Palm Coast is showing its true colours

And they are the colour of dirt!  I never would have thought that a place, situated as Palm Coast is, between the Atlantic on the east, and swampy forest lands on the west, with a distinct FLAT profile, would have the number or the quality of trails that this place has.  Its truly unbelievable and I could not be happier with the tough decision to come this way.  It has helped tremendously to have arrived with open eyes, ears, and an open mind to whatever I was going to find, as my unrealistic dreamy expectations have set me up for failure in the past, but I had NO IDEA it would be this fun!

I have been working 4 days a week in a really amazing shop and I owe a HUGE thanks to James and Jake the owners, who have welcomed me with loaned bikes, free lunches, bukaki jokes, and a cold beer at the end of every shift.  We sell a lot of three wheel trikes, and comfort hybrids, but we have a bit of fun too.  Im actually going to miss this place when I go back to Alaska in April (more on that later).  For now though, I have miles and miles of paved trails to cruise while singing to myself, and wouldn't you know it they end up at the beach!

 

REAL Italian style made by REAL Italians from Roma!

 

I also have a handful of amazing dirt trails close enough to ride to from home, and wouldn't you know it... they ALSO end up at the beach!

 

this is the top of a roll in...

... this is the bottom!

 

And if that's not enough for me - I got Santos!
Last weekend: borrowed bike ($5000.00 carbon wonder toy), borrowed car (brand new and fun to drive Kia Soul), borrowed tent (piece of shit from walmart or worse) and I was off to the races.  The 12 hours of Santos is a race held at Santos Park, a killer playground for mountain bikers, complete with dirt jumps, huge freeride stunts, technical rock features, and tight twisty trails that go for over 75 miles along a green corridor of national park.  Its an amazing place to ride, more fun, more diverse and more free than any other place I have ever ridden.  Its about 2 hours from Palm Coast (P.C.) but camping is free and its worth it to spend the whole weekend there.

A guy was filming from a remote controlled helicopter, check out his video here...
http://player.vimeo.com/video/86949364
And they posted race pics here...Im not in a single one (boooo!) https://www.flickr.com/photos/kj4yla/sets/72157641113241033/

Race Day:

 

 

And the Day after to stretch out the legs on another 20 miles of singletrack!

 

 

 

this is a bridge for animals and trail users over the highway.

 

view from the bridge

this kept going for a total of 75 miles, a definite "must ride" before I leave



Who would have thought!?!?!
Not me that's for sure.

S.