The Riverside Ride: Updated

This was one of the first roads that I found that was an extremely enjoyable scenic ride. On later posts I will add the map pictures, like this one, as well as a picture of a prominent land mark or street sign that would mark the start of the ride. Let us begin... I wouldn't make it the center piece of your riding day due to it's brevity, but it does make a nice aside. Starting at Ortega Blvd from Roosevelt Blvd just north of Jacksonville Naval Air Station this ride, depending on your speed, can take anywhere from 15-25 minutes. Starting in a more residential area, you will pass by some of the oldest and most beautiful homes in Jacksonville. There are some nice curves along this road that can keep things interesting as you look around. After following Ortega Blvd, you will take a left onto Grand avenue and continue on for a spectacular view of downtown Jacksonville from the Ortega Bridge. There is a small park right after the bridge where you can stop and take a breather or just take some pictures. Continuing on, take a right onto Herschel St. for a short bit, then take a right onto St. Johns Ave. There are a nice set of twisties here, but again, this is a highly residential area, so take care if you decide to take them at extra-legal speeds. These are loads of fun on my SV. You will find the historic Avondale and Riverside Districts along this part of the ride, as well as Historic Five-Points if you decide to search around for yourself. Some of the most beautiful houses and shops in town are on these roads. Finishing up the ride, you will pass the Cummer Art Museum and head out to the highway or to downtown Jacksonville.

On a scale of 1 to 5 twists of the throttle, 1 being the worst and 5 being the best, I give this road a 4, due to some rough areas in the road and the multitude of old, slow drivers that can throw a wrench in the twisties.

Update:

This ride is still one that my wife and I still enjoy taking. The Ortega bridge is sometimes under construction since it's pretty old, but there will be plenty of detour signs to reroute you. More excellent restaurants have popped up along the way, so lunch or dinner options are not lacking. Bold Bean coffee roasters is up a quick left on Stockton St. if you fancy a cup of joe on your ride. It's one of the best establishments in town, in my opinion.

For more information on Bold Bean, visit their website.

Follow this link to download the .GPX file from dualsportmaps.com