By MIKE HENRY
Bradenton Herald
The nicknames of the off-road bicycle trails at Alafia River State Park - Rollercoaster, Moonscape, Gatorback, Rabbit Ears, to mention a few - do not begin to describe their root-strewn, rocky and sometimes perilous difficulty.
After working a 24-hour shift, Cedar Hammock Fire Rescue Capt. Al Lobeto craves a physical challenge of a different sort. Whenever possible, Lobeto and his buddies from the station make the one-hour drive for recreation, camaraderie and cardiovascular exercise, plus the inevitable scrapes and bruises.
The 45-year-old Lobeto, a former marathon runner who still participates in triathlons, took up mountain biking nearly 10 years ago. He says Alafia River State Park’s intimidating drops, hillside ledges and sharply banked turns make these trails as stimulating as any he has found.
“I think if you can ride the technical parts here, you can ride anywhere in the country,” Lobeto said on a recent excursion with firefighters/emergency medical technicians Troy Bercot, Matt Rose and Bill Smith.
Strenuous activity is a huge part of a firefighter’s existence, but Lobeto and his buddies are invigorated by riding the narrow, secluded trails that can seem light years from civilization.
“I like the peacefulness of it, the beauty of being outdoors,” said Lobeto. “It also helps with keeping myself in shape as far as doing my job. These guys for the most part are 20 years younger than I am, and as their supervisor, I can’t just tell them to do something. I have to be right there doing it with them.”
Lobeto’s bike is a 27-speed, hard-tail, cross-country Kona Caldera model with front suspension and disc brakes. It cost about $1,000, which seems a modest investment weighed against his passion for testing his limits.
“It’s all about technique,” said Lobeto, who says the trail workouts of 12-18 miles provide a level of elation that is hard to duplicate. “It doesn’t matter how fast or slow you go or what you look like. It’s mastering the gears and your body alignment, getting your lines, missing roots; deciding where you want to go and committing to it.
“To me, it’s just as much a head game as anything. If you think you’re not going to make it, your body reacts to that.”
Alafia River State Park - located off County Road 39 about five miles north of the State Road 674 intersection - and Boyette Park in south Brandon are two of Lobeto’s favorite mountain-biking locales.
Formerly the site of a phosphate mine, Alafia’s trails offer severe (for Florida) elevation changes through rolling hills, piney woods and hardwood forests. It is not uncommon to spot wild hogs, alligators, turtles, armadillos, an eagle or the occasional bobcat.
As for the mosquitoes, well, nobody said wild Florida was paradise.
Signs at the entrance to the trail area indicate the level of challenge - from very difficult, for expert riders only, down to easier trails for less-experienced riders.
But no trail is too difficult for Lobeto, Bercot, Rose and Smith to attempt to conquer.
“We have about as much (concern about getting injured) as we do in firefighting,” Lobeto said. “Driving a car is about as hairball as doing this.”
Bercot, 31, grew up riding BMX bikes and skateboarding and has found mountain biking a logical extension for his daredevil side. He relishes the feeling of exhilaration he gets whenever he makes it through a tight turn or nearly loses control down a steep incline.
“With our schedules, it’s kind of hard to get out here, but I do it as often as I can,” said the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Bercot.
“If you’re just taking it easy and doing a leisurely ride, you tend not to wipe out. But when you’re out here and see a path you haven’t done before, you’re going to try to do it a little bit faster or go a little bit higher.”
Smith has been riding bikes all his life and was excited to join the mountain-biking group after moving to Manatee County from Virginia Beach.
“It’s a lot better workout than sitting on a stationary bike in the gym,” he said. “Your legs hurt for a little while, then you hit an easy spot on the trail and kind of catch your breath.
“You at least want to keep up with the person in front of you.”
Rose used to ride dirt bikes as a teenager but finds mountain biking far more intense.
“The steep inclines and the obstructions make this a lot harder. You have to maneuver around them and try not to fall off,” Rose said.
At the end of their exertion, Rose, Lobeto and company are ready to sit down, enjoy a cold beverage and a hearty meal and relive their adventures.
“We spend about one-third of our lives together working and hanging out at the station, so we’re already pretty tight,” Rose said. “We like doing stuff like this on our days off.
“It’s a good bonding activity for us.”