December 3, 2011 - Fantasy of Flight

Seven friends gathered in Plant City, FL for breakfast this day.  After the morning meal and conversation, Eddie, Marlena and Wes left to pursue other activities for the day while Billy, J.T., Boyd and I headed off on today's ride.

The destination for the ride was lunch at The Fantasy of Flight's Compass Rose Diner.  Since that is only a 25 mile ride from Plant City, I was forced to become creative in order to arrive at lunch time.  So, I

stretched that 25 miles into 118 miles, which included Old Dade City Rd., Lakeland Acres, Green Pond, Laws, Lake Erie, Empire Church, and Laws (Bill & J.T really like Laws Rd.).

It was after noon when we reached The Fantasy of Flight.  One of the first things we saw was the new adult playscape.

The lines visible on the right side of the picture are zip lines to another tower.  Those of our group who are younger and more nimble are planning a return trip in the near future to give it a try.

Also available at Fantasy of Flight are bi-plane ride ($69.95) or you can fly one yourself for around $230.00.

Once inside the Compass Rose, we settled down for a great lunch.  The food, though not fancy, is excellent and fairly priced, plus, there are great views through the many windows.

No, Bill is not ticked.  He is just concentrating on people on the playscape.

Meanwhile, J.T. and his impressive 'stach await lunch delivery.

After our hamburgers, chicken wraps and pulled pork, we each headed for other activities by our own routes.  I personally logged 163 miles on the Burgman.

Although I will not be able to make next week's ride, you can join the others at the regular time and place.
Meanwhile,

Ride with Pride
Glenn "Gunny" Monroe

November 26, 2011 - Just a Short Morning Ride

With Ace off to North Carolina, there were only four of us fore breakfast this morning and only two riders.  After breakfast at Snellgrove's, Preacher whet home to finish a roof repair and Big Ed went home to finish some honey-do's.  That left just Mr. Sarcasm and I to ride this day.  Since Boyd needed to be home around noon, we headed off for a local ride.

The route took us over some of our favorite local roads (Coronet, Old Mulberry, Henry George, Keysville & Jameson).  Stopping on the bridge over the Alafia, we noted that the water was exceptionally clear with a slight brown tint.

The peaceful, pastoral nature of this spot makes it a favorite for many of us.

We were soon on the road again, headed for Brewster via Bethlehem Rd. & Old Hwy 37.  After a beverage break, we headed over to Agricola Mine Rd. for a few good curves, then on to Ft. Meade for gasoline.  After a quick detour to ride Lake Hendry Rd., we headed for home.

Although short, it was an interesting and enjoyable ride, as it always is with Mr. Sarcasm on my six.

Hope to see you next time.
Ride with Pride
Gunny

November 19, 2011 - Gulfport

J.T., Boyd and I met for breakfast as usual at Snellgroves in Plant City.  Bill and Eddie were unable to join us as they were off to Lakeland to participate in a charity shotgun tournament.  After breakfast, Boyd left us to take his wife to the beach for the weekend.  J.T. and I mounted up and headed towards Gulfport.

The first stop was the Jameson Rd. bridge over the South Prong of the Alifia River.  Next we rode to the rest area at the south end of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.  As usual, the views of Tampa Bay and the bridge were awsome.

J.T., Sunshine Skyway and the bikes

After crossing the bridge, our attention was captured by the many paraboarders at the3 north end of the bridge.

We continued on to Gulfport with intention of have lunch at O'Maddy's Bar and Grill  Unfortunately, the place was packed due to some special event.  So, J.T. and I decided to try someplace new.  On the next block we found the Neptune Grill.

The place was almost empty while, a block away, O'Maddy's was packed to the limit.  It should have been a clue.  Don't get me wrong, the food was okay, but suffered by comparison to O;Maddy's.

After lunch, we walked across the street to the Gulfport Casino with its view of the beach.

It was then time to head home.  Deciding not to travel through Tampa, we turned back south and took the back roads home.  It was a ride of about 160 miles on a warm, cloudy mid-Florida day.  Come out and join us next Saturday.

