Sitting home relaxing after a week on the road. This years trip, Gulf Shores, Pensecola beach. Started out on Wedensday last week. My son and I, he on a HD 1200 Sporter and I on a Valkyrie Interstate. Our plan was to ride to Knoxville, TN spend a night then on to Fairhope, AL where he would spend a day and return home using the same route back and I would meet up with a friend coming from Warner Robins GA for our annual ride. As the day progressed it was realized that stopping every 100 miles for gas for the HD was going to make for a long day and put us into the heat My son realizing that by going to AL would make for two long days going down and two going back with only a days rest in between he decided to turn around at Knoxville. The next day saw us heading in different directions. I have to tell for the first few hours I missed the kid. There is something about all those years of pain and pride, then to be able to share the same passion I have since I was eighteen well it's hard to explain I just hope next year he can get more time and spent the whole week together. Off course my bar tab will be 3 times higher but I have been paying for 30 years why stop now.
I make the turn south through TN and down into Al as miles click off towards my final stop the temperature seems to raise 10 degrees every hour. While the bank signs say 100 or 101 as I past through small towns my mind says its warmer then that sitting atop that 6 cyl motor. Finally reach the hotel, massive disappointment ( usied the internet) I rolled the dice and it was snake eyes. I immediately called my buddy and said find us a hotel as he was riding in the next day. After securing everything I ask where the nearest resturant was and the reply is Pizza Hut, oh well, off I went thinking that a cold draft beer would be nice and knowing that pizza hut isn't going to have one I asked the friendly (not) waitress where I could get one. She said a small bar next to the hotel was it. As I walked in I knew that the I was going to get the party started, why cause I was the party. As I sat down the barmaid asked not what did I want but could I sing. It was karaoke night and so far she was the only one signed up. I did get a chance to chat it up with her heck see had to talk to me to keep from falling asleep. Finally after two beers and hearing her sing, she is quite good I left for the hotel. Checked the cell and there was a text telling me we have a cottage on a golf course I went and looked at the bike, everybody accuses me of carrying everything but a kitchen sink, no golf clubs oh well see what the morrow brings.
Up bright and early was surprised as I thought I would hear knocking on my door in the early am, you know girls asking for a "date", given the location but no knock. My luck I would have said the magic word which was more than likely to have been hello and the next thing a cameo appearance on cops. so no knock was good.
I loaded up and did a preflight, I had bought an electronic air pressure checking system, if you have saddle bags and no center stand checking the rear tire is a real pain especially if your by yourself. I ran the check and it showed low rear tire pressure. Not flat but low, given that since I had bought this over a year ago the pressure never varied more then a couple pounds. Oh great just what I need 2 days into the trip and a slow leaking rear tire. After some internal debate off I go, finding a gas station I gas up and slide over to the air pump. Get out the tool kit and no manual tire pressure gauge. Walk over to the mini mart plunk down 2 bucks and seeing I was low figured need air. Look at the air pump, first thing I read this machine only takes quarters, 4 to be exact, whatever happened to free air. Finally after rolling the bike around for what seems like 100 yards in 90 degree heat I get to the valve stem, it reads on the manual gauge 1 pound low not 8. Oh well add the pound and check the cell, text says can't check in until 3 and its 10 am so off I go down through Gulf Shores and out towards Pensacola. Great ride, sea on my left and inlet on the right. By now I wondering what's up with the tire pressure and what to do until three. Whoa, almost ran a light, day daydreaming look to my left, a waffle house what the heck early lunch. Now one of my objectives on this ride was to visit the Flor-Bama Bar. As I go to sit down to eat, lo and behold there it was, I was looking left at the waffle house and it was to my right I said to myself this has to be a sign. Sat down asked the waitress what time do they open and she said they are open now. Oh Boy, finished lunch and as I walked out both the front and rear valve stems were visible. Hey maybe I ought to swap transmitters and see what happens, You guessed it, I left the bad one on the front as that would be the easier to check relocated the bike and wandered into the bar, I don't drink and drive well just don't but because I don't I figured out long ago that you can have fun and not have to puke on your boots to prove it. Off course the liquid courage is gone but that's a work around. Anyways I get in there and begin to do a low recon. As this was a beach bar (look it up on the internet) casual is the word of the day. Being the talker that I am and seeing BP is the magic word I ended talking to some locals who were setting up for a weekend long blues festival. I thought blues music I have died and gone to heaven. After killing the right amount of time I ask where is this golf course is and they tell me it's 8 miles further down the road on the left can't miss it. They were right 8 miles and a big old sign, I am thinking 8 miles I don't care what my buddy says 8 miles I am camping out the next 3 nights at flor-bama. I check in sure enough it's cottage next to the 8th hole she tells me, having never played golf I am not overly impressed but do like the laid back and secure area.
