Geography Lesson, Florida

This may not come as any huge surprise, but I found out today that Florida is a W I D E state. I rode from Destin, in the western part, to Jacksonville, on the Atlantic Coast, and folks, that's one long fucking ride. Or maybe the occasional showers made it seem that way. 

I kept wanting to swing northeast, but there were some ominous-looking clouds to my left the whole way. Of course, when I got to Jacksonville, there weren't many options left, so I turned north, up the dreaded Interstate 95.

I made it as far as Brunswick, Georgia, (the 7th state of this trip...seems like more...) before the next storm scared me off 95 and into a dry hotel room. I've checked a lot of weather reports, and things don't look good the rest of the week, so I'm just going to go for it tomorrow morning, pulling off if it gets bad.

Frankly, the idea of rain, I-95, and those goddamn trucks blowing my bike all over doesn't exactly sound like fun!  Ah, the hell with it. I'll just ride easy and take a few days to go the last 640 miles. With that 640, I'll top 3,100 total for the trip. Maybe more if I detour to Charleston.

When I was checking my camera tonight, I realized I hadn't taken a single picture all day, with the exception of the few after I stopped. I was just putting away the miles today, and didn't see anything along I-10 that was remotely interesting. First day that's happened.

Random thoughts:

- Have been in hotels for almost 2 weeks and haven't had one wake-up call or set an alarm clock

- think this 2008 Softail Custom is the best damn motorcycle ever built. What a great bike! Two thumbs up for Harley Davidson!!

- think it's cool having friends following me online and cheering me on. I have great friends, and one awesome new one in Kentucky! An unexpected trip bonus!

- can't help but realize this ride is about to end. It took a long time to put this together and it's ending way too soon

- might never get my bike looking new again. Charlie rubbed off a little dirt for me in NOLA but it's back.

- like the windshield and bags, but can't wait to strip it back down

And so on. Guess I'll get some sleep. I'll need the energy tomorrow.
Cowboy

Where to ?

Threatening storm clouds and the all-too-alluring beach town of Destin, Florida, stopped me in my tracks Saturday, and I've been here ever since. I'd never seen water this color in the States before, and when matched with the sugar-white sand color, the effect is irresistible. And the girls ain't hard to look at either!!

Florida doesn't seem to require bikers to wear helmets, and I haven't worn one for the entire stay. Riding up and down the coastal road with the wind in my hair reminded me of the good old days in Ocean City, Maryland. Not sure where I am with the helmet thing for road trips. They're probably a good idea, but I don't like being forced to wear one.

I spent a little of yesterday at various places including the beach, a hangout known as AJ's, Hooters (of course), and even a little riding around to check out the more affordable areas where someone might want to live. Just for reference. He'll, I even went boat shopping. Boat shopping is fun even when the boats are hopelessly out of my price range. The place was closed so I could roam at will.

I had thoughts of staying another day, but I'd better get moving. There may be another alluring town between here and Alexandria that might require a little extra time.

And that brings me to the morning's primary thought. I'm now on the way home, and therefore nearing the end of this ride. Yeah, I know. I've got the whole fucking week and should quit whining. So I will!!
I've got a couple choices this morning: ride east to Tallahassee, or ride north on some true back roads into Alabama. Or is it Georgia. Can't remember.

Ok, gotta load up the bike and get moving. Got a little sunburn yesterday, and I'm reminded of it as I'm moving around.

Cowboy

On the road again.....

I left New Orleans with a bit of regret, but it did feel good to get back on the road, and there are things left unseen/undone for my next trip to New Orleans, and trust me, there will be one.

I rode east on I10 through Mississippi into Mobile, AL, and then bailed, choosing US 98 that runs along the Gulf coast. As my trip odometer hit 2,000, the "Welcome to Florida" sign magically appeared. Though I haven't seen the beaches, the sand dunes on the edge of the road are made of sand that's almost sugar-white! Really pretty.

