Tag Archives: biking

Scarlett Homecoming – Fly In, Ride Home Trip

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Fly In & RIde Mototcycle Trip to Bring Scarlett Home

As announced in an earlier posting, on April 28th, 2026, I purchased a new to me 2006 Honda VTX 1300S that has been named Scarlett. On the early evening of May 8th 2026, I will be flying out of Atlanta, Georgia to Orlando Florida, and then taking an Uber to my hotel in Deland, Florida. The following morning, I will pickup Scarlett from RC Hill Honda in Deland and ride Scarlett home to Douglasville, Georga.

As also stated in my Scarlett Introduction Post, Scarlett is now my thrid Honda VTX 1300, When I started riding for realish in 2015, I had a 2007 Honda VTX 1300C which I sold in October 2015 as I scuffed it up in a low side. At the time, it was easier for me to replace the bike than to repair it. In February 2016, I purchaed a 2004 Honda VTX 1300C that was named Jolene. I brought Jolene with me to my move to California from Minnesota in January 2017. Sadly, in August 2017, I had a high side crash with Jolene and she was totaled. In November 2017 I doubled down on my interest in long distance touring and purchased a 2005 Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic named Dexter which was traded in for Bruce, a 2025 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special in October 2025 that is now my primary touring bike.

With all these bikes 2 up ridiing is possible but frankly sucks with the Pan America, Scarlett will be the primary for adult 2up riding and local cruising. Bruce, the Pan America, is primary for touring but will still see action locally as well.

Scarlett’s Homecoming Route Overview

With the exception of the portion from Deland Florida to Daytona Beach, Ironiclly, 99% of the route I just rode with Bruce, my 2025 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special, during my Florida Loop 2026 Motorcyle Tour that I completed on April 11th, 2026 this route will be nearly identical. During that tour, I rolled through Daytona Beach and the Ormond Loop (fantastic short route) during Day 7, April 10th, 2026. I had no idea at the time I would be back so soon, let alone on another motorcycle. 🙂

From Daytona Beach, Florida to Douglaville, Georgia the route is the exact same is my route during Florida Loop 2026.

Route Parts One and Two will both occur on the same day, May 9th, 2026. The route is brown down in two parts only due to the fact I used Google Maps to plot the route.

Total Planned Miles = 488 Miles Should be very doable but Scarlett does have that crappy stock seat, I have already ordered the Ultimate Seats Big Boy Ulitmate X seats and plan to install them in June.

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Florida Loop 2026 Day 5 Part 1

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CLICK ON PHOTO ABOVE FOR FLORIDA LOOP 2026 DAY 5 PART 1 VIDEO

April 8th, 2026

On Florida Loop 2026 Day 5, I rode 221 miles from Everglades City, Florida to Key West, Florida. This video for Day 5 Part 1 covers some of the 84 mile ride from Everglades City to Homestead.

Route to Homestead

I rolled out of Everglades City on Calier Avenue / Florida Highway 29 to US Highway 41 and rolled east (US Highway 41 South) through some of the Everglades and turned south on Florida Highway 997 to Homestead, Florida. In Day 5 Part 2 I continued south and turned onto US Highway 1 / Overseas Highway to Key West.

Sketchy Rest Stop

Shortly after turning onto Florida Highway 997, I found myself needing to take a break and stretch my legs. At the junction of US Highway 41 and Florida Highway 887 there was a gas station / convenience store but I it was on the other side of the highway and decided to keep rolling to find a gas station easier to get in and out of (yeah, I do that lol). 9 miles down the road and all I encouted was produce stands and farm fields.

I was in desperate need of break to stretch my legs, cool off and hydrate so I pulled off at one of the produce stand on what looked to be a paved street. This was a “street” in a rural, agriculture area and as I turned in, the street itself looked like it was bombed and not in use. I actually almost dropped the bike in what was left of the pavement before the “bombed” out section. I was at a full stop and was preparing to back up the bike a little to turn around to face the highway and park. I looked and did not see the loose pea size gravel on the deteriorated asphalt, it blended right in and I could not see it. When I transferred weight to my root foot, it was like I was standing on marbles and my foot began to slide to the right as the weight of the bike started tipping to the right. A nice panic shot of adrelene and I was able to quickly shift my weight to the left and centered the bike. Then it was baby steps to turn around Bruce on the mess they called a street.

Crazier yet, people were driving through the bombed out area to I am guessing a residential area beyond. Even a Tesla 3 series came driving through. What really ground my gears though, was about 4 miles or so down the road there are about 6 gas stations with nice flat paved lots LOL. SIGH.

Day 5 Part 1 Summary

This part of the ride was uneventful and fairly chill. Rolling through the Cypress trees again was enjoyable. Once I reached the sawgrass area of the Everglades, it was like riding in the plains states, complete with a pretty roubust crosswinds as well.

