Miramar Pinelands Park - A Small Slice of Everglades in The Burbs

Miramar Pineland Park is one of Broward County Park & Recreation's newest additions, opening in March 1, 2013. Prior to the "change in management", this piece of land was relatively undeveloped, but not unchanged from it's original state. Most recently, it was used by local dirt bike/ATV off-roaders for it's soft sand trailsI(It was one of the only open places that anyone with an ATV can go dog it out!) Before that, it was owned by a cattle rancher, who bought it from one of Big Sugar's zillion of plotted parcels.

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Aerial view from 1940 showing a much different place. This cool pic is located along the park's walking trail with all sorts of other interesting tidbits about the history and nature of the area.

This land practically came to be once the draining campaign was in full force in the mid-40s. According to the official county site, Snake Creek, frequently traveled by the pre-drainage Seminoles, ran right through this land and out to the east coast. After being drained by canals, one of which rerouted the original creek about a mile south(runs right next to SunLife Stadium aka Joe Robbie Stadium) and appropriately named Snake Creek Canal, this piece of land became a mix of habitats in a pretty small area. It was mainly a prairie marsh and wetlands, but became rather high & dry and able to support slash pine trees & other hardwoods, like Live Oak and Maple, on it's sandy ridges. These sandy ridges are pretty much the same all across Central & South Florida. With it came a nice little grove of slash pines(see 1st photo) that date back about 80 years. An aerial view of the area shows what a thin slice these trees actually occupy in the park, but you wouldn't realize it when standing amongst them. Few places in South Florida have this many mature pines in one place that are also this old & undisturbed.

Most Slash Pine(Pinus Elliott)down here are rarely this old because of over-development of the area they would grow which usually meant drier land.

 

This park was a pleasant surprise since I didn't expect too much because of the relatively small size and access to nature it's boundaries present. However, this was laid to rest as soon as I arrived with my family to a company get together and saw how well designed the playground is(has a huge tarp covering the whole area for the kiddies!) There's also a very cool waterpark right next to the playground. The rentable Shelters are new and well maintained. The only thing I really can't comment on is their bathrooms. I don't remember noticing where they were, but know they had some since my kids had to go..and did.

Looking east from the arching-over-the-water walkway. In the distance is where the shelters and playgrounds are located.

According to the park's website, and from I can tell, there will be more trails added to access some of the deeper wooded areas on the northwestern end. If you can't wait though, you can walk on the off-road path that runs along the northern edge of the wetlands/lake(south). It'll take you past native vegetation that was purposely left behind, while invasive species were removed.  

Cocoplum plants, in the foreground, produce an edible fruit that in a bind can make you look like a survivor expert! 

While walking on the arched walkway, we saw some Florida Softshell Turtles(see below). Unfortunately, the middle of the afternoon is not the best time to see wildlife, though signs of them were everywhere - footprints on the dirt paths and the occasional scat droppings which I couldn't identify, but guessing raccoons or opossums.

For more information about this park, click on the link  http://www.broward.org/parks/miramarpineland/pages/default.aspx

and be directed to their website for relevant info & contacts. 

Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did remembering it while I wrote this. I plan to go more often to run a few miles in there for the change of scenery I always enjoy.

Feel free to comment or send me questions.

Here's To Your South Florida Adventure!!

Juan Cortina

South Trail Rider

Everglades Biking FAQs - Top 10 Questions You've Asked or Should Be When Biking in The Everglades!

When planning a bike ride through the Everglades, and the multitude of trails you can get lost exploring, there are precautions you need to always take in order to come away with a truly amazing experience.

I've broken it down to a Top 10 list:

      Top 10 Things You Need To Know When Biking In The Everglades

In this series I will get into as much detail as possible about landmarks, wildlife you may encounter, and most importantly, hazards you may have to deal with. This will definitely help you properly prepare for your adventure. It's broken down in no particular order since they are each independently valuable tidbits to know and that will be answered both by blog posts and videos. I'll get to show you specific places so you'll know what they look like ahead of time. While also providing you at times with a checklist, map/directions &/or tools that you can take with you for quick referencing for if or when your cell signal goes weak, which it will at times.

So without further adieu, the Top 10...drum roll please..........?                                        chirp.

1.) Where To Ride? - Probably the most obvious question...

