragging rights over any other 13 year old that I know. We were proud of him for having made it that far—and he was good company for our support team too!

Lunch at the Subway

In the meantime, our support team found us lunch at the Subway in Pahokee and it made for a great mid ride break.

[Editor’s note: I’m pretty sure that Subway is actually in Canal Point, which is north of Pahokee. I stopped at the same place on Sunday. The food is OK and the bathrooms are clean.]

We set off again after lunch, resisting so many temptations to stop at the numerous yard sales in Pahokee—what a dream. We continued along the road—again amazed at the courtesy of the local drivers—and inhaling the sweet smell of burning cane—tis the season!

Headwinds take their toll

Attrition hit us again just before Port Mayaca and again at Port Mayaca as our two other trail bikers decided they had done enough for the day. Again, not bad at all, considering they had been riding into a headwind for most of the day. We could all feel the stress and a nice break in Port Mayaca helped refresh us for the final stretch. Now we were back on the paved levee and inspired by the beautiful views of the lake. Down to only four now, we set off again, determined to make Okeechobee in time for a relaxing dinner and the comfort of our hotel.

It seemed that the wind was picking up as the day went on. The last stretch was a bit of a challenge and we dropped another rider at Henry Lock. As usual, our support team was ready to move into action and they were soon there to take him away. Now we were down to three—all determined to make the finish. We finally did pull into the Okeechobee pier a bit before 5 pm. A short ride up to the Holiday Inn and we were done. Our terrific support crew had us already checked in and had our gear in our rooms. They took care of everything (except the massage!). They had already decided on a dinner location so, after cleanup and a short rest, we were off to The Clock, where, again, these south Floridians were amazed—this time by the low cost of dining out! We’ll certainly be back to Okeechobee.

Food and lodging are reasonable in Okeechobee

That evening found a few of us relaxing in the hot tub while others were off to dream land shortly after dinner. The next morning, over a terrific complimentary full breakfast at the Holiday Inn, we discussed alternatives for the day. We knew the mountain bikers wouldn’t make the whole day again. We also knew that the first half of the ride would be on the road, where the lake wasn’t visible and the second half would be on the levee where we would experience more of the natural environment. So, instead of riding the first half from Okeechobee to Moore Haven on the road and then sagging, they decided to have a relaxing morning at the hotel and meet us in Moore Haven for lunch.

Moore Haven bridge is quite a climb

With that decision made, three of us set out along 78. For all of us it was the first time we’d ever been on that road. What an experience. It seemed to be what old Florida must have been like: very quiet, little traffic (but again—very courteous drivers) and some nice landscape scenery. We did take a nice break at Lake Port (home of the Sour Orange Festival) and checked out the observation platforms off Harney Pond Road—taking in the silence and the beauty of the vast wetland there. We also delighted in seeing several ospreys along the way, including two with fish in their talons and several other species of wildlife. Truly this was a remarkable stretch of road and I look forward to returning there some day.

A suprise meeting with the FORCE group

Once in Moore Haven we rendezvoused with our support team and the sagged riders. After a short lunch we set off toward Clewiston, riding the levee, happy to be a team of 7 riders once again. The wind was now a bit behind us and we made fairly good time. We had quite a surprise awaiting us in Clewiston when we actually ran into Ken, owner of this website and whose generous guidance provided us with the information we needed to do the ride in the first place. We were glad to be able to thank him in person.

Ready to do it again

An hour or so later (and down one rider—our 13 year old made it 20+ miles on the second day) we were greeted by our support team as we pulled into John Stretch Park. It was a great weekend—perfect weather, a perfect route, a perfect support team and a perfect group of riders (and friends.) We all left with the resolve to do the LOST again—soon.

October 1, 2009January 23, 2012

Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail (LOST) Map

Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail (LOST) is one of my favorite places to ride. Here’s an unofficial map I put together to show which parts are paved, which parts require you to go on surface roads, trail heads and access points, and a few places to eat.

I plan to do a much more comprehensive piece on the LOST, but I’ve had enough recent requests for information that I thought I’d put this up as a stop-gap.

Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail (LOST)

View Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail in a larger map

I encourage you to click on the link to a larger map. It’s easier to see in a new window.

Blue = LOST; Red = Roads

The blue lines represent the paved portion of the trail. The red lines show where you have to exit the LOST and get on public highways.

The roads are good riding

If you are reasonably comfortable riding in traffic, then you should have no problems with the roads around Lake Okeechobee.

78, on the west side of the Lake has wide shoulders and light (but fast) traffic. The rural drivers are friendly and almost always pull over into the other lane to pass, even when I’ve been on the shoulder.
441 on the east side of the lake has been recently repaved. The shoulders aren’t as wide as 78, but they’re fine. I’ve ridden it when it was under construction and the shoulders were broken up and survived.
The short jog around the Taylor Creek Lock on the north side isn’t a problem if you time your bridge crossing to miss the few short bursts of traffic that come along. Take the lane when crossing the bridge. If you are west bound, plan to move to the left side of the lane as soon as you cross the bridge so you can make a left turn to get back on the dike. The stretch between the dike and the road on the east side of Taylor Creek is shell rock. It’s usually packed pretty solid, but you can hit some soft spots. Be careful if you have narrow tires.

You are isolated on the LOST

Once you’re up on the dike, you may have to ride seven or more miles to get to an access point because you have the lake on one side and the rim canal on the other.

There are no restrooms on the dike, no food, no services, so be prepared. There ARE primitive camp sites around. Before the authorities cut all the non-native trees and bushes, the campsites were relatively hidden. Now they are wide open.

What all all those blue markers?

I’ve tried to mark all the trail heads and access points I can remember. Some of them may not allow a motorized vehicle to pull in, but they are places where you could reach a road on your bike.

Don’t count on anyone recognizing the names I’ve given those access points. They are just what I call them, usually based on some geographical feature.

Places to eat

I’ve also marked a few places around the north and east side of the lake to eat. I highly recommend The Office bar at Nubbins Slough, Gizmo’s Pizza & Subs at Taylor Creek and the Golden Corral’s all-you-can eat buffet in Okeechobee. [Note Gizmo’s is no longer in business. I hated to see them close.]

I also mark the Scottish Inns in Okeechobee as an inexpensive, clean place to stay. Don’t expect a chocolate on your pillow, but the folks running it are nice and I’ve had a decent night’s sleep there. It’s not a place to park your spouse for the day while you’re out riding, though. The rooms are tiny by today’s standards.

Be careful out there

My riding partner, Mary, and I used to ride without helmets on the LOST because we thought we were more likely to have heat stroke than head injuries on a trail with no motorized vehicles and no obstructions to run into. Mary, for no apparent reason, crashed her bike about a mile north of the Chancey lock and wound up with five skull fractures. Help is a long way away when your partner is unconscious on the ground with head trauma.

Things to bring

Food and water
Sunscreen (there is no shade)
Bug repellant, especially for riding around dusk. Glasses or some form of eye cover keeps flying insects out of your eyes. Some evenings the gnats and other bugs are so thick I pull a bandanna over my nose and mouth to cut down on the amount of protein I ingest.
An awareness of the weather. You’re the highest object around for scores of miles. Heat lightning in the distance makes for a great light show, but you want to get off the dike if it starts moving in.
A camera. I’ve seen something interesting every time I’ve ridden the LOST.
Good sense. Do NOT pet the alligators.