Well, we went and did it. We sold our house and now we are essentially homeless. I realized that all our earthly possessions don’t even fill up a 24 foot truck after the movers finished loading our stuff to take to storage. Time to start a new chapter in life. We started this chapter by setting off on a motorcycle ride to Key West.
Taking off in late September, we headed to Jim Thorpe, Pa. making the route up as we went along through the Catskills and Pocono Mountains. This is a quaint town we like to visit to get away on occasion and thought it would be a good destination to start our trip. The town has been called the “Switzerland of America” due to the picturesque scenery, mountainous location, and architecture. After spending the night in a hotel that looked like it hadn’t been updated in 40 years, we spent the morning roaming around the town and the afternoon exploring the pretty roads around the Lehigh Valley and Pocono Mountains.
Heading to Key West
After another night trapped in the 1970’s, we headed out towards NJ and Delaware so I can check those states off my list of states I’ve ridden in on the bike. NJ was surprisingly nice when we first got into it, riding along a river and some pleasant country roads. Unfortunately, the more we rode, the more urban things got. The temperature rose to the mid-90’s by early in the afternoon and we decided to cut the day short and booked a hotel in Mt. Laurel.
My apologies to New Jersey residents, but we were looking forward to escaping so we jumped on the highway. I’m sure there are better places to ride than where we were but we wanted to move on. The wind was howling as we rode over the Delaware Memorial Bridge. I didn’t get to take a look out at the river or enjoy the view as I was too busy concentrating on not getting blown out of my lane and into the path of a semi.
We rode into Maryland on US 301 and turning east onto US 50, getting occasional peaks at the Cheapeake Bay. Turning south on US 13, we wound our way down the Delmarva peninsula, sometimes looking over the Chesapeake Bay on our right and Atlantic Ocean on our left. It was really a pretty ride going by farms and through little villages. We crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridges and tunnels into Virginia – another scenic section of this trip – and stopped in Chesapeake, Va. for the night.
The Outer Banks
We continued our motorcycle ride to Key West on VA 168 to US 158 and across to the Outer Banks at Harbinger Point. It’s a fun, leisurely ride, passing through Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head ( there’s lots of theories on how the town got its name ) to the bridge taking us to Hatteras Island. Continuing down NC 12 through Hatteras Village, Rodanthe (for Nicholas Sparks readers) and other small beach towns, we caught the ferry taking us to Ocracoke Island. The road is in good shape and, though there aren’t any curves to test your skills, it’s still a pleasurable ride with the Atlantic Ocean on the left and Currituck, Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds on the right.
Ocracoke
Okracoke is a place that time forgot – unspoiled and not commercialized. It’s a great place to escape life for awhile and relax. The village was added in 1990 to the National Register of Historic Places with several structures dating back to the early 1700s and over 100 historic homes included in the listing. Some of the homes were built with parts from the many shipwrecks that occured in the surrounding waters. The lighthouse was built in 1823 and is still operational. There is also a small British Cemetery in the village, the final resting place of sailors on a British boat sunk offshore by a German sub during WWII.
Make sure you stop into Gaffers for the best key lime pie anywhere!
An interesting place to stay while in Okracoke is Pam’s Pelican bed and breakfast. It has conch shells for shower heads, a surf board coffee table, ropes for hand rails and lots of other interesting decor. A spiral staircase takes you up to a deck with views overlooking the island and the village.
Calabash, NC
After a relaxing couple days in Ocracoke, we headed down the coast on US 70, NC 24 and US 17 to Calabash, NC. Calabash is a small town in Eastern North Carolina that inspired the name and style of seafood. In fact, this small town goes so far as to tout itself as being the Seafood Capital of the World. Calabash-style seafood is lightly breaded and fried and typically served buffet style. The seafood is always accompanied with the ever popular side dish – hushpuppies. Corn meal is used instead of flour to give the seafood a light coating. The seafood is then fried in hot oil and becomes golden brown. We stopped at Ella’s for dinner – a place we have frequented in the past when we vacationed at nearby Ocean Isle. The shrimp is just as good as I remember it.