Ride With Pride,
Gunny

November 12, 2011 - Florida Coast-to-Coast

On November 12, 2011 Bill, Eddie, Paul, about 150 of our closest friends, and I met at the Hampton Inn in Seffner, FL for the beginning of the Florida Coast-to-Coast charity ride.  After registration at the hotel and breakfast at Bob Evans, we set off on the circuitous, six hour ride to Daytona Beach.  The route from Seffner took us to Temple Terrace, Zephyrhills, St. Leo, St. Joe, Spring Lake, Nobelton, Webster, Center Hill, Okahumpka, Howie-In-The-Hills, Astatula, West Deland, De Leon Springs and, finally, to Daytona Beach.

Bill, Eddie & Paul stayed the night in Daytona Beach to enjoy the after-ride activities, but I had to turn and head for home - a straight haul west of I-4.

It was a long, interesting ride.  Watch the Navigator's Rides for photos and additional information.

Ride With Pride,
Gunny

October 29, 2011 - San Antonio

I usually start this blog with something like "It was a beautiful morning..."  Today, that just wasn't so.  In fact, I drove out to Ace's place to pick up my bike with high hopes that the rain would clear by the time I got there.  As I stood outside the bike barn gazing at the cloud filled, rainy skies, Ace exited his house, got into his SUV and headed for the street.  I decided he was probably right, so I got back into my car and followed him into Plant City to meet the group for breakfast.

Arriving next to the Whistle Stop, I was surprised to see Robert's Harley, then Preacher showed up on his Wing!  Some guys just gotta ride.  Usually, I am one of them but had chickened out today.

As we stood talking and waiting for stragglers, the smell of baking bread was wafting out of the Whistle Stop's open kitchen door.  As we were commenting on the great aroma, Jerry came out of that door to join us.  We tried to convince him to bring out a fresh loaf and a tub of butter.  Alas, none was yet ready.  So off to Snellgrove's we went - Ace, Preacher, Big Ed, Jerry, Robert, Jade and I.

After breakfast, Jerry went back to baking his bread.  Ace & Big Ed went shopping.  I was about to leave when Preacher promised that the weather was improving and convinced me to ride also.  So, off to Dover we went to retrieve my Burgman.

Shortly after we started the ride, Preacher's prediction came true.  The rain stopped, resulting in some great riding conditions.  The route took us up to San Antonio for a stop at the San Ann Market.

Click on the map for details.

From there, we rode Jessamine, Bayhead, Bellamy Brothers, Pasco and St. Joe.

We stopped at Smitty's Smokehouse & Grill in Dade City for lunch.  The food is excellent and well priced.

Leaving Smitty's, Preacher and I headed for my house to replace a headlight bulb on Preacher's Wing while Robert and Jade headed back to Plant City.

All-in-all, it turned out to be a great day to Ride with Pride.  See you next time.

Gunny.

October 21, 2011 - Montverde

It was a brisk Saturday morning when we gathered for breakfast in Plant City, FL.  We were happy that Eddie, Marlena and Robert could join us for morning food and conversa-tion, even if they were unable to ride today.

The skies were clear but the temperature was still cool as Ace, Preacher, Mr. Sarcasm and I left Plant city en route to Montverde, FL on the east coast of Lake Apopka.  

Now that the Burgman has completed the break-in period, I was, for the first time, able to push it hard through the power band.  It made for a much improved ride - quick and responsive - as we covered some of our fa-vorite roads.

Somewhere along the line, Ace left us and headed off on his own to take care of other business.

Leaving Montverde, we turned south and headed for lunch at the Minneola Inn.  The food there is always excellent, including the homemade fries.  If we were smart, however, we would have started with one their homemade deserts since we were all to full to try them after lunch.

The route home took us south on CR-561 to SR-33.  From there, we headed for the barn by each person's best route.  It was another great day on the Florida by-ways.

October 1, 2011

With half of our every week riders on their annual northern tour, participation at breakfast was slim this morning.  Only J.T., Robert and I were there, however, we had 100% participation in the morning ride, at least until Robert received a call from a neighbor telling him that his dog had gotten out.  Oh well, J.T. and I had a nice ride around eastern Polk County and I only lost J.T. once.  It was my fault.  I had not charged the battery on my GPS and it died shortly after we left Plant City.  As a result, the turn onto a hidden rural byway snuck up on me - I made the turn, but J.T. did not.  Luckily, we found each other again.  Anyway, we had a good ride and I completed the break-in on the new machine.  It will be interesting to see how it performs when the RPM limitations are removed.

