Route Planning - PCB to Ft. Lauderdale

[Xtracho]

I have a 3 week class to attend in Ft. Lauderdale. Playing around with Google Maps, and wanting to avoid the superslab, I came up with this route:

Hwy 98 PCB to Carrabelle
Then route 67 to Crawfordville (short stop to visit my sister)
Back on 98 to Perry
Continue on 98 to Cross City, Old Town, Chiefland
Hwy 27 to Ocala, then route 35 south thru Summerfield, Oxford, Wildwood
continue southbound on Hwy 471 thru the Green Swamp and into Zephyhills
Route 39 thru Plant City
Route 60 into Brandon, Bartow and Lake Wales (where I'll overnight)
Route 27 south into Frostproof, Avon Park, Sebring
and on into Okeechobee and ride the eastern side of the lake into Belle Glade
Continue on 27 until I hit a short stretch of I-75 East into Fort Lauderdale.

This will be my first ride thru the central part of the state and I'm really looking forward to it. If anyone has any suggestions other than this route please let me know. It's still way early as I don't leave PCB until 20 April.



I figure heading back home I'll make it easy and ride A1A all the way up the eastern coast.

[Thunderbolt]

Looks like a fun ride.  In Chiefland the road makes a sharp left in front of the school and is Alt 27 if I remember correctly.

[TJ]

You might want to stay on the west side of the lake [ 27 S ] better roads...

[Xtracho]

You might want to stay on the west side of the lake [ 27 S ] better roads...

Cool TJ...thanks for that. I can make that change no problem. 

[James III]

Route 39 thru Plant City to 60. You will be east of Brandon and won't see it. Rt 60 after dark has rock haulers on it....not good. Agree with TJ, ride west of the big lake.
Xtracho, my concern would be the first leg distance. Those roads coming south are not great timemakers, not great to ride at night. We have lurking creatures on those backroads. I didn't check the milage for the first leg but it would be a hard days run in the heat from now on out. From your given 1st stopping point to destination is not a bad ride, a bit of traffic in and around Okeechobee. Unless Lake Wales is a have to stop, there are a couple of alt routes I could suggest here in central FL going east west to meet up at the top of the lake. You won't see much of Lake Okeechobee as it is actually behind a birm.....

[Xtracho]

Route 39 thru Plant City to 60. You will be east of Brandon and won't see it. Rt 60 after dark has rock haulers on it....not good. Agree with TJ, ride west of the big lake.
Xtracho, my concern would be the first leg distance. Those roads coming south are not great timemakers, not great to ride at night. We have lurking creatures on those backroads. I didn't check the milage for the first leg but it would be a hard days run in the heat from now on out. From your given 1st stopping point to destination is not a bad ride, a bit of traffic in and around Okeechobee. Unless Lake Wales is a have to stop, there are a couple of alt routes I could suggest here in central FL going east west to meet up at the top of the lake. You won't see much of Lake Okeechobee as it is actually behind a birm.....

And that first leg distance was a concern to me also. Especially since I don't know how long I'll be at my sister's house in Crawfordville. That's why I wanted to get it out there so far in advance. I'm still in Rio until 16 April. I don't have to be in Ft. Lauderdale until early evening to check into the apartment. Any feedback, suggested alternate routes, etc. is greatly appreciated! And yeah, I don't want to really be on the road at night. I'm still skittish after my deer encounter in January.

[Bert AKA,Valkaholic]

Sounds like a nice Trip  to South Florida.Your plan to go through Okeechobee is a Good Ride.I was down there recently and most of 441 South has been recently re-paved from Okeechobee to Belle Glade.If you do decide to go East of Lake Okeechobee you can access the Big Lake in Okeechobee,Pahokee,Belle Glade,South Bay,and other points in between Okeechobee and Pahokee.I was raised in Pahokee,the home of Mel Tillis,and it is the only town right on the Lake ,with the City Hall at the Foot of the Dike or Levy.It is a nice ride through all of the Sugar Cane Fields and Corn Fields.The soil is Black and stays warm to grow the Worlds Best Corn.Hope you have a safe trip,Bert.

[Xtracho]

So the roads on the east side of the lake might be OK to ride?

[pc shaun]

If this will be a single day's ride you may want to take Hwy 231 out of Panama City to Hwy 20 to Crawfordville.  This will cut at least 30 mins off of your travel time (you can do the hwy 98 coast ride as a nice day trip later to see it with a nice lunch On St. George Island or Appalachicola).  If you still want to take 98 down the coast look at taking hwy 319 to Crawfordville instead of 67.  This cuts a little more time off, and is still a really nice ride.

[Xtracho]

Thanks Shaun. I looked into that route out of PCB also. I'm going to head out early morning 20 April, make it a two day ride and get to Ft. Lauderdale late afternoon 21 April. I may still take that Hwy. 20 route, but I really like coastal 98. Still have time to make that decision.

[F6MoRider]

471 heading S through Green Swamp ends at Hwy 98 just N of Lakeland.   You could take 98 S through Lakeland straight to Bartow intersecting with 60 which would save the double back to get over to 39?  Just a thought.

[Xtracho]

Thanks F6....that kind of feedback from you guys that know those routes and roads is just what I'm looking for! 

I'm not going to be in any big hurry the entire trip. Leaving early morning the 20th I figure to spend a good 8 hours or so in the saddle. The next day...just putter into Ft. Lauderdale late that afternoon of the 21st.

[Bert AKA,Valkaholic]

Yes the Roads on the East side of Lake Okeechobee are Decent roads to ride,at least they were when I was there in January,2013.There are some Great places that you can see Lake Okeechobee while taking this route,and Pahokee is the closest without going out of your way.Sounds like you have it planned out Very Well. There is also a place on the Right side of S.R.27 that has Airboat Rides through the Everglades and Alligator Wrestling Shows.This is the home of the now Famous Gator Boys(Gator Trappers on TV).It is called Everglades Holiday Park.
Ride safe,
Bert

[Xtracho]

Thanks Bert....so I'm good to go on taking the eastern side of the lake. Like I said I'm not gonna be in a big hurry and want to see things as I ride.

[Bert AKA,Valkaholic]

You should be "Good To Go" on the East side of Lake Okeechobee.There shouldn't be alot of traffic in that area when you pass through.Sugar Cane Harvesting season is over and most of the Northern Visitors have already gone back North for the Summer.Hope you have a great trip.Ride safe,Bert.

[Xtracho]

Thanks Bert.    I'll stick with the east side of the lake then. I'm not in a hurry at all. Kind of want to just ease along and take it all in. I'll probably do like another poster mentioned and shorten that first leg some. It does seem a little long. I'll tweak this route just a little before I leave.