Ride Planning Thread: http://motorcyclealabama.com/rides/?topic=616.0 (http://motorcyclealabama.com/rides/?topic=616.0)
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On Wednesday morning, a select crew of worldly motorcyclists will depart central Alabama ...
On an epic journey to a place where "anything goes" ...
The place that makes Las Vegas blush and cover its eyes ...
To the ghey tip of America's sandy protuberance ...
This is where it will all be recorded ...
Worldly...lol
It has begun...
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-DVwbQ7q/0/L/keywest%20%2801%29-L.jpg)
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160413/39a476f5add96728bf16fa201c687542.jpg)
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-w9vC3v6/0/L/keywest%20%2802%29-L.jpg)
Y'all have fun and be safe.
You started the trip with Kevin at Waffle House? I hope you had a long stop planned in about 30 minutes for mister I.B.S.
Lol...I ate before I got there. Just now getting bubble guts...
Wish I was there :'(
(http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n164/shepcam/image.jpg)
Safe trip! Subscribed!
Good luck dodging that rain, fellers. Rooting for you!!!
Planning for this ride started in December. I studied climate data for Florida and decided that April had the best temperatures and the lowest chance of rain in Florida. It looked like the "lowest chance of rain" theory was going to be a bust, but we made it all the way to Key Largo with less than two minutes total rain. It wasn't even a proper rain ... More like a "misting".
Several of us stayed at hotels in Fultondale the night before the ride. A few of us needed some dinner, so we walked next door to Applebees. Turns out that it was Sandy's birthday. I told the waitress, and she took care of business.
Wednesday morning, we all met all Waffle House for breakfast, then went next door for gas. After two false starts, we finally got underway.
Nobody felt like doing another 180 miles to get the Iron Butt certificate, so we called it quits at 820 miles. Everybody was safe and rode responsibly, and we arrived at the hotel around 11:30pm Eastern. We took lots of breaks and rest stops on the way down!
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-LTPwSHR/0/L/keywest%20%2803%29-L.jpg)
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-qNLD4R7/0/O/trip1.png)
Glad you guys made it safely. Enjoy the Keys today!! You earned it!
Awesome. I know y'all are having a blast.
Keys Overseas Highway
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-8g94sFQ/0/L/keywest%20%2804%29-L.jpg)
Southernmost Point
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-63CPPCt/0/L/keywest%20%2806%29-L.jpg)
Lunch
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-Bn2TsZN/0/L/keywest%20%2807%29-L.jpg)
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-ZPbL6Rk/0/L/keywest%20%2808%29-L.jpg)
Gypsy Chicken
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-5C8BpDN/0/L/keywest%20%2810%29-L.jpg)
Another awesome day. No rain, bright blue skies mostly. After lunch, we rode a tour trolley all around Key West --- saw most of the island and the major attractions.
After that, we went to Sloppy Joes for a while to listen to music and drink cold drinks. Then we went to Mallory Square to watch the sunset and the street performers.
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-gTvv7t2/0/L/keywest%20%2812%29-L.jpg)
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-tGh4LTc/0/L/keywest%20%2811%29-L.jpg)
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-f9JMkCL/0/L/keywest%20%2813%29-L.jpg)
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-MHVNFrS/0/L/keywest%20%2815%29-L.jpg)
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-xJPN77L/0/L/keywest%20%2816%29-L.jpg)
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160414/a77e7b1603cb01f74f30117c44ed8e46.jpg)
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160414/707fd0f4a89442f493f67d182b00f913.jpg)
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160414/7fbbbb97aa9d554bbbe7ad8cca3c4759.jpg)
Our view at lunchtime. https://vimeo.com/162960259 (https://vimeo.com/162960259)(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160415/c624432b5ddb19aa90630a70c126733d.jpg)(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160415/78a74a535be5df83b6fe63a223fcb1fb.jpg)
....and at sunset (http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160415/44dd85d4d0efc9c6bd81956ec93ef570.jpg)
Just rolled into the driveway about 20 minutes ago.
4 days, 1903 miles, 1 helluva time.
Home. If you had a chance of doing this trip and you didn't... I'm going to say you blew it. One of the best rides and vacations I've had in quite some time. Photographic evidence to come.
I made it home about 30 minutes ago. Got the bike unpacked. About to shower, then start processing the photos and video that I took.
Welcome home fellers.
