Recumbent Bike Ride to a Lakeside Tower

Some rides are about the miles, and some are about the destination. This one was a little of both - a 45-mile loop on the Cruzbike S40 out to a picturesque new lookout tower at Crews Lake Park in Florida, with a swamp, some cranes, and a surprise mini train station along the way.

Beating the Heat on a Busy Saturday

I rolled out around 7:15am on a September Saturday, hoping to beat the heat before the humidity climbed into the 90-percent range - we had a tropical storm system out in the Gulf of Mexico pumping extra moisture into the air. The trail was busy that morning with walkers, runners, and other cyclists all out enjoying it, which is always a good sign for a local trail system.

Swamp Territory

Along the way the trail cuts through a swampy drainage area running through the wilderness park. It's classic gator territory, though I didn't spot any on this ride. After some recent rain, the water was up and the whole scene had that thick, green, Florida-swamp look to it.

A New Tower at Crews Lake

Crews Lake Park turned out to be a great little destination - playgrounds, hiking trails, primitive camping spots, a boat ramp, and even a small amphitheater for educational programs. The highlight was the newly built observation tower, which replaced an older one on the same spot. Crews Lake itself is large but shallow, more lily pads and reeds than open water, and the tower gives you a great vantage point over the whole thing.

Sandhill Cranes and an Old Live Oak

While I was up on the tower, a family of Sandhill Cranes flew in right below me, which was a nice bonus. Just as memorable was a massive live oak tree next to the tower, draped in Spanish moss and ferns, that's probably pushing 200 years old. I climbed up to the second level of the tower with the bike in tow just to soak in the scenery for a bit.

Bike Check: Tires and Pedals

Since a few of you always ask, I gave an update on the Cruzbike S40 while I was up there. It's a few years old now with no modifications, still running 32mm wide tires with decent tread, though I'm considering dropping to a 28mm road or touring tire. I've also switched back to flat pedals for rides like this where I'm stopping and starting a lot to film - I don't feel like I lose much power, and it's a lot more convenient than clipping in and out at every intersection.

A Mini Train and the Ride Home

Cruising back, I passed by a small train station I'd noticed earlier - turns out a local model railroad club actually runs a miniature train there on certain days, with people riding along on top in little seats. I caught it running with a birthday party going on nearby, so I kept my distance rather than sticking a camera in a bunch of kids' faces. With some rain building in the distance, I picked up the pace to try to beat it home and wrapped up a great 45-mile morning on the bike.