This year our January and February here in South Dakota have enabled me to get in some rides but not enough to prevent early onset PMS.
Mssr "Pants and I have made the run to the FWG in the past and he was up for a return adventure.
After clearing Medical at my annual physical on February 23rd I loaded up the Grey Ghost II and headed South East in the comfort of my Ridgeline. I set the GPS on "Avoid Highways", my first stop - Omaha NE. Night two was with ZZipp in Palmyra MO, and the third night was at Brinkley AR. I arrived at 'Pants in Lafayette LA on Monday, Feb 26th.
"Pants, his good friend Mike, and I rode into Mississippi to camp for the evening.
Mike
Somewhere in Louisiana
Crossing the "Big Muddy"
Lunch "Under the Bluff" at Natchez
Rode a bit of the Natchez Trace
Stopped briefly
Checked out an old plantation site before camping at a site in MS (pictures didn't come out).
Stopped for Ice Cream - but had to settle for Pop
The next day we rode a circuitous route to a friend of mine's place at Perdido Key, FL (just East of Gulf Shores AL).
We happened across this great little place at a fork in the road for lunch.
We rode the ferry across Mobile Bay
Captain Joey and Mike
My old friend and Shipmate Pete was away but his wife Sandy both fed and entertained us and invited us back on our return trip.
you SkooterG!
Day 1 & 2
Thursday we made the long slog to Dan's FWG5 arriving just in time to get our tents set up before dark.
Friday was a good day for local riding and we all rode together for a while before splitting up and going our own ways.
Looking for Manatees
I rode to a BBQ joint I'd read about somewhere for lunch.
FWG Nightly Hijinks.........
Many of you received a call.....
Loose?
First World Issues were addressed if not solved......
On Sunday morning, after a nice Thunderstorm that cleared the air "Pants, Mike and I set out for Sanibel Island and another friend's beach shack.
An old hunting buddy and his wife retired from Wisconsin to Sanibel right before the last hurricane.
Joey injured his back upon arrival and both Sig and his wife flipped into support mode inviting us to stay another day to get Joey sorted out.
We took Sig and Claudia to dinner the second night to the Mucky Duck on Captiva Island.
Tuesday morning Mike and I headed for Key West while Joey took a flight back to Lafayette to heal up.
We stopped for a good Mexican lunch somewhere before we got onto the causeway to Key West
Key West was full of "Spring Breakers"
And as Wheaton has pointed out "this is a family site", so, some of what we saw in Key West will remain forever hidden from view here.
I left Key West early on Wednesday morning -
It was a long slog to Jacksonville FL where I wanted to test ride a Sargent Seat on Thursday morning.
A night at NAS Jacksonville in their old BOQ, a quick stop at Sargent on Thursday, just long enough to test the seat and hand over my CC.
I then jumped on I-10 and headed for Perdido Key and a rendezvous with Mike
I stopped for breakfast at an old favorite.
I passed through this neat village on my way to see an old Captains brother.
Almost made it to Perdido Key before dark.
Spent a quiet night with Pete and Sandy, toured the area with Pete the next day while waiting for Mike to arrive.
Once Mike arrived we sampled some Tequila before Sandy fed us royally!
Pete doing what he is told
you SkooterG
SkooterG
SkooterG!Sandy can cook!
Saturday morning Mike and I headed for Lafayette
We lunched at "Dans Po Boys" in Diamondhead MS - if you are in the area don't miss it! Outstanding Shrimp Po Boy - Mike is Louisiana Born and Bred and he said it was his "Best Ever"!
We arrived back in Lafayette thus ending the first leg of my winter adventure.
Texas Hill Country next.
