2007 MOTORCYCLE TOUR

Friday June 8

Daily Miles: 300
Accumulated Miles: 4,050
Day 16

Stayed off the interstate today. Made good time on Highway 19 that runs through the western edge of Florida. Lots of pretty treed areas and several small towns. Temperature was down from yesterday – as Martha Stewart would say, “and that is a good thing.”

There was a rainstorm today, but I think it helped me figure the rain issue. First, just before it rains, the temperature drops several degrees. It provides about a 3 – 5 minute warning. Also, it never seems to rain very long, or over a very large area. So my plan now is, nix the raingear – just keep riding. After I have ridden through the storm, the wind helps dry my clothes (some of the time ;-) Barring being drowned, this may work.

Below are a few images along the way.

I love these bridges. Each bridge gets more spectaular.

This brige is about 3 miles long. Notice the "peak" towards the back of the photo. That is the half-way point. Fabulous.

And then there is the Panama City beach, not toooo bad....

I was planning on staying in Saint Petersberg tonight, but then I discovered the motel rooms are expensive there, so I decided to stay in Port Richey, about an hours drive to Saint Petersberg. What a dump. The town is nothing but strip malls and strip joints, but dam the rooms are cheap. Went to a little pizza joint for dinner. Lucky they didn’t kill me. Ordered a couple of pieces of pizza and it was placed on a grill to warm it up. What disgusting concept. I left most of it for the flies. They seemed to enjoy it much more than I did. YUK!!!

Called my cousin Ron, who lives just north of Fort Lauderdale in Margate. I am planning on going to their home Saturday night through Monday. Will give me a chance to visit with him and his wife Arlene. Have not seen either of them for over 15 years. Will also have an opportunity to see his mother Ethel, who lives near by in a retirement home. Those of you who have met my cousin Shirley, Ron is her brother.

A decision was made not to go down through the Florida Keys. I have been there before, and from my currently location it would have added 2 – 3 days to the trip. Currently I have been on the road 16 days. There are so many areas in the northeast US and Canada that I have never been to, so I decided to invest my time in those areas.