Croom Riding Area

[dt]

I took the camera out at Croom today and have some shots to share. It was a super day … sunny, a little below 60 degrees. If you’ve never been, Croom is in the Withlacoochee State Forest just below Brooksville (right at Exit 301). It’s a State run riding area covering 2,600 acres and some nice facilities, including camping grounds. Thursdays are my dirt riding days, although I don’t always make it for one reason or another. Really any weekdays are great ‘cause the place is near empty. Conversely, the place is a madhouse on weekends, if you’ve ever been. Oh, yeah. Brooksville Regional Medical Center is right down Cortez (US 98) from Croom. They know me well there. 






Just inside the gate, at the first Day Use Area, is the infamous Croom Dust Bowl. As you can see, right now it’s a little wet. In fact, the whole place is pretty wet right now, which is early for that.








See the freestyle action going on there? ^^^^^ lol


Honestly, I rarely go in the Dust Bowl. I’d rather be in the woods.

















Some wet spots.








Those are Icon Field Armor Chukka Short Boots. They’re not waterproof.


Rode for a good while behind a KTM 2 Stroker. Could have waxed him, but that exhaust smelled way too good! 

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[dt]

I try and park in the same place each time, which is at the Hammock Day Use Area … right next to these:















^^^ Seriously! I love watching the youth training courses. The little kids on the littlest motorcycles are a show.


Here are a couple shots of today’s equipment:










Time to Load Up and Head Out. Hope you enjoyed!




Here’s a map of the Croom Riding Area:




Anyone else have some Croom Photos?

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[rKyDeX]

Nice report DT. Maybe now I can make it up there mid-week since I don't have a job.

[mrbones]

I've got some pics, but they are all on the other site.

http://www.atvflorida.com/ridereview-croom.php

A map I made.

http://www.atvflorida.com/forum/index.php/topic,6118.0.html

[dt]

Nice report DT. Maybe now I can make it up there mid-week since I don't have a job.

It's a good way to get away from it all. I was there six hours and put just under three on the meter.

I've got some pics, but they are all on the other site.

http://www.atvflorida.com/ridereview-croom.php

Cool photos  

[mrbones]

I made this video there last year. I think that's the last time I went there.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8i15ULCUzY" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8i15ULCUzY</a>

[dt]

^^ Excellent!

Are you using a helmet cam in some of that or just carrying the camera?

[mrbones]

I used a handlebar mounted camera. It's a Oregon Scientific ATC2K. The shots of me riding was when I put the camera in the sand and rode off. The video quality isn't the best, but it gets the job done.

Here's a link to the camera on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Oregon-Scientific-ATC2K-Waterproof-Action/dp/B000F5FKHI

[dt]

Another GREAT DAY at Croom. Bright sunny day … 60 degrees … Dang, my face is sore from smiling so much!

Before unloading, I shot up to the Buttgenbach Mine Campgrounds to shoot a few photos. Buttgenbach is the name of a mining company that mined phosphate in a strip mining very near the campgrounds in the late 20s and got bought out in the mid 60s. That mined area is now called the Quarry; photos coming up in a couple posts.



The great thing about camping up at Croom is the facilities are really decent compared to some other camp grounds I’ve been to. They even have showers, which is kind of a good deal after coming in off the trail. The way it works is you need to claim your spot for $20 a day and then put your $$ is a corresponding box out front. Idle speed on the OHVs and no after dark riding…







Not much to the place otherwise; a place to put up a tent, places for fires in the evening, and it’s fairly well kept imo.
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[dt]

Can you believe that someone was in my self-designated, private Croom parking spot this morning? The nerve…



Backup spot, still in the Hammock Day Use Area.



Here are a few random shots from the north-east corner of the riding area. A little more topography than the west side quadrant.














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[dt]

Finally took the G down into the Quarry today. As mentioned, it’s an old phosphate strip mine. Here are some photos that don’t really do justice to how deep it is and how steep the tracks are in and out. There are actually a number of ways in and out. All I can say is choose wisely.





