Near Pensacola, I was treated to a practice performance by the Blue Angels!! Totally cool to watch that.
At about the same time, I noticed two other things: 1) my knapsack had come loose due to a broken zipper, which I'd need to fix later, and 2) some extremely dark clouds were building all around and the wind was picking up.

Instead of pushing on to Panama City, and getting soaked unnecessarily, I decided to stop in the great beach town of Destin. It's got loads of stuff to do, so I'm even going to stay on an extra day and look around. The bartender at Hog's Breath Saloon told me where to go and what to do.

So I'm back at the room watching the rest of NASCAR, the knapsack is fixed, and I'm taking it easy. Feels strange staying in. Lin, Charlie, and I have been out every night for a damn week!!

Beach report to be filed tomorrow. I might even ride in shorts!! Hey, there's no helmet law here, so I took a long slow (sorta) ride along the beach remembering the good old days.

Cowboy

Bourbon Street, Friday Night

 

This is just a short adios to New Orleans, and what a great time this has been. If you haven't seen Bourbon Street on a hot weekend night, leave the kids home and get your ass down here. Now. Like many things, you just have to see it for yourself.

It's been a special pleasure having my friends Linda and Charlie joining me for the past 5 days, and it's simply been great fun to explore NOLA together. I'll miss them as I get back on the road tomorrow.

Charlie even kept the party spirit alive after some idiot cut him off, knocked him off the bike, and left him lying in the street. I'm happy to report he's just scraped up, and was a valuable resource tonight, pointing out interesting sights on Bourbon Street I might have missed. And Linda pointed out things the pair of us missed!! And since it was Linda's bike that Charlie was riding, she's taking it well too. Except maybe wanting to choke the shit out of some hit-and-run driver.

Tomorrow morning I'm packing and will make the decision on which way to turn when I reach I-10.

Nite y'all,
Cowboy

Environmental Awareness Edition, Day 9

My last full day in New Orleans, and I have to say that, of all the places on the map, I couldn't have picked a better place for the mid-trip break. This place is a blast. And the traffic jams ain't a thing like 395 going into Washington, DC.

Yesterday, with a strangely strong feeling of obligation, I rode the 110 miles south to Grand Isle, Ground Zero for the oil spill disaster. I was overwhelmed by the impact this disaster is having, present tense, on this community. Workboats sitting idle at the docks, no one on the beach, and angry signs everywhere expressing frustration and sadness. There was, quite literally, a smell of oil in the air.

I rode to the end of the road, to a point where the high water levels made the road impassable on a bike. Mine, anyway. Turning around, I felt as if I'd fulfilled my obligation, and having seen this for myself, I now understand this in a way that the media could never convey. A bomb couldn't have done more damage.

End of the road...

So!

Linda, Charlie, and I ventured across the Mississippi last night in search of a Hooters, if for no other reason, to satisfy a need to hit one in every town. We had our wings, snapped the requisite photos (for Fred), and made our way back, with no help from my GPS which was determined to route us through all the ghetto 'hoods of Nawlins. Charlie's 50 dollar model saved the day.

TGIF!! There's supposed to be some kind of event tonight in the French Quarter that might mean craziness, nudity, and drunkenness! In short, same stuff, different day. We'll be there participating in whatever way seems right at the time, trusting that whatever happens will appear on Facebook mere seconds later. Watch our pages for those "Did I just do that?" moments.

 

And sometime this afternoon, I need to decide on a route back toward DC. Though it sucks, the decision-maker is weather and not the coolness-factor of all the places I wanted to visit. I'm still thinking Panama City, FL, for the next stop, and from there it's either due North or toward the Atlantic Coast. Kentucky could even sneak into the picture!

I'm trying not to count days, but this is maybe the most enjoyable time I'd had in my life and something I'll never forget. I hate to see it end.

And it hasn't!! Plenty more time.

Hey, sorry to lapse into that somber note at the beginning, but Grand Isle really hit me between the eyes.

