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Twenty-four hours of 110-mph-plus winds, adopted by 5 days of no energy, web, or cellphone service.
Hurricane Ian had made landfall the earlier Wednesday. Energy went out that morning. I had hoped that the attention of the hurricane would go over my home in Port Charlotte, giving me a short respite throughout which I may view any injury, however the heart of the storm tracked 10 miles to the east, inflicting Port Charlotte to get the storm at its peak energy. Exceptionally excessive winds and rain, coupled with the storm’s gradual progress, assured it might trigger a substantial amount of injury in southwest Florida.
Associated: Appalachian Zigzag
Within the days following the storm, I cooked every thing in my chilly storage on a barbecue grill or over cans of Sterno, utilizing my creativeness to create palatable outcomes. Whereas the expertise actually elevated my backwoods culinary expertise, I finally reached a quitting level.
Sunday discovered me driving 100 miles east to Lake Okeechobee to get gasoline for my automotive and generator, avoiding the mile-long traces on the few Port Charlotte fuel stations that had managed to rise up and working. The 200-mile spherical journey grew to become an all-day tour due to downed timber, energy traces, and nonfunctioning visitors lights. The rule for intersections with inoperable visitors lights is to deal with them as a four-way cease, however main four-lane intersections with flip lanes turn into a bit unpredictable when the lights are usually not working. The lengthy day’s drive was the deciding issue; with studies of companies being out for at the least a number of extra days, a choice was within the offing.
Hmmm. What to do. What to do? Highway journey.
Associated: The Joy Of Motorcycle Reacquaintance – Part 2
Monday I did maintenance checks and packed my bike with plans to go away early the subsequent morning. I’d go to Atlanta, stick with household, and meet up with outdated mates till I obtained phrase that my neighborhood’s energy had been restored. To keep away from the numerous storm-related journey issues all through southwest Florida, I’d take the great distance round, heading east again to Lake Okeechobee, then north to Jacksonville earlier than heading northwest via rural Georgia to Atlanta. The Jacksonville-Atlanta journey was a pleasant one which I had ridden earlier than. An in a single day cease was an possibility, but when I have been as much as the problem, I may choose to finish all the journey on Tuesday, though doing so would make it a really lengthy using day.
The Lengthy Trip
At 6:45 a.m., I thumbed the starter and rolled out of the driveway. My early begin time ensured I’d encounter the least doable visitors whereas leaving the worst of the storm injury in my mirrors. A full tank of fuel meant I wouldn’t should replenish till I reached the east coast, away from storm-damaged areas and the ensuing lengthy fuel traces.Whereas the overall thought was one in all escape, I included some scenic routes within the planning course of. I’d cross the state on state Route 74, which cuts straight as an arrow due east, and benefit from the dawn as I headed towards Lake Okeechobee. From there, FL74 led to Freeway 27 and FL78 earlier than reaching the city of Okeechobee and Freeway 441 simply north of the lake.
Freeway 441 is a chosen scenic freeway on this space, and as in comparison with different sometimes straight and flat roads of Florida, it was fairly a pleasant journey.
As unhealthy as Hurricane Ian had been, it had left spectacular climate in its wake, pulling out all cloud cowl and humidity and bringing the primary cooler temperatures of the yr. With temperatures within the mid-70s and just about cloud-free skies, the climate for a protracted journey couldn’t have been higher.
The parallel route from Freeway 441 to Interstate 95 allowed me to disregard the interstate whereas sustaining interstate-like speeds via scenic open nation and wildlife preservation areas. I slowed just for just a few picturesque old-Florida cities alongside the best way.
At Freeway 192 and the Herky-Huffman/Bull Creek Wildlife preservation space, I headed east towards I-95. At Deer Park Highway/County Highway 419, I discovered another detour to delay the inevitable interstate. Deer Park Highway joins Nova Highway/CR532 and ends at Freeway 520 west of Cocoa; then it was east to I-95.
At I-95, an satisfying morning journey gave method to the enterprise finish of the day’s journey. For the subsequent two hours, I had 160 miles to place behind me. Surprisingly robust crosswinds meant the miles to Jacksonville have been that rather more of a chore. By Jacksonville, it had already been a protracted using day.