I'm home about 8:45. 1970 miles. That is about the most fun I've had in a very long time. Thanks for putting this on Glenn and to everyone who went, I hope you had half as much fun as I did. Sorry if you missed it.
It was good. Real good.
If you look back at Glenn's pic of us having lunch in Key West you can see those who shared in the discussion.
We talked about life and "stuff". I made mention of having shared something in my Idaho ride report. Something that applied to our trip to Key West and our lunch that day.
Here is a cut/paste from the Idaho report. It is what we talked about.
This pretty much sums up the past 4 days.
Dr. Thomas Gilovich is a psychology professor at Cornell University. His research is interesting and has served, on a personal level, to reinforce my views of myself and life.
"There's a very logical assumption that most people make when spending their money: that because a physical object will last longer, it will make us happier for a longer time than a one-off experience like a concert or vacation. According to recent research, it turns out that assumption is completely wrong.
"One of the enemies of happiness is adaptation," says Dr. Gilovich. "We buy things to make us happy, and we succeed. But only for a while. New things are exciting to us at first, but then we adapt to them."
"Our experiences are a bigger part of ourselves than our material goods," says Gilovich. "You can really like your material stuff. You can even think that part of your identity is connected to those things, but nonetheless they remain separate from you. In contrast, your experiences really are part of you. We are the sum total of our experiences." "
4 days and my sum total is much larger now.
I was having way too much fun to remember to take photos.
Here's the very few mediocre pics I took...
(http://www.pbase.com/kwb377/image/163020930.jpg)
Steinhatchie, FL
(http://www.pbase.com/kwb377/image/163020931.jpg)
Value Jet Flight 592 Memorial
(http://www.pbase.com/kwb377/image/163021343/large.jpg)
(http://www.pbase.com/kwb377/image/163021344.jpg)
(http://www.pbase.com/kwb377/image/163021345.jpg)
So yeah. We saw this guy do his thing at Mallory Square.
And it was really cool.
The dude was quite legit. Or at least I thought so.
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160417/fb7d5ea12ab308b42892feabfc0c6d49.jpg)(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160417/76c2a112a96e3d26d2585297aedd2097.jpg)(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160417/1be1996fbf8f3d37e3a437e2a169b295.jpg)(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160417/cf7f2cd4280ad223d2a82e781d25ee35.jpg)(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160417/5f3791acaf2a4bf5c7354d695d008dbd.jpg)(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160417/e4c92ee823135323f7056c3e565bd6bc.jpg)
A few more of mine.
And 1 that Glenn took of some guy drinking a beer.
I went back and replaced most of the photos in my posts above with higher resolution links, so you can click on the photo and get a larger version.
I had a total of 1,986 miles in our four days of riding. It was painful on Day 3 and Day 4.
A couple of notes about the ride....
This ride was the most miles that I have ever done in four days. I think that doing 820 miles on the first day was good because we arrived in Key West sooner, but it also took a lot of our energy.
It was also the longest group ride that I have ever led. I was amazed that so many people wanted to go. We had a few bike issues and some trouble keeping the group together, but that was all expected. No matter how hard you try to keep the group together, people sometimes need their alone time and their personal space, so it was all good. We all had each other's phone numbers in case there was a major problem, but for the most part, everybody took care of themselves and others.
April is a very good month to visit Florida. We had very little rain, very few bugs, excellent temperatures, and traffic was not terrible overall. It tends to rain more in northern Florida, but once you get below Orlando, the Gulf has less of an effect on lower Florida.
The Keys have a very laid-back vibe, and most everybody was relaxed and having a good time. We really did not encounter any a-holes in the Keys, and the few times when our group was acting up, nobody paid us any attention. Never once felt unwelcome or unsafe in the Keys.
A few more pictures...
We saw lots of bicycles with ape hangers....
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-fgMBnpn/0/L/keywest%20%2805%29-L.jpg)
We found time to play a tag game on another forum...
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-NmcwFT7/0/L/keywest%20%2818%29-L.jpg)
While we were at a rest stop, a bird flew up and landed on Tony's windshield. A few moments later, he left his mark and flew off.
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-FFkct89/0/L/keywest%20%2819%29-L.jpg)
The music man at Sparky's was awesome. I've never seen anybody play "The Wall" all by their lonesome. The music man helped to re-energize our crew after a long day walking all over Key West.