Finally my buddy shows up I call him Rain Man cause everytime he rides he hits rain, I run over 2,000 miles on this trip no rain and when I ride with him we are ducking and dodging rain showers. Needless to say after rolling in 2 hours behind schedule he says rain see that's why I called him Rain Man. He says what's the plan I said let's eat. I told him over dinner about the blues music and the bar and he said lead the way. 8 miles later I park the bike at a location the bar tells me is secure and lighted and Rain Man says OK, pay a five dollar cover and immediately hear 2 bands palying (big bar) and no sooner get in he gets asked if he is alone ( how come the tall guys get approached first). He says let me buy a beer and I will talk to later. Rain Man turns to me and says you done good and I say ok then your buying he says OK, so I must have done good because he is really cheap. I broke my vow and had a couple, cause after about an hour of listening to good music and him collecting numbers he says we are on vaction which means we are there until the lights come on or until the cats drags us out. After meeting and greeting and listening the lights come on it was decided that our plans were to meet them again same place. There is a calm running late at night or should I say early in the AM, it was cool out, the traffic was non existent and the stars were shinning now I was sorry it was only 8 miles back to the room. We heard that there was an Air Show with the Blue Angels to be held on Pensacola Beach the following day and we said why not. We were told to best leave early as the traffic would get so bad that by the time we got to the beach the Show would be over. Well early can be a relative term especially if you stay out late. We rode off to Pensacola Beach our route having to take us right through downtown Pensacola. The first couple of miles were great then we found out that our early wasn't early enough, bicycles that we easily passed miles ago rode right past us. With nothing to do but as I say walk the bikes we came around the corner to see the bridge leading to the beach stopped two lanes deep. I turned to Rain Man and said I surrender I'm pulling over he thinks I want to quit so he finds a place to park the bikes and after looking it over we decide a mile walk without a heat pad strapped to our but is better than a mile walk with it. When we reached the other side the growling in our stomachs led us to a place called the Surfburger. Settling down on a table out on the deck it was decided Air Show or not we have found the spot the food was good to. While we were eating we began to hear sounds that were music to our ears, both us being in Aviation, the Air Show had begun and for the next two hours were entertained with a great view and a great waiterss keeping our glasses full of ice tea and coke. The Blue Angels closed the show by rocking us out of our seats flying directly over our heads at less then 100 feet. We knew it was time to leave. Not so fast as the traffice coming on to the beach was now trying leave, you guessed it same long back up. So it was decided we would walk back to the bikes and finish what we started in the morning, ride to Pensacola Beach, Not so fast Batman or should I say Rain Man as we looked to the east the direction to which we were going to walk, we saw those dark clouds only Florida can make on a hot summers afternoon, using our aviation skills in determing, time, distance to walk and wind speed that about the time we reached the top of the bridge it would happen nowhere to run nowhere to hide, with the words it's vacation we went soghtseeing all the time keeping a known duck in location nearby. As it turned out a surf shop was the place not only were we dry but Rain Man could flirt with the sales girls. Before he could get the cell out to exchange numbers the rain stopped and as tonto said to the lone ranger "it's time to ride" I woud have said kemosabe but I don't know how to spell kemosabe. Off we went got the bikes and rode back to P Beach than on to Santa Rosa Island made a u turn and headed back to the room. I have to admit this part of the ride reminded of the Outerbanks another great place to visit. Hitting the room, quick shower and to a crab shack for dinner, seafood you say oil spill there is, well Rain Man wanted seafood I'm safe don't like seafood so found chicken on the menu. Figured I was pretty safe that's unless chickens took up swimming they should be pretty much oil free. Rain Man said your being too critical. I don't know but I would check Rain Man time to time to see if there was any discoloration. He survied so I would say eat the seafood if you go there. By stopping at the crab shack we were 5 miles from our favorite watering hole drove over paid our dues and settled in. Again great music and great people, Rain Man was hoping to renew acquiantances from the night before but no sweet home Alabama as those ladies were from AL not to worry it was Indiana night you guessed it. All night long we were being asked if we were going to the Buffet concert the next day, Sunday, no in fact we hadn't heard about it. My new found buddy Indy Jones least that's what I called her said that's why we're here. I said what did that cost you she said nothing as the tickets were free but non were available in fact we were given a raffle ticket at the bar for 2 tickets to be given away later. I said if we win we go Rain Man said right behind you. As the night progressed it went from your not going to score to yes you are going to score. That lasted until the third member of the her three member group began to suffer from alcohol abuse. You know spilling drinks all over the table and down the front of her shirt. when Indy said we got to go and take care of her friend we knew the score went to zero as me and Rain Man had the same thought nothing like selling buicks in the throne to be a mood killer. I think the saying was "Happy Trails to you until we meet again" besides the music was strong the night was early and we're on vacation. Again the lights went on and a great ride to the room though I must say I kinda wish I did score cause you can hear Rain Man snore a mile away.
