2. Parks and Trails
  3. Tom Brown, Cadillac, & Piney Z Area

Magnolia (Tom Brown Park) Trail

Feb/March 2010: The entire Magnolia Trail is undergoing reconstruction. This gallery may now be considered an archive of how things were in August 2007. 21 September 2010 map of Magnolia Trail. SCROLL waaaay down past the text to view the 600+ photos! Feb '09: Consider the west section of this trail CLOSED for the time being. Clearing in preparation for the Joint Dispatch/Red Cross buildings has begun. With a gallery full of shots, you may find it easier to navigate if you change the gallery "style" (top right) from "smugmug" to "all thumbs." Or "slideshow" (very cool for sequences) or "filmstrip" or . . . you get the idea, it's configurable by you. I usually like "journal." The ENTIRE Gun Range Loop section, as well as the western sections of the Ravine Loop are threatened with development by . . . your local city and county government. (The area to be rezoned would be at a minimum from trail markers #9 to #43.) A very well attended Joint City/County meeting occurred 30 Aug 2007, 6pm, in the City Commission Chambers, 2nd floor, City Hall, despite a storm raging outside. Tallahassee.com (online Tallahassee Democrat) editorial: http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007708310357 Tallahassee.com (online Tallahassee Democrat) 30Aug reports from Bruce Ritchie: http://tinyurl.com/2lg28t http://tinyurl.com/3cwwvw WCTV's Seshmi Robertson covered the meeting. Interviews (Cody Vincent, Jim Mann, John Webb, Chris Floyd) were on the 11pm news, and here: http://www.wctv.tv/home/headlines/9484272.html Michelle Mansfield's My View: http://tinyurl.com/2q8bgf Jesse McKenzie's TalDem blog posting on the issue, pre-meeting: http://www.tallahassee.com/special/blogs/jhmckenzie/2007/08/keep-create-more-bike-trails.html I stayed in the Chambers for a few minutes after the citizen input was concluded. I specifically listened in on Commissioner John Dailey talking to Tallahassee Democrat reporter Bruce Ritchie, and had brief conversation with Commissioners Mark Mustian and Bob Rackleff. For what it's worth, after the citizen input, as well as my brief post-meeting conversations, I left feeling as though all sides will win, that what we heard from Commissioner Dailey at the 23Aug Mag Lab meeting is accurate. Talked to www.cacarc.org Chief Operations Officer Chris Floyd afterward. He had mentioned cycling benefits of stress relief. Hope to arrange a Pugsley ride, ideally something of a victory lap. http://www.surlybikes.com/pugsley.html LOOK for things like "Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Commission," "City Commission Comprehensive Plan 2007-2 workshop," and "Workshop on Cycle 2007-2 Comprehensive Plan Amendments County Commission" to follow the issue as it progresses: http://www.talgov.com/commission/meetings/calendar.cfm http://www.leoncountyfl.gov/common/calendars/?the_month=9&the_year=2007 Reports from the County and City mtgs 18/19 Sep were positive. Thanks to Jeff Bryan for attending both and sending updates. The group advising the City/County Commissions to rezone this section of Leon County land to build a Joint Dispatch Center: http://www.leoncountyfl.gov/CountyProjects/PSCB/index.asp That link includes a 171 page final report PDF. They want to rezone ~42 acres. For example, from the Tallahassee Democrat: http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070923/NEWS01/709230319/1010/NEWS01 (23 Sep article) http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007708160359 (16 Aug article) http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007708090348 (9 Aug article) http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200770808010 (8 Aug article) GROUP DISCUSSION/ALLIANCE BUILDING/MEETINGS that I'm aware of are listed here. (Other folks have been meeting with different groups to inform them of this loss of what most thought as part of Tom Brown Park.) 1) Pre-planning strategery meeting was at Innovation Park's "Mag Lab," 1800 E. Paul Dirac Dr., Room B331, THURSDAY, 16 Aug, 6pm. We met in the atrium for host Jose Sanchez to guide folks to room B331. Call Michelle at Higher Ground Bikes, 942-2453, or email Brook Pace: brookpace_11@hotmail.com 2) SUNDAY, 19 August. Chuck Goodheart, Jeff Bryan, Jose Sanchez, John Carter, and I met at the Gun Range Loop to survey, discuss, line up some potential angles. 