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-DVDv8Wq/0/L/keywest%20%2817%29-L.jpg)
The ValueJet Flight 592 Memorial was powerful. Each stone obelisk represents a person who died in the crash, and it was hard not imagining the obelisks as people when you walked through the monument.
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-dZJT8pS/0/L/keywest%20%2820%29-L.jpg)
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-Hg5dbvn/0/L/keywest%20%2821%29-L.jpg)
Good Times Marina and Hotel was really awesome. I have been to Florida more times than I can remember, but like most people, I have usually stayed in the tourist areas. Steinhatchie is not a tourist town --- it is a working class fishing town. It made me realize that there are large portions of Florida about which I know nothing. The locals probably like it that way, but from now on, I will make an extra effort to visit parts of Florida that are not considered tourist destinations.
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-4SQvGv2/0/L/keywest%20%2822%29-L.jpg)
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-SH2g9f6/0/L/keywest%20%2823%29-L.jpg)
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-fpPV2r6/0/L/keywest%20%2824%29-L.jpg)
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-v4P2Hv6/0/L/keywest%20%2827%29-L.jpg)
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-sWWGnjC/0/L/keywest%20%2828%29-L.jpg)
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-pj6mcKC/0/L/keywest%20%2829%29-L.jpg)
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-TFcrC4k/0/L/keywest%20%2830%29-L.jpg)
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-jrnXxGM/0/L/keywest%20%2831%29-L.jpg)
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-gxvtFx9/0/L/keywest%20%2832%29-L.jpg)
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-BsjTWhV/0/L/keywest%20%2833%29-L.jpg)
We met a guy from Alaska who was riding from Key West to Prudhoe Bay.
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-qwbbmDN/0/L/keywest%20%2825%29-L.jpg)
Johnny and Sandy were photobombed by a lemur.
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-CSWRD3j/0/L/keywest%20%2826%29-L.jpg)
Our GPS tracks...
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-qNLD4R7/0/O/trip1.png)
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-j7VTFcc/0/O/trip2.png)
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-VZwSL5R/0/O/trip3.png)
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-ssFTKvC/0/O/trip4.png)
Combined tracks.
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-BXvDXgb/0/O/trip5.png)
A little booty relief...
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160417/85eae8eaea0970ca68503cc312df07a5.jpg)
OK, sorry for blowing up this thread but..
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/punish187/Key%20West%2016/20160414_124841_zpsnm9oda1v.jpg)
Directions...
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/punish187/Key%20West%2016/20160414_123115_zpsah6khc5z.jpg)
Typical view up and down the streets.
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/punish187/Key%20West%2016/20160414_144515_zpsrrwdavqx.jpg)
BamaRides on tour...
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/punish187/Key%20West%2016/20160414_123123_zpshcmflhsi.jpg)
On patrol...
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/punish187/Key%20West%2016/20160414_120433_zpsycknphie.jpg)
Regrouping after southernmost point.
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/punish187/Key%20West%2016/20160414_162622_zpswrztg0jz.jpg)
Audubon House...
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/punish187/Key%20West%2016/20160414_151829_zpsjztjhqcj.jpg)
Hemmingway's House...
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/punish187/Key%20West%2016/20160414_165732_zpszhof1stc.jpg)
Hog's Breath Saloon
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/punish187/Key%20West%2016/20160414_170007_zpstk34uyu6.jpg)
Conch fritters, the local specialty...
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/punish187/Key%20West%2016/20160414_180932_zpspazxfysk.jpg)
View at the sunset carnival...
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/punish187/Key%20West%2016/20160414_170908_zps4pn6grb2.jpg)
Getting Sloppy in more ways than one...
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/punish187/Key%20West%2016/20160414_172852_zpsndivrcnf.jpg)
Yum...
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/punish187/Key%20West%2016/20160414_181147_zpskhia8ewj.jpg)
The boat left without us...
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/punish187/Key%20West%2016/20160414_182127_zpsrtjjwsvk.jpg)
Awesome...
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/punish187/Key%20West%2016/20160414_183047_zpsltqbqskp.jpg)
Not as awesome...
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/punish187/Key%20West%2016/20160414_182237_zpsli2f76de.jpg)
No photos!
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/punish187/Key%20West%2016/20160416_085137_zpsnudeiv2c.jpg)
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/punish187/Key%20West%2016/20160416_084652_zpsews4t2yg.jpg)
Good Times Marina indeed...
