Key West or Bust

[jthornton]

We are finally taking a vacation, I mean a real vacation that will last 8 days. We have not been on a vacation in a long time, always busy with work or taking care of family for the last 10 years.

We are riding to Key West with two couples that we ride with regularly. We're taking the GL1800 and the RT622 on this trip. Don and Pearl will be on their GL1500 and Richard and Bobbie will be on their HD TriGlide. The first day will be a push to get to Mobile Al.

It's been raining all week here in Poplar Bluff but should stop today.

Day -1

Wash and prep the bike and the trailer.
Pack the trailer.
Figure out how to transfer photos from the android phone to the tablet.
Check the jumper battery charge level.
Check my tools.
Make sure covers and frog toggs are in the trailer.
Take Cocoa and Nieve to the nice kennel lady.

Scratching head to think of what I forgot.

JT

[mastertek2000]

enjoy and be safe keep us posted

[cuznjohn]

enjoy and ride safe

[SNOOPY]

Great time of year to go if you can miss the rain.

Hope you have a great time, we love the keys.

Remember to ask the locals for places to eat, they always know the best food.

[sddinnh]

Above all, have fun. Remember you have 10 years to make up for

[MouthPiece]

If you are leaving today, Friday, then you couldn't have picked a better time. The temperature should drop down into the low to mid 80's here in Central, Flarda. It had been in the low 90's. The skies are "chamber of commerce" blue.

I'm not sure if you're in a hurry to get to the keys. If not, take the roads that are on the west side of Flarda. You will see parts that will reflect on what this state used to look like 50 years ago.

Chris

[Purple Guy]

Have a great & safe trip JT!
While your transferring your pics to your tablet how about sharing a few with us!

[RBS66]

Have a safe trip and enjoy the keys

[Bob Denman]

Don't forget to post some pics of the bikes in Key West!
Safe a safe and memorable journey!

[jthornton]

If you are leaving today, Friday, then you couldn't have picked a better time. The temperature should drop down into the low to mid 80's here in Central, Flarda. It had been in the low 90's. The skies are "chamber of commerce" blue.

I'm not sure if you're in a hurry to get to the keys. If not, take the roads that are on the west side of Flarda. You will see parts that will reflect on what this state used to look like 50 years ago.

Chris

Our plan is to take the West coast on the way down and the East coast on the way back.

If you have any cool places to stop and visit or eat at I'm all ears.

Our route will be
Poplar Bluff, MO
Mobile, AL
Gainsville, FL
Miami, FL
Key West, FL
St. Augustine, FL Anastasia Island
Montgomery, AL
Lynchburg, TN
Poplar Bluff, MO

Thanks
JT

[Jim&Teresa]

Going to Key West is on my "bucket list" -- wish we could join you! Enjoy your trip and be safe! Have fun!

[jthornton]

Have a great & safe trip JT!
While your transferring your pics to your tablet how about sharing a few with us!

That was my plan to be able to share some photos with all the fine folks here. Gotta test it out here first but I think AirDroid is my key.

It's kinda neat how this trip got started... me and the missus were sitting on the couch watching Andrew Zimmerman down in Miami at a Cuban hog farm that also makes and sells whole hog cookers (she bought one) that the Chinese used in Cuba in the 40's and 50's and the guys dad used to tell him about them but that's another story. My wife is Puerto Rican and went to grade school in Miami and she said something about going to Miami one day and my response was "I've never been to Key West". She said do you want to go and I said yea. Within 30 minutes she had been on the phone to Bobbie and Pearl and the next thing I knew we were all going to Key West.

JT

[jthornton]

Going to Key West is on my "bucket list" -- wish we could join you! Enjoy your trip and be safe! Have fun!

I don't have a bucket list... can't find my bucket. I just want to be like Karyl when I grow up! After meeting her in Springfield I was blown away by her attitude for sure. What a super lady.

JT

[spyderfever]

Sounds like a blast John. I love being spontaneous & this trip sounds terrific. Happy Trails & keep the posts & pictures coming. It was great seeing you & the missus at Spyderfest. Hope you enjoy your long deserved vacation.

[bigsmoke]

Been there done that this last January on my 2009 GS, Keywest is fun and biker freindly,
check out the end or beginning of Rt 1, take pics.
Make sure you stop at Alabama Jacks on your way down.

