Mound Builders - Crystal River Archaelogical State Park

Had a great time discovering more Florida History today!

Headed west to the gulf, out some favorite back roads and small towns...Mascotte, Tuscanooga, Center Hill, Webster, Bushnell, Istachatta, Floral City, Inverness, Hernando, Crystal River....

There are a lot of riding options through the area, all are good.  48 east from 41 in Floral City is particularly awesome with the tree tunnel just east of town.   Had a good time finding some great vintage items in Webster's West Side and Shirley's Antiques (Bushnell).  Then it was time to ride.

Made for the Crystal River Archaeological State Park.  Here's their link:
 https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/crystal-river-archaeological

The museum is easy to get to and well worth the three dollar price of admission.  Numerous artifacts on display, as well as the diagrams of the temple mound complex with burial mounds.  Amazing stuff.  Short 8 minute video loop gives you the story of the mound complex and scientific efforts.  These guys traded all the way up the Great Lakes!  And, there is distinct possibility they knew the major groups to the south, Inca, Mayan.  Being situated kinda in the middle there between northern and southern groups, their trade cut both ways.  Very cool.

 Standing on the platform at top of the temple mound, easy to let one's imagination wander.  So good.

 

Carved stone, image of a face with topknot of hair.  Just squint the right way, you'll see it.  BOOM, cool.

 

Heading back home, between Floral City and Bushnell, on 48, is an old roadside rest area, complete with historical marker.  This is a well manicured and cared-for spot, and the marker pays homage to the Battle Of Wahoo Swamp, during the Seminole-Indian Wars.   Just a little way south is the epic Dade Battlefield Memorial as well.  If ever you get a chance to read up on the Seminole Indian wars, it will be quite surprising for you. 

 Not sure what the story is with the Gorilla.  He looked lonely, so we did a photo-op to remember the good times, whatever they may have been....  He's just a few yards south of the Crystal River State Park entrance.  Can't miss him.  Literally. 

The Times, They Are A-Changing, For Sugarloaf Mtn Riding!

Good News And Bad News UPDATE:

Lake County is keeping busy up in the Sugarloaf Mountain riding area!
New changes coming include - Traffic Circle, Scenic Overlook, and a Turnpike Interchange!

The intersection of 561 and 455 is being turned into a roundabout.  This new traffic circle will greatly improve a historically challenging intersection.  It should be nice once it's all done!

Green Mountain Scenic Overlook & Trailhead:
Just found a new overlook and hiking trail county park addition.  Heading west out of Monteverde on 455, just before the drop to the traffic circle in the valley bottom, there is a new facility on the north side of the road.  Nice parking, restrooms, even a doggie-do collection box....  a short walk from the parking area opens onto an awesome new overlook of the valley.  A large deck is built out of the hillside, complete with a covered sitting area, and several flights of stairs down to the hillside level.  What a wonderful spot.  Deep in central Florida, with the feel of a Blue Ridge location!  You gotta go!   
Well done Lake County parks services!

 Minneola Interchange:
Saw this on a FDOT website recently....  apparently a new turnpike interchange will be going in to serve Minneola traffic, and an extension will be run through the scrub jay old orange grove lands up to 561A, west of Ferndale.  This will put traffic easier to the turnpike from the Sugarloaf Mountain area, and no doubt will help fuel an explosive round of subdivision construction in the area.  Lots of clearing taking place, and with the traffic circle at 455 and 561 almost done....

All I can say is get out and ride the area now, soak it up, before there are loads of subdivisions adding volumes of traffic to some of the best motorcycling area Florida has to offer.

Hot Motorcycle Seat? Home Remedy

Do you suffer from the dreaded biker hot butt syndrome in the summer time?  

You are riding along, knees in the breeze, it's all good.  Quick stop and you're off the bike, it's parked in the sun, but you'll be right back out of Walmart in the time it takes to go check the $5 DVD bin....what could go wrong?

Back on the bike and your butt is burnin'!  Worst of all, your significant other is suffering her baby cakes to be burnt and now nobody is happy.....

Shopping for a solution, the internet is awesome, there are $50 dollar solutions and custom made brand specific hundred dollar solutions to be had.

But, if you understand what Cousin Eddie meant when he told Clark Griswold that the burnt chair was a quality item....  you don't mind a little home grown remedy to solve your troubles.  After all, this is the age of knowing how to get things done (or so the commercial tells us).
 
Here's an inexpensive solution for your burning bagger bottom blues....

Find one of those folding spring loaded car shades, the kind with both halves connected and it twists back on itself for storage.  You can spend $5 to $15 on them, shop carefully.  I had one left over somehow.

Go get a package of 4 tarp clips, the kind that clamp on the edge of a tarp and leave a spot for a bungee cord to pass through.  $3 today at Harbor Freight, on deal from $5.

Procure four bungees, I used the little guys with the adjustable lengths and ball on one end.  Bungees by the bag, $5-$10...

Assemble the tarp clips at each of the four corners, clip the teeth on so they are grabbing just inside the spring coil outline of the sun shade so they don't pull off. 

String your bungees to suit, and hang the whole contraption on the bagger of your dreams.  No more hot butt and you're $30-$80 closer to your next insurance payment.  Not to mention your significant others' cool baby cakes comfort, you, my friend,  will be a regular rock star!

Villa City. Bridges Rd., Tuscanooga Rd.

Here's a quick Lake Co / Sumter Co Ride.  
Beautiful scenery, close by, what's not to like?