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/punish187/Key%20West%2016/20160415_112356_zpscczgrg1h.jpg)
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/punish187/Key%20West%2016/20160415_112440_zpsdtutyhir.jpg)
Memorial...
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/punish187/Key%20West%2016/20160416_170009_zpsauxoi6bq.jpg)
Ice ice baby...
Great riding, great food, great people, great times...thanks Glenn for putting this together and planning everything out. You made it easy to relax and enjoy everything. Thank you to everyone who was along for the ride, I had a blast!
We had a great time. Except for a couple hiccups, I don't think the trip could've turned out any better. Great ride Glenn.
Ready, Set......
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-icT8t4bOYx0/VxRGAZLdpaI/AAAAAAAATIQ/RCGbbc4x53cYU-ereqbKWB-dhn9D2xu8ACCo/s400-Ic42/DSC_5154.JPG)
Let's go.
First Stop....
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ju3qUthQtF4/VxRGCH6SCPI/AAAAAAAATIQ/DRBoD7W0t6QWQK-MPdPVkgOqKugv5Qg5gCCo/s400-Ic42/DSC_5157.JPG)
We had a good mix of bikes. 2 Harleys, a VTX, 5 ADV bikes and a dual sport touring bike.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-P-JTLJdWBZc/VxRGEhsLmPI/AAAAAAAATIQ/50qphdSLJvsHSLALh8mXWaCo_YA1X2nowCCo/s400-Ic42/DSC_5162.JPG)
Not just for Yamahas. This applies to all bikes. Go RIDE people.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--CQViD-nAH8/VxRGFHP51-I/AAAAAAAATIQ/Wp3W8ZiY_hA5eOu-qIxe9T9bVWhq_v5kACCo/s400-Ic42/DSC_5163.JPG)
We still had a ways to go when the sun started setting.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bcXRVsfZ3Pw/VxRGG7x18HI/AAAAAAAATI4/dN7RiaT0LVsNgdQYi3j9zUFDgOLeHWg-ACCo/s400-Ic42/DSC_5168.JPG)
The back seat riders on the short bus in Key West.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I7_l7KDiEMo/VxRGJZABLfI/AAAAAAAATI4/9ZMMVpghEsIdCHotpK6Dlj86qDqru3IiwCCo/s400-Ic42/DSC_5172.JPG)
Civil War Fort in Key West
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cda60XW-UWk/VxRGLIck3wI/AAAAAAAATI4/ivChDke-XYcTHIfs2D-IXfSgBsX8sPUpACCo/s400-Ic42/DSC_5175.JPG)
Glenn and a Gypsy Chicken
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-grBuJ6tIDE8/VxRGNkNx0gI/AAAAAAAATI4/jqaw0SrMFtE6qYKaPRo_yOEm1DnagdOsACCo/s400-Ic42/DSC_5181.JPG)
Sunset in Key West
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-31kimcp_ETU/VxRGSbliqoI/AAAAAAAATIs/uWXNJrhmyDcqDES0eQ0OQHrf1VnrdZ_nwCCo/s400-Ic42/DSC_5191.JPG)
I have no words for what was going on here.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OvBMvfLJnhY/VxRGetVQPWI/AAAAAAAATIY/Vhes_AcBrckfQEix6HDzVTcyDfIWfaqzACCo/s400-Ic42/DSC_5225.JPG)
After spending a month prepping the bike for this trip, I had a problem with the battery out of the gate on Wednesday morning. Then again when we start to leave the Keys. I was frustrated as we rode to the first stop. After seeing the ValuJet Memorial, I had a very different mindset.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ey6rL7ZdKd8/VxRGiMRylvI/AAAAAAAATIo/Oq4mSBSQqcwQIcG-SVQb5yWddpoHiP8hgCCo/s400-Ic42/DSC_5231.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-D_oM17_474w/VxRGjSkDB2I/AAAAAAAATIo/YoAYRH0Nv9grY7Mofolxk87q1C00ZRMxwCCo/s400-Ic42/DSC_5234.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4vk4u2286Pc/VxRGj9xe5iI/AAAAAAAATIo/t019Vjb1apw4DFK5___NxHDdwKSlD8MTgCCo/s400-Ic42/DSC_5235.JPG)
From the dock at Goodtimes Motel and Marina.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wbukOs4729s/VxRGljD-rZI/AAAAAAAATIo/8r2uf3_XKZ8hfxf2S98F6Cgk8vV7MJIswCCo/s400-Ic42/DSC_5240.JPG)
Not counting the miles from home to start of ride, 2044 miles in 5 days.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ulCdhdCrakg/VxRGmm7QJ9I/AAAAAAAATIo/XI3fW6IfS0wpa0ptE1VbVjqHTpB2GH-UwCCo/s400-Ic42/DSC_5242.JPG)
When I think of going for a ride, Florida doesn't normally come to mind, but it looks like a really cool trip you guys had. Someday maybe I'll be able to make it along on something like this.
