This video contains the start of Day 7 departing Dupuis Campground – Canal Point, Florida and my ride east to the coast on Florida Highway A1A in Stuart, Florida. This morning’s ride starts rural, transitions to suburban metropolitan and then into coastal areas.
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This video is part 2 of Florida Loop 2026 Day 6 covering some of US Highway 27 south of South Bay, Florida and the ride from South Bay to Dupuis Campground near Canal Point, Florida.
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This is video is part 1 of Florida Loop 2026 Day 6 covering some of my departure from Key West, Florida up to the Seven Mile Bridge on US Highway 1 – Overseas Highway.
On Day 6 I rode from Key West, Florida to near Indiantown, Florida where I camped for the night at the fantastic Dupuis Campground. Another day with more rain and at times quite heavy. But the real weather pain in the butt today was the wind. I am not sure of the speed that the wind was blowing but some of the wind gusts (all day) were intensely producing some white cap waves on the ocean and giving me quite the workout keeping Bruce aimed correctly in the lane.
The ride over the ocean in the Florida Keys was as epic today as it was yesterday on Day 5.
Total Miles for Day 6 = 250 Miles.
Day 6 Part 2 video will cover some of the ride on US Highway 27 to South Bay, Florida and the ride to Dupuis Campground.
For Florida Loop 2026 Day 5 Part Two I continue to roll south to Key West, Florida via US Highway 1 – Overseas Highway. The riding through the keys in many areas was spectacular, despite some heavy traffic in some of the town areas (with Key West having very heavy traffic).
Day 5 Total Miles (Part 1 & 2) = 221 Miles
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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.
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.
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.
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.
After a fantastic ride of the Loop Road Scenic Drive and seeing the famous American Alligators (some of those things were huge!), I rode to the Miccosukee General Store for a lunch break.
After lunch I rode back to Everglades City, checked in at the Everglades City Motel, dropped off some gear and rode off to get my staged gear at the Parkway Motel & Marina in Chokoloskee Island.
I was going to stay another night at the Parkway Motel & Marina as the room was fantastic. However, they did not have any availability for the night of April 7th. They were, however, very gracious in allowing me to stage some of my gear in their office while I went for a ride today (The Loop Road Scenic Drive).
After picking up my gear, I had a fantastic meal of Mahi-Mahi Cuban fish dinner with a very flavorful and spicy in-house sauce (most certainly had Habanero peppers (one of my favorites) in it.
After dinner, I rode through Everglades City for a brief tour and looked around.
Day 4 was very welcomed and needed relaxed day. I still managed to ride 109 miles today, but it was very chill pace all day.
This video is the long video of my 23.6 ride of Loop Road Scenic Drive in the Big Cypress National Preserve just off US Highway 41 with the eastern part of the road roughly 43 miles west of Miami, Florida.
For more details on Loop Road Scenic Drive, Take a look at my post “Florida Loop 2026 – Loop Road Scenic Drive (Short Version)“.
This video is the short video of my 23.6 ride of Loop Road Scenic Drive in the Big Cypress National Preserve just off US Highway 41 with the eastern part of the road roughly 43 miles west of Miami, Florida.
The Loop Road Scenic Drive offers a raw, unfiltered journey into the heart of the Big Cypress National Preserve, stretching across a 24-mile transition from rugged gravel to paved road.
As you navigate this detour off the Tamiami Trail, the landscape transforms into a prehistoric corridor of towering bald cypress trees draped in ghostly Spanish moss and vibrant air plants. The slow pace is mandatory, not just for the sake of your vehicle, but to spot the abundant wildlife that claims the roadside; it is common to see American Alligators basking on the banks, wood storks wading through the dark “blackwater” strands, and even the occasional elusive otter.
It is an immersive experience where the silence of the swamp is broken only by the chorus of cicadas and the splash of a rising gar, providing a stark, beautiful contrast to the manicured environments of nearby South Florida.
This road, scenery and observing the alligators was the highlight of this trip for me personally.
This is part 2 of 2 of my Florida Loop 2026 Motorcycle Tour. Today is April 6th, 2026 and I am continuing my day 3 trip from Perry, Florida to Chokoloskee Island, Florida. In this video, I roll south from Bradley Junction, Florida on Old Highway 37 to Ona, Florida. Then I ride towards Punta Gorda, Florida on US Highway 17, and take a much need break and a fabulous, Gourmet, gas station meal in Cape Coral, Florida from US Highway 41. This video ends with a brief ride (in the rain again) on Interstate 75 and back onto US Highway 41 on my way to Everglades City, Florida and ultimately onto Chokoloskee Island, Florida
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 3 Part 2 miles traveled = 229 Miles Riding south mostly on Old Highway 37, US Highway 17, and US Highway 41.
Total miles for Day 3 (Part 1 & 2) = 386 Miles. Not too bad with rain, and the numerous breaks taken today. Had I started at a more decent time (I overslept and woke up in a panic about 20 minutes before checkout at 11am LOL) I would have most likely arrived in daylight instead of rolling the last bit in the dark. I very much prefer riding during the daytime, more to see and safer.
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This is part 1 of 2 of my Florida Loop 2026 Motorcycle Tour. Today is April 6th 2026 and I am departing Perry, Florida and rolling south on US Highway 98. The original route plan was to roll south to Pinellas Park, Florida and cross the Old Tampa Bay on US Highway 92 into downtown Tampa. However, with all the fun I was having riding in congested traffic, I decided instead to avoid metropolitan areas the best I could and ride in the countryside, which is my preference anyways.
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 3 Part 1 miles traveled = 157 Miles Riding south on US Highway 98 from Perry, Florida to Trilby, Florida.
Wanderlust Lyfe 