As to those on the northern tour, this week found them riding the White Mountain area in New Hampshire, then west across Vermont where they put their bikes on the ferry across southern Lake Champlain to Ticonderoga, New York.  Saturday, they arrived in Niagara Falls, NY and spent the night on the American side.  Sunday, they will be moving to a hotel on the Canadian side overlooking the falls.  Sounds like a good time, although I see that it is cold up there and there may be a few days of rainy weather ahead.  Good luck, guys.

Gunny

Breaking It In - September 3, 2011

After a five month hiatus, I AM BACK!

Bill, Boyd, Eddie, Robert, Bob K. and I gathered for breakfast in Plant City, FL this morning.  After the usual eggs smothered in sarcasm, we adjourned to the parking lot for the day's ride.  Unfortunately, Robert was call off to work, leaving five riders to head towards the Dade City/San Antonio area.

Everyone was on the customary bikes, but I was out to break-in my brand new wheels.

It is a white 2011 Suzuki Burgman 650 Executive that had 0.0 miles on it when I picked it up on Wednesday.  Okay, it's a scooter, but it's a super-scooter.  It lacks the low end torque of my my Gold Wing but provides a surprisingly quick, nimble and comfortable ride.  The break-in guidelines suggest the the revs not exceed 4,000 rpm for the first 600 miles.  I found that that limited me to only modest acceleration, but still allowed me to travel at near 70 mph in sixth gear.

Anyway, the five of us traveled to Dade City via some of my favorite twisties, including Swindell, Hancock, Sherrouse, and Old Dade City.  Somewhere near Zephyrhills, Eddie turned for home.  After a fuel and rest stop at US-98 and Clinton, Bill and Bob K. also headed for home while Boyd and I continued on to ride Jessamine, Bayhead, Hayman and Trilby.  We then turned for home as both Boyd and I wanted to be back by noon.

All-in-all, it was a great day back on 2-wheels.  I now have just over 200 miles on the Burgman and a much better feel for the machine, although I'm still not accustomed to not gripping a tank with my knees.  So far, the Burgman has averaged 43.4 mpg, which isn't too bad for break-in mileage.

See you next week,
Gunny

February 26, 2011 - Anna Maria Island

Today was another beautiful day in paradise as nine friends met in Plant City for the day's ride.  After breakfast, J.T., Eddie, Kyle, Bob K., Scott & I headed southwest, intending to visit Anna Maria Island.  Bill, Mercy & Bobby were unable to join us for the ride.

The route led us to Lithia, Balm, and Wimauma before reaching our comfort stop on 64 east of Bradenton.  It was here that Kyle decided to head for home.  The rest continued east on 64 through Bradenton towards Anna Maria Island.  The traffic in Bradenton was extremely heavy until we got past the Farmer's Market with it multiple closed side streets.  Thereafter, traffic improved greatly.

Arriving on Anna Maria Island, we made our way down to Coquina Beach on the southern tip of the island.

A stroll on the beach

Drawbridge between Anna Maria & Longboat Key

Inlet to the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway

Leaving the beach, we backtracked to the Beach House Restaurant in Bradenton Beach.

The reataurant sits right on the beach with magnificent views of the3 beach and Gulf of Mexico.

We sat inside and left the open air dining for the snowbirds.

 After a great lunch we snapped a few beach pictures before once again hitting the road.

Deciding not to continue on to Longboat Key, we retraced our route home, having traveled 195 miles through great views, great roads and glorious Florida weather. Come join us for our next adventure.

Ride with Pride
Glenn "Gunny" Monroe

February 19, 2011 - Weeki Wachee Gardens

Six friends and fellow motorcycle enthusiast met for breakfast in Plant City this morning on what may have been the most beautiful day of the year.

Shortly after our repast of good food and dubious stories was completed, five of us left for our planned ride with Robert heading off to work. We turned our bikes north, heading towards Zephyrhills.

 Upon reaching Crystal Springs Rd. and Chauncey, Boyd left the group to join Miss Vicki for other duties. The remaining four bikes headed for our first stop of the day at the San Ann Market in San Antonio.

