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It's about time...

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HawkGTRider:
We had an overwhelming crowd for the MSTA Daytona lunch gathering today. At least it would have been if we had to sit at a 4-person table. After the initial 6 sat down at a 6-person table, we had one later arrival giving us a total of 7 (easy to slide an extra table and chair to the end). We had good conversation and much mirth was in order. It was kind of like the MSTA in general...not a huge quantity of riders but an excellent quality of riders.
After lunch, I headed north back to Jacksonville to my room. As anticipated after looking at the weather radar, I had some dry miles before running through about an hour of rain with a few lightning strikes around to get my attention. It dried up a few miles south of J-ville, so my gear had a chance to dry out a bit. Other than one lightning strike that seemed a bit close for comfort, it was not a terrible experience at all. I'm sure one of the photographers will post a picture of our august group.

HawkGTRider:
Just gathering my thoughts about the remainder of the weekend. I'm in Florida "for" bike week, but it's less about bike week than just seeing friends. The Iron Butt Association gathers in at a Ramada Inn in Jacksonville, and that's where I crossed paths with a fellow that I just couldn't quit thinking I'd seen and/or heard his name. We happened to be standing in line waiting for dinner tonight and had a chance to chat. It turned out he was previously a member of the HSTA/MSTA although his membership has lapsed. He lives in Indianapolis and is a long-time friend of Don and Cathy Payne. Say hello to Thomas Southwood.

Now...I've got to figure out how to get home. The bike is fine. I'm fine. But the weather, as many of you know, has turned into a real droning dog-eared lewdster. After being normal 40ish low temps with highs in the 50s and maybe even 60s, things have changed. Tonight is predicted to get down into the 20s with a high Saturday only around freezing. And just to complicate things a bit more, there's a snow bomb blowing through. Then, to make sure to maximize the nasty impact of that, the temps are predicted to be the coldest of the entire year tomorrow night...into the low teens or less.
That's not a big deal for many of you, and I wouldn't normally complain. But I don't really want to get within a 100 miles of home and then find myself stuck or worse. My better half has actually given me permission, nay, an order, to take an extra day or two coming home.

First the pandemic and now this. Weirdness for sure.

NinjaBob:
Stay in Florida and go watch the Daytona 200! Seriously, be safe!

STLTHMSTA:
Ah yes, the age old dilemma of Mid-westerners and Northerners about going to Bike Week. You might be able to get out of town to more southern regions but what about the return trip. Things could turn in a hurry.
I have been 4 times and rode the distance from Ohio only once. 2 times I trailered to Atlanta with a friend letting us leave the trailer and truck at his house, thank you very much. Riding in the rest of the way at least felt like I was a real rider. The first time way back in, well never mind when that was, I used a jet and a rent-a-car. Not nearly as cool but I was home by 11:00p Sunday night having to go to work on Monday.
The whole point of Bike Week   IS  the Daytona 200, some people I talked to didn't even know what it was or that there was racing at the speedway. Hmmm.   Ride safe Geoffery.   TM

NinjaBob:
On my first ride to Bike Week in 83 I started out from Baton Rouge at dawn and the temp was low 30s. I had no heated gear back then. I stopped at the big rest area welcome center at the LA/MS line. It has a huge men's room.  It was full of bikers warming their hands with the heated hand driers and I was one of them. I stopped early that afternoon, making it as far as Lake City, FL, thoroughly chilled. I checked into a cheap motel and soaked in a hot bath for an hour!

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