Run to the Keys

[Rocket Scientist]

Car and trailer for me (again). Worked out pretty good this time though. The wife could drive while I was slowly dying

 

[vanguard138]

1738 miles for me. But when I lived in FL I made the trip back and forth feom West Palm to Beulah, MI a whole buch of times. Although it would be far more fun on the Rocket.

 

[R3 Guy]

A few of us have been kicking around a run to the Florida Keys. It wouldn't necessarily be a lot of exciting riding, more of a cruise down, hang out with friends, fish a little bit, drink some kind of ride. No firm plans yet but some time this winter. January maybe? Anybody interested?

I'd be interested but in March-tie the trip in with Bike Week in Daytona....

 

[vanguard138]

March for us northern guys means having to trailer down. Then find a place to leave the trailer. For me trailering makes a trip much less enjoyable. But that's me.

 

[R3Tex]

March might be doable but that means my impatient a$$ has to find another mid-winter ride. Another thing to keep in mind is that there are two other rides kicking around right now...RAA Colorado in June or so and a Northeast Launch in Maine for April / May. My impatience is almost tempered by my greed...I want to ride them all!! For the Northern guys...surely we can find a mid way spot at an obliging Captain's place to leave trailers. And wouldn't it be cool to leave the great white north for a ride in sunny Florida? A visit to God's waiting room in the middle of winter might be just the ticket to cure that nasty cabin fever

 

[Franks Rocket III]

I'm in Cape Coral, FL. I'll join you guys!

 

[Marky Mark]

Since I"m trying to buy a Rocket right now, I just might get in on this! As a 12yr Fl resident, I'd like to offer a few points for out-of-staters:

• On the way down, there are some great additional stops - particularly Siesta Key near Sarasota..the best beach in Florida, and an awesome MC-friendly downtown with bars, restaurants, etc. At sundown, take a beer and cigar to the talcum-powder beach to see the sunset.
• The Salvador Dali Museum in Tampa is amazing if you're an art buff, and still really cool even if you're not.
• If you come down the east coast the Space Coast (Melbourne/Cape Canaveral) is very motorcycle friendly, Lou's Blues is a fun biker/surfer hangout with great food and live music on weekends.
• Going south thru Palm Beach, Broward and Miaim-Dade County, I'd consider the Turnpike in lieu of I-95. It's a mess of crazy drivers, and not even slightly scenic. You can generally run 75-80 on the Turnpike, I-95 can get gridlocked at certain times.
• Despite its image as "God's Waiting Room", Delray Beach has a great downtown/beach entertainment area.
• Southbeach, particularly Lincoln Road (looong outdoor mall) is the best people watching anywhere, just be prepared for $8 beers, etc.
• Great hand-rolled cigars at very reasonable prices, sometimes they'll also load you up with Cuban coffee (careful!) http://havanaclassic.com/ . It's family run, they're just great people.
• Driving a motorcycle in, or thru Miami is the closest you'll come to a "Mad Max" scenario, and if a car hits you, odds are 50-50, they'll drive off and leave you lying there.

 

[vanguard138]

yeah, I used to ride from Singer Island ro Miami on I-95. It really started to suck in the 90's.

 

[ksquared]

Since I"m trying to buy a Rocket right now, I just might get in on this! As a 12yr Fl resident, I'd like to offer a few points for out-of-staters:

• On the way down, there are some great additional stops - particularly Siesta Key near Sarasota..the best beach in Florida, and an awesome MC-friendly downtown with bars, restaurants, etc. At sundown, take a beer and cigar to the talcum-powder beach to see the sunset.
• The Salvador Dali Museum in Tampa is amazing if you're an art buff, and still really cool even if you're not.
• If you come down the east coast the Space Coast (Melbourne/Cape Canaveral) is very motorcycle friendly, Lou's Blues is a fun biker/surfer hangout with great food and live music on weekends.
• Going south thru Palm Beach, Broward and Miaim-Dade County, I'd consider the Turnpike in lieu of I-95. It's a mess of crazy drivers, and not even slightly scenic. You can generally run 75-80 on the Turnpike, I-95 can get gridlocked at certain times.
• Despite its image as "God's Waiting Room", Delray Beach has a great downtown/beach entertainment area.
• Southbeach, particularly Lincoln Road (looong outdoor mall) is the best people watching anywhere, just be prepared for $8 beers, etc.
• Great hand-rolled cigars at very reasonable prices, sometimes they'll also load you up with Cuban coffee (careful!) http://havanaclassic.com/ . It's family run, they're just great people.
• Driving a motorcycle in, or thru Miami is the closest you'll come to a "Mad Max" scenario, and if a car hits you, odds are 50-50, they'll drive off and leave you lying there.

I'm from NW Broward (Just south of Boca) and I'll vouch for everything Marky said - especially about the Turnpike - it's a pretty motorcycle friendly road and is patrolled in a mostly reasonable way by the FHP. If you're not cutting in and out of traffic and generally making a nuisance of yourself, 75-80 is not (usually) frowned upon. Jimmy Johnson's Big Chill in Key Largo (the first of the Keys) is a great place to stop and eat/refresh.

Oh yeah - stay off I-95 through South Florida at ALL COSTS. If you're going to come down the West Coast of Florida (I-75 South) take Tamiami Trail (US 41) through the Everglades to go across the state from west to east. More picturesque than Alligator Alley and there are several places to stop and have a look around - including seeing PLENTY of (real) alligators. Clyde Butcher's studio is a great place to stop and learn something about the beauty of the Everglades.

In any event - I'll try to meet up with you if you pass through South Florida on a Saturday or Sunday. The rest of the week I'm working.

 

[magnmm]

I'm from NW Broward (Just south of Boca) and I'll vouch for everything Marky said - especially about the Turnpike - it's a pretty motorcycle friendly road and is patrolled in a mostly reasonable way by the FHP. If you're not cutting in and out of traffic and generally making a nuisance of yourself, 75-80 is not (usually) frowned upon. Jimmy Johnson's Big Chill in Key Largo (the first of the Keys) is a great place to stop and eat/refresh.

Oh yeah - stay off I-95 through South Florida at ALL COSTS. If you're going to come down the West Coast of Florida (I-75 South) take Tamiami Trail (US 41) through the Everglades to go across the state frow west to east. More picturesque than Alligator Alley and there are several places to stop and have a look around - including seeing PLENTY of (real) alligators. Clyde Butcher's studio is a great place to stop and learn something about the beauty of the Everglades.

In any event - I'll try to meet up with you if you pass through South Florida on a Saturday or Sunday. The rest of the week I'm working.

I concur.