best bridges

This is where I do my hill workouts - the Ringling Bridge over Sarasota Bay.  Nice wide bike lanes and separate sidewalks.
Rode over and back yesterday while riding from the mainland out to Longboat Key and back.



Mark

When you hit bella coming from Gulf Blvd you get a nice little double going up the otherside(pitstop at Panera if needed), just make sure you don't go fast on the backside of Bella otherwise you can literally go more than half way up the hill that leads to the mainland. 

I have noticed since they have redone both bridges it "seems" to be cleaner than before. 

If you follow the Sand Key Tri bike route around the 3 ladies is almost 14 miles and not alot of traffic concerns since your cutting through the residental neighborhood by Morton PLant Hospital. 

Suggestion, leave Clw Beach over Claire, take a right of Ft Harrison, nice bike lane, take a right towards the Biltmore(3rd light where the trail meets) and a left in Indian Rocks road(3 way stop sign), there will only be 1 4-way stop sign and the second light is West Bay, Take another right over Bella and then take it down to Gulf Blvd.

Remeber, no speeding(never a concern when im on my bike) in Bellair as they have a notorious reputation for nabbing speeders.

I ride the Ringling bridge as well and actually they do have u-turns (sort of).  At each end of the bridge there is a small park with a road that crosses under the bridge to the other side.  So you can actually keep doing a figure 8-style ride with little traffic in the way (a few pedestrians but not usually)