I contemplated the great sense resolution to cease for the night time, however stopping would imply a reasonably large dent within the finances, and I had all the subsequent day to relaxation up. I pushed on. Taking I-295 west round Jacksonville led to FL23 and a northwestern “lifeless reckoning” journey by map towards Macon, Georgia.
At a road-weary late afternoon cease for fuel in Douglas, Georgia, I knew I used to be pushing the envelope. I’d already spent 10 hours on the bike and had some 4 hours left to go. I knew {that a} cease to relaxation and eat was known as for, however I wished to get out of rural Georgia earlier than sundown, when the deer and the antelope play. Windfall intervened when a protracted slow-moving business prepare blocked my route on the north aspect of city. I used to be irritated at first, however realized it was excellent timing; I’d have saved going after I ought to have stopped, and when a break and dinner have been completely wanted.
The solar had swapped locations with a crescent moon by the point I reached I-16 at Macon. One other two hours and I reached Atlanta, pulling into my cousin’s driveway at 9:30 p.m. It had been an almost 15-hour using day, one in all my longest ever.
Wednesday was a day of well-earned R&R, adopted by a night out listening to an awesome Atlanta band and visiting with outdated mates. I’d be prepared to soak up some favourite Georgia rides on Thursday.
The Southern Georgia Triangle
The city of Monticello is about 50 miles southeast of Atlanta, however that fifty miles takes you again a century in time to a bucolic and pastoral city of outdated Southern appeal. It’s a great place to begin to take pleasure in three intersecting scenic highways, GA16, GA11, and Freeway 129, which kind a big inverted triangle with Monticello on the higher left vertex. Eager to fill the day with as a lot scenic freeway as I may, I rode I-75 south out of Atlanta to Locust Grove, the place GA16 heading east from I-75 can be a chosen scenic freeway for the 26 miles to Monticello.
The three-road triangle runs via the Piedmont Nationwide Wildlife Refuge, forested all the best way, with delicate curves, lengthy sweepers, and gently rolling hills. At Monticello, taking GA11 southeast to the city of Grey completes the primary leg of the triangle, resulting in Freeway 129 northeast to Eatonton earlier than returning west to Monticello once more on GA16.
One other day of picture-perfect climate discovered me stopping typically to take pictures of outdated church buildings and restored antebellum homes, quaint small-town companies, and sumptuous stretches of completely paved pecan-tree-lined freeway. Whereas uninterrupted journey time across the loop is just about two hours, stops for pictures and native eating places crammed an attractive afternoon journey.
Finishing the triangle brings you again to Monticello, the place taking GA11 north to I-20 leads again to Atlanta. Whereas this leg of GA11 will not be a chosen scenic freeway, just about each highway on this space offers spectacular views.
On Thursday night, I obtained a textual content from a neighbor: The ability was again on. Whereas my home was usually undamaged by the storm, I had misplaced some roof shingles and a big tree within the yard had a number of damaged limbs hanging free. The storm had taken the moist climate with it when it left Florida, however the dry spell would seemingly not final lengthy. I wished to be sure that the shingles have been changed and the potential tree limb hazard was addressed earlier than the subsequent rain. I made a decision to go dwelling on Saturday.
That left Friday for another nice journey. Georgia State Route 60 is true within the coronary heart of Georgia’s piece of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and it’s the most effective examples of a highway seemingly made for motorcyclists, from its starting about 9 miles north of Dahlonega till it reaches the Tennessee border at McCaysville. Its first 7 miles are additionally a part of a three-road loop often called The Georgia Triangle, consisting of GA60, GA180, and Freeway 129-19. The Triangle is as well-known to Southern riders as Deals Gap is in Tennessee. Whereas I normally make some extent of using the triangle each time I’m within the space, GA60 is a stand-alone nice journey in itself, and it had been a very long time since I had ridden the highway from starting to finish.
From its begin at its intersection with GA19-129, at a location often called Six Hole, the highway climbs 1,400 ft within the first 7 miles to Suches. On the best way up the mountain, I skilled a motorcyclist’s worst nightmare. Coming round a blind left curve on the twisting mountain highway, a pickup truck was touring a full 2 ft over the centerline and nicely into my lane, at a location the place solely a guardrail stood between the highway and a steep drop-off to the precise. Up in these elements, you stay each always vigilant and in dread of such a chance, and I used to be ready. With out even a second to hit the horn, I moved as far to the precise as I may with out going off the highway, skirting the painted yellow edge line to keep away from the truck.