Hush puppies with honey butter…yum! 
Carolina Sand Hills
After a lunch of more seafood, we take off for South Carolina and a visit with some friends. It couldn’t have come at a better time. We arrived in the rain and it rained the next day so that gave me a chance to do a little bike maintenance. The next few days were sunny and cooler, giving us a chance to visit the Carolina Sand Hills to do some hiking. Turns out that that the sand hills are not at all like I imagined. There were a lot of long leaf pines and other vegetation, ponds, lakes and wildlife. Some have suggested that the sand hills have more biodiversity than the rain forests in South America. I can’t speak to that but it sure was interesting.
St. Augustine, Florida
Leaving our friends, we our motorcycle ride to Key West via US 301 to spend a couple days in St. Augustine. What better place to stop for a history buff than the oldest continuous settlement in the US (Pensacola was founded earlier but was abandoned for a few years due to a hurricane). We started our visit by taking the Old Town Trolley tour, to get a good overview of the city and decide where we wanted to spend our time.
After that, we took in the Old Jail, the Oldest Store, the Fountain of Youth and other sites. The Castillo de San Marcos, the oldest masonry fort in the US, was an interesting visit. It’s made of a stone called coquina (Spanish for “small shells”), which is made of ancient shells that have bonded together to form a type of stone similar to limestone. It’s a soft material so cannonballs fired from opposing forces were absorbed by the walls rather than crumbling.
The San Sebastian winery was pretty informative. We learned that wine was made for the first time in the new world in St. Augustine using the native muscadine grape. After exploring the historical buildings on St. George St., we settled in for dinner at the Crown and Bull, a British publick house built around the time of the American Revolution. They served a great shepherd’s pie and chicken pot pie.
The old jail 
The Fountain of Youth 
St. George St. – the oldest part of the city 
The Crown and Bull Publick House 
Castillo de San Marcos
The oldest masonary fort in the US
We had a great stay in St. Augustine but it’s time to move on. On the way out of town, we toured the St. Augustine lighthouse. St. Augustine was the site of the first lighthouse established in Florida. While the black spiral paint looks like the Cape Hatteras lighthouse, we learned that each lighthouse on the east coast is unique so the captain of a ship knows exactly where he is. In this case, the top of the St. Augustine lighthouse is red, differentiating it from the Hatteras lighthouse, whose top is black. Who knew!
Hurricane Matthew
The plan for our motorcycle ride to Key West was to take Rte. A1A all the way down the coast to US 1 and then on to Key West. We did that for a while but unfortunately, we were destined to cross paths with Hurricane Matthew. We spent the night in Palm Bay/Melbourne and tracked the storm throughout the night. After listening to the weather forecasts and talking to the National Weather Service in the morning, we decided to abandon the original plan (the barrier islands were being evacuated so we couldn’t do it anyway). Instead, we jumped on the Florida Turnpike and made a beeline to Key West, which was much further west and south of the storm’s track.
The Overseas Highway
Once we got onto US 1 and the Overseas Highway, we slowed down and enjoyed the ride a bit more. The roadway from Miami to the southernmost point in Key West covers 113 miles and crosses 42 bridges. There isn’t a lot of places to stop and grab a photo, unless you don’t mind pulling of into the water, but the views are amazing. We stopped for a break in Key Largo. No sign of Bogie or BaCall, though.
Marathon Key is halfway to Key West and is home to the Dolphin Research Center. You can spend an hour and learn about their habitat and the conservation efforts of the Research Center. Or you can spend a day and swim with them, too. The Dolphin Research Center was formerly Santini’s Porpoise School from 1958 until 1972. One of Santini’s dolphins, Mitzi, starred in the film Flipper. I remember visiting here when I was in grade school back in – it was a long time ago. No need to date myself.
Marathon Key is also the beginning of the famous Seven Mile Bridge. This is the largest segmental bridge in the world and separates the middle and lower keys. The sights over this long stretch are truly incredible.