Great report and pics.
Just noticed Kevin giving me the BamaRide's salute ...
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-LTPwSHR/0/L/keywest%20%2803%29-L.jpg)
(https://nicegoat.smugmug.com/Key-West/i-nhS9D8H/2/O/keywest%20%2803%29.jpg)
Great ride report and pictures. Even though I didn't get to go, it is good seeing people I know enjoy the ride and company.
Quote from: klaviator on April 18, 2016, 09:18:59 AM,,,,,,,,,,,,,Florida doesn't normally come to mind,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Not enough curves and switchbacks for ya? :o ;D ;)
**** WE INTERRUPT NORMAL PROGRAMMING FOR THIS IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT *****
I figure this is the easiest/quickest way to get the word out
Bank of America contacted me today. They caught two fraudulent charges made today, on my credit card.
One at a Shell station in Gainesville ($125) and one at a Sunoco in Gainesville ($113).
I think I bought gas at the Shell station on the way down and we did stop at a few Sunoco stations along the way.
But, I didn't buy gas at either place today.
Maybe a skimmer at the Shell station on the way down?
Regardless, just thought I'd get the word out ASAP so the rest of you guys can keep tabs on your credit/debit acct.
FWIW - this is an example of why I NEVER use a debit card. ALWAYS credit card for me.
THANK YOU. WE NOW RETURN TO REGULAR PROGRAMMING
Edit to add - No need to comment/discuss. Don't want to derail Glenn's thread with a bunch of talk about credit card and stuff.
Just wanted to get word to all you guys ASAP..
Thx!
Thanks, Brian. Just checked mine and don't see anything unusual, but I'll keep an eye on it.
I'm good (so far).
Yes, thanks for the heads up. So far so good
Well, here's my pics. They resemble the rest but they are my memories for later.
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160419/886f5211690711133b0bbbbb5ba4b2b1.jpg)
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160419/d8df163138cb77874377e500f6c87a2a.jpg)
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160419/b5d6bf07cdf32ace15e3c0c9194d8342.jpg)
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160419/2d1755efc42219b58a4be639c7a6bf62.jpg)
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160419/67fca01097f703515001cc007c5ef8b1.jpg)
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160419/020034924875e89c008399bf27f9d819.jpg)
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160419/6fb55a3f3b29ffa83d0dceeb87608e81.jpg)
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160419/b70451d49c871bd239d5146a99a9f9de.jpg)
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160419/726a91c66a24ab2eafb5eda5ac3360a2.jpg)
No reason for me to share my pics here. They pretty much are the same as the rest.
It was a good trip. Good guys. Good riding. No major incidents.
Some good laughs and a lot of really good food.
Key West is a cool place. A lot of history. A lot more than I knew.
I really enjoyed lunch at that pier restaurant. Good food and good discussion with good guys.
Mallory Square was cool in the late afternoon and at sunset.
I thoroughly enjoyed Reidiculous Reid's street performance. It was good for the entertainment experience and for memories.
I reckon experiences and memories are what it really is all about anyway.
It is kinda cool to be able to say we rode from Bham to Key Largo in one day.
But the experiences and memories are what make it all worth while.......
* Popping a wheelie through an intersection in Columbus, Ga. It was only later that JR told me there was a police car, sitting there at the intersection, waiting in the turn lane. I never saw him. If he saw me I guess he figured a) it wasn't worth the hassle or b) "that was pretty cool!"
* Eating "dinner" on a curb at a convenience store at 1:00 am in Key Largo because the Wendy's across the highway closed before their posted 1:00 am closing time. I joked that I rode 800 miles to eat a convenience store sandwich on a curb at 1:00 am in Key Largo.
