Ground support, south GA???

[SlowButSteady]

I'm wanting to ride around the Okeefeenokee Swamp, specifically from Folkston, GA South to St. George, west across GA's "heel," across a tiny bit of NE Florida west into Fargo, Ga. and up to Stephen Foster State Park.

The area is sparsely populated .

Mapquest has it as 59.20 miles from Folkston to Fargo. Add the jaunt to Stephen Foster and it's possibly 70 miles or so. I will be bird & herp-watching along the way, so I'm guessing it'll be close to an all-day ride for me.

With the nearest major cities Jacksonville and Savannah and Waycross as the nearest town (and way the heck around the other side of the Okeefeenokee), I'm not really likely to find a touring company or LBS that could provide ground support, am I?

Does anyone know if there is cell phone service at all down there?

I can hear the banjos playing in the distance, so it's not something I want to tackle alone without ground support, is it?

[Andrea]

If anything, drive the route in your car first and drop extra water bottles along the way. You'd have to carry your food, though, because critters are likely to run off with anything edible that you leave out :eek:

[Pedal Wench]

Here's just what you need! http://www.suwanneebike.org/

They're based out of White Springs (Stephen Foster State Park area) and they're wonderful! They host Ididaride, and when some of our club was thinking about riding roads in the area, they pointed us to some great-looking routes. The weather didn't cooperate, so we didn't go down there, but the club is a great group. I think they have maps on their website -- I know I downloaded a bunch.

Good luck!

EDIT: Sorry -- wrong Stephen Foster Park! Two of them in that area. Anyway, I think that bike club has members mostly in Jacksonville, so I'm still sure they can help you.

[kat_h]

Are there any journals on crazyguyonabike that cover the same area? I usually get ideas from what other people have done.

[OakLeaf]

I've ridden in that area on a m/c and I was stunned - I had no idea there was anything that desolate east of the Mississippi. Water is likely to be an issue. But if you can carry several liters, I don't know why you should have any other problem.

[SlowButSteady]

I may not do it.

Can't find a friend or relative to do any sort of ground support.

I'd hate to have mechnical or physical problems out there. My husband would be 6 hours away. I'm not sure cell phone reception "reaches" there.

My mom is wanting to go to Jekyl Island. I guess I could take her and ride lots around there and never be far from civilization.

One of my cycling goals is to ride the SC-NC line all the way to the SC-GA line, along the coast. I've covered a good bit of it riding here and there, and it is beautiful. Another would me GA-FL.

There are kayaking outfitters that run a concession at the Okeefenokee National Wildlife Refuge just outside of Folkston, GA. They run shuttles to pick up kayakers and canoeists at several access points around the swamp and could probably shuttle me from Suwanee Canal Recreation Area outside of Folkston to the Stephen Foster S.P.

But I'm beginning to get wilder ideas that would take more planning and more training. Specifically paddling across Okee (96 miles) and cycling back to Folkston (59 miles). I'd need several months planning on this and maybe (like probably) a partner. It'll take more checking into than I have in the next 2 weeks.

It would be good to do in November when I'll be celebrating my 50th birthday.