2.) What Type of Bicycle Do I Need? - It all really depends where you're exploring...

3.) How Many Miles/Kilometers? - Also depends on where, but all trail distances can conform...

4.) Is It Dangerous? - Not dangerous so long as you stay on the path..

5.) What Wildlife Can I Expect to See? - It varies based on where you go ride, but you will...

6.) Flat Tire?? - Now what? Not the end of the world so long as you...

Never fun, especially when there's NO easy way out. However, knowing how to fix a flat or how to change a tire may be the most important skill you can learn out here.

7.) How Much Food & Water Do I/We Pack? - Too much can be almost as bad as not enough..

8.) How Can Weather Affect Your Adventure? - Even a clear day can be your worst enemy..

9.) Best Trail For Your Level of Fitness/Experience? - Want to go big..REAL BIG?..

10.) Interesting Facts You May Not Have Known About The Everglades! - Always something cool..

If you have any comments or question not covered, feel free to drop a line and I'll get back to you!

To Epic Rides and Experiences!

Juan

South Florida Trail Rider

Everglades Biking Tips - Top 3 Bike Trails To See Wildlife in the South Fla. Everglades

I'm often asked will I see (fill in the whatever animal or plant you like) if we ride out in the Everglades? This question mostly stems from curious new riders wanting to know if they'll be confronted with a fearsome predator or photograph one of their favorite species, like the PipSquack Bird(totally fictional!)  You will definitely see birds and plants & trees of all sorts, it's just a matter of where you ride to give you the best chance of seeing as many of them as possible. There are several easy to get to trails that will provide you the best opportunities to catch an incredible nature watching experience.

this is from L33 on the eastern edge of the park. Great place to camp out and enjoy some fishing, boating, biking & hiking/running

1) Everglades Holiday Park -  There are 4 levees that you can get from here - L33, L67A, L37 and L? latter two require a quick detour thru US27 to get on.

I suggest heading west and doing the L67A that with proper guidance will be about a 12 mile loop. It's pretty rough in certain sections, like the further from civilization the rougher it gets, but you're certain to see some wildlife. You will see Great Blue Herons, White Herons, Ospreys, Ibis and will probably see Alligators, Snakes(Water Mocassins-poisonous, Black Racers, Red & Yellow Rat snakes), Turtles, Snail Kites(Hawks) and White Tail Deer. If you're lucky, you'll see Otters, Grey Foxes, Flamingos, Armadillos and the extremely elusive, Florida Panther. Everyone of these animals, I've personally spotted on this trail. I haven't had much luck taking pictures of these animals mainly due to not having the camera ready to go as quickly as needed. However, anyone with a good zoom lens will have plenty of opportunities to capture a "pic of the year" candidate, especially if done at the right time of day.

Make sure to keep the canal on the South/West side on the shortest stretch or you may add another 15 miles of adventure to your ride. This loop is for Beginners or those who want to check it out first before going big on the miles

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2) Markham Park - one of my favorite parks in South Florida because it has something for everyone. It's already known as one the TOP Mountain Biking destinations in all of South Florida for it's ridiculous single-track trails. Did you know it also has one of the best levee trails in South Fla??! Just look at it on the satellite map and it's right there, just begging to be enjoyed. It's a 28+ mile loop of mostly smooth white road trail that will get you to some really remote areas where you'll certainly encounter some critters.

Markham Park Levee that incorporates some of the Florida Greenway into it!

Starting at Markham(bottom corner on the map above) you can head west to US 27(in red) which is the only stretch that is road - so stay on the strip just right of the actual highway. It goes for 2 miles to Sawgrass Recreation Park.

Sawgrass Recreation Park - Once you get to this sign, turn in and head straight to the Yellow Trail Gate and the levee beyond!

Now starts the real ride with one of the longer tracts of this "In-The-Middle-Of-No-Where" trail. This daunting 10.6 mile stretch though, will give you one of your best chances of catching some really cool wildlife. This is due to the occasional gauging stations(3 of them) where culverts are located to help the natural sheet flow of water. They make for an ideal place to stop and rest and enjoy your surroundings. These areas have more plants & trees and along with them, animals. Especially on the southern side where there's thicker vegetation, unlike the prairie marshes to the north. I've spotted plenty of alligators on this levee, along with armadillos, deer, fresh water otters and countless others.  **The biggest CON, and maybe the only one for this trail, is that in order to get to the best spot to see wildlife, it will require about 15 miles of biking if you're coming from the Atlantic Blvd entrance(top right corner of map). Or 28 miles from Markham Park(preferred start point) when you include the distance to the parking lot. All totally doable, but can be tough for a beginner, so I suggest doing it early to lessen the effects of the Sun & wind.