Key West, Florida
We finally made it to our destination on our motorcycle ride to Key West and did all the things tourists do in Key West. We checked out all the bars, beaches, bands and attractions and toured Ernest Hemingway’s house, scratching the ears of his cats. Watching the sun set at Mallory Square is a must. Simply spectacular! I’d give you more details but like they say here, ‘What happens in Key West never happened.’
The Key West Lighthouse 
Ft. Zachary Taylor Beach 
Street performer at Mallory Square
just before sunset
Sunset at Mallory Square 
End of the road! Time to turn around!
Heading Back After Visiting Key West
After four days of ‘it never happened’, it’s time to turn around and head toward home. We had another beautiful ride on the Overseas Highway. Once out of the Keys, we turned left on US 41, also known as the Tamiami Trail, through the Everglades. This is the original ‘Alligator Alley’ before I-75 was built in 1974. Traveling down Rte. 41, I noticed a traffic sign I’ve never seen before – ‘Panther Crossing’. That certainly got my attention!
My goal for the day was to make Ft. Myers. However, we got distracted. We saw several places offering air boat rides as we rode across the Everglades. So on a whim, we stopped at the Miccosukee Indian Village to take advantage of the opportunity. Are we ever glad we did! What an awesome experience! The ride took us through the Everglades to a typical hammock-style Indian camp that has been owned by the same Miccosukee family for more than 100 years. The guide gave us insights into the past life of Native Americans in the Everglades. It was quite interesting. We also got to see quite a few alligators.
We didn’t have time to make Ft. Myers at this point so we just stayed at the casino on the Indian reservation. I love having the flexibility of no schedule.
The Gulf Coast
The next day we finished our trek across the Everglades and continued up US 41 and the Tamiami Trail through Naples, Ft. Myers and Sarasota (and all points in between) along the Gulf Coast before stopping in Ellenton for the night. If I had to do it all over, I would pick a different route but the Tamiami Trail sounded so intriguing. Instead it was just your average Anytown USA boulevard jammed with businesses and cars. I haven’t seen so many people and stop lights outside of Manhattan. The Gulf Coast in southern Florida sure is crowded. Live and learn.
The Florida Panhandle
We proceeded up the coast in the morning, crossing the Tampa Bay on I-275 and taking FL 699 along the coast through St. Pete Beach to US 19 north. Traffic north of St. Petersburg was much lighter, making the riding much more enjoyable. US 19 ends at US 98 so we continued on US 98 along the coast. As the road bends west onto the Florida panhandle, the ride gets much more scenic with the Apalachicola National Forest on the right and the Gulf of Mexico on the left. We passed through some charming beach towns, such as Carrabelle, Eastpoint, and Apalachicola – all fine places to take a break. After surviving Panama City (keep moving – nothing to see here), we took a left onto scenic 30A at Rosemary Beach.
Scenic Route 30A
Scenic 30-A runs through long-leaf pine flatwoods, along the white sand beach and sea oat-covered dunes, past freshwater coastal lakes and saltwater inlets, over sand hills and coastal uplands, along wetlands and marshes, through hardwood hammocks and coastal scrub. This area is known for the shimmering brilliance of the Gulf of Mexico and the white sand beaches. There are 12 beach communities along the 18.5 mile stretch of roadway. All have their individual charm but we found Seaside the most appealing with its pastel colored beach homes, shops and food trailer that line the street.
Hog’s Breath Saloon
After driving Route 30A, we stopped in Destin to visit the original Hog’s Breath Saloon. The Hog’s Breath is famous for live music, great food and drinks, a raw bar, and world famous T-shirts and clothing. I bought a T-shirt from the Key West location and wanted one from this spot, as well. Note to self: check the size on the shirt before you buy it. At least Cathy has a new shirt. Oh well, as they say, “hog’s breath is better than no breath at all”.
The Natchez Trace
We stopped to visit some friends in Pensacola for a couple days and I accomplished some bike maintenance before heading west again on US 98 towards Mississippi and the Natchez Trace. This route was pretty unremarkable other than the drive along Mobile Bay. At least it’s not the interstate. We ended up getting a room on the other side of the Mississippi River in Louisiana so, technically, I can add That to the states I’ve ridden in, even though we didn’t drive a total of 2 miles in LA. We’ll be back for more.
