Travel Journal & Motography...

Ya Rudy, dad is looking strong and in much better condition.

Good on you & mom!

Sending all our best wishes from your SoCal pirates.

Yes, your father's improvement is a very happy sight and we're hoping for his continued improvement.

Thanks for the well wishes and kind thoughts everyone...

I hope to get the Duc ready for departure by next week and get some much needed saddle time after sitting semi-idle for the past few months...

I'm ready to get on the road myself...

~ 4 Feb 2021

~ Southern California by way of Key West...

(Day 1, 30 Jan 2021)

Well it's that time. Time to go that is but not without a trip down to Key West. I've ridden to Key West two previous times on the bike and each time I took the direct route down. This time I wanted to ramble down and take the road less traveled and find some dirt and gravel. I left early Saturday morning and I stayed on the backroads as much as I could until the only choice led to US Routes... The ride down was lined with orchards and small communities... I prefer going a slower pace so I can soak in the sun, sights, and smells...





hit some historic district along the way...






ran into this park in Sebring and decided to take in the scenery...

I made my way to SR-29 and started seeing warning signs for panthers, alligators, and bears... I was knee deep in the Big Cypress National Preserve.



I stopped here to read the warning signs before proceeding...


Wagon Wheel Rd.... who would want to feed alligators?


every time I stopped I made sure to survey the area first...






just above the pillion seat is an alligator sunning itself camouflaged on the edge of the grass... surprised the crap out of me while I was takin' a leak...


"smallest post office in the United States..."

Have you thought about the tours that enjoy swimming with the manatees? We saw them when we watched a Shuttle launch from a spot just north of Canaveral. My brother lives in Georgia and they have done it a few times.

Funny you mention that... I was going to go aboard Cape Canaveral to take pics, some camping and kayaking in CoCoa Beach, and Bike Week in Daytona... but now those plans have been kiboshed since I'll be leaving next week...

I wanted to ride some dirt while I was in Southern Florida and I followed some day trips and hung out in the regional forums and Loop Rd seems to fit the bill. I was looking forward to riding this 24 mile stretch of hard pack and gravel... just be mindful of the numerous potholes but most importantly the alligators...

Loop Rd History...

~ County Road 94, better known as Loop Road, is what the National Geographic Magazine's August 1976, edition referred to as a "quiet dirt byway off of the Tamiami Trail...."

"Because of Loop Road's seclusion and penchant for inspiring rumors and tall tales of all types, perhaps the most famous and persistent one is that of Al Capone owning a speakeasy and gambling den in Pinecrest during the prohibition era..."





a seven footer sunning itself... I would pass another two...


this is what you'll see for the next 24 miles...


rear view with the Max 360...


stopped for a photo instead of just the GoPro...


Mother Nature can sure paint with her easel but be careful of the indigenous wildlife...





It was another 40 miles to the hotel once I got back on the tarmac... I had booked a room in Florida City since Key West prices were through the roof this time of year. I would have camped at Sigsbee Campground right on the beach but it was closed due to Covid and not expected to open until March 14th. Sugarloaf KOA is under re-construction due to Hurricane Irma and was also a no-go.

Tomorrow I launch for Key west...

Thanks Rudy, really enjoying your travels....and good on you for helpin out Mom and Dad! He looks sooo much better with the before and after picture for sure!!

Thanks for following along dano... headed home means that I can catch some desert riding before the heat comes on at Death Valley and the Sierras... I might have to take the Monkey back out...

Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge has tent sites if you are still down there looking for a place to camp.

Thanks, it was just a weekend trip down. I'm getting ready to head back west next week.

Your RR was really helpful in finding Loop Rd...

~ 5 Feb 2021

~ (Day 2, 31 Jan 2021)

I left the hotel at zero dark thirty for the two and a half hour ride down to Key West. It was uneventful, dark, and more importantly sans the usual traffic. I wanted to get down to Key West early before the residents and tourist started milling about.

arrived in Key West as the sun was rising...


US-1 headed to the Key West Historic District...




typical architecture down here in Key West... love these old buildings...




serenity now...






while I was taking my photos, people were already lining up behind me...

Riding around Key West I wanted to capture some GoPro video so I decided to ride along the beach. Absolutely nothing like riding along the ocean during sunrise...







Key West sunrise ride along...






Since I've previously been to Key West and have done the "touristy stuff" already, I was on a mission to ride around for motography and capture GoPro videos of places I previously missed...



got caught in a shower and had to stay under the awning until after the showers passed...

a local Key West resident...






getting into the famed Duvall Street of Key West...




starting to come alive by mid morning...


scooter pirates, watch the lady in front...


After some motography I went for some brunch at the Stoned Crab and it seemed like they were open but they were serving brunch for their guests staying at their resort. They would not open for another hour or so... ohh well...

[QUOTE="black 8, post: 41761197, member: 380470"

scooter pirates, watch the lady in front...

[/QUOTE]
That poor woman is lucky she didn't get hurt. You could just see her fighting to steer the bike like it was a car.

The most common injury in the ER at Lower Keys Medical Center is broken wrists from scooter crashes.

It looked like she was headed for that classic Chevy with target fixation but managed to save it...

After having my fill of Key West I headed back north with little drama... I left early enough to beat the rush hour traffic headed north to the mainland. These were some of the views that I saw along the way...



















I arrived back at the room early enough to check over the Duc for the ride home and get me some KFC for diner. The following day the ride back to Kissimmee started out with rainfall above Florida City but dissipated within 20 minutes but those rain squalls can dump a lot of water in the short time they last enough to reduce visibility if you've ever ridden here in Florida. Other than that easy peasy ride back home...

Time to make ready for my travels back west...

in 2004 while staying on Marco Island with relatives from France we managed to get some postcards sent from that post offices to France.