Bicycle friendly town in Florida

Gainesville, FL gets my vote. But you really need to try to visit the places you are most
interested in.

"Green Hill" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Hi,

Im looking to relocate to the Florida western panhandle coast or Florida northeast coast, and in
my search I'm looking for bicycle friendly towns(15,000 to 60,000 pop.) In friendly I mean a town
grid system that is failry accomdating to bicycle traffic. Doesnt really need bike lanes, just a
fairly tame traffic system, and a centralized grid(un sprawled town) I would like to be able to
bike full time not just for recreation. The heat factor doesnt bother me for I reside in
Tennessee,and i am used to humidity and heat. Is there Anybody who could at least point me in the
right direction in what options I might have?

Hill

PS. I wouldnt be opposed to branching out to bordering areas like coastal alabama, missippi, and
georgia coastal (brunswick,st. marys).

"ohberg" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Gainesville, FL gets my vote. But you really need to try to visit the places you are most
interested in.

Gainesville is nowhere near the panhandle, or the coast at all. I think the OP is looking for places
like Gulf Breeze or Pensacola. It hasn't been my experience that many places here in FL are very
bicycle friendly.

LOL, I do appreciate the response though. I am looking more coastal than Gainesville.

I do realize Florida may not be the friendliest biking state overal, but there must be areas that
are friendlier than others. How bout coastal GA,MS,AL, have any experience in those areas? I do know
I have to visit these areas more but I'm just trying to get a general feel, so I know what areas to
visit, and what areas to just not bother with at all. Im trying to narrow down the possibilties.

Thanks, Hill

"Slider2699" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

"ohberg" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Gainesville, FL gets my vote. But you really need to try to visit the places you are most
interested in.

Gainesville is nowhere near the panhandle, or the coast at all. I think the OP is looking for
places like Gulf Breeze or Pensacola. It hasn't been my experience that many places here in FL are
very bicycle friendly.

[email hidden] (Green Hill) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

LOL, I do appreciate the response though. I am looking more coastal than Gainesville.

I do realize Florida may not be the friendliest biking state overal, but there must be areas that
are friendlier than others. How bout coastal GA,MS,AL, have any experience in those areas? I do
know I have to visit these areas more but I'm just trying to get a general feel, so I know what
areas to visit, and what areas to just not bother with at all. Im trying to narrow down the
possibilties.

Sounds like the Pensacola area may be what you are looking for. It isn't so touristy (is that a
word?) but is on the Gulf. I am in Tallahassee and really love it, but I wouldn't want to rely on my
bike to get around here.

"[censored] Durbin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

[email hidden] (Green Hill) wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

LOL, I do appreciate the response though. I am looking more coastal than Gainesville.

I do realize Florida may not be the friendliest biking state overal, but there must be areas
that are friendlier than others. How bout coastal GA,MS,AL, have any experience in those areas?
I do know I have to visit these areas more but I'm just trying to get a general feel, so I know
what areas to visit, and what areas to just not bother with at all. Im trying to narrow down the
possibilties.

Sounds like the Pensacola area may be what you are looking for. It isn't so touristy (is that a
word?) but is on the Gulf. I am in Tallahassee and really love it, but I wouldn't want to rely on
my bike to get around here.

Shoot, I live in Citrus county, which is on the Gulf coast about an hour north of Clearwater, and
bicycling here is pretty dangerous. No bike lanes, lots of busy two lanes, and not even paved
shoulders most of time. Factor in the large retiree populations in Lincolns, the rednecks in 4x4s,
and the kids in rice rockets, and it's an adrenaline rush par excellance. Can't wait till I move to
Helena, Montana. :-)

[censored], Ive been looking into Pensacola, and it seems more along the lines in what im looking for than
other florida areas. I did however happen to read a few articles that talked about that it might get
really delvolped by theis "st.joe company". Also how would you describe the west panhandle as far as
delvoplment goes. I know areas need a certain amount of delelopment, or it seems the areas have
avery little as far as anemities. But there is a point i draw a line between delvlopment that still
preserves the area and delvlopment that ruins a area turning it into a condo affair where every town
looks the same. I know this first hand living near pigeon forge/gatlinburg TN,(bad delvopment, no
planning, major, and i do mean major traffic problems,....cough cough I cant see the mountains
through the smog kinda deal). I figure your a local to N. Florida. If anyone would know you would
how the coast is delvloping. Im not looking to move to Florida to change it, I wont be buying into a
condo deal or some big planned area, most likely just a small older home(the older the better),
enjoy the wildlife, do some fishing, some beach combing. Anyway any more insight on the st. joe
situation or anything to do with the coast would be much appreciated.

And as far as yahoos, rednecks, retirees, its hard to avoid that no matter where you go, we have all
those things here as well, thats not why Im moving. Good luck in Helena, MT. Beautiful state, check
out kalisbell, missoula, and livingston. A few yrs back(well maybe a few decades) I was in MT, was
breathtaking. I ran into some major weather problems in sept-october. Happened to walk myself right
into a blizzard in amountain pass. So lets just say very short season. Well the seasons arent short,
just the warm ones lol. Great area though, dont know about biking there though. A great biking town
is Madison, WI. There everyone bikes from the college kids, to lawyers and docotrs.

"Slider2699" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

"[censored] Durbin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

[email hidden] (Green Hill) wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

LOL, I do appreciate the response though. I am looking more coastal than Gainesville.