Cowboy

Woops!

Hoping he didn't hear me come away from that last light. Charlie is a bad influence.

News and Weather

This morning, I'm watching the news for the first time since June 1. Mostly, I was interested i'n the weather, but figured I'd check in with the news to see if anyone's come up with a solution to world peace, or maybe a cure for a major disease. Beyond that, ain't much changed since I left DC.

This morning, I started thinking about the ride home, with an eye toward not riding in the rain if I don't have to. I could run north from here, taking a slightly different route than I took coming down. This seems to offer better chance of dry riding than the East Coast route I originally planned. If anyone with better access to weather info has any suggestions, shoot me an email. Will be running back up starting this Saturday.

Grand Isle today to see how the Gulf looks. Stay tuned for more.

Cowboy

sent from iPhone Land.....

Day 6....or 7.....or

I wasn't sure this morning what day it was, and that's exactly what I was hoping for. It's either the laid-back atmosphere of New Orleans or the number that cute little gal, Becky, did on me. Whatever it was, I'll take it.

Today, I literally expanded my horizons, getting away from the French Quarter and visiting the Lakeshore Drive area where there are some terrific homes, mostly hidden behind an endless wall of levees, many of which were under repair.

I also rode up Esplanade, seeing some grand old New Orleans homes with an interesting, and almost infinite, variety of architecture. Few pix of those, unfortunately. Had a cop follow me almost the entire way, so I figured it was a bad time to practice my newfound one-handed riding skills while snapping pix with the other.

Then to Voodoo Harley davidson for the requisite T-shirt, and around Frenchman's Market to see the sights. Lots of great things to see and do in that area.

And a late lunch at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville. After that, another ride and back home to read a bit and kick back. Dinner tonight with Charlie and Linda.

Tomorrow we're all riding south to Grand Isle, ground zero for the oil spill activity. I just couldn't come all the way here and not have a look for myself. Hope the hell it doesn't shatter the happy spell this trip has put on me, but I think I do need to see it for myself, and not through the filter of the media.

Ok. Back to the grind. I need to get something cold to drink, and then I need to sit back down. Whew!! I'm fucking worn out just thinking about it.

Cowboy
PS I wonder how long this stupid grin on my face will last......

PPS I'm really, really glad I didn't bring a laptop, but editing and publishing this blog on a fucking iPhone sucks.

The morning after....

So it's Day 6, I think, and I'm happily losing track of the date, the day of the week, and other stuff that's probably important, but I can't recall them either. In other words, the trip is a success!!

Actually this is far more than a trip, and maybe one of the most enjoyable things I've ever done. It's truly been an eye-opening experience and too long in the making. Yesterday began in Vicksburg, and from there to Jackson, MS, for a disappointing trip to get a new brake lever for the bike. The people there couldn't have cared less, so I called HD of Baton Rouge who happily put my part on hold while I (carefully) rode the 100+ miles to pick it up and install it. What a cool bunch of folks there. Two thumbs up for Harley Davidson of Baton Rouge.

Much of yesterday's trip involved some serious rain, so out came the rain gear and shield. Another big thank-you to my son and family for the great gift!!! Sure came in handy. But after 5 serious spells of rain, one bike repair, a detour to Baton Rouge, and another 270 miles, I arrived in New Orleans, for a total of 1,475 wonderful miles.

Charlie and Linda were waiting for me at the hotel, and I was very, very happy to see these two. They're a part of my family...no question about it. Quite honestly, Linda looked shocked to see me, so I guess I looked a little rough after a few days on the road......

We went to Bourbon Street last night. It was just great to see them and have someone to help me enjoy the city. It's like no place I've ever been, but more on that later. Stay tuned.

Linda said I cleaned up pretty good.

 

Rainy today, which is good. I really ain't up to long rides, and spent the entire morning in the hotel courtyard chatting with a guest.

The guest....Becky! 

Might get out now between showers to explore.

Greetings from New Orleans!
Cowboy