Ocala: Biking and Running Mecca
By Robin
We’ve spent the last several days in the identical campsite where we stayed two years ago, at Santos Trailhead and Campground in Ocala. T’Chat says she remembers this spot…as it was the location of one of her attempts to escape and explore the local woods. 🙀 We didn’t let that happen this time!
Santos is located at the convergence of Florida Trail (Hiking), the Santos Mountain Biking system and Cross Florida Greenway. The mountain biking here is a gem, according to Ross. The trails are slow, curvy and flat, winding through pine and palm forests. Cutting through the trails, directly accessible from the campground, is a 15 mile paved portion of the Cross Florida Greenway. The Greenway is a 110 mile linear park that travels from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. There are horse trails, paddling trails, bike and hiking trails the whole way across. What a gem!
You can guess how we spent our time here.
Our one diversion from the campground (beside the laundromat…there’s ALWAYS a laundromat trip) was to Big Lee’s Serious About Barbecue. We found this two years ago via our go-to-travel-food site, Roadfood, and we had to go back. Lee’s is a food truck where the meats are slow cooked over 24 hours. It opens every morning at 11:30 with a flourish. One of the staff comes out and and reviews the day’s menu items, then a big train-horn blast announces that the cart is open for business. We arrived at opening, because out-of-towners are advised…come early…we run out early!
We blew off all dietary restrictions for this one:
Ross ate ribs and a side of Mac and cheese with pork, plus coleslaw and banana pudding for dessert.
I had a pulled pork sandwich with slaw (on top of my pork!), baked beans and peach cobbler.
We didn’t eat a thing the rest of the day because we were so full and satisfied!
The only drawback at this campground was that they had bathroom plumbing issues all week. Ross was prevented from showering in the men’s room. Grateful for our Anytime Fitness membership, we found a local AF to do a strength workout yesterday and get showers.
Greenway.
Our site. Oops! The Acadian flag is upside down. Cajun in distress?
The menu.
Someone didn’t get the message: if you snooze you lose.