Starting November 4 and throughout the high season, FLT will be setting up our information table at the Ashton Trailhead (just west of McIntosh Road) on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon, weather permitting (check our social media for any changes).
Come visit us for information on trail developments, individual and business memberships, volunteer opportunities, and to shop for t-shirts and other merchandise. Our new cycling jerseys are a big hit! (And a great gift!)
The city of Sarasota is considering plans for connecting The Legacy Trail to the planned Bobby Jones Nature Park. As part of the preliminary project development study, the city of Sarasota will be holding a series of community meetings to obtain stakeholder input:
Location:
Veterans of Foreign Wars Sunshine Post 3233
124 S Tuttle Avenue
Sarasota, FL 34237
Click here for more information.
The Florida Gulf Coast Trail has a new logo! The Trust for Public Land and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection hosted a logo contest to select this epic trail’s official logo. After tallying the votes, congratulations to Kelly Kure from Sarasota, FL for submitting the winning logo! This stunning great blue heron design reflects the natural beauty of Florida and will be featured across all 336 miles of the trail. Thank you to all who participated in this contest! Learn more…
The 12th Annual Tour de North Port, Sunday, October 22, 2023. A fundraiser bicycle ride sponsored by People for Trees, a non-profit native tree advocacy group formed in 1997. The ride offers a choice of three scenic routes (15, 35, or 65 miles) for riders to enjoy the natural settings of North Port featuring pine flatwoods, oak and palm canopies, and an “up-close-and-personal” opportunity to view the Myakkahatchee Creek. The Tour de North Port is NOT a race. Registration includes breakfast, catered lunch, fully-stocked rest stops with homemade snacks, SAG (Suppport And Gear), t-shirt, goodie bag. Doors open at 7am for breakfast and check-in. Group Starts begin at 8am from Imagine School, 2757 Sycamore St. North Port. Early packet-pickups will be available on Saturday, Oct. 21, from 10am-12 noon at the “Taste of North Port Food and Fest” hosted by the Local Ladies Social Network, taking place at the North Port City Center Green, 4970 City Hall Blvd. For more information or to register online (until midnight, Friday, Oct. 20, $50), visit www.peoplefortrees.com. Registrations can also be done from 10am-12 noon at the Food Fest, Saturday, Oct. 21 ($50) or at the door the day of the event ($55, cash or credit card). Note: registrations for those who registered for last year’s event but was cancelled due to Hurricane Ian, will be fully honored for this year’s ride. Info: Contact Alice White (941) 468-2486.
On Friday June 16, a small ceremony was held on The Legacy Trail near Nokomis Riverview Park to dedicate a segment of the trail to be called the Bruce Dillon Memorial Mile. A plaque on the Legacy Trail Dona Bay bridge was unveiled to mark the north end of the one-mile segment.
Bruce Dillon, a founder and long-time member of Friends of The Legacy Trail, passed on November 24, 2020. Bruce was a lifelong resident of Sarasota County. He was dedicated to public service and programs aimed at improving the life of residents and visitors of Sarasota County. His participation and leadership in organizations such as Friends of Sarasota County Parks, Friends of The Legacy Trail, the Metropolitan Planning Organization (Bicycle-Pedestrian-Trails Committee), Charter Review Board of Sarasota County as well as his work as a volunteer with Sarasota County Sheriff’s Department established him as a man with the knowledge, commitment and ability to get things done.
In addition to his dedication to county-wide issues and organizations, Bruce worked hard for his local community with service on the Nokomis Area Civic Association, Nokomis East Neighborhood Association, Nokomis Revitalization Committee, and Friends of Nokomis Parks. His work and success are seen and known throughout the Nokomis community.
Sarasota, FL (April 26, 2023): The Ringling Trail Complete Street was recognized as the Project of the Year by the American Public Works Association (APWA) Florida Chapter during its annual conference in Jacksonville last week. Assistant City Engineer Dan Ohrenstein, project team co-lead along with Capital Projects Manager Camden Mills, accepted the award on behalf of the City of Sarasota.
“This was the first protected bicycle lane project in the Sarasota-Manatee region, coupled with lane repurposing, and community conversations occurred during the pandemic,” said Assistant City Engineer Dan Ohrenstein. “More cyclists are traveling between The Legacy Trail and downtown core since the protected bike lanes were installed along the Ringling Trail and that’s translating into economic growth,” said City Manager Marlon Brown.
Click here for more information about this project and the award.
Consider the Possibilities
Like the European train system, Sarasota County’s bus system (SCAT) can provide a natural extension and complement to traveling by bicycle. The bus system provides a number of connections to The Legacy Trail, and the buses can carry up to two bikes per bus. The chart below shows locations where bus routes connect directly to points on the trail.
4/20/23 Update from Miranda Lansdale with the County Transit Department: Our contracted provider for the OnDemand service has now added bicycle racks to 12 of their vehicles. The OnDemand service is a curb-to-curb rideshare, “on demand” transportation option available in 4 zones. The zones generally cover where our bus routes do not (1: Downtown Sarasota/Lido Key/Longboat Key, 2: Siesta Key, 3: Venice/Englewood, 4: North Port). The idea is that a passenger can enter a ride request that includes pickup and dropoff location within an OnDemand zone, and within 30 minutes a van will arrive to execute the request. When making the request, the individual can select the option for a van with a bicycle rack. Other passengers may be picked up or dropped off along the way. The cost is $2 per ride.
Some interesting possibilities are:
The following video shows how simple it is to load your bike onto the bus bike racks:
Click here for more information on how to use the Sarasota County bus system. Click here for bus schedules and routes.
