Trail 18

Pinellas Trail

From St. Petersburg to Tarpon Springs

STATS:

Date: Sunday, June 29, 2008

Temp: 76 - 90 degrees F

Distance: 71 Miles! Longest ride yet!!

Calories Burned: 2689

Average Speed: 12.5

Maximum speed: 22.1 (Oops! Went over the speed limit!)

Ride Time: 5 hours 38 minutes and 55 seconds, starting at 07:34 -- finish 14:30

From the official website:

Who is Fred Marquis?
The Pinellas Trail was named in honor of Fred Marquis, former Pinellas County Administrator who served from 1979 until 2000. His leadership resulted in national recognition of Pinellas County for its fiscal integrity, efficient and responsive government, preservation of the natural environment and expansion of one of the nation’s most outstanding park systems. Mr. Marquis was a tireless proponent for the conversion of the abandoned railroad corridor to the Pinellas Trail.

Pinellas Trail

It began as a vision in 1983. A man whose son was killed while riding his bike, helped form the Pinellas County Metropolitan Planning Organizations Bicycle Advisory Committee, consisting of bicycle enthusiasts. The committee, in conjunction with the Pedestrian Safety Committee, wanted a safe place to enjoy bicycle riding, strolling or jogging. The county had a separate problem - what to do with a 34-mile corridor of abandoned CSX railroad right-of-way.

The committees’ dream became a reality in 1990, when the first five-mile section of the Pinellas Trail opened, connecting Taylor Park in Largo to Seminole Park in Seminole. The Trail became immensely popular, with usage figures exceeding all expectations. With the passage of the first Penny for Pinellas one-cent local option sales tax, plans were put into motion to connect the County, from north to south, with a continuous Trail.

An average of 90,000 persons use the Trail each month. The Trail is a unique greenway corridor linking some of Pinellas County’s most picturesque parks, scenic coastal areas and residential neighborhoods. While traveling along the Trail, outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy deep glades of ancient live oaks trailing Spanish moss, quiet waterways and tidal streams with all varieties of land and water birds. The Trail is a priceless haven in a busy, highly urbanized environment, where Trail-goers safely breeze along. The construction of eight overpasses allow Trail-goers to travel above traffic at busy intersections.

About the artwork on the trail:

The Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail
view the Pinellas Trail Guide & Map

Description of Artwork: The artwork is composed of 9 unique sculptures located at separate locations along the Pinellas Trail. The design pays tribute to the trail's link to railroading history and its importance as a vital link to the communities it continues to serve. The structures are made of fabricated aluminum with polychrome acrylic polyurethane finish and clear coat. The nine community markers that help the trail user identify their location along the trail are: St. Petersburg, Gulfport, Seminole, Largo, Belleair, Clearwater, Dunedin, Palm Harbor, and Tarpon Springs.

Cool things I experienced along the way:

This is the most urban trail I've biked, passing seamlessly through many cities, each marked with the artwork described above. I lost count on the number of bridges. Sunday morning brought a good number of health enthusiasts to the trail, so the wildlife was mostly of the human variety...

I needed to get an early start, knowing it was going to be a long ride.

My arrival in Tarpon Springs

It took a while to find a trailhead, since there isn't one at the very end!

This is downtown Tarpon Springs. I'll just bike up the to trail end and then start my journey back to St. Petersburg.

There are two trails along some parts -- one for cyclists and the other for pedestrians.

At the top of the trail. Dead ends after this bridge.

Ah... here it is! MM 34. Now to begin the journey to MM 0 in St. Pete!

It's still early, by the size of my shadow.

You can also see the markings on the trail for Peds and Cyclists

Coming back through downtown. The trail goes in the center of the street!

There's my car parked in a municipal lot! I'll be back... later!

Continuing down the center of the road! You really have to look all directions when you get to an intersection!

Another tunnel bridge. Cool.

MM 30

I'm not sure what this 'box on a pole' is...

There was one on each side of the bridge.

Wall Springs Park. I stopped here for a pit stop.

Morning bunny hopping away.

The street signs posted Pinellas Trail.

All the intersections had these poles and markings.

There were a number of houses with murals on the sides. Nice.

A mobile home park.

Typical look to the trail -- straight!

Boat ramp and golf community.

Artwork along the trail. Palm Harbor.

Consistent Mile Markers

The first of many bridges to climb and whiz down the other side!

The bridge makes a sharp left turn ahead to cross over the road.

Welcome to Dunedin sign below the bridge.

Views of the street below

The fun part! Wheeeeeeeee!

