Bike Florida 2012
Forgotten Coast Tour
Highlights
Day 6: Thursday, March 29
Apalachicola to Medart/Crawfordville
53 or 63 MILES*
We'll have a wonderful day of riding along the beautiful gulf coast today as almost 40 miles will hug the shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico and pass by a few small towns along the way.
The first town east of Apalachicola is East Point, a small fishing community known for its oysters. Tongers (the traditional name for oysterman) still harvest the oysters in the way they have for over a century. Working from small wooden boats (20-25 foot long) in shallow water, they use tongs that look like two rakes attached (in a scissor like fashion) to scoop the oysters to the surface and dump them into the boat. On shore, the seafood houses sort the oysters and package them for sale. The bay is carefully monitored to ensure the health and productivity of the oyster beds.
Carrabelle is another small fishing community where we'll have our Lunch Stop. Camp Gordon Johnston is located here and served as an amphibious training center from 1941-1946. In the 1940s this base was the entire coastline you will be passing today. Lanark Village is the leftover housing units from those days; about 500 of them remain atop a 40-foot hill untouched after 70 years of hurricanes.
The coast of northwest Florida is such a biologically rich area that it is considered one of six biodiversity hotspots in the United States, and is home to Florida State University Coastal & Marine Laboratory.
On the 53-mile route, you are more than welcome to visit and ride 2 miles into Ochlockonee State Park, on 319/Sopchoppy Highway. Or you can take the 63-mile route and continue along the coast pass Bald Point State Park and over the Ocholockonee Bay on your way to our last overnight location, the Wildwood Resort. Initially, this day was to overnight in Sopchoppy, home to the Worm Gruntin Festival held the 2nd weekend of April. Worm Gruntin is a way of harvesting earthworms from the Apalachicola National Forest, and became popular from Charles Kuralt’s coverage in the 1970s. You may visit Sopchoppy via Curtis Mill Road (first left after the Ochlockonee State Park entrance) if on the 53-mile route. Curtis Mill Road is a quiet back road and worth the extra few miles.
*Disclaimer: routes are subject to change without notice.
