I went to the Florida Rally last week, it was my first but definitely not my last. I could only go for the Lap O' The Lake, but the people I met were like old friends. After I got home, I realized the wildest time of the trip was getting there and finding the group.
I got a late start,(suprise) and had to make up time. I jumped on the Florida T-pike and the first tankfull lasted 106 miles. In 66 minutes. With 4 toll plazas thrown in. I got to the park in Okeechobee and it was deserted. Then I guy runs out of a store saying, "You just missed them, they left 4 minutes ago." Well it should be easy to catch a group of 20 bikes, right? I get to the lake and it's a T intersection, nobody in sight, can't hear a sound. I figured they would go around the east side first, it's more open, more fun. Little did I know that the lunch stop was down the west side. So I go down the east side like I'm qualifying for the Isle of Man. I keep thinking, they're just ahead, a little more. I made it to Pahokee, halfway around the lake, in half an hour. Mark later said it was 40 miles. I had to slow down then for the city, and after three quarters of the way around the lake, I gave up. I was hungry, so I stopped at KFC. As I'm waiting in line, I hear, "Is that your Speedmaster? We have about 9 of them and 10 Bonneville Americas in our group."
I turn around, "Okie?" I turns out Mark saw me and banged a u-turn (leaving everyone else to find the restaurant the hard way). So it must have been fate. I had a great time but that riding slowly in a group business takes some getting used to. Now I have to figure out how to get away to the Georgia Rally. Thanks to Mark, Phil, Mert, the Yutes, and everyone else my speed-addled brain can't remember. You guys made me feel right at home.
Brian.
