Bike Cape Haze Pioneer Trail & Gasparilla Island (34 miles r/t) + Lunch

Join us for a casual bike ride that combines the **Cape Haze Pioneer Trail and the entire length of Gasparilla Island. Total distance will be 34 miles r/t.** **Please make sure you can ride the distance before you sign up**. **09:00 AM**: Let's meet at the **Cape Haze Trail Park parking lot** (1688 Gasparilla Rd. in Port Charlotte). This is also called the Dr. Robert D. & Ann Mercer Trailhead. The Cape Haze Pioneer Trail follows a natural greenway and railroad route that once terminated at Gasparilla Island. The Charlotte Harbor and Northern Railroad (CH&N) transported phosphate from the mines at Mulberry on a rail line along the Peace River to the ore-loading dock at Boca Grande. The trail is about 7 miles long. From its end, we will follow Gasparilla Rd. on a sidewalk, ride on the Boca Grande Causeway and cross over to Gasparilla Island. **Toll will be $3 per bicycle. Please have exact change.** We will collect the money in advance, so we will be able to pay for all at once at the toll both. Once we are on Gasparilla Island we will ride along the road for a short distance and cross over to the bike path that leads all the way to the Gasparilla Island State Park. We will stop at Banyan Street in Boca Grande and the historic lighthouse along the way. On our return from the State Park we will pass the yacht harbor and the historic Gasparilla Inn before **we will stop at our favorite restaurant [Sisters](https://sistersbocagrande.com) for lunch.** They offer a wide range of food and service is always excellent. If we want, we can quickly walk into the historic Gasparilla Inn to check out the ballroom and the interior. After that, we will ride all the way back to the parking lot. Total distance will be about 34 miles r/t. Please carry sufficient water, protect yourself from the sun and check your bikes before the ride. A bike lock is mandatory. This will be a social event and no race! Please don't schedule anything right after the event as the ride and/or lunch might take longer than expected. As always, if you have questions or need directions, you can contact us at (917)774-0941.