It’s tough for me to think about the mindset of a driver who appears detached to inserting one other human being’s life at risk, whether or not that indifference comes from callous disregard, intoxication, inattentiveness, or easy ignorance. Had I been driving a automotive, there would seemingly have been a head-on collision on that twisting mountain highway. I put the close to miss behind me, in miles and in spirit, and continued on to benefit from the day.
Which I actually did. Well-known to riders within the southeast, Two-Wheel of Suches (previously Two Wheels Solely) is a long-established bike lodge, restaurant, and campground that caters to two-wheeled vacationers. It has been a favourite cease of mine for over 20 years, each for the nice burgers and the informative two-wheeled dialog. As is all the time the case, the parking zone was stuffed with bikes and riders of all stripes. It’s good to see the place nonetheless going robust.
The leaves have been simply starting their annual coloration change, with the low autumn afternoon solar backlighting on an angled ecliptic. North of Suches, GA60 is a steady collection of twisted turns and brief steep grades for miles. Having beforehand lived in Dahlonega, I knew this highway nicely, however residing in straight and flat Florida for various years, I paid additional consideration to my lane place, braking, and equipment choice whereas I bought my sea legs again.
Round each curve was an awesome {photograph}, however tight twists and turns with no shoulder and fast drop-offs made stopping for pictures a uncommon alternative. North of Mount Nice Baptist Church the highway straightens and flattens a bit, so stops are simpler. Subsequent time I’ll have a GoPro for this journey.
My exit for the day was at Blue Ridge, with a cease on the serene blue lake for the final pictures of the day, returning south to Atlanta through Freeway 76 and I-575. McCaysville on the Georgia-Tennessee border is one other 10 miles down SR60, however it was late afternoon and I had plans for my final night time on the town. Night introduced one other favourite music venue with an awesome band and the chance to meet up with mates from my Atlanta days. I’d packed quite a bit into an impromptu five-day trip.
And it wasn’t fairly over. Whereas the journey from Atlanta is usually one other lengthy day on the interstate, I knew from earlier expertise that I-75 from Gainesville to Tampa typically has visitors backups that may final for miles. I don’t know of a worse journey expertise than being on a bike in stop-and-go visitors on an interstate freeway. Checking Google Maps on the Florida border confirmed that visitors jams have been certainly the case. Some improvisation was known as for.
Placing the Bike Earlier than the Horse
A few of Florida’s finest using will be discovered north of Tampa and west of I-75 within the rolling hills of Florida’s equestrian nation. Although it meant extending an already lengthy journey, I exited the interstate south of Lake Metropolis to Freeway 41 towards Excessive Springs. It was a late afternoon and an ideal time to journey the rolling hills of northwest Florida, previous horse ranches and equestrian parks, maintaining a great clip on sparsely populated, completely paved highways, once more with solely outdated Florida small cities to provide curiosity and equipment adjustments. Using in what photographers name “golden hour” I ended for pics on an attractive overhanging tree-lined part of the freeway. I’m glad I took the detour.
Simply after sundown at Lake Hernando, close to the city of the identical identify, I took the final photograph of the week, of the bike in entrance of the lake with a full moon overhead.
The Suncoast Freeway, Freeway 589, is a north-south toll highway that runs from Lecanto to the Tampa-St. Pete space. It’s a far superior journey to I-75, normally close to traffic-free and nicely definitely worth the five-buck toll. Having a SunPass transponder within the saddlebag allowed ahead progress with out interruption. Approaching Tampa, I dodged a number of kamikaze drivers who would simply as quickly kill you as have a look at you. Man, the world positive is attending to be a loopy place. The detour prolonged the usually nine-hour journey to 10 and a half; one other lengthy using day. Whereas I do know that sometimes I must cease for an in a single day, I’m fairly used to saddle time at this level.
For an impromptu hurricane escape route, I couldn’t have requested for higher circumstances; clear skies, cool however comfy temperatures, nice rides and a few wanted reconnections with outdated mates. Just a few days later I changed the shingles on my roof with the assistance of a cousin. We completed 90 minutes earlier than the primary rainfall for the reason that hurricane. Windfall certainly.
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