The market had made quite a transformation since our last visit.  Much of the space had been transformed into booths and a bar.  They seem to be transforming into more of a restaurant than a market.

Having refreshed, we headed for our next stop taking advantage of some of the more interesting roads in the area - Pasco, Ehren Cutoff & Aripeka.

The next stop was the Aripeka Road bridge over Hammock Creek in, where else, Aripeka, FL.  Views from the bridge offer a glimpse of life in coastal Florida.

Oops!  How did this get in there?

A School of Needlefish Gathered at the Bridge

Out next stop was just a few miles down the road in Weeki Wachee Gardens.  Sitting on the bank of the Weeki Wachee River is Upper Deck Restaurant where we stopped for lunch.

After a nice lunch, we turned back towards home - the long way, of course.  We covered some very nice roards on the way home, including Powell, Culbreath, Hayman and Jesamine.  What was, for me at least, the most exciting part of the ride home occurred as I rounded the last curve on and saw this:

a Bobcat crossing the road crossing the road at a dead run five feet in front of me.  Believe me, I busied myself grabbing brakes and seat cushion, narrowly avoiding this beautiful creature.

All in all, it was 150 miles of great roads, good friends and absolutely beautiful weather.  Come join us, soon.

Glenn "Gunny" Monroe

RIDE WITH PRIDE

January 15, 2011 - Zolfo Springs

It was another beautiful central Florida morning as seven friends met in Plant City for breakfast at Snellgroves.  As we entered the restaurant, Dana already had the table set for us and coffee poured, portending a good day ahead.  The food, excellent though it may be, is merely the backdrop for the dueling verbal scalpels of these seven practitioners.

About 9:00 a.m., with everyone full and no one having suffered  any serious cuts, the group broke up.  Bill, Boyd, Robert and Kent all left for other duties while Eddie, J.T. mounted up and I headed south with no specific destination in mind.

We eventually made our way down to Myakka City for a comfort stop and a quick check of the map.  We then turned southeast towards Arcadia then north towards Zolfo Springs, with a detour down Sweetwater Road.

Arriving in Zolfo Springs shortly after noon, we decided to stop at the Pioneer Restaurant for lunch.

This unimposing eatery is popular with locals and is always busy.  All three of us chose the friend chicken - an excellent choice.

Our bodies refueled, we prepared fore the return ride.

The return trip was enjoyable and uneventful.  After a fuel stop in Mulberry, we all headed home via separate routes.

We travelled about 185 miles under beautiful, clear skies.  Another great day on central Florida highways.

Ride with Pride

Glenn "Gunny" Monroe

January 8, 2011 - The Long Way to Webster

It was great to have the gang back together again after the holiday absences. Nine gathered in the parking lot next to The Whistle Stop, including Kyle who eschewed breakfast as he was then on duty.  We were, however, joined at breakfast by Eddie's wife and Boyd, who has recently found his Saturdays too encumbered with dancing to ride.

After breakfast, Bill, Eddie, J.T., Kent, Robert and I set out for this day's ride.  Boyd tagged along until the nearest point to his home where he left to join Miss Vicki.

The ride took us on a tortured route across some of my favorite roads and a few new ones with the intent to arrive in Webster around noon.

Our first stop (not counting the gas stop at mile #2) was at the one-lane bridge on Rockridge Rd. (the road becomes Green Pond 100 feet east of the bridge).  There we found a idle drag-line crane, apparently preparing to widen and/or replace the bridge.

Is that Robert behind those bars?

Kent playing with his Android X.

Resuming our ride, we headed for CR-561, where, at Laws Rd., J.T. left our company to join his other riding group.

After about 3 hours and 113 miles, four of us arrived in Webster for lunch at Hayseed's Cafe.  Bill would join us later as he had stopped in Center Hill for some photographs of the town sliding into hard times.

After a good lunch, Kent and Robert decided to head for home via the quickest route while Eddie, Bill and I opted to put a few more miles on the bikes before heading home.  After wandering through Lacoochie, Trilby and San Antonio, we also headed for home.

I had a great time with great friends and put about 178 new miles in the Wing today. Remember, "Not all who wander are lost."

Ride with Pride

Gunny