[jthornton]

Sounds like a blast John. I love being spontaneous & this trip sounds terrific. Happy Trails & keep the posts & pictures coming. It was great seeing you & the missus at Spyderfest. Hope you enjoy your long deserved vacation.

It was great seeing you and I'm just so ready to hit the road.

JT

[jthornton]

Been there done that this last January on my 2009 GS, Keywest is fun and biker freindly,
check out the end or beginning of Rt 1, take pics.
Make sure you stop at Alabama Jacks on your way down.

Thanks for the tip on Alabama Jacks, I found it and we never would have seen it without your tip.

JT

[Chupaca]

have a great trip be careful be safe...there is too much to see to list just stop along the way and enjoy it. Loved Key West...

[bruiser]

Have a great trip JT. I haven't seen Capt' Finn on here in awhile. He lives in Key West.

[MouthPiece]

Our plan is to take the West coast on the way down and the East coast on the way back.

If you have any cool places to stop and visit or eat at I'm all ears.

Our route will be
Poplar Bluff, MO
Mobile, AL
Gainsville, FL
Miami, FL
Key West, FL
St. Augustine, FL Anastasia Island
Montgomery, AL
Lynchburg, TN
Poplar Bluff, MO

Thanks
JT

If you're going through Mobile, there's a couple of good seafood places where the U.S. ships are docked. I can't remember the name.

If you are headed to G'ville from Mobile and then to Miama, it looks like you'll be way east of the west coast to stop by a restaurant called the Riverside Cafe in St. Marks, Flarda, (great food, but service is a bit slow) OR a nice seafood restaurant (the name escapes me right now) in downtown Steinhatchee, Flarda.

It appears as though you'll be taking I-75 south from G'ville. I'm not sure where your stops will be from there. I will say that there is a great little place in Williston, Flarda, (a bit southwest of G'ville) that has great home cookin.

Bottom line is if you're trying to make time, then ignore everything I've said.

​Chris

[jthornton]

If you're going through Mobile, there's a couple of good seafood places where the U.S. ships are docked. I can't remember the name.

If you are headed to G'ville from Mobile and then to Miama, it looks like you'll be way east of the west coast to stop by a restaurant called the Riverside Cafe in St. Marks, Flarda, (great food, but service is a bit slow) OR a nice seafood restaurant (the name escapes me right now) in downtown Steinhatchee, Flarda.

It appears as though you'll be taking I-75 south from G'ville. I'm not sure where your stops will be from there. I will say that there is a great little place in Williston, Flarda, (a bit southwest of G'ville) that has great home cookin.

Bottom line is if you're trying to make time, then ignore everything I've said.

​Chris

In Mobile we are staying on the North East side of town near the airport and eating at Red Lobster. I used to live in Pascagoula MS so I know Mobile and the gulf coast well. It will be a long day for sure... by changing our first day from Gulfport MS to Mobile AL we knocked 97 miles off the second day so it is only 389 miles now. I added your info to my trip things to do/see. Only 2 days are a "drive like you stole it" day so the rest should be pretty relaxing.

We are all packed and ready to go...

Thanks
JT

[Jeriatric]

Have a great trip.

[johnnyg]

My wife and I are headed down to the Keys next Friday the 23rd. What day are you pulling out of Poplar Bluff? You can give me a call at 352-303-6198 for places to see on your way to the Keys in Florida. I will be taking the TPK going down. Coming back up SR 997 to U.S. 27 N to Ocala. we have a 3 day weekend is way were using the turnpike going down.We plain on pulling out as soon as I get Friday hopefully by noon spending two nights in Florida City.

[MouthPiece]

My wife and I are headed down to the Keys next Friday the 23rd. What day are you pulling out of Poplar Bluff? You can give me a call at 352-303-6198 for places to see on your way to the Keys in Florida. I will be taking the TPK going down. Coming back up SR 997 to U.S. 27 N to Ocala. we have a 3 day weekend is way were using the turnpike going down.We plain on pulling out as soon as I get Friday hopefully by noon spending two nights in Florida City.

JT, you won't find a better and more knowledgeable person(s), John and Carol to ride with. John knows every road in the state of Flarda. He can put you on some really great sites.

​Chris

[PrairieSpyder]

Have a safe trip and post pics, pls.

. . . . I just want to be like Karyl when I grow up! After meeting her in Springfield I was blown away by her attitude for sure. What a super lady.

JT

Me, too!