Strays will ride the St. Marks Rail Trail and St. Marks National Wildlife
Refuge near Tallahassee on the weekend of April 14 and 15.

 

Saturday 41 miles
Sunday 32+ miles
 
Average speed: 12-14 mph

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On Saturday April 14 Strays will meet at the Wakulla Springs lodge 20 miles
south of Tallahassee for a 41 mile ride from Wakulla Springs State Park
thru the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, out to the St. Marks
lighthouse, and back.

 

Meet at 8:45 am in the Wakulla Springs Lodge parking lot to depart at 9
am for the lighthouse.

 

The entry fee to Wakulla Springs is $4 per vehicle. Entry to St. Marks
is $5 per vehicle.

 

After the ride those interested can take a boat ride, swim/snorkel/tan,
check out the shop, tour the grounds, hike the nature trail, sit and
watch television at the only TV in the Wakulla Lodge, or have late lunch/dinner in
the restaurant (lunch till 2 pm, dinner 6 - 8 pm).

 

If you want to arrive at the lodge for breakfast, before the ride, I
recommend arriving when the restaurant opens. The food is
good, but we have found service to be slow at the restaurant in the
past, and the ride will depart at 9 am no matter what. We will have to 

leave then in order to be back in time for lunch before 2 pm.

 

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On Sunday April 15 Strays will meet at the St. Marks Rail Trail head
parking lot just south of Capital Circle (319) on Woodville Highway (363)
in Tallahassee at 9 am for a 9:15 am ride start. The ride will go south
to the end of the trail in St. Marks, we may ride around St. Marks a bit
also before returning to the trail head. Ride distance is approximately
32 miles.

 

Both rides are entirely flat, you may expect an average ride speed
approaching 13+ mph. 

 

After the ride on Sunday we may assemble at a jointly chosen local
restaurant before heading back to Gainesville. Its rumored that Posey's
Restaurant in St. Marks is still open, so that is a likely candidate.
Fresh assorted seafood, and smoked mullet is a specialty.

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I will be traveling to Tallahassee on Friday, staying both nights
at the  Dutch Inn on the Apalachee Parkway (US 27). A coupon is available
for this motel at www.roomsaver.com that makes the room $35 a night, at
check-in if the motel is not full. Call 850-877-7813 to make a reservation.
A map to the motels is available at the roomsaver website too.

 

Naturally you can stay anywhere you like instead, there are a number of
other motels in the immediate area, some even cheaper (listed on
roomsaver), or simply drive up the morning of the ride and join us at the
start points, its entirely up to you. 

 

The driving distance to the Dutch Inn is about 150 miles from Gainesville,
plan your trip accordingly.

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As always, Strays rides absolutely REQUIRE a helmet, no exceptions. So
make sure that you have packed it when you leave home for Tallahassee.
Otherwise you will need to buy one there! Mirrors strongly recommended, headphones forbidden.

 

Strays away rides and weekend trips are open only to GCC club members and
members of other qualified LAB associated/insured bike clubs. Don't plan
to bring guests who are not members on the rides, they will not be
welcome.

 

For more details. St. Marks 850-925-6121, Wakulla Springs 850-224-5950.

 

If you email me to express your interest in the trip, I may be providing
further details and/or maps via email.

 

  

PS: Its Wah cull uh, not Wa cool uh!

Here's a link to pictures from the last Strays St. Marks trip