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3) Shark Valley - It's on the northern edge of the enormous Everglades National Park that it belongs to. You access it from Tamiami Trail aka SR 41 aka SW 8th St - yes! The same 8th St we know as Calle Ocho, 35 or so miles west though. Here in the geographical center of the Florida Peninsula, this 15 mile loop will give you the BEST chance of seeing an alligator....like up close!...seriously!..and of course ALL SORTS of other wildlife.

Satellite view of Shark Valley. That Map pointer in the middle of all that nothingness is where the tower is located. As you zoom in you'll see there's an actual paved road trail there...I promise.

This trail is famous among bike riders and nature enthusiasts everywhere because of how much wildlife, especially gators you see hanging out on the embankments of your road. That's right - ROAD. It's completely paved and you have an option of riding your bike or taking a tourist tram(not for the hardcore). The trail itself leads to an Observatory Tower at it's southern point that gives you one of the most EPIC views of the Everglades anywhere!! The last time I did this trail was a night ride with 25 or so other riders in December '13. It was dark, except for whatever lights we brought with us so I didn't, or should say couldn't, see much. However, at the Observatory Tower, which climbs about 30 feet up, you would shine your flashlights down on the surrounding area and see at least 10 alligators(big ones!) frolicking about. This trail literally cuts right through the prairie marshes of the southern Everglades and puts you in the middle of no where, and that means all of the local critters aren't far behind. **The only negative is how far it is from civilization - about 12 miles west of the Miccosukee Gaming(Krome Ave aka SR 997) which is already on the outermost fringes of Metro-Dade. Make a day of it by spending a few hours exploring. While you're in the area, you may want to get an Airboat ride too, but make sure you get coupons or discounts to save you a bundle. There are many nearby you can look up like Billy Safari. 

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These are by no means the only places to ride and see & experience wildlife in the Everglades, but this short list will give you the best chances; safest parking and easiest to get to trails to accomplish this.

I hope this helps you decide what you'd like to do next while down in sunny South Florida. Feel free to ask any questions and I'll do my best to answer them for you. Or if you have other comments or topics you'd like for me to cover, please let me know

To Epic Rides & Experiences!!

Everglades Biking Tips - What should you pack when riding the trails?!

Here's a quick guide on what to pack when you ride. Everything pictured is exactly what I take with me on rides that are more than an hour. Although food/fuel IS essential, it's really a rider's personal choice on what they'd like to take with them.

1.) Hydration System - plain English? - WATER! The more the better, especially for the long "epic" rides. These systems are commonly known as "Camel Backs" due to the industry's leader - Camel Back. However, there are many alternatives, at a much lower price and will ultimately give you the same outcome - water in mouth. This particular one(pic above) carries a 70 oz bladder with a few tight pockets to shove the rest of my tools in. I also have another one, that's more like a small backpack with a 100 oz bladder and space for everything you can need for a day long trip. Gotta be careful though and NOT over-pack or you may regret carrying all that extra weight unnecessarily. A water bottle is great for carrying your fuel-based or other "High Activity" repleneshing or power drink, but usually never enough by itself.

Flat Tire repair team!

2) Flat tire repair kit - a collection of tools that will get you out of 99% of your flat tire scenarios. You've got to have your Dual-Action mini pump which makes pumping air as efficient as possible by pushing air on both the up & down stroke. Preferrably one that fits both Presta & Schrader valves so an attachment isn't needed. This one is ok, but there's much better on the market today for around $30-$50 that should last you for years. Also pictured are 2 Tire Levers($2-$5), 2(you can never have enough) - patch kits($2-$5), 2 Schraeder valve stem nuts and a Cap(these last 2 items you would get from a spare inner tube). Learn how to fix flats since this will be your #1 issue when riding. I've gone months without a flat, riding on some of the roughest terrain around and then I've hit a streak where I get a flat almost every ride(most ever in a ride for me? 5!, no lie, it sux! . There's really so much you can do to prevent flats, tire liners/green slime tubes/thicker lined tubes, and I've found that keeping the tires properly inflated will eliminate most flats. With some practice, it will take about 12-15 minutes including the exhausting pump action. Or you can get a CO2 cartridge and fill it up in 30 seconds. I don't have one because I've simply gone through too many of them and honestly, the mini-pump is always ready to go....for free! :)

Believe it or not, dollar bills can come in real handy if your tire tears. Slices of old tire walls(right) also work well.

