Being a tourist in Orlando

We rode out of Daytona and stopped to take pictures of the famous Daytona Speedway but its undergoing major redevelopment so access wasn't possible as the place is a building site, the security guard did say i could take a guided tour in a bus so I passed on that delight.
Into Orlando home to Mickey Mouse and all his pals to meet up with my neice Nicola, Brian and daughter Lucy. Great to see them and yesterday we all went to Seaworld together to play at tourists (I now remember why I hate being a "tourist") We did enough queuing to last several lifetimes. Its great for the kids I think but I do have an issue with the animals that are kept in captivity performing for the huge audiences every day, despite the conservation message that continues to be driven home its really if we are all being honest about conserving the dollars in the cash registers. Apologies for being a grouch but this adventure we have been on has taught me many things and one is the importance of our habitat and wildlife and how it needs to be protected.
That said we are lapping up the Florida sunshine and good company for a while before heading further South.

 

Daytona , a famous name, now a huge building site

Prospective motorcyclist?

Lucy & Brian annoy the fish

Circus act

All bred in captivity, they never see the wild

Killer whales perform 3 times daily for their supper

The Ladies enjoying the sun

Lucy & Brian inspecting tonsils

Fearless Lucy feeding the dolphin

Florida to Daytona Beach

We left Savannah Sunday and rode south, crossing into the sunshine state, Florida, it was damned hot and we made our way to Fernandina beach state park. There was what seemed to be a half marathon on, running in that heat was taking its toll on the backmarkers we passed, I'm sure they could have got a bus and saved the pain!
So camping at a reasonable price again, excellent. We stayed two nights but yesterday the weather turned and it got rainy and windy but no matter it was great to be camping by the sea again. Last night we were lucky to cook dinner in between showers and even managed to get a good fire going. Today we rode further South to Daytona Beach, famous of course for the racetrack and for the bike events held here. The annual October Bike fest is this weekend so the place is filling up fast with thousands of Harleys, we are heading tomorrow so will miss the main event but at least we got a feel for it, funnily enough we feel like aliens on our "adventure" bikes amongst all the laid back cruising dudes but hey ho. Our hotel tonight is axcellent and crazily costs less than some of the campsites we have stayed in. Tomorrow Orlando to catch up with my niece Nicola, her husband Brian and daughter Lucy for a few days (until they get fed up of us and throw us out!) It feels now that we are coming to the end but I'm sure we still have adventures to live, its not over until we land in Edinburgh.....whenever that is! 29500 miles so far and many tales to tell , hopefully a few more in the coming weeks so keep watching.

I bought a dozen beers and never realised they were very small until I got back to the tent...dissapointed!

Our wee campsite

This is what its about, sunsets and a campfire (and small beers....and some whisky)

Into MacD's in town to blag free wifi, the staff are worked too hard obviously, these guys were on their break

Fort Clinch, used during the Civil war by Unuin soldiers

Quite spacious....

Fi doing the washing

How does it feel to sit on tons of gunpowder?

Very orderly

Big guns, these took 10 men each to work, minimum of 6

They have guys pretending its still in the day, interesting to find out more about the civil war. Not too dissimilar to whats going on just now in Capitol Hill

Out looking for alligators

getting close

but they were hiding from us, dissapointed and relieved at the same time

Watching this guy foraging in the tidal wash

3 bags of firewood for our wet night here!

Daytona beach

Jacuzzi overlooking the sea, not bad for 30 quid a night

I liked this, what it means of course is no people soliciting rather than no Scottish Lawyers but it was funny anyway!

Georgia on my mind

Leaving Robbinsville in the sunshine we came across a strange scene after a couple of miles, we were at altitude and the valley below was covered in thick cloud, a great photo opportunity then down the twisty road to descend into the mist. It lasted around 50 miles before we broke into the sunshine again, retracing our steps East before heading South. Now we know why these mountains are called the Smokey Mountains I suppose, being a National Park it was closed due o the crazy Federal shutdown which meant we had to go round it rather than through it.
We stayed on the Interstate for a while but after the busy Friday afternoon run around Columbia we got off onto the smaller much nicer and more sane roads for a while, passing a multitude of cotton fields (remiss of me not to get a photo) We arrived at the campsite after a pretty long 300 mile + day only to be told they were full, October is the height of the season here in South Carolina I was told. "Not even room for a wee tent & 2 bikes in a corner somewhere" "no sir we are full up" This is a fact of life here, the massive RV's rule the campsite, tent camping is quickly being left to only the National Parks & Forests (which are closed at the moment) it's something we have witnessed in the UK and I predict it will only get worse, soon camping in a tent will only be possible in your back garden!
We rode the 35 miles to the nearest town with hotels, found a McDonalds to use the wifi & grab a coffee and booked the place next door, crazily enough for not much more than the camping, a bed, en suite, shower and breakfast but its not the point, I like camping!!
Today we rode to Savannah, a quaint tourist trap by the coast, Fi must have called at least 5 campsites only to be told RV's only so we are back in the same chain of budget hotels. This place is only about $10 more expensive than a tent site (when you can find one) and that includes breakfast, crazy!
The temperature is noticeably higher now and once again we are struggling in the slow traffic with all the bike gear on but when you see the driving there's no way you'd take a chance otherwise!

Looks surrreal, moments later we were in the clouds

Not that high in the grand scheme of things

Fi waiting while I faf around taking pictures

Savanna, nice to see older buildings

Very Hot!!

Had to escape the heat to an air conditioned Micro Brewery

I liked these!

Nice bridge

Riverboat, why don't we do riverboats?

Seafront reminds me of Newhouse road back hame

The Tail of the Dragon

As we travelled across the USA many motorcyclists have told us about this road, 318 bends in 11 miles so it would have been rude not to go there to see what its like. It also gave us a chance to go into Tenesee briefly. En route to here we had some bike problems, with my bike, thing kept cutting out, not good when you are passing trucks on the outside lane and the bike dies! Checked the usual suspects and eventually after another 400 miles decided it was the Motobatt battery going the same way Fiona's did in Mexico. We found a bike shop in Robbinsville, helped by John at Mountain motors, an old school bike shop, he called around until he found someone with one in stock just 2 1/2 miles away. New battery fitted and rode the Tail of the Dragon both ways today and apparently all good.
The road (For the Scottish guys) is like the first 3 miles of the Tummelbridge road out of Pitlochry except it lasts for 11 miles! As always attracts the biking fraternity so a mini Green Welly shop as well.
All good so tomorrow bikes permitting we will head further South East towards Georgia.

Another breakdown equals a stressed look!

Great view from the balcony of the excellent Calhoun House in Byson city

Getting help from John at Mountain Motors

Now this is bald and the guy rode away!

Heading up the Tail

Of Course a Harley shop

One of the few places you can stop

This guy had an intereting T shirt.....Discuss

Go Pro screen shots

Inevitable on roads like this

the loonie were out1

Fi with the Dragon!

Like the trailer?

Marketing is everything

The tree of shame, full of broken bits!!