Big Florida to California Loop

[dandiego]

I have a little time “between jobs” so I planned a little unplanned ride. A bunch of my motorcycle enthusiast friends—mostly recently retired guys with time on their hands— inspired me to get my R3T out on the road. So I threw a leg over my Big Girl on Tuesday morning and left Tampa Bay for a 5k + mile ride to CA and back.

I haven’t really planned the route out yet, but I plan to see some friends and family along the way.

I’ll decide on a fun route back when I get to Cali. Likely going to return via the I-40.

I wasn’t planning on any Iron Butt it (1k+ miles a day) rides but I ended up doing 1,240 miles on Thursday.

I did a couple 600+ mile days. I ended the first day’s ride in Gautier, Mississippi after a good 100 mile soaking, starting in Pensacola, Florida and all the way through Alabama. I finally threw in the towel when my phone was found floating in a waterproof jacket pocket...DOA. I replaced that at a local store for a cost more than my first 3 motorcycles...combined!

I left Mississippi early and went right through Louisiana. I missed Houston traffic but caught the late San Antonio traffic. The weather wasn’t bad at all. A little warm at times but tolerable. Stopped in Kerrville, Texas for the night.

I was so wet from the Florida to Mississippi soaking that my jacket didn’t dry until Houston and my gloves finally dried out in San Antone! Good times.

I had a little scare when my rear tire got squirrelly at about 60 MPH in a lightning storm. Pucker factor 10!

I left Kerrville at 7am hoping to make New Mexico or Arizona. But the weather and traffic cooperated so I rode all the way into San Diego, arriving at 1am. Final mileage was 2,530 miles.

The bike did really well, though the rain caused some electrical grief. The trip odometer keeps resetting and one of my alarm key fobs died. I’ll mess with all of that stuff today.

Will head back next Friday along a different route.

 

[Grumpy Ole Codger]

Must be brilliant to just pack up and go on such a memorable trip. Keep the updates coming in..thank you!

 

[dandiego]

Must be brilliant to just pack up and go on such a memorable trip. Keep the updates coming in..thank you!

I had an opportunity and thought I’d better take it.

I won’t be doing the long days on my way home.

 

[1olbull]

Good ride!
Consider the Ozarks on your way back.

 

[Prestaged]

Good to get a recap of the first part of your trip. I remembered that you had planned to leave Tuesday and was wondering how you were doing. Ride safe on the return.

 

[MIG]

AWESOME!!! Those are some of the best rides. Thanks for sharing!
-MIG

 

[dandiego]

And here’s the “rest of the story!”

I had a little scare when my rear tire got squirrelly at about 60 MPH in a lightning storm. Pucker factor 10! So that first day I only made it 600 miles, to Gautier, Mississippi, before stopping to get out of he rain. My rear tire fishtailed in heavy rain and heavier traffic so I decided to call it a day. My iPhone was soaked and that was a $1k ordeal to replace it.

The next day I made it 680 miles to Kerrville, Texas. It was a hot and uneventful ride. I’d left Mississippi early and went right through Louisiana. I missed Houston traffic but caught the late San Antonio traffic. The weather wasn’t bad at all. A little warm at times but tolerable. Stopped in Kerrville, Texas for the night.

I was so wet from the Florida to Mississippi soaking that my jacket didn’t dry until Houston and my gloves finally dried out in San Antone! Good times.

On the 3rd day, I was feeling so good I thought I’d just ride until I got tired. I made 600 miles by the time I arrived to Deming, New Mexico but I kept rolling along. By the time I stopped at my friend Dave’s place in Escondido, I’d ridden 1,240 miles. And I felt great. #IronButt

I was able to relax and hang out with some very cool friends and family for a few days. Doug and Daisy put me up for a few days and I met fellow riders almost every day. I was able to see my mom and little brother but missed seeing my dad by only an hour. On Sunday the 17th, a friend and I rode down to Ensenada for fish tacos. We entered Mexico at Tijuana and exited at Tecate. A quick, easy and fun half-day ride.

On the 22nd, I hopped on the I-8 east and rode 400 miles out to Mesa, Arizona to see my friend, Steve. The next day, he rode up to Prescott with me, stopping to see the Granite Mountain Hotshot memorial and the Kirkland Restaurant and Bar on the way. I then rode the rest of the way to my friend Jon’s house in Paulden. The following day I got on I-40 east and rode out to see my brother and his wife near Albuquerque.

I left the following day with no plan as to where I’d end up. I passed through Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas before stopping for the night in the Ozarks. That was a 750-mile day with some nice scenery. The next day I intended to ride 1,100 miles home, but a flat tire in Montgomery, Alabama kept my riding to 600 miles for the day. I’d passed through Mississippi and Tennessee without even seeing the border signs.

I was up early on the 27th, my final day of riding, with just 500 miles to go. I headed south on Highway 231, a connector to I-40 and I-10. The skies threatened rain but I didn’t get any until I was close to Tampa.

When I rolled into my yard at 2pm, I’d done over 5,300 miles in 15 days. The bike performed well and the weather cooperated for the most part. It was exactly the kind of ride I needed.

Now...I suppose it’s time to get back to work.

 

[Prestaged]

Welcome home! Sorry about the "back to work" thing, but glad you made it safely and that you had a good time.

 

[TURBO200R4]

sounds like a great trip.

 

[dandiego]

Some photos of the ride...