In the event your tire gets torn open, instead of the usual poke, simple patches may not work. Items like folded dollar bills or scrap pieces of tire walls can help seal the tear long enough to get you back home. It's happened to me and believe me it works! Check out the pics below...

From top left to lower right, you can see where 2 folded bills held the inner tube behind it, to get me back home 20 miles away!!

Other Essential Tools for the ride

Everyone needs to get a Multi-Tool which is the Swiss-Army knife for the mountain biking world. The one above is a TOPEAK - McGuyver and has everything, and some, that I have ever needed. That wear you see on the chain breaker tool(lower left) is legit; I've probably had to use it 5 times and it has prevented having to call in a search party for me. :) 

Make sure your Multi-Tool has the essentials: Allen Wrench in the usual 4 sizes; Chain Breaker Tool; Small Knife; Pliers; Phillips Screwdriver. Anything else is great, but I haven't found it to be as necessary.

This particular Allen Wrench is not an ordinary size you'd find on a Multi-Tool, but I carry it with me for a worst case scenario. In the event the chainring bolt loosens from the drivetrain hub, this is the tool needed to tighten it. Not common, but due to rough trails, it's happened to me before and it's not like it weighs me down either, so I carry it everytime.

That's pretty much it as far as what to carry on every ride.

*Food, like I mentioned, is really up to you. There are certain foods that sit better with some riders than with others, so you need to try them out. I'm going to write a post about what I eat and take with me later on. 

I will end with suggesting you practice using these tools so they're not foreign objects to you if and when you need them. Check out my YouTube videos for a few tutorials on "How to..." and get started.

To epic rides & weather!!!

Juan

Running in Vibrams Part II(Oleta State Park - N. Miami Bch, FL)

Last time I ran in Oleta was for a 10k trail run race over a year ago. I mentioned it in my post about "Running in Vibrams", which I'm still doing. Oleta State Park is on the eastern edge of North MIami Beach, and is on the west side of the Intracoastal Waterway. I don't visit it as often as I should mainly due to being about 25 miles away from me. However, it has some of the longest and most challenging single track trails in all of South Florida, which you can also run on, plus SUP, kayaks & canoe riding too. All of which you can easily rent from their Blue Moon Rental center. Oleta is notorious for having jutting rocks & roots, but even so, it still makes for an awesome time by giving you one of the nicest scenes of any S. Fl trail.

A map of the park, including the mountain bike trails. North is to the left of the page.

I was quickly reminded as I pulled in just what a great place this is to get your fitness on and get that run I've jonesing. I bought another pair of Vibrams, Bikilas, which has less tread and lining than the Spyridons, making for a more "naked" feel; closer to truly barefoot. At this point, I'm very comfortable running upto 7 miles on the road, but prefer running on off-road/dirt trails because of the softer natural feel, compared to roads. These trails really cater to this running style and in no time, you build some great momentum flying up & down the hills and through the trees. All of course, until you step squarely on a stone, or root, right on the ball of your foot ...Ouch! 

One thing I've learned running with "barefeet" is that your feet, and legs & body, can react quicker than you can ever imagine. Slipping on loose rocks, your foot, balance & weight adjust in a milli-second to accomodate before your other foot even hits the ground. It's actually pretty amazing to observe and makes my running way more enjoyable. This also forces you to run very lightly, on the front half of your feet, and take quicker steps. It feels more like you're gliding through the trail, instead of the heavy-hammer-heel step most runners pound themselves into submission with. With traditional running shoes, I feel you don't get a quicker response because of the lag time all that extra material adds on. 

*For the record, it's been over 2 years since my last hamstring pull, which was the main reason for switching my whole running style, casuals shoes and all. I still get my legs sore and tight, but not in that ever-threatening way that feels like "The Pull" can happen on your next step. It sucks to run with that physio-mental crap going on in the background.