Enjoying breakfast beside the Mississippi River.
After a nice breakfast beside the Mississippi River, we headed up the Natchez Trace. When planning our motorcycle ride to Key West, I made sure to include this ride in the itinerary. The Natchez Trace Parkway is a 444-mile recreational road and scenic drive through Mississippi, Alabama to Nashville, Tennessee. It roughly follows the “Old Natchez Trace”, a historic travel corridor used by American Indians, European settlers, slave traders, and soldiers. This is not only a scenic drive, there is also hiking, biking, horseback riding, and camping along the parkway. It’s a nice, picturesque ride with not many curves. The best part is it’s 444 miles of no traffic lights or stop signs.
We took two days to drive the parkway spending the night in Tupelo, MS. Stop here and visit the Elvis Presley Birthplace and Museum, do some shopping or get a bite to eat in any of the great restaurants here, even if you don’t spend the night. The final 50 miles or so of the Natchez Trace are dominated by some nice sweepers as you descend into Nashville. The trees were starting to get colorful at this time of year, making the drive very enjoyable. There are several nice places to take a break along the Natchez Trace other than Tupelo. There’s the Ross Barnett Reservoir Overlook, Falls Hollow, a nice park near the Tennessee River, and the Meriwether Lewis grave site (of Lewis and Clark fame).
Gravesite of Merriweather Lewis 
Falls Hollow 
The Tennessee River 
Ross Barnett Resevoir Overlook
We planned this trip our motorcycle ride to Key West for late fall so we wouldn’t run into hot weather. Unfortunately, ever since we hit Florida, we’ve been experiencing record high temperatures in the mid-90s. Being from the north country, I’m not sure how those living down here handle this heat, let alone ride in the summer. Maybe we have to plan this trip for December.
The Smoky Mountains
From Nashville, we took US 70 and US 321 to Gatlinburg, Tn. for a couple days for some riding in the Smoky Mountains and surrounding area. Mid to late October in Gaitlinburg is the busiest time of year as the leaves are to get quite colorful. If you come here during that time, be prepared for some slow moving traffic.
Gatlinburg
Our first day in Gatlinburg was rainy and 55 degrees – not an ideal day for riding mountain roads. We’ve been on the road for a month and this is only the second day of rain we have encountered so we really can’t complain. We hung around town and checked out the tourist attractions.
We tasted some whiskey, moonshine at the Sugarlands Distilling Company and some wine at the Gatlinburg Wine Cellar. The whiskey and moonshine were interesting but there’s a reason, I guess, you don’t read much about Tennessee wine in any major publications devoted to wine. And if whiskey, moonshine and wine aren’t your thing, check out Ober Gatlinburg, the only combined ski resort and amusement park in Tennessee. Or there’s the aquarium, water park, ropes course, ziplines, and a plethera of museums. If all else fails, there’s plenty of shopping and great dining in town.
We got some good weather to ride in the Smoky Mountains and surrounding area today. I left Gatlinburg on US 441 through the mountains, heading to Moonshiner 28 to the Tail of the Dragon. Glancing at the thermometer on the dash as we crested Clingman’s Dome, I noticed it registered 34 degrees. I’m sure glad we geared up this morning. From the looks of the forecast, we’ll be gearing up from here on out. I need to look into some heated gear.
Moonshiner 28
After exiting the park, we took US 74 east, turned right onto US 23 south and caught NC 28 in Franklin. While US 129 and the Tail of the Dragon gets most of the fanfare in this area, I think the Moonshiner 28 is a much better ride. This ride is much less crowded and has much more to see than its more famous counterpart, including the Fontana Dam. At this point of the ride, I really wished I had replaced my floorboards with my pegs. While the floorboards more comfortable, they sit lower and I scrape them often in the twisties so I can’t be as aggressive. Of course, Cathy prefers me to be less aggressive when she’s on the back anyway, so I guess it worked out.
