Day 19 - Dundee, FL to Key West (Finally)!!!!

We started off at 06:00 as planned. Stopped for gas after 100 miles. It was hot, but I kept a long sleeve shirt on.

Wish I had a lightwight mesh jacket. You can only pack so much on a bike for a 4-5 week trip.

Stopped after another 100 miles for gas and lunch. We ate at a subway!! Yeah, No McDonalds.

I bought some swim trunks at the shop next to the subway.

The ride into the Keys was long because of some construction. It was an overcast day but hot and muggy. We finally arrived in Key West at 4:30PM.

We tried to get photos at the buoy, but it was crowded and tour busses were dropping off people. We took some, but not good ones.

We then headed to the Post Office to fill out our paperwork for the final of the four corners and mail them off.

We finally made it. I figure about 8, 300 miles total and we still have at least 3,500 back. Probably more as I am going to stop in Alabama and Missouri to see relatives.

I bought a cell phone yesterdayy to replace the one I lost on Day 3. It isn't working very good, so I'll probably send it back or buy a new one.

By the way, the flag we are showing at each of the four corners is the Divine Services flag. It is the only flag authorized to be flown nhigher than the American Flag on a Naval vessel.

Russ

Day 18 - Down day in Winter Haven (Dundee, FL)

We slept in this morning. Dana left about 7:15 to get his oil changed.
Mike and Shawn left at about 10:30 to pick up their wives at the airport.

I stayed at he motel and relaxed. Later that evening, we went to Barb's mother's house for dinner. It was a great home cooked meal that we had not had for a long time.

We will leave for Key West in the morning.

Day 17 Tuesday Savannah, GA to Winter haven, FL

Short day today - The rain was gone and the weather good. I decided to not wear my riding jacket and opted for a short sleeve shirt. The worked well until we hit Florida. After about 90 miles of hot sun, I pulled over to the side and had to put on a longsleeve shirt. My arms were red!

We don't get this kind of heat in Western Washington.

We stopped neer Datona at the Harley shop. Dana wanted to get his oil change. Tey wern't impressed and said they couldn't get him in today. We saw J&P cycles just behing the Zharley shop. We stopped there for almost an hour. It was a really cool place. Dana and I got an Air Hawg cushion. Our gel pad cushions were not helping much. I sure hope these work better.

We finally got to Winter Haven and stopped at Shawn's mother in law's house. shawn stayed there and we all went to the Quality Inn to get rooms.

Barb and Kathy should be flying in on a redeye flight tonight. We will meet them in Orlando tomorrow, so tomorrow is another Down day. We will then head out for Key West and the final corner Thursday morning.

Day 16 - Monday - Roanoak, VA to Savannah, GA

It was raining when we left the motel in the morning. We put on all our rain gear and headed out. Was not too bad most of the morning. We managed to stay dry, but the layer's of clothing were making us hot and tired.

We pulled off to get gas, early afternoon and took off our rain gear. We made it about 30 miles and we had to stop to put it back on. This time, we had heavy rain, and it lasted all the way to Savannah.

Driving was hard and slow since at times we had to slow to 40 because you couldn't see the road. The cars and trucks were speeding past on the left. We had our flashers on. Mike almost got clipped by a semi, that pulled over to the shoulder to keep from hitting him.

We also had to sit in traffic as there were 3 cars involved in accidents.

We made it safely into Savannah, but were pretty wet.

It is morning now and the weather looks pretty good outside.

We are going to Winterhaven, FL (Just outside of Orlando) where Barb's mother lives.

Day 15 Drums, PA to Roanoak, VA

Left the motel early and headed towards Maryland and Delaware. Skirted Baltimore.

We then got on I-81 south and went thru West Virginia and then down into Virginia.
The drive thru Virginia an I-81 was beautiful. Also, the nicest roads we have been on so far. We really enjoyed b eing off busy I-95.

Were going to stay the night at a state park, but heard severe weather was approaching, so stopped at a motel in Roanoak, VA.

States traveled - PA, Deleware, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia.

Total miles today 485 - No problems on the road. Good roads thru West VA, and VA.

Day 14 Littleton, Mass to Drums, PA

Left the minuteman Campground in Littleton, Mass at 6:00. I froze during the night. Woke up at 1:30 and put on sweatshirt and jeans. I was still too cold to sleep. We headed North to get the state of Vermont. We are ahead of schedule, so we are trying to ride thru as many states as we can on our way to Key West. Stopped about 15 miles before Vermont and ate breakfast at a Friedley's restaurant. We asked the waitress if she wanted to join us for prayer and she did. So when bike blessing's get scarce, we improvise. It was a good start to the day. We got to Vermont, then turned around at the first exit. We rode thhru Rhode Island, around Providence and into Connecticut. We headed West and South to Pennsylvania and stopped for the night at an America's Best Inn.

We stopped earlier and got a bolt at honda for my Gas tank. The upper bolt holding the tank on must have vibrated loose. They didn't have the part so we got a bolt and waqsher and made it work.

Bike is running good. Just wish I could keep all the parts on.

It warmed up thruout the day and we were all pretty hot and tired and were in the mountains of PA, so we just got a motel. We need to plan our campgrounds better as this is getting expensive and we have only camped 3 days so far. A lot of camp gear to carry around for such little use.

Day 13 Madawaska, Maine to Littleton, Mass

Left Madawaska at 6:00. We were warned about all the moose, so were being very careful, at least I was. Lots of warning signs on the roads too, but we didn't see any.

The 2 lane road out of Madawaska was slow and lasted about 100 miles before we got to the interstate. Finally got to 95S and made good time. We had lots of turnpike stops in Maine and New Hampshire.

Had lots of traffic outside Boston area, even though we were about 60 miles outwside Boston. We stopped for the night at a campground in Littletown, Mass. Nice campground and they had a laundry so we got some clothes washed.