I'm back, with a question

Hey, gang--I know I've been silent lately (electronically speaking)--this spring was the mother of all busy semesters for me! But I'm still cycling on my sweet celeste Bianchi Veloce, just not finding time to write about it as much.

Speaking of being busy, I'm traveling to Daytona Beach to grade high school AP exams next week (tough job--they put you up ON the beach, AND pay you for grading--no wonder it costs so much to take those exams! LOL) So I'm wondering whether it's worthwhile to take my bike with me. The days will be filled with grading, but I'm thinking the early mornings or early evenings might be nice for riding. So can anybody tell me what the riding conditions are like in and around Daytona Beach? TIA!

Well, I don't know anything about Daytona Beach, but on route slip, someone posted a 100+ mile route along the Palm Coast with a wholloping 7 foot elevation change over the entire course...

I'd say bring the bike...there's always somewhere to ride in Florida.

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Originally Posted by Mr. Silver

I'd say bring the bike...there's always somewhere to ride in Florida.

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Unfortunately, some of the drivers there are crazy! And there are just too darn many of them + all the tourists. I am not sure I'd ride anywhere on the east coast of Florida. I don't live there, just have driven there several times, and I have experienced more bad, impatient, road raging drivers in that part of Florida than anywhere else I've had to drive. Up in the north/central part of the state where there are horse farms, I'd definitely ride, but not sure I'd dare ride on the east coast. A club member doing "Bike Florida" broke her ankle cycling after being run off the road by a woman in an SUV a few years ago. She said the drivers down there were horrible, and she'd never go back. Just be very, very careful if you do ride! Daytona is choked with cars, last time I was there.

Emily

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Originally Posted by Bad JuJu

So can anybody tell me what the riding conditions are like in and around Daytona Beach? TIA!

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Short answer: No.

But, welcome back! I was wondering what happened to you....

Which AP exams are you grading and if it's Calculus, can I put in a good word for some of my students? They're expensive, but if they pass, 5 hours of Calc credit for $80. (Our district picks up part of the tab, though) Not too shabby, but man oh man, the work that goes into it beforehand!:eek:

I say take the bike. After all day looking over those exams, you'll probably need a physical break! Has to be somewhere to go!

Thanks for the input.

Emily, that's what I was afraid of. I live in a less-developed part of northwest Florida: less traffic=less road rage, though we still get a bit of it. I know the east coast is a whole different world, though.

Uforgot: Hah--me grading calculus exams--that's a laugh-and-a-half. Nope--I'll be grading the English exams. Seven days of high school essays--that's why I'll probably need my bike in the afternoons. LOL

I looked at the website for the hotel and it looks as if there's a paved walkway between beach and hotel, so maybe I'll just put some wider tires on my touring bike and take it along for some leisurely rides. Nothing fast, just for decompression at day's end.

I live up on the east coast and I wouldn't ride in Daytona and I actually wouldn't visit Daytona Beach either. There are much better beaches on the east coast. But I would ride in Palm Coast (which is just north of Daytona), which is fairly undeveloped (well the last time I was there) and pretty nice. If you're willing to travel south to Cocoa in Brevard county (not near Ron Jon's but near Patrick Air Force Base), they're fairly desolate when it comes to people and traffic. I was there last weekend and in the middle of a Saturday afternoon, there was barely any traffic and the roads are pretty good. Just beware of the crosswind. The coastal breezes inland are almost 15-20mph, so on the shore it would be pretty hard.
I would say that if you had more time, to go inward, like Chuluota (which is Seminole county), Lake Monroe, and parts of Lake County, but that would be out of the way. Really nice riding out there.
If anything, bring the bike 'cause you may never know what comes about. Hope you have fun at the beach while doing all of that AP grading;) .