I do realize Florida may not be the friendliest biking state overal, but there must be areas
that are friendlier than others. How bout coastal GA,MS,AL, have any experience in those
areas? I do know I have to visit these areas more but I'm just trying to get a general feel,
so I know what areas to visit, and what areas to just not bother with at all. Im trying to
narrow down the possibilties.

Sounds like the Pensacola area may be what you are looking for. It isn't so touristy (is that a
word?) but is on the Gulf. I am in Tallahassee and really love it, but I wouldn't want to rely
on my bike to get around here.

Shoot, I live in Citrus county, which is on the Gulf coast about an hour north of Clearwater, and
bicycling here is pretty dangerous. No bike lanes, lots of busy two lanes, and not even paved
shoulders most of time. Factor in the large retiree populations in Lincolns, the rednecks in 4x4s,
and the kids in rice rockets, and it's an adrenaline rush par excellance. Can't wait till I move
to Helena, Montana. :-)

[email hidden] (Green Hill) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

Im looking to relocate to the Florida western panhandle coast or Florida northeast coast, and in
my search I'm looking for bicycle friendly towns(15,000 to 60,000 pop.) In friendly I mean a town
grid system that is failry accomdating to bicycle traffic. Doesnt really need bike lanes, just a
fairly tame traffic system, and a centralized grid(un sprawled town) I would like to be able to
bike full time not just for recreation. The heat factor doesnt bother me for I reside in
Tennessee,and i am used to humidity and heat. Is there Anybody who could at least point me in the
right direction in what options I might have?

Hill

PS. I wouldnt be opposed to branching out to bordering areas like coastal alabama, missippi, and
georgia coastal (brunswick,st. marys).

Like the other person, I would have voted for Gainesville, except for the coast factor. For the
southern coast I would choose Hollywood, lots of quiet streets, long boardwalk on the beach for
bicycling, and an old town with some very wide streets that are condusive to cycling.

What about Tallahassee? It should be bicycle friendly by virtue of the university there.

[email hidden] (Green Hill) wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

[censored], Ive been looking into Pensacola, and it seems more along the lines in what im looking for
than other florida areas. I did however happen to read a few articles that talked about that it
might get really delvolped by theis "st.joe company". Also how would you describe the west
panhandle as far as delvoplment goes.

Best I can tell, most of the development seems to be within a couple of miles of the coast. The St.
Joe Company (St. Joe Paper Company) is the largest single landowner in the state. The developent arm
of the company is Arvida. Arvida developments have been as responsible as possible within the
confines of a little urban sprawl. My office is on a plot of land donated to the State of Florida by
Arvida and is on the edge of a new residential development in Tallahassee called Southwood.

Quoted message said:

I know areas need a certain amount of delelopment, or it seems the areas have avery little as far
as anemities. But there is a point i draw a line between delvlopment that still preserves the area
and delvlopment that ruins a area turning it into a condo affair where every town looks the same.

When you get away from the coast, you may as well be in Southern Alabama or Georgia.

Quoted message said:

I know this first hand living near pigeon forge/gatlinburg TN,(bad delvopment, no planning, major,
and i do mean major traffic problems,....cough cough I cant see the mountains through the smog
kinda deal). I figure your a local to N. Florida. If anyone would know you would how the coast is
delvloping.

Having moved here from Knoxvegas in 1990, I know where you are coming from. Stay away from Panama
City. It is Pigeon Forge By The Sea.

Quoted message said:

Im not looking to move to Florida to change it, I wont be buying into a condo deal or some big
planned area, most likely just a small older home(the older the better), enjoy the wildlife, do
some fishing, some beach combing. Anyway any more insight on the st. joe situation or anything to
do with the coast would be much appreciated.

The strip of Gulf Coast from the St. Marks River to Alabama is blessed with several parks that are
protected from most of the evils of development. Half of St. George Island is developed and the
other half is park. Cape San Blas is developed but also contains a great park.

Quoted message said:

And as far as yahoos, rednecks, retirees, its hard to avoid that no matter where you go, we have
all those things here as well, thats not why Im moving.

Not many retirees in the Panhandle and my experience with the local pickumup drivers with the
"Cowboy Up" or "Ain't Skeered" decals on the windows has been pretty positive. If you are used to
the East Tennessee heat, you will do just fine down here.

Take a look at Venice. My parents have a winter place down there, and I have done a bit of biking on vacation and it seems to be doable. Its not quite as crowded in as Sarasota or the bay area. There are some places that you have to mix with traffic a bit, but there are also alternatives to 19 for north south stuff.

[email hidden] (Steven Scharf) wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

[email hidden] (Green Hill) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

Im looking to relocate to the Florida western panhandle coast or Florida northeast coast, and in
my search I'm looking for bicycle friendly towns(15,000 to 60,000 pop.) In friendly I mean a
town grid system that is failry accomdating to bicycle traffic. Doesnt really need bike lanes,
just a fairly tame traffic system, and a centralized grid(un sprawled town) I would like to be
able to bike full time not just for recreation. The heat factor doesnt bother me for I reside in
Tennessee,and i am used to humidity and heat. Is there Anybody who could at least point me in
the right direction in what options I might have?

Hill

PS. I wouldnt be opposed to branching out to bordering areas like coastal alabama, missippi, and
georgia coastal (brunswick,st. marys).

Im not opposed to hills or grades, my current area is nothing but hills. Im in the foothills of
the appliachians. If I can bike the cumberlands and the smokies, I think I could handle a few
grades in Florida. Thanks for all the info everyone, any more imperative info would be much
appreciated.

Hill