A mixed bag… of rides

I have been in Florida almost 4 weeks and I haven’t really been on any epic rides yet. Or at least none that are blog-worthy. So, in order to give you something, anything to read about I will attempt to write about them anyway. 

Cape Coral
I was over to Cape Coral twice, once to find out about getting a new back tire and the other to get it installed when it came in. 

Naturally the route taken back home was more along the lines of the ‘scenic’ route, so at least it made for a couple of nice little rides from there to here.



North River Road
Then there was the trek along River Road, that has become a yearly venture and one that we always seem to do a few times when here. We did the “long version” going through Buckingham and covering the entire river route from 31 to 29 into Labelle.  As always it is a nice ride, but it is not like I can say anything new about it after doing this route for the last eight years. Wow, I can’t believe it has been that long already.  



A Jaunt To The Motorcycle Dealers…

Last week, we decided to check out a couple of motorcycle dealers, other than Harley. (Really, it doesn’t always need to be about Harley, does it?) 

We had a failed attempt at going there last year, lucky this time around I remembered that motorcycle dealers are like hairdressers and closed on Mondays...so we headed out on a Friday instead.

We first went to Gulf Coast Motorcycles. They deal with BMW, Ducati, and KTM. We were more interested in looking at the BMW adventure style bikes. I eventually came to the conclusion, all the models they had in the showroom I would need a step ladder to even try to sit on it. Also, if I would even consider this style of bike I would have the added expense of purchasing a lowering package, especially if I were to truly feel comfortable on one. 

Don’t think it is fair really. Short people are penalized for being “height challenged”.  I know what you are thinking… I have also read that no matter how short you are you can ride any size bike. Sure, you can ‘ride’ it, but eventually you have to stop! What are you going to do when you get to a stop light and your feet don’t touch the ground, jump off? 

The next place we stopped at was Sun Sports cycle and watercraft offering Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuski.  My interest was in the new 2017 Honda Rebel. I came across it on Twitter and it sparked my interest. Just our secret... I am still thinking about getting another motorcycle for back home in Canada. If you recall, I was seriously pondering about getting a bike last summer.  Obviously I never did. 

2017 Honda Rebel

Anyway, I started checking the Honda Rebel out online and found that it has a seat height of 27.2 “ (691 mm) Short people let us rejoice!! It is about time that motorcycle manufacturers took notice that not everyone has long legs or likes them stretched spread eagle over a seat. The Rebel is considered a ‘starter’ bike with a 300 but to my surprise it also comes as a 500 (471cc) which I think is decent enough to give it a bit of ‘get up and go’. Also, I like the price, even in Canada. It would be an affordable alternative to, dare I say, Harley. I also like that it has a sleek narrow frame and over-sized tires. I really like its sporty look and for exploring on my home turf it would be perfect! I think I have almost convinced myself…

So, there I was all excited to see it in the “flesh” and perhaps even test it out. I have been drooling over it for a week on the Internet and now I would be able to actually touch it… NOT… I was crushed, they didn’t have any in yet. I was told to come back in a couple of weeks…I hung my head and shuffled back out the door.

Bike Night in Fort Myers

Sat. Jan 14 the first Bike Night  of 2017 was held in Fort Myers. We got there around 5:30 pm and it was already in full swing. Start time is actually 6 pm and finding parking was already getting tight. We at least found our usual spot, seems we always get a spot there. (Maybe I shouldn’t jinx myself by saying that)

The most photographed statue... Man & Dog pee on post

There were the usual booths set up along the closed off roads selling their trinkets. The restaurants and bars spilled onto the sidewalks and set up booths offering beer to the masses. Motorcycles roared and weaved through the thick throngs of pedestrian traffic while the bands blasted through large speakers trying to be heard above the din. 

Motorcycle pup striking a pose...

We made our way along and seen what there was to see. As night began to descend we started to get hungry. Since we have been coming to these Bike Nights we have always managed to snag an outside table from some restaurant and grab a bite to eat. It is also a chance to sit and people watch, there are always a lot of interesting characters at these events and the entertainment is endless. However, this year there was just way too many people, and every restaurant we tried had a two hour wait. 

After roaming the streets for another half hour, we gave up and decided that we would leave and stop at Mugs N’ Jugs before going home. We have eaten there once before and the food is ‘eatable’. We sat at a table in the patio bar area and I had the wings, a little too saucy for me, but there is always a roll of paper towel that sits at the tables, so problem solved. The BF had the Meatloaf dinner, he had no complaints. Don’t worry, I have no intention of posting food pics. 

I actually enjoyed the night ride home this time. Come to think about it, this was like my 3rd time riding at night in my 8 years of riding. The last two times it had rained on the way home and nothing dampens the mood of a nice ride faster than when you are soaking wet. 

It would have been even nicer if my BF’s tail lights were working. I actually had noticed as we left Bike Night that he had no tail lights. Not much we could do, so I rode directly behind him to make sure any car coming up behind could at least see my tail lights. Made me nervous for him but we made it home. [FYI: If you are wondering, he ended up having to replace the tail light and fix his brake lever].

I sure hope my adventures get a bit more interesting for you and for me too…

 

Cruising Through Life & Enjoying The Ride…