Finally. I spent two weeks with my lovely girlfriend in south Florida, including trips to the Everglades and Key West (entries to come soon) only to return to Charlotte to finalize my apartment setup. But, having a week before I actually started work, the mind was wandering. Do I head to the mountains and backpack? Do I take another mountain bike adventure? Or do I return to the oven of Sanibel Island and spend it with my best friend? Easy decision to me.
I left early Saturday morning, around 5am, and pointed the car south. I had the knobby tires on the back anticipating a ride or two if I could swing it. The girlfriend couldn't take anymore time from work so I would have some days to entertain myself. As I got to Florida I was sure I could ride the famous Santos and still make her place at a reasonable hour.
I left early Saturday morning, around 5am, and pointed the car south. I had the knobby tires on the back anticipating a ride or two if I could swing it. The girlfriend couldn't take anymore time from work so I would have some days to entertain myself. As I got to Florida I was sure I could ride the famous Santos and still make her place at a reasonable hour.
Before I continue, a word of caution: unfortunately, I did not take any pictures on this ride either. There are plenty out there online, Santos is very popular. I was just in a rush to ride all I could in the set time I had so I could make it to see my lovely girlfriend at a decent time.
If you haven't heard of Santos you must be living in a cave. It is reputed to be one of, if not the, best place to ride in Florida. Located in central Florida near the town of Ocala, Santos boasts a state run campground at the trailhead, water, a pump track/skills area, free day use parking, and miles upon miles of trails.
I took off from after a few warmup rounds on the pump track and immediately looked for the advanced trails, I wanted to test Florida. Coming down the main trail, Dr. Ruth, I banged a rider's right onto Sinkhole. This trail offered plenty of limestone to keep me honest and smiling.
From here I hit up the flowing and flat jungle atmosphere that is so quintessential of Ocala. I enjoyed the fast pace. Trails were pretty easily signed and heavily used. I took a dip into the Anthill, except it wasn't.. Instead I missed the Anthill and was on some other bony singletrack that was an a right good time. I ended up finding John Brown then using Bunny to cross SE 25th Avenue to get to the Vortex, etc.
Santos hosts the OMBA (Ocala Mountain Bike Association) Epic, an IMBA designation. It's also part of the Hurracan 300, a bikepacking race. Needless to say, there are plenty of trails in the area.
The Vortex is the freeride area of Santos, being a more XC oriented spinner I wasn't sure I belonged but I wanted a peak. OMBA has built great qualifiers that really let riders know if they belong there or not. I was impressed with the jump lines I saw at the beginning. After some squirts of water I decided I would try the Red Trail, a loop around the main freeride area.
Boy did I make the right decision. Think Florida lacks technical trails? Tackle the Red at Santos. Carved out of the limestone bedrock with plenty of features, tight turns, and burly ups (and downs) this will have you bowing down before King Santos. I was awestruck with how much this trail worked my upper body and I loved it.
From here I did another half loop on the Red to take Twister back to the road. I ran into a fellow pushing his bike who was surprised I was the only person to stop. Who doesn't stop for someone pushing their bike on a trail? That's not how I was taught to ride. We are all out here in the woods together folks. Anyway, dude had a flat, no tubes. I didn't have 26in tubes, but I did stop. He was happy and not too far from his car. That is the best way to learn to carry what you need...
I crossed the road, found the real Anthill and Rattlesnake Ridge. Two more trails in the limestone chunk fest theme
If you haven't heard of Santos you must be living in a cave. It is reputed to be one of, if not the, best place to ride in Florida. Located in central Florida near the town of Ocala, Santos boasts a state run campground at the trailhead, water, a pump track/skills area, free day use parking, and miles upon miles of trails.
I took off from after a few warmup rounds on the pump track and immediately looked for the advanced trails, I wanted to test Florida. Coming down the main trail, Dr. Ruth, I banged a rider's right onto Sinkhole. This trail offered plenty of limestone to keep me honest and smiling.
From here I hit up the flowing and flat jungle atmosphere that is so quintessential of Ocala. I enjoyed the fast pace. Trails were pretty easily signed and heavily used. I took a dip into the Anthill, except it wasn't.. Instead I missed the Anthill and was on some other bony singletrack that was an a right good time. I ended up finding John Brown then using Bunny to cross SE 25th Avenue to get to the Vortex, etc.
Santos hosts the OMBA (Ocala Mountain Bike Association) Epic, an IMBA designation. It's also part of the Hurracan 300, a bikepacking race. Needless to say, there are plenty of trails in the area.
The Vortex is the freeride area of Santos, being a more XC oriented spinner I wasn't sure I belonged but I wanted a peak. OMBA has built great qualifiers that really let riders know if they belong there or not. I was impressed with the jump lines I saw at the beginning. After some squirts of water I decided I would try the Red Trail, a loop around the main freeride area.
Boy did I make the right decision. Think Florida lacks technical trails? Tackle the Red at Santos. Carved out of the limestone bedrock with plenty of features, tight turns, and burly ups (and downs) this will have you bowing down before King Santos. I was awestruck with how much this trail worked my upper body and I loved it.
From here I did another half loop on the Red to take Twister back to the road. I ran into a fellow pushing his bike who was surprised I was the only person to stop. Who doesn't stop for someone pushing their bike on a trail? That's not how I was taught to ride. We are all out here in the woods together folks. Anyway, dude had a flat, no tubes. I didn't have 26in tubes, but I did stop. He was happy and not too far from his car. That is the best way to learn to carry what you need...
I crossed the road, found the real Anthill and Rattlesnake Ridge. Two more trails in the limestone chunk fest theme