The Bicycle Adventure Club - Come Ride With Us!

The Golden Isles of Georgia and the Okefenokee Swamp

February 17th to February 28th

Ride Director: Marita Moberg
Ride Co-Director: Dennis Moberg
Ride Driver: Marcy Prestifilippo
Report by: Randy James

This ride was a repeat from last Feb/early March 2018.  Please see Ida Nystrom’s excellent write up which is still apropos to this trip.  The ride is south of Savannah in SE Georgia just inland from the Atlantic coast. Dailey rides averaged 45 to 55 miles on very flat roads  (1B).   A few tweaks were made from last year including improved traffic routes out of and into Savannah, some side roads for sections of busy Highway 17 (intrastate Coastal Highway which parallels interstate 95 to Jacksonville, Fla.) and a few other routing improvements.  One great improvement was chartering a large pontoon boat to transport riders and their bikes from Jekyll Island back to Darien, Ga. toward the end of the trip shaving off   20  to 25 miles.  Below are highlights of our trip.  The only downside was that much of the ride was along busy highways with narrow shoulders, impeding rumble strips and a few roads without shoulders.   

1.        This is a great  late winter getaway for those living in 4 varied season climates.  The weather was a bit on the cool side of average but generally highs in the low 60’s to upper 70’s--just right. 

2.       The accommodations were top notch.  We stayed at bed and breakfast lodges and Inns with a real dollop of hospitality and country friendliness. This included Planter’s Inn in Savannah, Dunham Farms, Darien Inn, The Inn at Folkston, The Spencer Inn in St. Mary’s and The Cherokee Hotel on Jekyll Island.  The trip was basically an out and back. 

3.       As one travelled south away from Savannah, the country became more wild and scenic with mixed pine and oak forests. Further south toward Cumberland and Jekyll Islands several areas had miles of salt marshes.  Everywhere one looked to the side of the roads there was standing water.  A constant of these forests were the large black turkey vultures circling overhead.

4.       My favorite destination was the Okefenokee Swamp.  Just saying it runs shivers down your back. Do you feel it?  Fortunate for us the high this day was near 80 and the sun was shining.  The result:  the alligators were out on the banks basking in the warming sun. We rode our bikes about 11 miles out from Folkston and 11 back.  We basically experienced this National Wildlife Refuge in three parts: a) the visitor’s center was very nice.  The film was informative and entertaining.  b) we rode our bikes on an 8 mile road: out, loop section, and back.  The pine forest and saw palmettos  took one back in time.  The homestead of a pioneer family,  boardwalk and tower overlooking the swamp and a few gators were highlights of the bike tour. c)  lunch and boat excursion guided by our amicable and informative tour guide.  We saw at least a dozen alligators as well as turtles and sundry birds like herons and egrets. This was the best.  That evening we had a rousing talk by former Mayor ‘Whistling Dixie.

5.       Cumberland Island.  What a wonderful surprise.  We caught the late morning ferry to the Island.  Most folks hiked the trail telling about the  homestead and plantation of the Carnegie’s  back in the 1800’s and 1900’s.  My favorite lay beyond this.  A boardwalk down to the beach where we saw wild horses (left behind by said Carnegie’s), a mile walk along the shore of the Atlantic and hike back through a Jurassic looking oak forest.  Although  no dinosaurs, I did see an armadillo.

6.       Jekyll Island.  Riding our bikes through the Island and discovering its secrets was a relaxing and fun day.  The boat ride to Darien with humorous and engaging Captain Philips was great.