Last Leg - Roads East then South, Coming Home - Can't wait! - Day 41

Left early today - around 8:15 - as it would be nice to get home at a decent hour. Rode I-10 East for about 250 miles before turning South just East of Tallahassee. Temps and humidity reminded us that we were getting close to the Tampa area as we headed South. Another 250 miles to home.

Ticked off another time zone in Florida. That makes 10 for those of you counting. More if we count the back and forth through the border of BC and YT in Canada as we crossed borders and time zones several times in each direction.

Stopped in Perry, FL briefly for a BBQ lunch at Goodman's Real Pit BBQ - a place most people wouldn't even enter, but the takeout window was quite active. Couldn't believe the BBQ or the prices - wish we had a place like this near home. BBQ Beef sandwich, coleslaw, tater salad, and a Lemonade all for only $5.99 - tax included!!!

Place could use some renovations, but then again, it's look is what gives it its local character. Seemed to be one popular place with the local and state police too.

I can't believe we covered almost 14,000 miles and no tickets, stops, etc. Highly unlikely, except for the Canadian border incident, of course.

Skies were cooperative all morning, but the afternoon held other weather conditions for us. Another reminder we're in Florida in the Summer. Boomers and grey clouds all around. After leaving Perry, we could see a wall of water just ahead. A few raindrops on the windscreen and helmet visor, temps quickly dropped and winds picked up. Pulled over and donned rain gear and headed into the belly of the beast. Only lasted a mile or 2, but wet enough to warrant the rain gear. The sun was out soon after and bought back the heat and humidity.

No too long down the road was another gas stop waiting for us. So, rain gear comes off and gets packed again - it's totally dry, so no problem. and off South again. Kind of uncomfortable riding in 96F and Florida humid.

Ed and I departed at the traffic light at Little Road in Port Richey with a fist bump and a safe home wish. Arrived home around 6:15PM with a dozen roses for the love of my life waiting for me with open arms. It felt great to see her beaming smile and wrap my arms around her with a well deserved greeting. Ahhh........... to be home. As Dorothy said, "there's no place like home". How right she was!

The tally for the trip is:

41 total days on the road, 39 with Ed

13,907 total miles

13,408 miles from Key West, FL

12, 910 miles from home

18 States - including Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Alaska, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama.

3 Canadian Provinces and Territories - Alberta, British Columbia and Yukon Territory

5 Oil changes

3 5,000 mile services on Big Red

3 Breakdowns - Cartersville, Tennessee - Wheel Bearings, Great Falls, Montana - Stator, Fairbanks, Alaska - Voltage Regulator

3 Family visits - Tennessee, Alaska, and Texas

4 Continental Divide Crossings

4 Border Crossings and 2 Customs and Border Patrol Checkpoints

Got to touch the Arctic Circle!!!

Priceless scenery from Florida to Alaska and back. Every state and province has so much to offer that you've got to travel the many roads and highways through this great land to appreciate it. Many interesting conversations and interactions with other travelers, bikers and non-bikers, some from the Netherlands, England, and from all over the US and Canada. Almost an equal number of motorcycles headed to Alaska as RV's and cars. The best and worst riding conditions anyone can ever imagine, and on a motorcycle it's quite the experience. We rode through sunshine, rain, snow, cold, hot, humid, dry, wet, mud, gravel, dirt, fresh oil drenched dirt and gravel, calcium chloride (a slushy dirt/mud not even fit for a car), pilot cars, mountains, valleys, deserts, suicide birds, cities, towns, and some places you could never imagine exist.

We saw black bear, moose, fox or mountain lion (different of opinion), elk, deer, long horn sheep, cows, bulls, reindeer, buffalo, chicken playing squirrels, wild turkey and eagles.

Crystal clear aqua colored lakes and rivers - mostly in Canada and Alaska.

The Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean. And Mexico too as we passed through El Paso Texas. I wasn't aware of how close the border is to the Interstate. Not far at all - a few hundred yards or less at some points.