Fall Ride 2013 - Day Eight - Saturday, 10/26/2013

I was up at 6:15 a.m. to make preparations for the last leg of this trip. Today would bring all of the traveling and the adventure to a close and I was in the mood to make the most of it. So, I started my day with a leisurely scan of the news, surfing the Web on my phone, and just generally luxuriating in the solitude of my private suite.

 

At 6:50 a.m., I made my way down to the hotel lobby for the complimentary breakfast included with our stay. Breakfast proved the old adage that you get what you pay for. Well, at least the room was nice!

 

Back in my suite it was time to repack the luggage and load the bike for the day's travels.

 

My companions and I were at the USAF museum promptly at 9 a.m., just as they opened the doors. We spent the next hour and a half exploring the various exhibit buildings and static displays. The museum had a very nice collection of aircraft that are significant to the history of the USAF. However, the museum itself seems dated and neglected. If you are an aviation or history buff, the museum is worth a trip to visit.

 

We left the museum parking lot at 10:45 a.m., and made our way over to I-75, where we turned south and headed for home.

 

At 11:55 a.m., Eddie led us off the Interstate and into a rest area for a break. When I asked why we had stopped so soon Eddie's reply was, "Because I wanted to!" Well, I suppose there's no arguing with that kind of logic, so I didn't try.

 

At 1:10 p.m., Eddie led us off the Interstate once more. This time the stop was in Valdosta, GA, for "Smuggler's Run - Part Two". We made the most of this stop by including a gas fill-up and lunch at an adjacent Subway sandwich shop. During lunch there was conversation about making yet another stop in the Ocala area for ice cream. I made it clear that I was done stopping for the day and that I would be continuing on toward home in lieu of a stop for ice cream.

 

Some ways down the road we did come to the Ocala area and sure enough Eddie exited the Interstate for ice cream, Mr. Sarcasm right behind him. True to my word I did not exit and simply gave my friends a wave as I continued my trek southward toward home.

 

I pulled into my driveway right at 5 p.m., after having made a non-stop run of 223 miles since leaving Valdosta. My Triumph's odometer reported a grand total of 2,203.3 miles had been ridden since I left home the previous Saturday. I put the bike away and began to unpack her one more time. But, this time, I had the satisfaction and the memories of a week on the road with good friends, of many miles traveled through all kinds of scenery, and one more chapter in my life's adventures to reflect upon in the still and quiet hours of the night.

 

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