3) MONDAY, 20 August. Jim Mann arranged a visit to Big Bend Sierra Club http://florida.sierraclub.org/bigbend/ to inform them of the rezoning situation. We passed out maps and info, described the property, gave the date for the upcoming City/County vote, and did our best to answer questions. Suggested it makes more sense to add this property to Tom Brown Park than to rezone and build on it. Many thanks to Gary Lloyd and our local Sierra Club group for the opportunity! 4) Second strategery meeting was at the Mag Lab, THURSDAY, 23 August. Both Mag Lab meetings went well, and were well attended. County Commissioner John Dailey brought a "proposal map" to this second Mag Lab meeting (posted below, second photo). About 2.5 hours of discussion at this meeting. Folks from Capital City Cyclists, Fat of the Land, Audubon, Trust for Public Land, Gulf Winds Track Club, and "free agents" attended. Heads up for an email containing group policy by Saturday! 5) That document is circulating as of Saturday, 25 Aug, to be commented upon for final submission to the Commissioners this weekend. 6) Jim Mann continues his tireless work lining up support from an array of organizations. He reports, "Ended up adding Big Bend Sierra Club, Florida Trail Association-Apalachee Chapter, League of Women Voters of Tallahassee and Buck Lake Alliance to our supporters." My choice for the Joint Dispatch/Red Cross development desired on Magnolia Trail? Just across Weems Road, behind the Armory. More secure, block is assembled, and there just might be some Homeland Defense money available. According to this search result, the National Guard Armory leases the parcel from Leon County: http://www.leonpa.org/ACCT.cfm?ACCOUNT=1127209020000 Zoning PDF for this area may be downloaded here: http://www.tlcgis.org/zoning (Choose Township 11, Section 27.) Having a tough time decoding those zoning definitions? here you are: http://www.tlcgis.org/zoning/lu-defs.htm Uh - - WHAT PART OF "OPEN SPACE" DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND? 2ft contour map of the same area: http://www.tlcgis.org/pl_atlas (Choose Township 11, Section 27.) YES! Thanks to my heroes at the Internet Archive's WayBackMachine, you may view ADDITIONAL HISTORY in the continuing attempt by Leon County representatives and miscellaneous bureaucrats to sell off this parcel, here: http://tinyurl.com/2thylg I particularly like this gem: http://tinyurl.com/yunz2c This link includes a bit of history about Tom Brown Park, interesting political maneuvering re the attempts to sell the property, and mentions the inspired creators of the (now) defunct website. Note that back then, the County was reportedly selling 80 acres, not merely wanting to rezone 42. It's becoming apparent to me that Leon County government is effectively a Third World country. Perhaps a better metaphor might be that of pawn shop patrons, living day to day, always flat broke and ready to pawn off whatever they might find - uh, lost in the woods. It should be obvious if the property west of the East Ravine is not made part of Tom Brown Park, it's just a matter of time before your govermental representatives sell it, rezone it, or find better use for it than have it be "worthless" greenspace. One County Commissioner's preference on this property - "there are other areas to ride bicycles" - can be divined by reading point #12 of this link to the 11Jan05 County Commission meeting minutes: http://cvweb.clerk.leon.fl.us/finance/board_minutes/minutes/regular/2005/050111.html Thanks to Larry Wolfe, Chris Sands, Brendan Draper, Hillary Seminick, and John Webb for taking a stand at that meeting. And to Commissioner Rackleff for having his ducks in a row on this issue. Wow. County Commissioners are: http://www.leoncountyfl.gov/bcc/index.asp City Commissioners are: http://www.talgov.com/commission/index.cfm A 600+ photo tour of this Tom Brown Park MTB trail. 6Aug07, the first 90+ photos in this gallery were shot - a few more added/substituted 7Aug. 13 Aug, I snapped 270 more "fill" photos, between the Magnolia TH and near the end of the Gun Range Loop at #39. 