The Christmas / KSC Loop
You're in Daytona for Biketoberfest. By now, you've seen the granny
wearing nothing but chaps and a tube top, you've seen the guy with the cat riding on his gas tank and the motorcycle built to look like a recliner. It's time to break away from the crowds and go for a ride, but where? The Daytona Loop? Been
there, done that. In the land of straight-aways, where's a good scenic ride, with something more to look at th
an palm trees? I've got just what you're looking for: The KSC / Christmas Circuit.
If you ride non-stop, you can do it in half a day. If you take time to have a meal and check out the local sights and sounds, it's an all-day ride. It's a loop that spans three
counties, takes you through some scenic farm country, and gorgeous native Florida wetlands and woodlands. So, you've decided to go for it, it's the morning of the ride, breakfast is done and you've been as patient as possible while
your one riding buddy who's always late holds you up once again. I feel your pain; there's one in every group. Try not to throttle him / her, just put on your gear and hit the road. Heading south on US-1, putt on down to
Oak Hill. You're looking for SR 3 on the left side of the road. Keep an eye out for the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge and turn left when you see the sign. On this first part of the circuit, don't look for bars or restaurants,
there aren't any. You might see a nature trail, but you won't find a beer or a pool table in sight. (Don't panic. You'll find some of that stuff later on the ride.) What you will
find is some gentle curves through a beautiful wildlife refuge, with little or no traffic. That road is very lightly travelled.
After about a half-hour, you'll come around a bend and notice a huge building on the horizon. That's the Vehicle Assembly
Building of Kennedy Space Center and believe it or not, it's close to ten miles away when you see it. (Yes, it's a big dang
building.) Not long after that, you'll come to the only stop sign on that road and you'll have to turn right or left. Left takes you to
Playa Linda beach (for a small entrance fee) and a right turn will take you back to US-1, after some more scenic-type riding. Once you cross the river and get back on US-1, head south. Go through Beautiful Downtown Titusville and find SR
When you're done at Hard Racks, get back out on SR 50 and head west (the same direction you were heading before you stopped). You'll see a giant, really tacky Christmas tree on the right side at the corner of 50 and S. Fort
Christmas Rd. Turn right. (Don't worry if you miss the turn, the very next right, SW Christmas Rd. will put you on the same road after a short detour.) Enjoy the scenic back roads of Central Florida for the next
half-hour or so. You'll cruise down some un-straight roads, past farmlands, horses, trees, the occasional cow and maybe even a goat or two. Eventually, you'll come to Lake Mills Road.
(You might have to take a detour here, if the floods haven't cleared up yet. If that's the case, skip the next paragraph, follow the detour to Snow Hill Road, turn right and head north.) Near the end of Snow Hill, you'll come to a stop. Merge to the right, onto SR 426. In just a few hundred yards, you'll
come to the thriving metropolis of Geneva and the intersection with SR 46. Turn right and head back to US-1. It'll take a while and you'll cross the St. Johns River again. This time, thanks to Tropical Storm Fay, it'll look more like
the Mississippi than anything else, but trust me; the other side is there, eventually. You'll pass Loughman Lake on the right and you can zip in for an air boat ride if you please. (Again, be careful. The tail end of the access road is
un-paved.) Otherwise, SR 46 will take you back to US-1 and you'll pop out in Mims. If you turn left on US-1, you'll pass The Fill-N-Station bar on the right. Stop, peel your butt off the seat
and stretch your legs for a bit. The friendly folks at the Station have a beverage with your name on it. When you're finished there, hop back on the Iron Horse and head north, back to Daytona. If you see the granny in the chaps, tell
her I said Hi. 
50. With the very wet river on your left, you can only turn right. Follow
SR 50 over the St. Johns River (for the first time). Before too long, you'll go past Swampy, The World's Largest (cement) Gator on your right. Stop on in, if you want to check out some freakin' huge, hand fed gators and other
assorted Florida wildlife. Further up the road, in Christmas, you'll pass Hard Racks on the left. This is where you'll find that beer and a pool table you didn't find on the first part of the ride. 
If the detour is gone, turn left onto Lake Mills Road for a short bit, till you come to CR 419 and turn right. (There's
another bar on that corner. I don't remember the name, but they have more beer, pool and a pretty dang good burger. Be careful, it's a dirt parking lot.) Then, follow 419 till you come to Snow Hill Road. Turn right and follow that north for
a few miles. You'll find more country scenes for your viewing pleasure.