Tail of the Dragon
The Moonshiner ends at Deals Gap and the beginning of the famous Tail of the Dragon. I’ve been here before on a solo ride and today it’s Cathy’s turn to experience it. This is THE epic motorcycle and sports car road in America. There are 318 curve in 11 miles, some of them quite tight. Your riding skills will be tested. Just don’t end up with any motorcycle parts on the Tree of Shame. We ended up riding it both ways.
After experiencing The Dragon, we retraced our ride on NC 28 to US 74 east, catching US 19 to US 441 back and Gatlinburg. I figured we would get back to the hotel in time for dinner after taking into account any photo opportunities. Unfortunately, we ran into a long line of slow moving traffic as we approached the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It turned out there was a herd of elk in a field grazing, causing everyone to slow down and stop to grab some pictures.
After working our way through that slowdown, traffic flowed smoothly until we had about 15 miles to go. Then things slowed to a crawl due to the traffic lights in Gatlinburg. It took over 2 hours to ‘ride’ those last few miles. Brutal. The lesson here is, if you’re just here to ride the roads, pick another time other than prime leaf peeping season. All in all, though,it was a great ride.
Heading Towards Home
I had no specific plans for the motorcycle ride to Key West beyond this point so I made up the route home as we went along. We thought about heading up the Blue Ridge Parkway but we’ve done that already plus I figured it would be jammed with leaf-peepers, especially on a weekend. And after yesterday’s debacle, I didn’t want to sit in anymore traffic. So I took US 321 out of Gatlinburg (once I found it) and headed north. We wormed our way through the mountains catching the East Tennesse Crossing Scenic Byway, through the Cumberland Gap into Virginia. From there, we took US 58 east and stopped for the night in Bristol, Va. There’s some great riding through this area and we need to come back to explore these roads further.
The Blue Ridge Parkway
From Bristol, VA 42 looked like a good route to take – between two mountain ranges and somewhat parallel to I-81. After a couple failed attempts to find it, I determined that it doesn’t exist. Or I need to develop better geocaching skills. Whatever the case, we jumped on 81 to make up for lost time and got off at Roanoke to get on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We’ve been on the Parkway several times and it never disappoints. The colors aren’t quite at peak but the traffic was light and the ride was enjoyable. We passed the 5000 mile mark for the trip early today and turned 50,000 on the bike, as well. What a great bike!
Skyline Drive
After spending the night in Waynesboro and the obligatory pictures in front of the sign, we headed up the 105.5 mile Skyline Drive. This is not as heavily traveled as the Blue Ridge Parkway but the views are still quite stunning. There are four different campgrounds along with lodges and cabins along the route. Backcountry camping is an option as well. Two things of note: there is an entrance fee to the park and the speed limit is only 35 MPH. Make sure to keep your payment receipt – you’ll need it to get back onto the parkway if you get off for gas, food or other necessities. I made the mistake of discarding mine and ended up paying again.
Getting Home From Key West
While we were in Waynesboro, we met a guy who told us to take Rte. 11 up to NY. That didn’t work out exactly as I thought it might. There are a lot of towns with traffic and lights. It wasn’t exactly the scenic ride we were hoping for. After awhile, we decided to jump on I-81 and ran into heavy traffic caused by an accident. It’s one of those days where every decision I made was wrong. From which lane to be in, to getting off and running US 11 again, it seemed the other options were always better. We ended up traveling about 125 miles in 7 hours. That was quite aggravating to understate the obvious. The morning ride was great. The afternoon – not so much.
With the weather up north heading south, we decided to jump on I-81 and get back to Syracuse before the weather turned really crappy. There’s a big difference between 45 degrees and riding 40-45 mph on Skyline Drive and 45 degrees and 75 mph on the highway. We really need to invest in some heated gear. Traffic reared it’s ugly head again about 20 miles south of Harrisburg due to a lane closure. Add another hour delay to the hour and a half from yesterday and we could have been home around 3 instead of 6. Another reason why I hate to ride on Interstate highways. Nevertheless, we made it. Over 5800 miles and our 35 day motorcycle ride to Key West comes to a chilly conclusion. We’re home for the next couple months and then we’re off again to the southwest for the winter.
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