14 Aug, completed the clockwise shoot, with another 255 in-fill snaps. 19 Aug, went back out with the Pugsley to snap close-up photos of all markers. That'll make it easier to quickly find location when viewing gallery in "All Thumbs" style. The trials course in the woods between #28 and #29 began a complete teardown/rebuild 25 August. Thanks to Chuck Goodheart, Jose Sanchez and Todd May for materials, planning and inspiration. See the whole gang building your new fun area beginning with photo #188. Tom Brown Park is off Easterwood Drive on the east side of Tallahassee. It's east of Capital Circle (US 319), south of Mahan Drive/Tennessee Street (US90E), and north of Apalachee Parkway (US27S). Tighter boundaries include RR tracks to the north, and Conner Boulevard to the south: http://tinyurl.com/2ftl9q Magnolia Trail (usually just called "Tom Brown" by local MTBers) has three named loops: Ravine, Gun Range, and K-9. Trail Head is located just west of the BMX track. Group mountainbike rides are common through Fern Trail, Magnolia Trail, and Cadillac Trail from the Higher Ground Bike shop Tuesdays (and maybe Thursdays) after 6pm. As we lose daylight, get a real bike light, e.g., this: http://www.bikelights.com/Products/Arc.htm The shop's ~3M west of Magnolia Trail as the crow flies. Call 850-942-2453. For the purpose of this photo tour, I'm just following the numbered trail indicators, clockwise from the TH to #1 - #79 and back to the TH. Distances are meters from the trailhead. 1609m = one mile. My odometer indicated a total trail length of 6380m, or ~3.94M. I intend to do an "uninterrupted ride/no photo stops" to check that distance. I've GPS'd the upper Bomb options that I photographed, but haven't revised the map. Also some miscellaneous shortcuts, connectors, entrance/exit points, blah, blah . . . experienced trail users would get the idea. Initial GPS track taken while I took the first set of shots: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/3581149 Works a lot better if you load the .kml file into Google Earth, rather than just looking at it in Motionbased. Official trail map PDFs for Magnolia and other local park trails (Alford Greenway, Miccosukee Greenway, Lafayette Heritage aka Cadillac), here: http://tlcgis6.co.leon.fl.us/website/Parks_SDE/dmaps.htm Pardon some of the blurring, goofy white balance, over/underexposed shots. I hand-held everything. A developing thunderstorm cut down on available light as the afternoon progressed during the initial shoot. And of course I'm way down in the woods! Bumping the ISO up to as high as 1600 wasn't good enough. Forgetting to bump the ISO back down under changing light conditions resulted in some fried shots. Fun fun! Note that visitors may change the style of each gallery (click the "style" pulldown menu at the TOP of the page). Available gallery syles include this default "smugmug" style, traditional, all thumbs, slideshow, journal (I like this one), filmstrip, and critique. Cool, and controlled by you, the end user. Alternately, look just above the photos and hover over the little triangle between "Page 1 of XX." A menu will drop down from which you may choose any page in the gallery. Note that all photos are available full resolution. Typically, if you hover your mouse pointer over a photo, a menu will appear with PhotoRank/Photo Sizes/Photo Info/Save Photo buttons. Email me if you're stumped. THIS SITE is private property, and doesn't necessarily represent any other individual or organization. You are welcome to download/use my photos for your private enjoyment, including printing them. Any other usage/linking must come from me in writing (email ok), with credit given. Questions, pre-scoldings, comments, ID, complaints? Thanks, John Kalin Email me TallahasseeTrails on YouTube. "If I fall you're going down with me" - Trail running advice from my Dixie Chicks http://www.tallahasseetrails.com/
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  • Magnolia Trail map revise 30Aug07. Same caveats as the next map in the gallery. Slightly wider view to show the Armory/County owned land west of Magnolia Trail. Added the Bomb options (between #48-50), Trials Course (undergoing complete rebuild by #28), a few shortcut/connector trails.