Large park with dedicated trees.

Storks on their breakfast hunt.

Entrance to the tranquil park.

MM 24 -- only 10 to go to the trailhead.

I shot this behind me. If you look in the center of the trail, that is a cyclist towing a kayak behind him. His partner is riding next to him in front of the two walkers.

I assume they were on their way to a body of water to go kayaking and somehow bring their bikes along for the ride. Interesting and fun!

The trail was starting to get busy in this area.

Big clock on the corner. I don't think it's working...

Gulf of Mexico on the other side of this park.

Many houses' back yards could be see from the trail.

This one had a fun deck.

This section had street lights!

Dunedin's artwork sign. From rails to trails. X to tires.

Getting ready to open up the street fair in downtown Dunedin!

The Boxcar -- mail a package while you get some lunch!

Former site of a gift shop we visited a few years back when staying in lovely Dunedin.

We'd rented a bike for Eric here on that trip (behind the ice cream shop).

It was still there!

No time for a game or a book just now. Think I'll keep going.

Still...it's nice to know these things!

These pine trees looked so soft and provided a lot of shade!

The dangerous intersections had a series of flashing red lights! Look out!

Beautiful river to cross.

Downtown Clearwater looms ahead.

So, I stopped at this next intersection to have a sip of water and I heard some birds chirping. I looked over to see at least a dozen of these marvelous aviaries fly up on the electric wires...

Green parrots!!!

It was amazing! I've never seen a parrot in the 'wild'! I'm thinking they escaped from a pet shop a while back!

The trail took a turn to get through downtown Clearwater. I'll have to watch the signage closely now!

Construction.

The trail is really a wide sidewalk at this point.

Parking garage on the right.

On to the small town of Belleair.

The entrance to each city was much like this.

A bridge lies ahead.

Largo, Florida.

Always fun to look down from the bridge!

Mourning bird couple out for a stroll. Why aren't they flying??

Squirrel running across the trail. It's a fraternity rush activity...

Football field

MM 12

One big cactus!

Yet another bridge.

Loved this guy's shirt!

City of Seminole

Nice signage. You can avoid the bridges and cross on the street level, but I decided to climb all the bridges.

Time to build up some speeeeed...

MM 10

This was a 'pack' of 'professionals' that passed me.

Long bridge over the main inlet

Egypt under a St. Petersburg expressway bridge. Who knew?

MM 5

A small canal rang alongside the trail here.

St. Petersburg College

Yep... 'nother bridge.

The Crape Myrtles were so pretty!

Gulfport

MM 1 -- not far to go now... to the trailhead that is!

Aha!

MM Zero! 'Ray!

Looks like the trail will continue on the other side, but it's barricaded right now.

Well... guess I'll head on back. About 32 miles to go!

Football field

Buccaneer Bus. Note the skull as the hood ornament!

Pretty lake.

88 degrees already! It'll be in the 90s soon.

Yep!

Many buildings had mural paintings -- both 'paid for' and 'freelance'.

Nice to see the flag flying!

KOA Campground.

8 MM on the return.

Stopped here at Seminole's Blossom Lake Park to fill up my water bottles.

I start out with them frozen, so they're cold when I'm drinking them, but I'm running low and can fill up here!

This Beatle was at the park. I loved the flower hubcaps!

Heading back to the trail.

This was the Trail Cat! When I was biking south, a cyclist heading north, stopped to pet this cat that was in the middle of the trail. He said that this cat "owned" the trail. So on my return, I found him again over by the side of the trail. He was shocked that I took his picture!

Well... there's a different sort of water tower!

Here's how the trail splits into two 'lanes'.

Largo on the return.

The memorial plaque for Fred Marquis.

Belleair on the return.

White egret on a mission.

The railroad runs adjacent to the trail nearing and into downtown Clearwater.

Many of the buildings in downtown Clearwater were painted with murals...

Same building -- couldn't fit it all in one shot!

Now why a turtle would be scaling a building on half a ladder is beyond my imagination...

It's Myrtle Avenue!

I was very hot and tired at this point (back in Dunedin) with 10 more miles to go, so I stopped for a rest and to enjoy a cherry ice ball! It really hit the spot! And it's just a stone's throw from the trail!

I had a nice conversation with one of the owners who was from Michigan and loved Florida's heat compared to the frigid North!

Did he bring the ice down from Michigan??

This cute little girl was also enjoying an ice ball with her Mom and Grandma and took a special interest in rearranging the rocks from this landscaping pot. The owner said they kids play with those more than the playground they have nearby!