Cycling the Blue Ridge Tunnel Trail

[@tinacox1914]

Wow, 😢that was amazing!!! How are ya'll? Hope all is going well with you and your family. We will definitely put that on our bucket list for sure. It will be a long while before I'm allowed on a bike again. Not that I'll be riding a bicycle for a long while. We were at Paines Prairie Preserve State Park near Gainesville, FL, for a 5-day camping trip. It was going great for the first 2 days until the morning of day 3, Tuesday morning. We went on a bike ride on a park designated bicycle trail. My front tire caught on some sugar sand ( really fine sand), and I went down with my bike landing on top of me and my left foot under me. Apparently, my left foot was turned 180° backward. Mike had to turn my foot so my toes were turned in the correct direction. Because my toes were where my heel should be, and my heel was where my toes should be. Called 911. While we wait for the ambulance to get there, we are shooing ants away by the dozens. So many ants are coming at me from every single direction . It was insane. My ankle is completely shattered and broken, Im being attacked by ants. I absolutely can't get up at all. I heard it crack and felt the bones shift. I knew instantly it was broken. Get to Shands Hospital in Gainesville. The and CT Scan & Xray showed a definite trimalleolar fracture. I broke all 3 bones that attach the leg to the ankle. It's the same ankle that I had the ligaments fixed on 2 years ago with the anchors and internal brace placement. I was admitted to the hospital for surgery on Wednesday. Surgery was done. Plate, 13 screws and a nail that goes from my heel up thru my tibia. That nail has to come out in a 2nd surgery in 12 weeks. Until that nail comes out Im not allowed to put any weight on that foot at all. That 2nd surgery will only happen it I have healed properly and enough. So, needless to say, we had to cancel all summer plans. Hopefully, we won't have to cancel all fall our fall plans. I just can't win!!!! You two take care. We hope to see you guys again sometime. If all goes well, we will be in Noryhern GA sometime during the end of September.

[@brackeng1294]

Hey thanks for posting. How long is the trail in total? Does it connect to any other trail systems or is it an out and back? Thanks!

[@ourforeverholiday2685]

Total length is 2.3 miles one way. We recommend starting on the East end of the trail near Afton as the trail is very steep (19% grade) as you leave the tunnel on the West side. As far as we know, it does not connect to other trails. Thanks for the comment, keep watching for more hiking, biking, kayaking, National Parks, lighthouses and much more as we continue our full-time adventure around the USA and Canada.

[@tinacox1914]

Wow, 😢that was amazing!!! How are ya'll? Hope all is going well with you and your family. We will definitely put that on our bucket list for sure. It will be a long while before I'm allowed on a bike again. Not that I'll be riding a bicycle for a long while. We were at Paines Prairie Preserve State Park near Gainesville, FL, for a 5-day camping trip. It was going great for the first 2 days until the morning of day 3, Tuesday morning. We went on a bike ride on a park designated bicycle trail. My front tire caught on some sugar sand ( really fine sand), and I went down with my bike landing on top of me and my left foot under me. Apparently, my left foot was turned 180° backward. Mike had to turn my foot so my toes were turned in the correct direction. Because my toes were where my heel should be, and my heel was where my toes should be. Called 911. While we wait for the ambulance to get there, we are shooing ants away by the dozens. So many ants are coming at me from every single direction . It was insane. My ankle is completely shattered and broken, Im being attacked by ants. I absolutely can't get up at all. I heard it crack and felt the bones shift. I knew instantly it was broken. Get to Shands Hospital in Gainesville. The and CT Scan & Xray showed a definite trimalleolar fracture. I broke all 3 bones that attach the leg to the ankle. It's the same ankle that I had the ligaments fixed on 2 years ago with the anchors and internal brace placement. I was admitted to the hospital for surgery on Wednesday. Surgery was done. Plate, 13 screws and a nail that goes from my heel up thru my tibia. That nail has to come out in a 2nd surgery in 12 weeks. Until that nail comes out Im not allowed to put any weight on that foot at all. That 2nd surgery will only happen it I have healed properly and enough. So, needless to say, we had to cancel all summer plans. Hopefully, we won't have to cancel all fall our fall plans. I just can't win!!!! You two take care. We hope to see you guys again sometime.