Sunday no tickets to Buffet what shall we do that would take us out off the 100 degree heat, Hey there's an aviation museum 10 minutes away so what if it's Naval (me being retired Air Force and him in the GA Air Guard) besides my Dad was in naval aviation during WWII, involved in aviation before the war and retired civil service from the Navy working at an aviation overhaul facility, me, I had even seen some of the aircraft in the building on an active flight line. Must admit I enjoyed myself in fact stayed until closing. Went back to the golf course Rain Man found out it was surf and turf at the clubhouse, so off we went. Got some looks when we went onto the dinning room, somehow my Myrtle Beach Bike Week t-shirt and shorts didn't quite match well with the izod polo shirts and slacks crowd, the food was good. 8 miles later we paid our dues and as we were walking in we heard people talking about Buffet Rain man says I don't like Jimmy Buffet well get out the red flag and wave it at the bull. The next thing we hear is what do you mean as we turn around here is two ladies, two nice looking ladies and the conversation begins me saying I'm a fan of Buffet having first heard him play as the house band in the keys and later at Wolf trap but even if I wasn't I was right then nothing like a blonde with a cajun accent to roll up the throttle, anyways after pleading forgiveness for my buddies bad manners the talk quickly turned to if your not here for Buffet then why are you here. We talk about motorcyle rides, like the one we are on now. The question is have we ever been to Louisiana I said yes and they asked to the Big Easy I said no well you have got to come to the Big Easy, now I thinking tour guide, and Rain Man says who did you come here with and her buddy says a friend and the blondes husband, who is shooting pool. Instantly Rain Man says we have business to me, I'm thinking busness, my business is to make friends and that inculdes the husband, I'm still thinking tour guides. After we bid adieu I said Rain Man what the Hell and he says husband, I said so he said doesn't want to be shot at again. Being the ever good wingman I say holy shit Batman, once again good music this time it's an early go as Rain Man has to be at work on Tuesday.
Monday comes turn on the weather channel and say Oh No Rain moving from NW to SE I said to Rain Man your going to do me in he says you don't ride in the the rain and I said I do but I don't have to like it beside I don't have as much practice as you. Well to the club for breakfast it's there we get the dagger in the heart. We are taking about the Jimmy Buffet and the staff tells us they all went and besides they were letting people who showed up in for free. had we known a 15 mile ride and Buffet for free, alsa not to be. Back to the weather channel looking at it hard it was decided the if we go our orginal plan then we drive into rain but if we shot across on interstate 10 then turn north on the AL GA line we might get behind the front, that we did. I will tell you Ladies and Gentleman that we were minutes behind the front cause when we were riding through towns the pavement was still wet and the gutters still had running water in fact we had to stop twice so as not to drive into the weather.
We arrived with some rain drops on the windshield and worn out. A couple of days in Warner Robins to let the weather pass and recharge the batteries. Oh a side note I kept wondering why Rain Man won't pull the trigger this trip came to find out he had a steady girlfriend. I said what are you going to do with the numbers on your cell, watch and I did as he hit the delete button. I said when's the wedding.
The rest of the trip boring just pounding hot pavement all the way to the house.
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