* A very funny experience, prior to departure, on the Key West Tour Trolley. You had to be there....
* Some dude, solo, doing Pink Floyd stuff at Sparky's Landing restaurant at Key Colony Beach. And the dude did it really, really, REALLY good.
* Breakfast: Eggs with Toast. The three at our table all ordered Eggs with Toast.
It came with bacon or sausage and grits. But they don't have any grits. So we opt for hash browns instead.
Food arrives. No toast.
I ask. She said she forgot the toast. (Eggs with toast and you forget the toast? This ain't like trying to recite the preamble to The Constitution. It's Eggs. With toast. Kinda simple really...)
A few minutes later she brings the toast, which was more like just warm bread. She sits the plate of toast down, looks at Kevin (why Kevin??) and asks.... "Do you want toast too?"
* Busting 90+ mph after dark, in the rain, to catch up with the group. Then looking in the mirror to see waaayyyy back in the distance a flickering blue light. Thinking "Oh no..." and then a minute or so later, as the car drew closer, realizing it was just the Halogen headlights of a car flickering in the rain and in my mirror. They flickered blue in the distance but were white when it got closer. I exhaled.
* JBMFT (quoting him as best I can remember his words) "Guys! Mentally I am fine. Really. Good. But my ass. It's dying."
* Stopping at the ValuJet Crash Memorial. Thinking about all those poor souls. Just another day. A trip. Somewhere.
"See you in a few hours."
"Call me when you get there."
"I hope I can catch a nap on this flight."
"Did I remember to turn off the TV???"
"Remember to bring the kids a surprise!'
And then pffttt. Things go bad wrong.
Flight 592 pushed back from gate G2 at Miami International Airport on May 11, 1996 with 110 souls on board, headed to Atlanta.
It took off at 2:04 PM - Runway 9L.
At 2:10 PM passengers and crew reported smoke and fire in the passenger cabin.
Flight 592 disappeared from radar at 2:13 PM. The McDonnell-Douglass DC-9 buried itself in the Everglades swamps at 507 mph.
Nothing much of anything or anybody remained.
Captain Candalyn "Candi" Kubeck's remains were never found.
Seeing the memorial and thinking about it all was maybe a bit somber and sobering. But it served to remind me once again how blessed and fortunate I am. I thank God that I am able to go and see and do and live a good life with good friends.
And make more good memories.
Thanks Glenn for making this happen and thanks to all who went for being part of another great ride experience!
* Disclaimer - The flickering blue light experience - that didn't really happen. I just made that up for dramatic effect. :-X
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT #2
I just now realized where I got skimmed. At a Shell station in one of the plaza stops on the Florida Turnpike on the 1st day of the ride. One pump would read my card, allow me to enter my zip code and then "process" but never turn the pump on.
I moved to a different pump and all worked well.
I mentioned it to the clerk inside and she said she gets complaints all the time. Something about the banks and some of the pumps, blah, blah, blah.... there wasn't anything she/they could do about it, blah, blah, blah.
It didn't click w/ me at the time. The fact that my card had just been skimmed. I wonder if the clerk was in on the deal?
I think I will try and find the specific station and make a few phone calls.....
EDIT TO ADD: Mile Marker 184 - Shell Station at Fort Drum Service Plaza
EDIT AGAIN: I called and talked to the manager. Very nice guy. He said they have serial numbered seals for all card readers and he was going to go reinspect the card reader for the pump I was at that gave me problems. I noted that it was odd that one pump would read my card, allow me to enter my zip code but he come back and tell me to see the attendant, but the next pump I moved to worked fine.
I told him there was good chance that the skim happened somewhere else but I didn't recall any other anomalies on the trip. In any event, he was nice and very appreciative of the call.
Not related - I just realized another thing: I was 3/4 finished a tuna salad sandwich when I noticed mold on the bread. So I just at bread mold.
If I die, you all will know what killed me and also, it was nice knowing you! ;)
Glenn and I had similar problems at a couple stops, it would read one card but not another.
I am keeping a close eye on my cards...
>:(
I had a similar incident (I think at the same gas stop). Used one CC and it wouldn't process and the display said "See Attendant"...swiped another card at same pump and it worked. So far I haven't seen any nefarious activity.
