There is something to be said for riding solo. Though I begin with a destination in mind (today's for instance, was Colt Creek Florida State Park) getting there is a matter of what catches my eye along the way! I miss the mountain roads of home ... the steeper, more twisty, route less traveled ... the better! Spotting a road called "Happy Hill" not too far from today's objective ... How could I resist? It was just the beginning! St. Joe Road had real hills and curves Riding with a group rarely allows for such meanderings. It is cumbersome for several riders to make a u-turn because a road "looked interesting". Aside from that, there are varying degrees of skill, other people's time frames, attitudes, and general courtesy to be taken into consideration. Speaking of roads less travelled ... the route I followed over to Rich Loam Sink was what one friend of mine refers to as a "horse trail". I love my Sportster! She does need heavier fork oil though, or maybe Ricor discs. We managed to bottom her forks out (and bend her new fender) on a couple holes that I didn't see until it was too late to maneuver her around them. My daughter is about the only one who enjoys the challenge of such roads as much as I do, given we are riding cruisers and not dirt bikes! The old Dunlawton Plantation, just south of Daytona, has gone through several incarnations. It is now the realm of the Magnolia Garden Club. There are features such as the "Human Sundial" donated by a group of realtors. Another area was constructed by a Girl Scout Troop. There are archaeological features and the remnants of "BongoLand" ... a prehistoric theme park built before such things were popular! Though I had left Daytona with plenty of time to spare before dark, it was well after 10 pm by time I reached home, over 170 miles later. By my standards, 100 miles is a normal ride; 200 miles is a relaxed day. Many think I'm just nuts!
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I've been riding now for over 40 years, beginning in the dirt on a Honda SL-70 when I was 12. I always leaned more toward trials riding than racing, but also loved riding the tracks (flat track and motocross) with the guys I came up with when they'd practice (on a Honda Elsinore 125). Our motto then was "If you don't go down you're not riding hard enough!" ... not finding your limits. Archives
February 2018
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