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Florida Ride

R_W_B

Senior Member
Hey guys I would like to wake up this thread with this suggestion. I met a couple of friends this weekend up in Ocala. We met at Ocala Harley on 441 just north of Ocala (just off I-75). Lots of great new and used bikes to drool over there. Then we rode around the Ocala National forest for a good while before ending up for lunch at a neat little place called Gator Joes.

You need a compass or GPS though since it's easy to get turned around in the forest. Good pavement roads going everywhere. Passed some other bikers there also. And there were some other bikers at Gator Joe's when we got there. Gator Joe's is about 10 miles south of Ocala on the east side of Lake Weir.

You can sit out on the deck by the lake or inside. My wife can't take the heat so we would prolly be inside. But the whole place is really neat. Folks actually drive their boats up the beach head, park and come in to the resturant. The menu is fantastic with reasonable prices on the food, but the beer is high like every other resturant. It's good and cold though.

Anyhow Ocala is Centrally located between Central Florida and North Florida and makes for an easy 2 hr trip (or less) for most of us. Took me 2 hrs from Lakeland up thru the swamp to Sumterville and then I-75 the rest. It's 1-1/2 hrs from Lake City. (If there are any folks further down south we could have a another time and place down say like the Sebring Area ?)

But anyhow we could set a date that everyone can make. I know I have kin folks coming in a couple of months so I couldn't make it then. And also sometimes I will tear the bike apart for one reason or the other and have to order a part, so we need to set a date ahead of time that everyone agrees on. But it doesn't have to be right away either, I need to order a new rain jacket anyhow. Just whenvever EVERYONE that wants to, can be there.

If you guys want to wait until later on in the year when it isn't raining so much then that's cool since I did get soaked on the way back but with a top only rain jacket it's not too bad. Had to slow down to bout 40mph once when it was so heavy I couldn't see, so rain can be a factor.

ANYHOW.... what do you guys think about this? No rush just think it would be fun to set something up at some point in time. No big traffic jams etc just meet, ride and eat and then head back home. Of course there are motels in Silver Springs and Ocala if you care to spend some time there. It's times like this that make me long for a bagger with a tourpak. But my small bags do ok for a trip like this.

Here is the webpage to Gator Joes and under that is a map link. It's located on the east side of the lake. Let me know what you think.

Welcome to Gator Joe's Bar and Grill Gator Joe's Bar and Grill in Ocala, Florida


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There has been some talk of Florida members getting together for a ride and lunch. Anyone interested??
 
Steve that sounds like fun. Wish I could make some commitments, but things are on hold here.
Ken
 
We can still get together here and have some fun Ken.I heard that all of the full time Florida people were a bunch of stuffed shirts anyway,especially HDDon and Jack Klarich!!! :lolroling

I can see we will have to discuss this over adult beverages.
 
Well we can always ride back up to Ocala when Kemo does make it down. Just let me know a few weeks in advance so I don't have my bike all tore apart of have something else planned. Would love to see the shootout. I guess after enough food and beer I am a bit of a stuffed shirt.

But for those of you that can come on the Florida ride post up some dates that will work for you and we will work towards getting it going. I've already riden this area (as has Kemo and Don) so I know it will be fun. I don't know the area good enough to not get lost yet but with a compass (or someone who knows it better) we will have a great time and have some great food.

Stuff shirts, Rednecks, white collar, old, young, whatever post up some dates and lets get together for a good afternoon of socializun, riden and food. My wife and I will be headun home at least by 3 that afternoon since we have pets that require medication. But would love to do this with you all.

Don if you can there are a few interested posts still on the old Florida thread that would be better if they were moved to here with this group.
 
Well I just tried something totally crazy but it seems to have worked to get all those posts here.

Well I'm gonna just throw up anytime during August and see who can make that. Sept is out for us since we have too much going on that month. Again not setting anything in stone till everyone agrees that wants too come. But think it would be fun and wouldn't cost much. I would definitely have my little camera strapped on my belt since there is this one bridge up there that is so high and so steep it's a real gas riding over.

Once we get everyone to agree on a time window, then we can actually pick a date. During this rain season it would prolly be best to start early. Like leave around 8am and be in Ocala by 10am or so. Then when everybody has showed up we could ride a couple of hours and then head for lunch. Then later (if the weather holds up) we could all go visit those places Don is speaking about. I like to be dry at least for lunch. Wet going home isn't too bad. But I'm the type that MUST have a top rain jacket or I get too cold riding in the rain. Yea I'm growing old and becoming a wimp.

Here's a pic of one of my friends and me at Gators.

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Well the gauntlet has been thrown. We need some dates so that this can happen.

Somewhere around Biketoberfest would be another great time. A little cooler. But, I aint scared. What say you Jack? Hoop? I'm sure I can talk P.A. into it.

Bodeen

I am here in St augustine...We should plan a ride to somewhere.

So tentatively we have Don, Bodeen and PA, Jack ?, possibly ronyarb, keep throwing up dates if you want to ride, eat and talk. Also don't forget at the initial meet up at Ocala Harley we can drool over all the bikes. Uh...well admire and dream sounds a little better.
 
On 4-6 August I will be in Sanford visiting my folks and could possible meet up. Ocala has some good riding.

Ok the 6th is on a Saturday which is good since most folks are still lucky enough to have jobs and would need a Sat or Sun.

So what about August the 6th ? Not definite but possible. Sure hope some more folks sign on for this meet up. We will make sure it's a safe ride. Most of us have riden in large groups. But even if you have not, keep in mind we will ride staggered and at a safe speed. On occasion there are small items of debri or road kill in the road, and we each point at it for the rider behind us.

We would prolly be riding to the other places Don mentioned after lunch (unless we get an early start and have time in the morning to see them all). Don told me he knows the forest roads so he will keep us from getting lost.

After the main morning ride at lunch I like to have a beer (or if we are there awhile then 2 beers). But if beer makes anyone feel uncomfortable riding with me later, just let me know and I will order Tea. Really it don't make no never mind to me. I get more out of visiting with friends than I do a couple of beers. Believe me I don't get much of a buzz off 2 bud lites. When I get on the bike I'm hard wired awake. I've got my wife on the back and others around me. I am totally focused when riding.

Folks these are great pavement riding roads. If you live in north or central Florida you really would enjoy coming to this ride. You might want to put an upper rain jacket in your bags or back pack, but usually that is later on in the afternoon on the way home. Safety, friendship and very good riding country, is the main attraction here.
 
We can still get together here and have some fun Ken.I heard that all of the full time Florida people were a bunch of stuffed shirts anyway,especially HDDon and Jack Klarich!!! :lolroling

Oh Wow!

Bodeen
 
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