This featured ride is provided by Moto-Maps® from their Florida booklet - due for release in mid-February - and was created and reported by the company’s founder, Keith Myers.

Moto-Maps, llc

Nothing beats riding in Florida during the winter.  From my seaside hotel room on Panama City Beach, I decide to call home and check in on the family back in New Hampshire.  It’s a little hard to hear with the waves crashing on the beach and the sun is warming up and I want to get on my way.  My wife reports that it’s nine degrees outside and that the power has been out for two days due to an ice storm – she had to break a window just to get into the house and all the area hotels are booked-up – l guess I shouldn’t have complained about the heat …. It was a short call.

Anyway, it’s off to work…  This ride starts in Panama City Beach and follows the Gulf coast to Apalachicola.  I’m going to do the full ride today but if you look at the map you’ll see a number of alternate roads that create a series of shorter loops up and down the coast from Destin to Apalachicola.

Moto-Maps,llc

Leaving PCB, I head west on 98A until I reach the intersection of 98.  I follow that for a short bit until I turn off onto 30A.  30A is a great road that follows the coast west.  It’s a residential/resort area with palm-lined streets and outside shopping areas which offer a slower pace to the arcade atmosphere of PCB.  At the end of 30A, I turn right back onto 98 – east this time.  After a few miles, I turn onto route 331 and begin the inland portion of the ride.  Shortly after crossing the bridge over the Choctawhatchee Bay, I turn right onto county road 3280.  CR3280 provides some welcomed shade and a few nice sweepers – not always an easy find in Florida.  The remainder of the inland roads zig-zag back and forth on an easterly course and offer some easy riding as well as some diversity to the coastal route. 

Eventually, you end up back in Panama City to begin the coastal ride down to Apalachicola. It’s more urban in this first section, so I take the opportunity to grab some water, food and fuel for the rest of the ride.  I continue east on route 98 and after one final stretch of forest through Tyndall Air Force Base, I find myself back with the sun and the sand on my right hand side and miles of ocean scenery ahead of me.  The sand and water are an enticing sight and I decide to take a short break at Mexico Beach.  It is 84 degrees (a little warm for this time of year – but who’s complaining…) so I take my book and spend an hour or so relaxing on the beach.  Maybe I should call home… tonight.

Moto-Maps, llc

Heading out on the final stretch of the ride, I simply relax and enjoy the sun and scenery.  After a few miles, I turn onto 30A – a nice road with only a few homes and even fewer distractions.  If you have the time, follow the road out to St. Joseph Peninsula State Park – I follow 30A back to route 98 and head into Apalachicola during the late afternoon.  Apalachicola is a small town with a quaint southern-charm feel.   The name means “on the other side” – which I guess refers to being on the other side of the river that passes on its eastern doorstep.  Apalachicola’s claim to fame is Dr. John Gorrie who invented and patented the ice machine in 1850 – which eventually lead to air conditioning and modern refrigeration.  As I sip my beer at the end of this fine day, I appreciate his work and offer a toast to Dr. Gorrie.  I should call home…. tomorrow.