    Magnolia Trail map revise 30Aug07. Same caveats as the next map in the gallery. Slightly wider view to show the Armory/County owned land west of Magnolia Trail. Added the Bomb options (between #48-50), Trials Course (undergoing complete rebuild by #28), a few shortcut/connector trails.

  • Quick map from the Garmin 305's .kml file, Google Earth, and a silver Sharpie. I hope to improve it. E.g., I still need to track the 3-way Bomb split (located at the tip of the "Ravine Loop" arrow), and clean up this hand scratched, pre-school look. Don't mortgage your house on it.

    Quick map from the Garmin 305's .kml file, Google Earth, and a silver Sharpie. I hope to improve it. E.g., I still need to track the 3-way Bomb split (located at the tip of the "Ravine Loop" arrow), and clean up this hand scratched, pre-school look. Don't mortgage your house on it.

  • This map was presented at the THURSDAY, 23Aug Mag Lab meeting. County Commissioner John Dailey brought this potential land-use map. He answered questions for about one hour, and was kind enough to listen to our concerns. His ideas/opinions resulted in this map. He amended it, stating the Red Cross would be moved into the 10.67 acre Joint Dispatch Center Tract. That 5 acres would then be combined with the 24.5 acre "Open Space for Bike Trails." This 29.5 acres would then be "donated" to the City, to officially and forever become part of Tom Brown Park. The 4.78 acre Tract A could keep much of its trails, but would lose a southwest corner, with Weems Road being realigned and widened, cutting behind the prison, and connecting with Conner Blvd. That "cut-through" traffic would thus be removed from Tom Brown Park. Trail lost by this design would be between #12 and #15, and a section of the inner Gun Range Loop from before #26 to after #27. Funds for trail build/maintenance would likely be included. Discussion?

    This map was presented at the THURSDAY, 23Aug Mag Lab meeting. County Commissioner John Dailey brought this potential land-use map. He answered questions for about one hour, and was kind enough to listen to our concerns. His ideas/opinions resulted in this map. He amended it, stating the Red Cross would be moved into the 10.67 acre Joint Dispatch Center Tract. That 5 acres would then be combined with the 24.5 acre "Open Space for Bike Trails." This 29.5 acres would then be "donated" to the City, to officially and forever become part of Tom Brown Park. The 4.78 acre Tract A could keep much of its trails, but would lose a southwest corner, with Weems Road being realigned and widened, cutting behind the prison, and connecting with Conner Blvd. That "cut-through" traffic would thus be removed from Tom Brown Park. Trail lost by this design would be between #12 and #15, and a section of the inner Gun Range Loop from before #26 to after #27. Funds for trail build/maintenance would likely be included. Discussion?

  • TPRD map from Chuck Goodheart. All of Magnolia Trail is indicated, with all trail markers from the TH through #39. That'd be the "top" section of the Ravine Loop, plus all of the Gun Range Loop. I think this was GPS'd by Lisa. Nice clean map, as distinguished from my efforts. See what you get when you pay the big bucks?

    TPRD map from Chuck Goodheart. All of Magnolia Trail is indicated, with all trail markers from the TH through #39. That'd be the "top" section of the Ravine Loop, plus all of the Gun Range Loop. I think this was GPS'd by Lisa. Nice clean map, as distinguished from my efforts. See what you get when you pay the big bucks?

