ATV Florida Forum

Just got back from the Holey Lands.  I drove out onto the south levee and went west about 1-1/2 miles.  There is standing water everywhere.  At least 4 to 5 inches.  I have been watching the radar daily and have seen several rain events out there where they had over 1/2" of rain and now with what we got yesterday, there probably won't be anymore riding until next winter.  I hate to say it, but I can't help but believe they used the drought as an excuse to run us off.  There's no way that amount of water gathered just from yesterday's rain.  We could get lucky, but I doubt it.  It probably also means that next weekend's Extreme Everglades Ride will be more extreme than we bargained for.  Not sure if I'm ready to take the Outlander into those kind of conditions yet.  If I go, I'll probably take the Prairie.  It's got the better tires, anyways.  It didn't take FWC long to catch me.  The young lady that stopped me was very pleasant (and rather attractive, too).  She told me that even though the sign was gone, the south levee is off limits.  However, even though there is a big "Closed" sign just on the other side of the bridge, she said the north levee is open to drive on (I didn't ask her about ATVs) for wildlife viewing.  One creepy thing was all the horseflies; they absolutely swarmed my truck while we were driving out there.  I guess it was the diesel fumes that drew them in but it was almost like Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" the way they swarmed the truck.  Very creepy and they were huge, too.

The answer to why we were run off from the Holey Lands exists just north from where the pavement ends.  The State of Florida chose that desolate spot to dump several million dollars into a nature center, complete with a bridge over a channel that goes out to an elevated observation deck.  It just wouldn't do to have a couple dozen people a year go out to utilize this monstrous waste of money and then have their peace and tranquility destroyed by a hundred ATVs running amuk just a quarter mile away.  I would be willing to bet that should our riding priviledges be restored out there, the area by the bridge will become off limits and they will probably chop the riding area in half, pushing us as far west as possible.  Might sound extreme but don't be surprised if it goes down that way.

With all the rain we've had I would forget the Extreme ride unless you want to bury several thousand dollars worth of quads out there. I made the mistake of running in 4" standind water in the south side years ago and buried the bike , there's nothing (solid )to run on or  to winch from , its muck and  what a pain in the a** it was.

"I would be willing to bet that should our riding priviledges be restored out there, the area by the bridge will become off limits and they will probably chop the riding area in half, pushing us as far west as possible.  Might sound extreme but don't be surprised if it goes down that way."

 Nope you're right on the money with your assumption , thats exactly what will happen. User group conflicts is the result ,bird watchers will be attracted to the new viewing platform and those who have always been there will be forced to keep a distance.  We ride on wetlands and its a miracle we have been able to do so.

so I probably shouldn't plan a trip down there to check it out any time soon huh?

Id@

After all the rain we've had I wouldnt ride out there , couple of weeks ago it would've been ok.
Once you get some water out there an airboat is the only practical way to get around and if i were to ride out there I would definitely stay off the mud flat sections of the airboat trails .

Probably dry out there already.

You have to remember, the ground must become saturated before water will stand.  It might soak up the rest of the standing water but whether or not it would be ridable is another story. 

My buddy rode 38.5 Sunday and it is just fine. ;)

6" ain't gonna do anything to the HL's. Some of these theories are starting to sound like the grassy knoll story and the explosives in the WTC!!!!