Miss Behavin' to Key West... via Sin City and Daytona

**RDJ** · 28th November 2010, 18:33

A short report on a medium ride... my V8 bike and I coast to coast and back again for 2010.

Heading east: Started off in Los Angeles and first north by way of Las Vegas for the Bikefest, then southeast through Kingman, Flagstaff, Albuquerque, Amarillo, Dallas, Grand Prairie, Shreveport, the Natchez Trace, Baton Rouge, Mobile, Battleship Park, Pensacola, Tallahassee, St Petersburg, Marco Island, the Tamiami Trail, the Everglades, Metro Miami, through the Florida keys down to Key West and the southernmost part of the US, and then back north (bypassing Miami) on the turnpike to Daytona. A terrific time at Biketoberfest, including a day trip tot he Space Coast.

Heading west: Leaving Daytona first due north to Savannah, then Macon, Montgomery, Mobile, Baton Rouge, Houston, San Antonio, and onwards to El Paso, Tucson, Yuma, San Diego and rolled into the Rock Store in the hills above LA just after lunch on a Sunday morning after a last leg of 1,470 miles with short sleeps in Fort Stockton and Jacumba.

Total distance a shade over 8,300 miles by the GPS on a great touring bike. 502 cubic inches of V8 goodness means fast overtaking and no worries about luggage; the big block running at 2100 rpm for 80 mph in overdrive means high daily miles on the slab when needed.

**RDJ** · 28th November 2010, 18:55

An early start from LA at 0430 - magic riding through quiet freeways and into the desert for sunrise. And so to Vegas, where in between having to work some wondrous bikes were seen, especially a top-of-the-line V8 chopper... From there, Daytona; but why not via Key West? Why not! South on the Tamiami Trail to ride through the Everglades, back north through Miami and up the Space Coast. With excellent daily mileages despite intermittent fuel pump tantrums, I made it to Daytona with a day to spare, so checked into Destination Daytona's hotel for a quiet first night; the cars outnumbered the bikes so I got to park Miss B outside my front door. Thence to Daytona itself, with an excellent Best Western beachside hotel where my bike was first alone but soon others congregated. Working through the nights meant I could get early starts for a morning ride. Beautiful weather every day. Some more beautiful V8-powered 2-wheel (and 3-wheel) machinery to be seen around Daytona. One of the morning rides was to the Kennedy Space Center. Respect to the men and women who put us into space.

But all good things come to an end, and I needed to start back to the West Coast. But before that, a detour to Savannah; this left me running a little late, so from Savannah, Miss B and I headed rapidly southwest through rain and traffic; stopping off in Houston and then a last long run west over the mountains to San Diego before turning north get to the Rock Store for Sunday lunchtime. An hour-long ride to another bike-friendly hotel in Santa Monica, and Miss B's first night under shelter for 3 weeks... And finally, time to pack up and head to LAX after leaving a slightly scruffy, well ridden bike back in the care of the good folks at California Boss Hoss.