BWCF’s Amanda Day and FBA’s Becky Afonso enjoy some Central Florida trails at Bike 5 Cities.
At Bike/Walk Central Florida (BWCF), we can’t get enough of trails. That’s why we’re excited to share that in honor of Florida Bicycle Month, the March issue of Orlando, The City’s Magazine features a guide to “the coolest bike trails, plus great excursions for kids, safety tips, and what you need to get started.” The authors interview BWCF Board Member Lisa Portelli and our partner Florida Bicycle Association’s (FBA) Becky Afonso.
One of the guide’s authors, Dan Tracy, points out that Metro Orlando residents are fortunate to have some 30 trails covering 250-plus miles with more just outside our area and the coast-to-coast connector in the works. The Central Florida paths range from “short in-city urban trails of a mile or three to the 28-mile Cross Seminole Trail that goes through Oviedo, Winter Springs and various suburbs.”
Additionally, Tracy shares, “the City of Orlando alone has 40 miles of off-street trails and more than 260 miles of bicycle lanes. Each month, according to city counts, bikers take more than 220,000 trips on the network.”
One of those bikers adding to the trip numbers is BWCF’s own board member Lisa Portelli. An avid Winter Park cyclist, Lisa averages 200 miles weekly on her bike and says she prefers trails whenever or wherever she can find them.
In the article Lisa shares why she loves the trails and said “Let’s face it, it’s dangerous. We are dangerous by design,” echoing the term coined by Smart Growth America, a nonprofit that publishes reports on biking and pedestrian safety trends nationwide.
Becky Afonso, executive director of Florida Bicycle Association, added a bit of history of Florida trails to the article and added “We don’t talk enough about how enjoyable bike riding is,” she says. “I just like the fact that I am not in my car.”
For an enjoyable read and a great resource to Central Florida bike trails check out the “Wheel Life” article and add it to your bookmarks for miles of future fun!
