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The Adventures of Goldwing Bravo
Life is a drink. Slurp it up or die thirsty.
~GWB~
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All you have to do is decide...
In his book, "Walden" [1], Henry David Thoreau wrote, "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." I've been there... Haven't you? I mean, how much of our lives do we spend wasting time on trivial, meaningless things? I s'pose in the big picture we could argue that it's all meaningless, but that doesn't mean it has to be boring and trite.
This is the quintessential reason I ride... I just didn't want my life to pass sitting on the couch watching TV.
Live a life worth remembering, my friends. Smile. Eat the cake. Ride the rollercoaster. Live. Laugh. Love.
[1] Thoreau, H. D. (1854). Walden; or, Life in the Woods. Boston, MA: Ticknor and Fields.
MiniArt by Kathie
On a recent ride back to my old stomping grounds in Lakeland, I stumbled across the First Saturday on the Square Street Fair, held downtown on—you guessed it—the first Saturday of every month. As I wandered through the vendors, one booth caught my attention: MiniArt by Kathie.
She had the coolest animal drawings and custom pet portraits, and they are absolutely fantastic. I was hooked. Five "mini-pictures" later, I was loading my treasures onto the Wing and wondering where I was going to put these things when I got home.
The truth is, one of the best things about motorcycle travel is discovering places, people, and little surprises you'd never find blasting down the interstate. Sometimes it's a historic landmark. Sometimes it's a hole-in-the-wall diner. And sometimes it's a talented artist selling pet portraits at a street fair.
No regrets. I'd buy all five again.
Angel's Diner, Established 1932
I love Americana. I'm not really sure why it's such "a thing" with me, but hey... it just is, and I like it that way. So, when I came across Florida's Oldest Diner -- Angels Dining Car, est. 1932 -- in Palatka, I had to stop!
Good burger. Fast, friendly service. Worth the two bits. Check it out.
Sunshine on the Water
If there's a reason they call it the "Sunshine Skyway" bridge, it would have to be because of the breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. I love riding over this bridge and was determined to catch the sunrise Saturday morning.
I couldn't have timed it more perfectly if I had used a slide rule, a sextant, and a calculator. The whole ball popped up over the horizon just as I crested the apex of the bridge. Perfect!
Getting Nowhere Slow in Sarasota
I found Carnival World by virtue of a travel book, Florida Curiosities, where I read about "Freaktown", aka Gibsonton, FL, that was and still is home to many circus show performers. Doing a bit of research in the area, and this place popped up, so I thought I'd pop in on my way to Sarasota.
I'm glad I did!
Carnival World Museum is located at 6938 Riverview Road, in Riverview, just off Hwy 41 (the Tamiami Trail). Yes, the same road that takes you through the Everglades to the country's smallest Post Office! But I digress. This place is chock full of carnival and circus history from all over the world -- a "must stop" if ever you're traveling through Riverview with no particular place to go! Tell Lee that Goldwing Bravo sent you ;o)
Getting Nowhere Slow in Sarasota
I've been through Sarasota many times. It's a beautiful place. Had to stop for selfies in front of the Sailor Kissing the Nurse statue on the waterfront.
Visiting the Smallest US Post Office, Ochopee, FL
I knew this thing was in Florida, but didn't know exactly where until I accidentally found it buzzing by at 55 mph!
Chilidogs at Tony's Chicago Beef, Venice, FL
If you are ever on the hunt for a great chilidog in Venice, FL, look no further than Tony's Chicago Beef on the Tamiami Trail.
Sunrise Over the A1A
This was recorded on the last day of my Key West Odyssey. I found the perfect spot to view the sunrise as I rode north to the National Navy UDT/SEALs Museum in Ft Pierce. It was a beautiful ride! Stay tuned... more spectacular views and vids to follow!
Airplane Mode - Activated!
Almost all bikers know about "Airplane Mode"...
Avenue of the Oaks, Floral City, FL
I've driven through this place a few times in a car. This is my first time doing it on my bike. One reason I ride is to discover beautiful scenic roads and historic spots like Floral City, FL. If you're a motorcyclist with a sense of adventure and an appreciation for the simpler things, you should definitely add this to your bucket list.
Another Practice Day (yes, again) -- Perfecting the 24' U-turn in a box
I've had several motorcycles over the years, but the Goldwing is my first "big" bike, so I'm still learning the ropes, especially on slow-speed maneuvers. I recently took the "Ride like a Pro" class, and I felt like a total failure on this and other obstacles, so I've been practicing.
On this practice session, I finally figured out the secret sauce for my 2025 Anniversary Ed. Goldwing DCT. The DCT doesn't have the "friction zone" of a clutch handle, so I have to compensate for that with rear-braking... more than you'd expect. Other than that, I just had to get comfortable riding in ever-smaller circles. After failing more than 20 times in the box, I decided to leave it alone for a few minutes and just ride in circles until I "felt the groove."
Finally, after about a jillion circles, I felt comfortable trying the box again, and boo-yah! Nailed it! Over and over again.
Now for that Iron Cross. Next time... Stay tuned!
Photographs & Memories
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