Florida Ride...Alittle sunshine...Alot of southern hospitality

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

We rolled out wednesday in miserable conditions with high winds, cold temps and rain in Tennessee. Going south it only got worse with rain,sleet and snow through north Georgia. We made it south of Macon, Georgia and decided we should stop for the night the run through Atlanta was intense.Thursday was a very cold start but at least it was'nt wet. We hit the backroads right off the bat this day as we had all the super slab we wanted the day before. Warmed up nice as we got close to Florida and almost on cue I killed my first bug as we crossed the Florida stateline.





Rick ( Flask ) told us to call him when we hit Hwy.19 in Ga and he would leave out and hook up with us. First stop in Florida was " Way down upon the Swanee River " .








I love these huge Live Oaks with Spanish Moss that you see as you travel south.





Picture below is The Swanee River.



Rick took us on a nice ride friday down around Yankeetown and Crystal River we even did what I would call " Florida's Dragon " I can't remember the name of the road but Rick trashed his first Interstate out on this road a few years ago and some of the pieces and parts of that bike was still there .



Lots of folks out on the river checking out the Manatees .



I got this picture from the bridge of a mom and a small one. You can see where the mom has been hit by a boat . Rick said just about everyone you see will have a scar where a boat prop hit it.



Elvis was here.







Rick had a awesome fish fry on saturday with several Florida Valk riders attending.First pic is Gordon (Lucky 13 ) cookin' up some Wahoo everyone had all they wanted and even took some fish home.





The baby doll in these next pictures is Rick's grand-daughter Maddie. Here she is giving Gordon the thrill ride of his life through the yard.



This next picture is Paul ( Wimp ) going Ninja on little Maddie we had to stop her before she hurt him  




" The Money Shot " taken near The Follow That Dream Highway.....Special thanks to Rick and Kirstie for allowing us into their home and the awesome hospitality. Y'all are the best  

[Grumpy]

Glad I got to meet up with you and the wild bunch. And happy to see you made it home safe.
The road that Rick decided to go exploring in the woods with his Valk is the Ozello Trail, nice twisty road, has a good place to eat on the end of it.

[fon1961]

Joe,

Great report.  I'm glad you all made it down and back ok.   I'm sure Flask was a great host. 

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Glad I got to meet up with you and the wild bunch. And happy to see you made it home safe.
The road that Rick decided to go exploring in the woods with his Valk is the Ozello Trail, nice twisty road, has a good place to eat on the end of it.

Yes Sir that's it Ozello Trail it tighten me up a few times     Good seein' you again Bill and I'll say " Thank You " again for fixing my final drive....I still owe you lunch maybe InZane 2013 

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Joe,

Great report.  I'm glad you all made it down and back ok.   I'm sure Flask was a great host. 

It was cold coming home Gordon and Paul got a room in Georgia just as it was getting dark. I gassed on it and did the whole 600 miles to the house last night.You are correct Rick and Kirstie hooked us up with very nice accommodations for our stay in The Sunshine State.

[BF]

Some background on that Elvis movie that was made there. 

http://www.elvis.com.au/presley/inside_follow_that_dream.shtml

[hal47]

Good report Joe,glad you all had a good time,is that a gps on your tank?

[donaldcc]

  Thanks for the great pics and report! makes me homesick for florida.  will be there in a couple of months to visit family.  have been to many of those places.

[f6john]

    Good to see you had at least some t-shirt weather while you were there.

[Thunderbolt]

Good seeing y'all again.  Glad you had a good ride home.  Hope to see you sometime in 2013.

[robin]

Nice report Joe looks like ya'll had a good time,that Wahoo is real good had some when Judy and I were down visiting last time

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Good report Joe,glad you all had a good time,is that a gps on your tank?

Yes it worked great with no glare whatsoever and no problem with it coming off the entire 1350 miles of this trip.

[Crazyhorse]

Rick and Kirstie sure know how to make you feel at home . Looks like you guys had a great time. Thanks for the road report and Happy New Year .

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Rick and Kirstie sure know how to make you feel at home . Looks like you guys had a great time. Thanks for the road report and Happy New Year .

Same to you Mac    When you get with Rick for the parts you have there be sure to let him run his idea of a potential ride we could do for our annual Nov. Veterans Weekend Ride.

[Gary]

Great shots and write up Joe,    thanks for taking the time to post for those of us currently still sitting in a White Christmas setting. 

[eric in md]

im just so jealious of you guys i wanted to be there..  great report joe .. thanks

[Mr Whiskey]

im just so jealious of you guys i wanted to be there..  great report joe .. thanks

+1 
Peace, Whiskey.

[Highbinder]

GPS on a Smokin'joe bike !!!!  I never would have believed it.....how times change....good to hear you're back safe and sound....

[RTaz]

 

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

GPS on a Smokin'joe bike !!!!  I never would have believed it.....how times change....good to hear you're back safe and sound....

I still prefer a good ol' map but the GPS is handy when on a road trip for finding restaurants,lodging accommodations and gas. I had Paul ( Wimp ) with his tank bag map and me with the GPS we was hooked up 

[hubcapsc]

I called Wimp after y'alls first day of riding... he told me about the rain and snow and the
backups at Atlanta...

While y'all were backed up at Atlanta, I was on the way home from Rock Hill... around 4:30 or
so, I stopped to get gas. The wind was blowing, and it was 40 degrees... I could barely
stand to be outside the car long enough to fill it up...

-Mike

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

I called Wimp after y'alls first day of riding... he told me about the rain and snow and the
backups at Atlanta...

While y'all were backed up at Atlanta, I was on the way home from Rock Hill... around 4:30 or
so, I stopped to get gas. The wind was blowing, and it was 40 degrees... I could barely
stand to be outside the car long enough to fill it up...

-Mike

We had talked about just calling the whole ride off because of the nasty weather however we had been looking forward to going for so long we took a chance we would get a window of decent ridin' weather. Wednesday sucked as far as the weather it was wet and cold with high winds,sleet and snow. Thursday was much better but still very cold and got somewhat better as we rolled south. Friday was a beautiful day for the ride Rick took us on as was the later part of saturday for the fish fry.Sunday was cold all the way Gordon and Paul got a motel room in mid Georgia .I done had it in my head I was going to ride all the way back to Tennessee it got very cold screamin' up I-75 after dark I do know NOTHING passed me from Macon,Georgia to Knoxville,Tennessee cause I dropped the hammer and let the fat girl eat 

[ChromeDome]

Great Ride report. Glad to hear you everyone was safe and sound.

[Black Dog]

Great report and super Pic's as usual 

Gonna hafta live of of others ride reports, it's too white and cold in these parts 

Black Dog

[Oss]

Riding in the dark    

in the wind snow and sleet

dang man that is serious stuff

Glad y'all made it home ok

Got the ice off the driveway but its not safe here for riding yet, too much ice in the hills in these parts
and its pothole growing season, some doozies so far

Maybe get out next week a bit with Gman if I can convince him its really 70 degrees and not 25