I did also, wouldn't run as credit, but would as debit sometimes then the other way around. Damn thieves, always trying to get something for nothing.
Looks like you guys had a great time. Thanks for taking us along for the ride. This makes me miss living in Florida.
Anybody else get one of these?
Took a while!
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160609/7713ceea7d12a7940efb2de6e22bf5ac.jpg)
I have not.
What was the date of the infraction?
Best I can recall none of us busted any toll booth anywhere.
The last 47 miles of the turnpike, from Miramar to Homestead, are advertised as "toll-by-plate." We did not do anything wrong.
That evening, on the way down, I was wondering whether or not the cameras would be able to read our (smaller) motorcycle license plates at night. I guess they figured out Darrin's plate number. I wonder if it was worth the $3.82 for them....
Ah yes! I had forgotten about that.
I guess that cloaking device I rigged up actually worked!
Yep, got mine yesterday.
Quote from: Brian A on April 18, 2016, 09:24:51 PM
But the experiences and memories are what make it all worth while.......
* Popping a wheelie through an intersection in Columbus, Ga. It was only later that JR told me there was a police car, sitting there at the intersection, waiting in the turn lane. I never saw him. If he saw me I guess he figured a) it wasn't worth the hassle or b) "that was pretty cool!"
* Eating "dinner" on a curb at a convenience store at 1:00 am in Key Largo because the Wendy's across the highway closed before their posted 1:00 am closing time. I joked that I rode 800 miles to eat a convenience store sandwich on a curb at 1:00 am in Key Largo.
* A very funny experience, prior to departure, on the Key West Tour Trolley. You had to be there....
* Some dude, solo, doing Pink Floyd stuff at Sparky's Landing restaurant at Key Colony Beach. And the dude did it really, really, REALLY good.
* Breakfast: Eggs with Toast. The three at our table all ordered Eggs with Toast.
It came with bacon or sausage and grits. But they don't have any grits. So we opt for hash browns instead.
Food arrives. No toast.
I ask. She said she forgot the toast. (Eggs with toast and you forget the toast? This ain't like trying to recite the preamble to The Constitution. It's Eggs. With toast. Kinda simple really...)
A few minutes later she brings the toast, which was more like just warm bread. She sits the plate of toast down, looks at Kevin (why Kevin??) and asks.... "Do you want toast too?"
* Busting 90+ mph after dark, in the rain, to catch up with the group. Then looking in the mirror to see waaayyyy back in the distance a flickering blue light. Thinking "Oh no..." and then a minute or so later, as the car drew closer, realizing it was just the Halogen headlights of a car flickering in the rain and in my mirror. They flickered blue in the distance but were white when it got closer. I exhaled.
* JBMFT (quoting him as best I can remember his words) "Guys! Mentally I am fine. Really. Good. But my ass. It's dying."
* Stopping at the ValuJet Crash Memorial. Thinking about all those poor souls. Just another day. A trip. Somewhere.
"See you in a few hours."
"Call me when you get there."
"I hope I can catch a nap on this flight."
"Did I remember to turn off the TV???"
"Remember to bring the kids a surprise!'
And then pffttt. Things go bad wrong.
....................................
Thanks Glenn for making this happen and thanks to all who went for being part of another great ride experience!
* Disclaimer - The flickering blue light experience - that didn't really happen. I just made that up for dramatic effect. :-X
I took a notion to relive the Key West trip this evening. What a great time it was. I laughed out loud about some of my memories above. In particular the "Eggs and Toast" thing, especially when she asked Kevin if he wanted toast too.
And JMBFT!...... "Guys! Mentally I am fine. Really. Good. But my ass. It's dying."
What a great trip that was!!
Rumor has it that 3 of those (including myself) who mae the Key West ride, plus two who were not in attendance, will be making a trip later this summer.
I ate on the waterfront in Key West. I got the hankerin' to eat on the water front somewhere else.
Hint: Lobster.
Still a few months away.
Stay tuned...... ;)
It was a great trip. One of the many I have had the pleasure of taking with the BamaRides family. I hope to take many many more.
Lobster . Hmmmm.....
Brian's facebook account of the trip popped up as a memory this morning. After sharing his post I started thinking about the trip again. So I read through the 10 pages of planning and 5 pages of the Ride Report.
It felt like we just got back home yesterday.
Cheers to the Gypsy Chickens in an Unholy Land and the visitors of that land.