Hello everybody,
I'm planning to cycle accross Florida (Miami - Orlando - Sarasota - Miami) this november. The project is part of book I'm writing : I'm coming from France (where I live) to meet some people I'm writing about and I want to describe in the meantime Florida from the point of view of a cyclist.
I have a few questions. I'm used to travel and cycle accross Europa, but never done this in the US...
- is it possible to do some free camp easyly in Florida?
- are they special things to know about cycling in FL?
- my plan is to do : Miami airport - Okeechobee - Davenport. What do you thing about this road?
- For the return, do you if Delta airlines sells carton box for the bike (they do in Paris CDG for the way in)?
Many thanks to all of you,
Francis
I can't help you as far as roads go as I have not ridden that part of Florida before. As far as wildcamping, I really would be careful about camping near any body of water bigger than a swimming pool due to allogators.
As far as bike boxes go, I would try to pick up a box at a bike shop (typically free). Also, if you can, get a bike box from Amtrak as they are huge. Most airlines say they offer bike boxes but in reality very few if any actually sell them. MIA might have some but I would go with the bike shop or Amtrak and take an Uber to the airport.
Best, John
Thanks John!
Hi
- is it possible to do some free camp easyly in Florida?
I ve done this 2 winter-times, but you should NOT find a place on a private property! As a cyclist
they think you are a homeless person (and you really are without a booking of a hotel!), so a lot
of people (police, park-ranger etc) are pissed of bikers. If you get a warning to leave the place,
so please do it, because i could be, if not - you will have the night in a jail. sounds harder, than it
really is.
- are they special things to know about cycling in FL?
Aligators are normaly no big deal in wintertime, but have a look at water-snakes at the water. When
something is flooded, be really(!) careful of them.
- my plan is to do : Miami airport - Okeechobee - Davenport. What do you thing about this road?
nice, but dont expect realy "bike-roads" like in Europe outside of cities. On lake Okeechobee there are
really big gators around. I was cycling around the lake (dont know exactly, think 100km) and i ve
seen three of them. Big ones.
- For the return, do you if Delta airlines sells carton box for the bike
Go in any bike shop and they give them for nothing to you.
i was travelling 2 years in the US with the bike and in wintertime all real homeless
people are going to florida. And, a lot of them are on a bike. for the police you are one
homeless more, they dont care, if you have plastic-bags for your staff or ortlieb-bags.
A lot of problems in florida with rangers, these people call the sheriff and they want to
check you. Good idea to have enough money to show or better, a 100 (or more) traveller-check
to show. TC because the are useless to steal. But it is hard to find a bank to get the money, so
a good thing is to buy some stuff in walmart and pay with the tc to get the money back.
In florida there a hiking trail from pensacola to the keys. on this trail it is easy to camp, a lot of times
you will find some picknick-tables or fireplaces. At the points you are safe to stay for wild camping,
au contraire, you are welcome on theses places and this time of year you maybe meet a lot
of nice hikers.
a little bit careful about the people, because nearly everybody has a gun. Not really dangerous,
but you are a biker - this is not europe friendly, again not dangerous, but they dont "trust" you.
Two, three times "normal" people called 911 because i was in a park making some coffee on a
picknicktable. first unbeliveable for me.
if you are planning to see the keys, everything there is different for cyclist. Not so many places
for wild camping, but the people are much more relaxed as in the north of florida. You wrote november,
so four weeks is not a long time to see all this. Winter and summer are different for cyclist because
on a lot of places there are no tourists in wintertime. a lot is closed and there is a lot of less money
around. look at a gas station at the end of a month and you will understand...
enjoy your trip, nice to do this!
tom
Hello Tom!
Waouh! Many thanks for all this, for all what you wrote. It's full of usefull information. Thanks for the warnings. As I said : all this is part of a writing project (on the history of circus), so all this is really interesting for me. I won't be going to the Keys. Miami, Orlando, Sarasota are the points I'm heading to.
Thanks again,
Francis
The worst scenario: any contact with the police in which you were found guilty to offending any of applicable lows might mean immediate deportation (on your expense) out of the US, and the closed border for your future travel.
Thanks Piotr! I'll try to avoid contact with local police!
> Thanks Piotr! I'll try to avoid contact with local police!
Its right, what Piotr wrote, but i only know one traveller which has no time left on his visum,
so they took him in jail for a night and the next day on a plane home. Not funny, they dont
care about your bike or stuff in this moment, most time, its could be lost!
My experience in florida is, that _local_ Police (Sheriff, Marschal) is more complicated, than
the highway-patrol. Never had any kind of problems with these troopers and they are only
one quarter away. Amazing how much i have seen everywhere in florida ...