I hung out down there for about an hour. Awesome day!


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[mrbones]

Awesome. I might need to get up there some time soon!

[maureen]

I've spent many a day at Croom! A friend of mine rides out there about 2-3 times a week. He's on a CRF450 trailered by a little Acura. I'm sure you've at least seen him!

I'll have to post up some of my photos. I have many shots of folks out in the pit! 

[maureen]

This is one of my favorite spots out there. In the SW corridor of the park, about 100 yards from the pit, IIRC! I love tooling around in there before riding the trails north...

[dt]

I'll have to post up some of my photos. I have many shots of folks out in the pit! 

Please ... we'd all like to see them. Also, one of us or somebody needs to get some shots of the parts tree and the orange small block chevy engine on Trail A.  I almost got a photo of my bike with three deer in the background a couple weeks ago. That would have been cool, but they took off.

I've spent many a day at Croom! A friend of mine rides out there about 2-3 times a week. He's on a CRF450 trailered by a little Acura. I'm sure you've at least seen him!

I truck in and try and park in the same place every week, up at the Hammock. It seems most of the weekday riders cut in to that first day use area to the left rather than drive up to the further in spots. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for the Acura.

Also, perhaps you know what’s going on with that Supercross or Arena track that someone built recently off from the Westside fence line about a third or halfway up. It’s definitely and SX style track with some great looking jumps. It can’t be but a couple months old, or else I’ve just been missing it, and I’ve only seen someone on it once, around late January. I drove up some roads in that direction just up Cortez a little and couldn’t find it. It’s probably someone’s practice track, but if that’s available for use, I wouldn’t mind getting the G on it.

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[mrbones]

That track has been there for a few years. The last I heard it, it's owned by the guy who owns the Dade City racetrack. He tried to get it opened up as a public track, but couldn't get it passed the county and there was too much opposition from the neighbors. So it sits as a private track.

[mrbones]

I remember road traffic to and from the place was a concern.

While digging in Google, I found an interesting article about Croom from the St Pete Times, Nov 3, 1973. They refer to it as the Buttgenbach Mines Recreation Area.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=n8YNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JHMDAAAAIBAJ&dq=brooksville%20florida%20croom%20track&pg=4804%2C2364442

[maureen]

I know I've heard a couple different things about that track but can't recall details right now. I'll ask around and see what I can come up with. I do know that I've never seen anyone on it.

I'm meeting with someone who wants to buy both my bikes today...the XR200 and the KLR600, so, I'll be bikeless for bit! If you see a CRF250 (R or X model) for a steal let me know!

[dt]

I was busy last week and unable to get out on the trail. Then it rained on the day I wanted to ride the street bike. So this morning when I got up, I decided that I needed a little forest action. Of course, these photos are up at Croom. The first couple are from the west side, trail A specifically, and then the north east corner. Great day weather-wise; 72 degrees. There was a lot of standing water here and there. Anyway, enjoy!


That's not a creek ^^; it's Trail A.  

[dt]

Continued...




How do you like the new skinz? 

[dt]

I got off about seven photos today, and the camera broke. The computer still sees it, so here are a couple. Great day ... warm.

[maureen]

Very nice! It looks so peaceful in your photos. Not exactly what comes to mind when I think of Croom

[dt]

Very nice! It looks so peaceful in your photos. Not exactly what comes to mind when I think of Croom

That's why I go mostly on weekdays anymore. It's getting crazy on weekends, but if you can kick off right at day break on weekend days and bug out by noon, it's still not too bad.

[maureen]

Day break? Pffttaaaaahahaha! I'm throwing the sheet over my face and rolling over for a couple more hours! 

I can't wait to get another dirtbike, we'll have to meet up to ride when I do.

[dt]

Dang! You and Bones…can’t get out of bed in the morning. I have one of those internal alarm clocks that goes off at 5:00AM every day, irrespective of when I hit it at night. When summer arrives, the early morning is cooler and the best riding.