West of Clermont out SR50 to Groveland...go north on SR19 and watch for Lake Emma Rd to open on your left.  Go west on Lake Emma Rd, you'll find a historic marker telling about the short history of Villa City.  You can also stay on SR50 past 19, pick up CR565 at the ASCE Hardware store, but you miss some nice scenery and the historical marker.

Lake Emma Rd connects to CR565, turn right and follow it out to US 27.  That stretch is really nice, the road has some elevation to it and crosses through gorgeous lake county scenery.  Go north (left) on US 27 afew miles and watch for Bridges Rd on the left.  It's just past the turnpike northbound entrance.  Turn west (left) onto Bridges Rd.

Bridges Rd turns into Austin Merritt Rd at SR33 crossing.  The Bridges Rd section is really nice, higher elevation, sweeping vistas, just great.  There's even a giant Harley oil can out there, you can't miss it..

Austin Merritt Rd is very nice as well, and gets progressively smaller as you go west.  The road has name changes, to Youth Camp Rd, then Sunridge Rd, finally settling down at the Sumter County line to CR702.  Stay on to the dead end into 48, you'll see the Center Hill downtown area on your left.  Go left into Center Hill.

In Center Hill, pick up cr469 heading east (left) and roar back outta town....nice long sweeping turn there, usually there are Sandhill Cranes out in the pasture with the cows...  stay on 469 to Tuscanooga Rd, and take that back down to SR50 in Mascotte.  Tuscanooga Rd goes by another turn-of-the -century settlement that started out strong and was crushed by weather.  There's a white sign "Tuscanooga Baptist" marking the turn.  This road has an outstanding canopy stretch.  Watch out for the sand washes in the side road intersections and curves, sometimes the wash outs are heavy.  There's this abandoned farmhouse out there, like they just pastured and plowed around it and the house is up on it's original grade, while the ground all around is well down.  It presents an odd look, perched up on it's base out in the field sadly abandoned.

Back on 50 just on the west edge of Mascotte.  Lots more rides...maybe it's not time to head home yet, there's the Green Swamp off SR 33 coming up....

Binion Harris Howey

Here's a nice ride around Lake Apopka. 

Leaving Winter Garden, stay on Plant Street out to Ocoee-Apopka Rd, go left (North).  You'll be traveling around the east side of Lake Apopka, the old way...which is to say the original route before SR429 bisected the area.  Watch for a big nursery on your left and you'll see Binion Rd CR 437.  Turn left (west) onto Binion Rd, you'll find it has some great curves and hugs the shore line for a little while. Watch for Magnolia Park for a nice shade spot...and around the lake they have just opened a new bicycling / hiking trail...nice walk for the cooler days ahead...

Binion eventually runs into 441 up behind the old Cocoa-Cola plant right under the SR429 overpass.  Turn left (north) on 441 and head towards Zellwood.  Coming into Zellwood, watch for cr48 aka Duda Rd.  If you miss Duda Rd, a bit further up is Sadler, it's a little more scenic and takes you to same spot.  Go left (west) and it will come to a full stop sign where you go right and head through Lake Jem and swing towards Tavares at CR 561.  Cross over to the SR19 intersection.

Here's a great spot for food and beverage and great lakeside setting - Lake Harris Hideaway.  You turn right and go a short distance up to pick up Lane Park Rd, the place is just in a little ways, nestled on the shore among the tall trees, it's great!

Head down SR19 across the lake into Howey In The Hills, eventually picking up cr455, a favorite route back through Ferndale and Monteverde.  You could stay straight on SR 19 and hit US 27 or later on SR 50 as well, all are great rides.

Cherry Lake Rd - 478

Another hidden treat in the area.  A great little road to add to your list for those Lake County >  Clermont, Minneola, Groveland loops.

CR478 touches SR19 on the west, north of Groveland, and dances to east through some outstanding nurseries, open hills, curves and lakes on it's way to meet up with US 27 in Minneola.  CR478 is named Cherry Lake Rd, and going west to east, watch for Wilson Lake PKWY breaking off to the left (north).  That rides up through some of the highest elevations in the area and gives some nice views on the high ground.  If you don't run on Wilson Lake and stay straight on Cherry Lake towards US 27 and Minneola, watch for East Apshawa Rd,and it will dog-leg you to US 27 just south of the Lakeridge Winery.  Lake Wilson Rd comes out on US 27 just north of the winery. 

Great, now I'm thirsty for wine...have a good ride!

Moss Bluff And Duck's Dam Diner

Had seen a recent Facebook post about a small local business...and the biker in me had to see...

Awesome ride up into the Ocala National Forest.  Found the locks on the Ocklawaha River and found the Dam Diner as well!

The dam and lock at Moss Bluff presents nice shaded picnic areas on both banks of the river.  The Ocklawaha River is beautiful.  Moss Bluff Lock In Ocala National

My culinary timing was off today, so all I had was coffee and a simple egg sandwich, it was really good.  The diners around me seemed to really enjoy the breakfast potatoes, so I gotta come back and give them a full trial soon!  Facebook page Dam Diner 
            Aug 01 2014 update -  did the ride again, timed it for breakfast...did the three eggs, sausage, bacon, home fries...really good.  Just great, quick, attentive and pleasant service too.  Gonna be back again and again I'm sure...

On the way back south, just a little west of the path shown on the map here...is the scene of the big FBI shootout with Ma Barker.  It's private property, so no tresspassing, but you can see the place clearly from the road.  Here's an article:  Ma Barker Shootout    The property is between the two points where CR 464 intersects on the top of Lake Weir with route 25.


Have fun, watch out for bears crossing the road....

 The Barker Place......