The Bicycle Adventure Club - Come Ride With Us!

St. John’s Loop, St. Augustine, FL

March 18th to March 26th

Ride Director: Mark Copher
Ride Co-Director: Robyn Saur
Report by: Stephen Hybil

Arriving a day early, we explored St. Augustine’s Pirate Museum, Castillo de San Marcos, and drank from the famous Fountain of Youth.

The adventure officially begins with what becomes the daily evening happy hour ritual alongside our fellow riders. During these gatherings, Robyn intrigued us with trivia about the immediate city and its surrounding areas.

That first evening included a great group dining experience at Vilano’s Beaches restaurant near the hotel. Following the meal, was a river cruise narrated by a captain showcasing the St. Augustine lighthouse and waters. That evening’s sunset featured an array of orange hues with dolphins silently gliding in and out of the still waters surrounding the boat.

On this first day of riding, the St. Augustine lions Fiel and Firme see us out on a 62 miler to Daytona beach. With the ocean scenery on the left, we were treated with a strong tail wind that made this metric century easy, perhaps fueled by the mystical waters of the Fountain of Youth. We noted, as would be the case throughout the rides, that there are some exceptionally fine houses and yards.

Continuing along the coast on day two, we passed by the iconic Ponce lighthouse before stopping at the New Smyrna Dunes. Here we walked on a boardwalk to the beach and encountered the lucky locals who drove their vehicles to the waterfront to fish and surf.

Day three led us inland utilizing dedicated bike paths. I found myself in total bicycle euphoria with nothing but trail, lush vegetation, and the occasional gator. It was worthwhile to stop at the Green Springs State park to see the radiant green waters of the spring sentried by one local gator.

We began this day with a short ride in a downpour to catch a cruise on the St. John’s River. The cruise, narrated by the captain, was exceptional as he explained about the birds, vegetation, and manatees living in the area. The sky’s cleared and we continued on to Deland. The first of two nights stay in Deland was met by a mouth watering experience at the Santorini Greek Cusine restaurant(get there before 5) followed by a surprisingly excellent play(“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum”) at the Athen’s theater.

Opting to ride the loop in Deland on day 2 proved to be a rewarding choice, as we explored scenic neighborhoods and countryside with its multitudes of birds that we recognized from our previous day’s avian education. A walkabout after that brought us by Stetson College baseball park with it’s legacy of some notable major league players(e.g. Chipper Jones) and an art show at Earl Brown park.

On wards to Palatka, the second 60 plus miler on the tour, that offered a little more challenge as it was against a head wind.  Stopping midway at the Three Bananas cafe was wise as it provided enough of a mental break to continue on.

On this last day to ride, we stopped at the St. Augustine lighthouse since it only took 2 hours to pedal to this point. At the top, was a worthy 360 view of where you started, and where you went. The final group meal was in the heart of St. Augustine and gave me the chance to sample a melt in your mouth shrimp and grits dish.

There you have it, another successful BAC ride that not only provided plenty of enjoyment but also introduced Shelly and myself to a fantastic group of people.