After Christmas Ride / Special Thanks

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

My friend Rodney and I left The Great State Of Tennessee on the 26th heading for Prattville , Alabama for the first night and hook up with Allan ( Punisher ) . Janice ( Sweet Cheeks ) had us a room ready and a cold one waiting along with cooking us supper that's my first special thanks. Next morning we rolled out for Florida and hooked up with Rick ( Flask ) in Perry , Florida. First stop seafood for lunch. Rick and his wife Kristie put on the southern hospitality letting us stay at their place for three days. That's my second special thanks.





We took a ride on Saturday to Cedar Keys and checked out The Gulf Of Mexico.





Saturday night Rick grilled us a awesome t-bone steak supper. On Sunday we loaded up on his houseboat for Homosassa River and the clear spring water looking for manatee's . We didn't see any but did check out Monkey Island.
What is now a much-loved attraction called Monkey Island was once a little more like a monkey detention center. The island itself wasn’t always an island. It started out as an easily-missed rock outcropping that took out the bottom of boats on a fairly regular basis. A developer named G.A. “Furgy” Furgason finally decided to take action, and instructed crew members busy at a nearby location to “throw some dirt” on the rock pile to keep boaters from bottoming out. The crew were a little over-enthusiastic, and when Furgason returned from a business trip in Africa, where a small, hardly noticeable outcropping used to be there was now what could only be described as a small island. Always the optimist, the developer threw a lighthouse and a few trees onto the new island and went back to more pressing business, primarily the new wildlife attraction (now Homosassa Wildlife State Park) he was building a little way up the stream. The attraction was to include all sorts of exotic plants and wild animals, including a small group of monkeys brought into the country by polio researcher Dr. John Hamlet. Their use as research animals exhausted, they were to retire to the wildlife park as attractions.It’s fairly common knowledge that monkeys and their hijinks can be amusing, but they are clearly also a giant pain in the ass—and these particular monkeys were exceptional escape artists and a special sort of obnoxious. After several run-ins with tourists that included swiping candy from children, breaking into cars, and taking bites out of trusting, food offering hands, Furgy was up to his ears in monkey business and repeatedly stated he wished he could send the little hooligans to Alcatraz. Then, it dawned on him. He had a monkey-sized Alcatraz right there in his grasp-the tiny island with the wee little lighthouse, the perfect getaway for the monkeys to live in peace, observed by visitors who could enjoy them without becoming victims of their mischief. The three spider monkeys and two squirrel monkeys were shipped off to their new monkey jail, which of course then earned a name and became an official plot of land—Monkey Island.








Punisher and I rolled out Monday morning for Destin , Florida. Found a cool motel on Destin Habor with a outstaning seafood restaurant next door. I left out Monday morning for a 500 plus mile ride home. Got home around 6:00 yesterday my final special thanks is to the Lord for keeping me safe and trouble free along with letting me get home before the drunks hit the road last night. Outstanding trip and much needed.

[TJ]

   

[Bighead]

 
Joe that looks like the Inn at Destin Harbour’s docks.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Joe that looks like the Inn at Destin Harbour’s docks.

Yes that's it.

[msb]

Nice report....sounds like a great time Monkey Island....I remember seeing that...the  restaurant there was one of the stops we made on the day I joined some of the Florida members for a day ride while I was in Florida for work a  few years ago.

[..]

 

[The emperor has no clothes]

Sounds like an excellent time 

[Farside]

  Nice ride down and back for you and your friend Joe. Great to have the friends like you do to make those trips memoriible. You weren't too far from my door here in the pan-handle. One of these days we'll get in one of your rides. Happy New Year! 

[Black Pearl's Captain]

It looks like you visited the Margarita Grill in Homosasa. I try to eat there whenever I'm in the area. Their Grouper dinner is my usual choice (excellent always) and the place is top notch.

[NewValker]

Thanks for taking the time to post this Joe, can’t ride up here but can read about you riding! 
Craig

[hubcapsc]

I ran a tank of gas through the red bike today. I wish I could have
eaten good seafood for lunch.

-Mike "instead of bojangles..."

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

I ran a tank of gas through the red bike today. I wish I could have
eaten good seafood for lunch.

-Mike "instead of bojangles..."

We had several seafood meals on this ride. You should have join us.

[Sweet Cheeks]

Enjoyed seeing you all.  Wish I could have joined in on the rest of the trip, but duty called.
Anyway, glad you enjoyed yourself and are home safe. Till next time, my friend ...

Janice

[Bighead]

Joe that looks like the Inn at Destin Harbour’s docks.

Yes that's it.

Stayed there several times while on a Deep sea fishing trip. I guess you ate at AJ’s. We had them cook out catch last time down

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Enjoyed seeing you all.  Wish I could have joined in on the rest of the trip, but duty called.
Anyway, glad you enjoyed yourself and are home safe. Till next time, my friend ...

Janice

I fixed the spelling of your name above . Hell I know your name that auto BS types faster than I do on everything and " most " of the time I go with it if it looks close. Thanks again Janice that was very cool of you doing that for us. My # will be in the PM you sent.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Joe that looks like the Inn at Destin Harbour’s docks.

Yes that's it.

Stayed there several times while on a Deep sea fishing trip. I guess you ate at AJ’s. We had them cook out catch last time down

Boshamps Seafood and Oyster House place was packed outstanding service and food. Order this for a appetizer wish we had just got double order. Best oysters I've ever had. OYSTERS BOSHAMP
baked with caramelized Vidalia onion, Alabama feta, house-made bacon marmalade.

[Bigwolf]

Great write up Joe!   

Thanks for taking the time to post it.

[3fan4life]

Sounds like a great trip!

I love Cedar Key.

I've rented a boat and went fishing in the Gulf many times from there.

[DDT (12)]

Joe,

Nice outing and report! I'd wanted to join y'all, but... I had other 'fish to fry'... Oh well, maybe another time.

DDT

[henry 008]

 

[Reb]

Nice read, I like the monkeys

Wish I coulda made it, looks like an awesome place to be in December!

[t-man403]

Nice write up on Monkey Island!
Thanks for taking the time to write about it.....I'd of never known otherwise.

[Wizzard]

Sounds like a great ride. Thanks for the report

[bassman]

Thanks for sharing.......nice write up and enjoyed it very much......did you happen to get some Tony's Chowder while in Cedar Key?

[..]

Did you lose Rodney along the way?   

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Did you lose Rodney along the way?  

Yes he has a home here in Clinton  Tennessee and one in Daytona Beach Florida he stayed in Florida to go watch the Vols play tonight... You can't hide money.

[..]

Did you lose Rodney along the way?  

Yes he has a home here in Clinton  Tennessee and one in Daytona Beach Florida he stayed in Florida to go watch the Vols play tonight... You can't hide money.

 

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

Nice stuff as always Joe. I ate there and watched the monkeys once on a ride. Glad you had a fun and safe trip 

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Joe,

Nice outing and report! I'd wanted to join y'all, but... I had other 'fish to fry'... Oh well, maybe another time.

DDT

Could have paid for the trip if I had a dollar everytime the name DDT was mentioned. The myth the man the legend.