  • THIS DOCUMENT DOES NOT BELONG TO ME! Please email if it belongs to you. And let me know if you object to me posting it here. From a previous heroic, and at least temporarily successful effort to prevent destruction of Magnolia Trail: http://magnoliatrail.tripod.com I believe this page from the (now) defunct magnoliatrail.tripod.com tells the story behind it: http://tinyurl.com/yunz2c (I emailed the site owner, but their email account had been deleted.) View that awesome site (minus the maps/fliers) through the WayBackMachine, here: http://tinyurl.com/2thylg

    THIS DOCUMENT DOES NOT BELONG TO ME! Please email if it belongs to you. And let me know if you object to me posting it here. From a previous heroic, and at least temporarily successful effort to prevent destruction of Magnolia Trail: http://magnoliatrail.tripod.com I believe this page from the (now) defunct magnoliatrail.tripod.com tells the story behind it: http://tinyurl.com/yunz2c (I emailed the site owner, but their email account had been deleted.) View that awesome site (minus the maps/fliers) through the WayBackMachine, here: http://tinyurl.com/2thylg

  • THIS DOCUMENT DOES NOT BELONG TO ME! Please email if it belongs to you. And let me know if you object to me posting it here. Another flyer, perhaps from the same source as the previous flyer?

    THIS DOCUMENT DOES NOT BELONG TO ME! Please email if it belongs to you. And let me know if you object to me posting it here. Another flyer, perhaps from the same source as the previous flyer?

  • Magnolia Trail's trailhead, just west of the BMX Track.

    Magnolia Trail's trailhead, just west of the BMX Track.

  • Trail map depicting Magnolia's 3 loops: Ravine, Gun Range, and K-9. Print your own map from this site: http://tlcgis6.co.leon.fl.us/website/Parks_SDE/dmaps.htm Lafayette Heritage Park's Cadillac Trail is to the far right (east) on this map. Fern Trail can be accessed at the upper left (west) by riding under the Capital Circle/US319 overpass back toward town.

    Trail map depicting Magnolia's 3 loops: Ravine, Gun Range, and K-9. Print your own map from this site: http://tlcgis6.co.leon.fl.us/website/Parks_SDE/dmaps.htm Lafayette Heritage Park's Cadillac Trail is to the far right (east) on this map. Fern Trail can be accessed at the upper left (west) by riding under the Capital Circle/US319 overpass back toward town.

  • A bit of wide angle keystone effect at the entrance.

    A bit of wide angle keystone effect at the entrance.

  • 40m from the trailhead. Entering on Ravine Loop. We'll stay left, as we're going in numerical order toward #1, just ahead. Since this shot was taken at wide angle, things are much closer than they appear. #79 (last numbered marker on the trail) is to the right, still on Ravine Loop, but heading anticlockwise toward the K-9 Loop's "highside." Some folks head over to Cadillac Trail and Alford by first riding that section.

    40m from the trailhead. Entering on Ravine Loop. We'll stay left, as we're going in numerical order toward #1, just ahead. Since this shot was taken at wide angle, things are much closer than they appear. #79 (last numbered marker on the trail) is to the right, still on Ravine Loop, but heading anticlockwise toward the K-9 Loop's "highside." Some folks head over to Cadillac Trail and Alford by first riding that section.

  • 50m #1, Ravine Loop. Yep, it's the first numbered marker when you do the Magnolia Trail clockwise. From #1 to #9 at the edge of the East Ravine, this upper section of the Ravine Loop is mostly sweeping, contour-surfing turns. Newby friendly!

    50m #1, Ravine Loop. Yep, it's the first numbered marker when you do the Magnolia Trail clockwise. From #1 to #9 at the edge of the East Ravine, this upper section of the Ravine Loop is mostly sweeping, contour-surfing turns. Newby friendly!

  • Ravine Loop

    Ravine Loop

  • Between #1 and #2, Ravine Loop.

    Between #1 and #2, Ravine Loop.

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