Florida Loop 2026 Day 1 – April 4th, 2026

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CLICK ON PHOTO ABOVE FOR VIDEO OF DAY 1

Florida Loop 2026 – Day 1

Florida Loop 2026 is the not so clever name for my motorcycle touring trip, riding a loop of the state of Florida…. hence the name of the trip

Florida Loop 2026 Total Miles = 2,261

Day 1 miles totaled 331 miles riding from Douglasville, Georgia through Montgomery, Alabama and ending the day in Pensacola, Florida camping in Big Lagoon State Park.

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USA Midwest 2020 Day 3

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Click on Photo Above for Video

Today I rolled from Quincy, Illinois to Galesburg, Illinois to visit the Galesburg Railroad Museum.  In addition to motorcycling, I have a strong interest in model railroading and railroads more broadly.   Model railroading is my main hobby, though it sometimes gets less attention than motorcycles and other aspects of life.   The limiting factor, as with most of us, is limited resources in time and money 😊 

After visiting the Galesburg Railroad Museum I rolled west on US Highway 34 across the Mississippi River into Iowa skirting south of Des Moines then angled northwest on numerous back roads (a couple of which were loose gravel unpaved roads) to Onawa, Iowa where I stopped for the day, arriving well after sunset.

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Time To Stop Procrastinating

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I think it has been about two years since I have updated anything on this blog or my YouTube channel. Quick update: I did complete my USA Midwest 2023 trip successfully and it was fantastic. Then I began working two jobs again and did so all the way to June 2025. That is my excuse for neglecting this site and riding only about 200 miles since my 2023 Midwest trip to June 2025.

Tail of the Dragon

The weekend of 9/12/2025 – 9/14/2025 I did ride a fantastic weekend trip up in the North Carolina / Tennessee mountains and rode the Tail of the Dragon (and many other roads I think are more fun) with Dexter. A bit sketchy and rusty in the mountains as this was my first real riding of any kind in two years! I did put in about 600 miles on that Saturday alone though and the mojo was returning strong 🙂

Drop on Bell Mountain …Oooops lol

On the way back home in Georgia (I live a bit west of Atlanta) I went up to Bell Mountain and ended up dropping dexter on a stupid steep incline while conducting numerous dumb rider mistakes. It was not very dramatic as I was going slow, too slow and almost stalled on the very very steep climb up the mountain. The bike stopped and there I was perched on the steepest road I have ever been on (to include all of the mountains I been through out west and Colorado). With my rear brake engaged I attempted to throttle up and get moving but, the bike started rolling backward and I basically just bailed (fall over to the right.) Sounds and looked more dramatic than it actually was. I still ended up with a 130 mile tow back home as the drop snapped off my brake lever and there was no way I was going to be able to ride Dexter (just under 1000 pounds) down that ridiculous mountain road. I ordered a new lever and installed it less than a week afterward and have done some light local riding since.

Riding with DeAndra and a slow goodbye to Dexter

Today, 10/10/2025 DeAndra (my wife) and I did a short ride down to Newnan, GA for some lunch at Culvers. This has been the first time we have been able to 2-up ride since we moved from California in 2020. Today will also probably be the last time we can do so on Dexter. On 10/04/2025, I put a deposit down for a 2025 Harley Davidson Pan America and will be trading in Dexter as part of the deal. I am waiting for the motorcycle to be delivered to Atlanta Harley Davidson. If the deal works out as prescribed on 10/04/2025, I should be riding home on the ’25 Pan America (have to wait for DeAndra to name this bike lol) by Saturday 10/18/2025.

There will a be 2.5 year additional pause of any significant motorcycle trips other than to the Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee mountains and some riding local and into eastern Alabama (semi-local). First, I have to learn how to ride the new bike and get comfortable with it. Second, I need to configure, outfit and test the planned add-ons and upgrades. Three, I will be practicing off-pavement riding (nothing crazy, not looking at off road, just off pavement Think gravel roads, forest roads, etc and just being comfortable off road with an adventure bike.

And then……currently planned……Alaska 2028 Motorcycle Trip. OOOOH AAAAAH

Alaska 2028 Motorcycle Trip

As currently planned, would be starting the trip from Georgia on June 23, 2028 and wrap up back in Georgia on August 01, 2028. Will be riding with some camping and some hoteling, to Fairbanks, then Deadhorse via the Dalton Highway, then to Anchorage. My wife and son will be flying up to Anchorage from Atlanta for a week family vacation, then, I resume my motorcycle trip to include a tentative mini sidetrack to Telegraph Creek, BC (weather permitting) and then back to Georgia.

Total planned miles for Alaska 2028 Motorcycle Trip = 11,304

In the Meantime….

I believe I still have a few videos to upload from some of my riding in 2018, All days for the USA Midwest 2023 trip and the more recently the Tail of the Dragon trip. I plan to start posting again soon and once I get rolling again doing that, I will start posting videos. Of course, there will be some goodbye to Dexter and Hello to the yet to be named bike too. And of course, I actually need to start riding some more again lol…

Be back on here soonish……..Peace!!