Two Up Motorcycle Touring

Mine Roads Madness

July 8, 2009


Central Florida Motorcycle Rides - Mine Roads Madness

Central Florida Motorcycle Rides - Mine Roads Madness - Ride Route Map

You cage driving friends might think you've lost your mind when you tell them about how much fun you had in this twistry road Florida motorcycle ride!

Easy to get to from Orlando, Tampa/St Pete and all of West Central Florida! Just use SR 60 or SR 37 to get to Mulberry, then head south on SR 37 to CR 640.

Tampa based riders can also work their way out to CR 640 (Lithia Pinecrest Road) and follow it to SR 37.

(We'll be adding a nice connector ride from Tampa/Brandon soon!)

 

West Central Florida Motorcycle Rides - Mine Roads Madness

 
 The Start Point for the ride is the traffic light at junction of CR 640 and SR 37 just south of Mulberry.
1Proceed East on CR 640. 
2Approximately 2.3 miles down CR 640 turn LEFT on Bonnie Mine Road.
3Follow Bonnie Mine Road (past the Bonnie Mine, who'd have guessed) north approx 4.3 miles to SR 60.
4Turn RIGHT onto SR 60.
5Follow SR 60 approx 4.0 miles to the Traffic Light at CR 555. 
6Turn RIGHT at CR 555.
7Follow CR 555 south about 1 mile through a lightly developed area with just enough driveway entrances and distracted drivers to be dangerous.
8Follow CR 555 as it sweeps it way south.
9Many of the curves on CR 555 occur just before ROUGH RR crossings.
Look through the curves to avoid a nasty surprise.
10About 4 miles down CR 555 you'll come to CR 640.
11Turn LEFT on CR 640.
12Follow CR 640 East approx 1.3 miles to Noralyn Mine Road. 
13Turn LEFT on Noralyn Mine Road.
14Follow Noralyn Mine Road about 3.9 miles as it twists and turns north into the outskirts of Bartow to Clower Road.
15As you enter the outskirts of Bartow the road will pass thruogh a sports park complex. Beware of kids playing and vehicles entering and exiting the road the last 1/4 mile or so.
16Turn LEFT on Clower Road.
17Follow Clower 1.0 mile back to CR 555.
This is all residential so keep things cool and watch for turning vehicles.
 
18Turn LEFT back onto CR 555.
You'll be following the same path you did earlier.
19Follow CR 555 south about 3.6 miles to CR 640.
20This time cross CR 640 and remain southbound on CR 555.
21Follow CR 555 south about 3.2 miles. 
22Turn RIGHT on Agricola Mine Road.
This is an easy road to miss!
It is just past a RR crossing and turns ONLY to the right.
23Many people and riders don't know of this road.
That's too bad because you can really enjoy this ride. The road meanders around woods, wetlands and railroad tracks and offers plenty of tight curves (for Florida) and opportunities to crank on some serious throttle between them.
24About 3.5 miles down Agricola is an S-Curve across railroad tracks and just past the mine entrance.

This corner is ALWAYS covered in a deep layer of fine sand and mud.

SLOW down for this one and pick a line through the best part of the mess.
25After the dirt covered S-Curve the road regains it entertaining character and twists and sweeps along the railroad tacks through the lonesome back country.
26Approximately 2.25 past the mine entrance and S-Curve the road ends a Old Hwy 37.
27Turn RIGHT on Old Hwy 37.
28Follow Old Hwy 37 north about 2.5 miles past Jamieson Road to Pebbledale Road.
29Turn RIGHT on Pebbledale Road.
30About 1.4 miles down Pebbledale on the left hand (north) side of the road there are several makeshift pullouts at clearings along the road.

These aras can be a pleasant place to take a break and have a snack or soft drink during your ride. There are shade trees and and pleasant views and usually abundant birds and wildlife across the water.

There are no picnic tables, facilities or trash cans and the areas can sometimes get a little ratty looking.

Caution: Although I've never had any problems here some of the locals might be described as "unsavory". If you aren't comfortable stopping follow your intuition and find someplace you're more comfortable.

Overall these little areas can be quite pleasant and offer an relaxing break from your ride.
31About 3/10ths of a mile past the pullouts you'll come to the intersection of CR 640.
32Turn LEFT onto CR 640. You'll be backtracking the very beginning of your ride.
33Follow CR 640 west about 2 miles to Old Hwy 37.
34Turn LEFT onto Old Hwy 37.
35Follow Old Hwy 37 south.
36A little over 1 mile south you'll see a sign to BEAR RIGHT to stay on Old 37.
Turn RIGHT to STAY ON Old Hwy 37.
37Follow Old Hwy 37 south.
38After about 1.5 miles you will continue past Agricola Mine Road.
(unless of course you want to run it the other direction and loop back!)
 
39About .75 miles past Agricola Mine Road you'll cross a set of railroad tracks then see a 7-STAR gas station on your left.
Turn LEFT just before the station to stay on Old Hwy 37.
You are now entering and leaving the metropolis of Bradley, FL, aka Bradley Junction.
40Continue on Old Hwy 37 along the railroad tracks down a road pretty much forgotten by the rest of the world.
There are several S-Curves along the way, but unfortunately most cross the railroad tracks in the middle of the S.
Best to just enjoy the ride and solitude along this road left behind by progress.
 
41About 3.75 miles down Old HWY 37 you'll come to CR 630.
42Turn LEFT onto CR 630 and follow it east.
43About 5.5 miles along CR 630 you'll come to CR 555.
If you turn left you can re-enter the madness at the west end of Agricola Mine Road or follow CR 555 up to CR 640 and the rest of the ride route.
Continue straight if you're hungry or finishing the ride.
44Continue past CR 555 about 5.4 miles to US-17 at Fort Meade.
This is the END of the ride route.
 

Hungry? - You're in the right place!

 
 Turn LEFT onto US-17.
 Less than 1 Block North you'll see John's Miners Den Drive-In Restaurant.
Turn LEFT into their parking lot.
 Enjoy an inexpensive cooked to order meal for less than you'd pay at one of the chain sub shops at John's Miners Den.
See the Ride Review for more information about this great eatery!
Make sure to tell them you found them on 2UpTouring.com!
 Last edited August 16, 2009