So today finally arrived. It's the start of the Alaska 2009 trip. And that means an excuse to run over to Florida and finally see Key West. In the early stages of trip planning it seemed like a good idea to run over to Key West and then I'd be able to file the paperwork for the IBA Ultimate Coast to Coast.
I awoke at 5:15 so I decided to get out of bed and start getting ready. After checking email, playing Mafia Wars and actually getting dressed I was ready to go. Of course it was almost 7am by this point. Reagan and I headed over to Avalon diner for breakfast with the group. It was a larger than normal group this morning but the waiter managed to get out orders out.
Just before 8 o'clock I decided I should probably start moving toward the door and get the trip started. The rest of my group would be meeting me up in Canada so I was the only one departing today. I geared up and promptly forgot to kiss my wife. Doh! Well wishes were expressed and I took off just after 8am. The route wasn't exceptionally exciting, 59N to I-10E, go south on I-75 when I get into Florida. The route was going to be a little over 1000 miles and I wasn't completely sure that I would reach St. Petersburg before getting tired from the heat. Luckily for me, when I got into Florida people were practically running me over while I was doing just 7 miles over. So I had a plethora of 'rabbits' to follow and follow I did. In the end I covered 1019 miles in just 14 hours and 6 minutes. I should have gotten my start receipt and a witness form and that would have made a nice SS1000 ride. For the mathematically challenged, my moving average was 75mph and my overall average was 71 point something. The key to the fast time was the 45 minutes of stop time, so for 13 hours and 21 minutes the motorcycle was in motion.
I snapped photos of each state's welcome sign but I have to sort out the Internet situation before I start trying to upload them. Luckily ScribeFire lets me author the blog without being on line. Obviously by the time you read this I will have figured out the Internet situation.
I've discovered the first item I left at home. My Sprint Wireless modem. Oops! I moved it to another case last week and yesterday when I was trying to quickly pack my computer I tossed out the modem by mistake. Hopefully my Verizon phone's Internet Sharing will work in a pinch.
Something interesting happened to me this evening while traveling along on I-75 toward Tampa and I'm trying to figure out what compells people to do this. While riding along looking intently in front of me to avoid hitting any 'gators' from the large trucks, a small SUV pulls along side me and I see a young lady jumping around in the passenger and then she shows me her breast. I gave her a thumbs up which seemed to make her happy and the SUV sped away. I'm not complaining about the show, but I am curious what on earth compells someone to do this. And where were these girls when I was in college??? It must be the Hi-Viz Green jacket that just drives them crazy.
UPDATE: Internet isn't a problem in the motel. It just didn't work across the street at the Waffle House. I found the Ice Machine, so I'm having a drink while I finish this post up. I also found my Sprint modem in one of the pockets of the laptop case.
Photos will be posted at http://brian.lonestarsupport.com/gallery/v/bikes/ak09/
I awoke at 5:15 so I decided to get out of bed and start getting ready. After checking email, playing Mafia Wars and actually getting dressed I was ready to go. Of course it was almost 7am by this point. Reagan and I headed over to Avalon diner for breakfast with the group. It was a larger than normal group this morning but the waiter managed to get out orders out.
Just before 8 o'clock I decided I should probably start moving toward the door and get the trip started. The rest of my group would be meeting me up in Canada so I was the only one departing today. I geared up and promptly forgot to kiss my wife. Doh! Well wishes were expressed and I took off just after 8am. The route wasn't exceptionally exciting, 59N to I-10E, go south on I-75 when I get into Florida. The route was going to be a little over 1000 miles and I wasn't completely sure that I would reach St. Petersburg before getting tired from the heat. Luckily for me, when I got into Florida people were practically running me over while I was doing just 7 miles over. So I had a plethora of 'rabbits' to follow and follow I did. In the end I covered 1019 miles in just 14 hours and 6 minutes. I should have gotten my start receipt and a witness form and that would have made a nice SS1000 ride. For the mathematically challenged, my moving average was 75mph and my overall average was 71 point something. The key to the fast time was the 45 minutes of stop time, so for 13 hours and 21 minutes the motorcycle was in motion.
I snapped photos of each state's welcome sign but I have to sort out the Internet situation before I start trying to upload them. Luckily ScribeFire lets me author the blog without being on line. Obviously by the time you read this I will have figured out the Internet situation.
I've discovered the first item I left at home. My Sprint Wireless modem. Oops! I moved it to another case last week and yesterday when I was trying to quickly pack my computer I tossed out the modem by mistake. Hopefully my Verizon phone's Internet Sharing will work in a pinch.
Something interesting happened to me this evening while traveling along on I-75 toward Tampa and I'm trying to figure out what compells people to do this. While riding along looking intently in front of me to avoid hitting any 'gators' from the large trucks, a small SUV pulls along side me and I see a young lady jumping around in the passenger and then she shows me her breast. I gave her a thumbs up which seemed to make her happy and the SUV sped away. I'm not complaining about the show, but I am curious what on earth compells someone to do this. And where were these girls when I was in college??? It must be the Hi-Viz Green jacket that just drives them crazy.
UPDATE: Internet isn't a problem in the motel. It just didn't work across the street at the Waffle House. I found the Ice Machine, so I'm having a drink while I finish this post up. I also found my Sprint modem in one of the pockets of the laptop case.
Photos will be posted at http://brian.lonestarsupport.com/gallery/v/bikes/ak09/
No comments:
Post a Comment