To all: A little plug for Bike Florida. Hopefully you'll consider going this year. I'll surely be there. Regards, Beth Knizer ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Dave Milliman <dmilliman@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Date: Fri, Jan 16, 2009 at 2:19 PM Subject: FW: Bike Florida Capitol Tour To: coachcarnes@xxxxxxx 2009 Bike Florida "Capitol Tour" March 29 – April 4 Come ride through some of the most beautiful Florida scenery you may ever see. Click on this link for more information and to REGISTER for the 2009 Capitol Tour http://www.active.com/page/Event_Details.htm?event_id=1659598&assetId=fc8f85fc-cd7f-4080-8027-cf58a1919d0c http://bikeflorida.org/BF2009/BF2009event.html Join with us for the 16th annual Bike Florida Tour. This year the ride begins and ends in beautiful Madison Florida; a town full of antebellum memories, continues through Monticello and Wakulla Springs, then stops at our state capitol in Tallahassee for the Florida Bike Summit, a Florida Bicycle Association advocacy event. The ride then loops back to where we started in Madison. Bike Florida is a fully supported bicycle camping tour which cycles along some of Florida's most scenic roads. The tour is leisurely paced and is a relaxing vacation for all bicyclists, no matter age or ability. As you ride beneath the tree canopied roads of Madison, Monticello and Wakulla, you will experience sights and sounds which give you more than a glimpse of Old Florida - the Florida of the 1930's. The tour takes us through the rural countryside to: MADISON: For the history-minded, there are centuries-old landmarks, homes, communities and antique shops. For the nature lover, every imaginable recreation is available in forests, rivers, lakes and springs. The allure of this part of Florida may be bested summed up in the words of Ted Ensminger II, Executive Director, Madison County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism: "When Bike Florida chooses Madison County as part of its North Florida ride, the entire community gets excited about welcoming our cycling family. We're a small community with a big heart and we welcome riders of all ages with a big smile and opened arms. Welcome to Madison County, where we make new friends everyday!" MONTICELLO: Nestled among the tree lined streets of Monticello are many antebellum homes which provide a unique look and feel to the city. Today, these homes offer tourists a rare glimpse of the original architectural styles which prevailed in the south prior to the civil war. One such example of this is the fully operational 19th century opera house in downtown Monticello, where Bike Florida will host the evening's festivities. WAKULLA: Wakulla Springs is one of the largest and deepest freshwater springs in the world. The spring flows from an underground river at a rate of over 400,000 gallons per minute creating the headwaters of the Wakulla River. Discover one of the most serene places you'll find in all your travels in the Springs Lodge, developed by Edward Ball, a former railroad magnate in 1937. It stands today as it did the day it was completed. The lodge and the surrounding grounds offer visitors a timeless glimpse into Florida's pristine and elegant past. While visiting, be on the lookout for what Captain Crash, a tour guide on the Wakulla River, refers to in this manner, "don't touch the alligators, because they will touch back." Old Joe, a monstrous alligator, is still said to inhabit the waters near the lodge, though it is more likely his descendants who cause the ripples below the dock. TALLAHASSEE click here for more info On your layover day in Wakulla Springs, you might visit the Tallahassee Capitol Building. It is just a short ride from Wakulla Springs State Park to the St. Mark's Trail (bike path) which will take you directly to downtown Tallahassee. Along the way, or on your way back, you may visit the many unique sights of our state's capital, including the college campuses of FAMU and FSU. Or, you might wish to venture just south of Wakulla and take in the St. Marks lighthouse and museum. End of Ride If, after spending a week leisurely cruising the back streets and roads of these signature institutions, little towns, way stations and rural intersections, you don't feel refreshed and removed from the bustle of 2009 civilization – you still might journey home feeling that: "You aren't accosted with logo T-shirts and refrigerator magnets, but that doesn't mean you won't feel welcomed by the locals who exude a lovely blend of humble Southern hospitality, old town stoicism and rural town casualness." (KAREN CATCHPOLE, Special to the Star Tribune Minneapolis, St. Paul, 2005) Come share our ride!! Sign up today by clicking on this link! _____________ Dave Milliman, Bike Florida (dmilliman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ) For more information you can check out: www.bikeflorida.org or email: info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx If you have any problems registering with Active.com please review to the information below: Active.Com Support Ezra The Active Network Phone: 1-877-228-4881 Fax: 1-858-964-3970 support@xxxxxxxxxx Office Hours: Monday - Friday 7am to 5pm Pacific Standard Time. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe from GCCMail, please go to http://gccfla.org/. Sign in to the Members Area, scroll down to the "About Me" box, and click the Unsubscribe button in the Email section. There are also links in the headers of this message that you can use if you know how to access them.
