About the Author
Tom Oswald grew up in Naples, FL. He has been known, on more than one occasion, to divest himself of all worldly possessions and take off on some harebrained adventure, like sailing in a small boat all by himself all around the Gulf of Mexico or wandering nomadically around the US for a year, looking for interesting places to ride his bike. In the process of researching this book, he spent months searching for the finest riding in all corners of the state, logging thousands of miles on a bicycle he made by hand.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Northwest Florida, as far as most cyclists are concerned, is the most diverse region of the state. While it has large cities like Pensacola; the popular spring break destination of Panama City; and Tallahassee, the state capital, these are greatly outnumbered by the rural areas and small towns like Ebro, Two Egg, and Havana (pronounced "Hey Vanna"). Roadies and off-roaders alike will be glad to know that the Northwest has the greatest acreage of state and national forest land in Florida, which can make for miles of peaceful peddling.
Northwest Florida is home to the highest point in the state, as well as several hundred miles of coastline, so it comes as no surprise that there is also great geographical variety here. The rolling hills of the northern portions provide a great workout for road riders. Mountain bikers will find the the traction on the trails in these same clay hills to be exceptional. Things flatten out and get sandier nearer the coast. Those with an aversion to hills will find this to be a boon, but some off-roaders may worry that the sand will be too much of a challenge. Fear not, though. All the off-road routes in this book have been carefully chosen to avoid the most miserable sandy spots and to provide the most pleasurable rides possible.
Climatically, the summers are just about as hot and humid in northwest Florida as they are in the southern reaches of the state, with average high temperatures in the 80s and 90s. The winters are much cooler, though. In fact, northwest Florida is the only region that has any regular measurable snowfall, though its annual average is a scant 0.1 inch. Dips in temperature below the freezing point are not uncommon in January and February, but they are usually short-lived, as daytime temperatures almost always warm up into at least the 40s or 50s. Temperature swings of 30 or 40 degrees from morning to afternoon are not uncommon, making removable arm and leg warmers a must for riding in the cooler months. As for precipitation, the northwest receives more inches of rain than south Florida but has more clear days than rainy ones. Cyclists will do well to remember that when it rains, it pours in northwest Florida. They will be more comfortable and much happier if they plan their rides and dress accordingly.
So, just as in the rest of the state, cycling is definitely a year-round activity in northwest Florida. The most hospitable seasons are fall and spring, with spring offering the best scenery. Particularly in March and April, cyclists will be dazzled by the bountiful blooms of azalea, dogwood, and wild wisteria on just about any route they choose.
Plenty of recreational and competitive riding events take place year-round all over the region. The highest concentrations of cyclists and cycling events are in the larger metropolitan areas, but cyclists frequently like to head out into the more rural parts to take advantage of the quieter roads and more open spaces.
