Key West Rally Feb 2015

[JeffH]

A few more Key West pics:

Its raining tonight in ATL so I thought I'd post a few more pictures from our Key West Ride.
What did Ray Charles call it? oh yeah, "A Rainy Night in Georgia".

A Rib Basket that Brent actually couldn't finish. Check out the size of those sides
From the backwoods bbq joint Ted scoped out south of Interlachen @ FL315 & FL310

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A Psychological Evaluation for XSives. what do you see?? eh
Burning the sugar cane fields US27 between South Bay and Andytown


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I always wondered why this was always so shiny clean. Got up a daybreak and walked over

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Spanish Gardens, only a block from the Atlantic Ocean,
but only across the street to Anna's for delicious Cuban coffee and Cuban sandwiches

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A few AM sprinkles but Gary enjoying the ride anyways

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Watch out for those biker dudes loitering outside A&B Lobster House
Did A&B once. Its pricey. Now we have dinner downstairs at Alonzo's, just as yummy.

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Now for the embarrassing stuff

Phil to the rescue (thanks Phil) XS11 airing up flat tire on Goldwing

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The XSive repair crew replacing the starter gear
- 1 Parts fetcher, 1 left side man, 1 right side man, 1 parts sequencer


Twas a fun ride. (if you've never ridden a bike to Key West this is FUN. You should do it some year if you can.
Jeff

[GaryC]

Thanks Brent I'm sure we'll meet soon. & thanks EarlG ditto. Pretty girl did she know your name? Good pic of Phil, who hasn't aged one bit ever. GaryC

[MaximPhil]

Bike day w Phil 002 by jetmechmarty, on Flickr

You had to have seen them on this ride, even if you didn't recognize them. This is the Flint River near Gay, Georgia.

Hi Marty,
You should have pointed them out
I do recall a lot of turtles basking on the rocks in the Flint river. Another good day of riding with you.
Phil

[JeffH]

You had to have seen them on this ride, even if you didn't recognize them. This is the Flint River near Gay, Georgia.

No, Phil's right.
The caption on the photo should say: "Well, I don't see any Peach Trees here".

In reality we all know that Georgia with so many millions of pines should be the Pine State but that's not too glamorous.
So much easier to find a pine (since they are most everywhere) than a peach. btw: that 2002 flood sure made a mess of Albany GA

Jeff

[jetmechmarty]

Bike day w Phil 002 by jetmechmarty, on Flickr

You had to have seen them on this ride, even if you didn't recognize them. This is the Flint River near Gay, Georgia.

[hamjam]

tonight with the wind chill factor we are looking at -40 and that is the same in C and F degrees brrrrrrrr

[MaximPhil]

Hi Jeff,
Thanks. Nice pictures. The pecan trees remind me of a lovely drive I did a few years ago across Georgia to Jacksonville FL. I had all day so no hurry.
My first experience of Pecan trees which are bigger than i expected.
I have yet to see and recognise a Peach tree in Georgia the Peach state
Phil

[JeffH]

Anymore pictures ?

Just arrived home back in Atlanta

Fantastic ride today north up through Lilly Georgia, Byromville Georgia. On Coney Road.
Zig-Zag around of course to get the best roads.
Rode the 4 P's Highway(s). (I made that up) Peach, Pine, Pecan, Peanuts with lots of Cotton fields too. Very pretty scenery.
4 P's and cotton is about all you see except for Turkey Vultures everywhere.
Some peach trees already in bloom. Along with daffodil's and magnolia trees.
Sunny all day and temps made 62 degrees. Got home and it was 61 degrees.
With a few more 75 degree days everything from Macon south will be in bloom.
Stopped in Fort Valley for Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich made with chicken. So a Chicken Cheese sandwich
Would actually be a great place for a Rally. Except for the little towns I maybe saw 20 cars in 100 miles.

Getting across Atlanta to the north side was terrible. Drivers normally very aggressive but this afternoon they were insane. Diving across 6-7 lanes. Everybody 30 over the limit weaving then to dead stopped all lanes. Then race away. Must be the Roses & Chocolate. Normally its fairly safe on a bike, but today it was not.

Coming into Byromville GA on Hwy 90


Pecan orchards around Montezuma


Phil, i'll sort out & post a few more pics from the Keys & South FLA

Jeff

[MaximPhil]

Good to hear of all the fun being had in Florida.
I dream of rain as that means it is above freezing and the precipitation will find it's own way to the drain without having to be shoveled \
Anymore pictures ?
The furnace just came on so nice and warm here
Phil

[Brent]

...

Hi everyone, friends weather food, wow & yippee describe this years key west rally. Thanks Jeff, Ted & Heather, Phil, Jonathan & Don for a great time. GaryC. (Yes I posted this by my self!!)

Hi Gary,
Good to read your post. Sorry that I missed seeing you this year. Talked to Don this am. (he still is not posting). Home OK, He seemed grateful to Ted for retrieving needed parts, and to Biker Phil for mechanical assistance. Great time riding with old friends...

Winter in GA - I predict: Sunday 2-15 freezing till noon. Monday - wintery mix. freezing rain, icy streets, sleet, and snow. Tuesday cool rain - all ice melts. Wednesday, maybe spring.

Maybe 2 days, then mostly just north of ATL. In years past Macon, 100 miles to the south got more snow.

Any tourists in FL, homesick for the Great White North, unable to adjust the AC temp low enough, wanting a taste of winter storm Neptune...Ride up to GA. But, if you are not here on Monday, you may miss winter here.

Hi Jeff, Abundant sunshine high of 54 today. Good day to travel if arriving home today. If you still have your summer gloves, you could ride back to FL, & come home in the spring.

Great ride. Thanks for pics,
Ride when you can

[GaryC]

Hi everyone, friends weather food, wow & yippee describe this years key west rally. Thanks Jeff, Ted & Heather, Phil, Jonathan & Don for a great time. GaryC. (Yes I posted this by my self!!)

[JeffH]

ALMOST HOME

In Moultrie GA last night. 830 miles from Key West with 220 miles left back to Atlanta. 2,200 mile trip & Rally.
Not bad taking a 2,200 mile ten day bike trip in February. But, time to get back to Atlanta before it rains.

I had a great time at the Rally, it was fun to see everybody. Good rides, good eats & good discussions.
Last year on the XS1100 is was just gas & ride with 3/4 quart of oil. This year gas-ride-H7 bulb & valve stem.

What a perfect day to ride- no severe blizzard here like y'all are having up north



Jeff

[JeffH]

A few more Key West Rally Pics

Old US1 - very narrow two lane through the Keys. Quite a dangerous highway
with windy crosswinds




Waiting for somebody to make a mistake in the Everglades



Hey Earl, here is your Colada. I had to drink it all.



Everglade City lunch & gas



Jeff

[thumperjsa]

It certainly was a great ride. Good seeing Gary C after all these years. Riding up 29 together it was sad to split directions once we got to 75. But we all had fun including learning how a Honda can ride with 10 PSI and a Harley can puke out a starter.

Looking forward to the next ride together. Hopefully that will be later this year at XS SE.

[JeffH]

2015 Key West Rally Bike Ratings


Japanese Category Bikes
> XS1100 - 100% reliable, no issues
> GL1800 Wing - one front tire valve stem needed


Non-Japanese Category Bikes


Harley starter gear puked its parts. New All Balls gear did the fix.
A parking lot fix. Always great to be able to do a parking lot fix.


the Key West XSive riders