However, given a long enough trail run, you're bound to catch something that will hurt your foot. I did around the 3-4 mile mark of this 5 mile run and it really slowed me down having to switch between walking(over the rocky areas) & running. As usual after a long "rocking" run, my feet were pretty sore, but mostly recovered overnight. I've considered buying a pair of Zero Drop shoes for longer runs and to prevent these types of mid-run injuries, but I'm so hesistant because I really enjoy running in Vibrams. I have, however, looked into some Altras and am considering them for 1/2 Marathons and longer. Technically speaking, foot soreness is the only thing preventing me from going much longer and I'd hate to miss out because of shear hard-headedness of staying true to the "naked foot" game.

Hope you you make some time to get outside and do something. If you're in South Florida and you haven't ..shame on you! Remember, we all get a set amount of days on this Earth and living in a place with such beautiful weather, especially between Nov-May,  and not enjoying it is wasting what may be one of your biggest advantages of all. Go out and Recreate!   before it's too late!

Everglades Biking - Riding the Glades

Many times I wonder, while biking the Everglades, on one of my favorite South Florida levees, why in the world do I love being out there. In all honesty, it's a flat landscape as far as the eye can see in almost every direction. It's rough; no paved roads for the majority, if not all of the trip. You're technically in "The Wild" with all sorts of alligators, birds-of-prey and pesky over-sized bugs to keep you company. God forbid you have the wind blowing against you on the return ride, after the levee has chewed you up & spit'cha out like old tabacky!

It's actually all those reasons, AND SOME, that I love being out there! 

Well everything except that wind ..anyone who rides alone can vouch for me.

I guess it's because you can ride just a few miles and actually escape the city limits and the stressful mania. There's no other sound except for whatever tunes you bring along, nature ..and of course the occasional sound of gun-fire in the distance from "Loco Coco's"* close to US 27 in western Broward County.

The truth is, I believe many more people would absolutely love biking the Everglades trails and be as hooked as I am. To start, very few folks know about the levees, and even fewer ride them on their bikes. In my 18 years of exploring these trails & levees, I have only run into a handful of people out there. The reaction is always the same ...we stop and ask "which trail & direction do you hail from?" This kinda sizes them up to see how far they can go, you know a macho thing. Funny thing is, occasionally I get turned on to trails I have never taken before. For example, one of my absolute favorite trails was told to me by another rider(a doctor!) that happened to be at the Levee Crossroads(by the entrance to Mack's Fishing Camp) one day. He told me how he got to this location and it blew me away because I had never taken his route and he was about 15 miles away. I figured if this guy who didn't know about all the other trails I mentioned to him did it, this new trail should be a piece-of-cake ..right??  riiiiiiight!

Let me put to this way, the trail he rode on to get to his house to the point we met, I call Man's Trail. Ladies don't be offended, I bet if you rode it, you'd call it the same. It's an FPL utility road(unpaved) that bounces you around like a basketball, even with a full suspension bike. It's become one of my all time favorite trails though and again, you're in the middle of nowhere enjoying all that our beautiful weather & climate gives us.

I still can't over how far that other biker rode and there are NO shortcuts either..homie rode Man's Trail the whole way ..and some.

Every ride you witness something different, whether in your surroundings or within your own thought. These are not easy rides, so your body will reach that "high" all runners & bikers get when it's just you and your thoughts. More importantly, you need to take plenty of water and snacks, preferably energy bars & such. Tubes &/or a patch kit and a pump CO2 cartridge(best) are also a must. Remember, you're out there, it can literally take hours for someone in a car to get to you, if at all. I've done over a thousand rides and usually the biggest challenge you'll encounter is a flat tire. It'll take about 10 minutes to change with some practice, but luckily there hasn't been anything worse happen to me or my bike. Single track parks, like Markham & Oleta, will break your bike components sooner than riding long distances off-road.

Look out for more posts as I go more into individual levees and trails in the near future.

Till then, enjoy yourself & Happy New Year!!

Juan Cortina

*That's not really his real name, but anyone who knows who I'm talking about has heard the barrage of shooting he fires within his property. One of those Ted Nugent types sans the rock-star status