living the dream – Page 3 – Oh The Places We’ll Go!

June 2, 2015January 28, 2018

The Big Ride – New experiences of every kind! (Gulf Coastal Regional Florida / Biloxi, Mississippi

Over the past few days I’ve ridden through the Gulf Coastal Region of Florida and the word that comes to mind is “breathtaking”. The beaches are pristine and like no other that I’ve experienced in my time here on this beautiful planet on which we live. If the Universe is willing I hope to one day return to these parts. Here is a short video of Navarre Beach located on Santa Rosa Island south east of Pensacola, FL.

My travels also took me to Biloxi, Mississippi which was incredibly historic and filled with new experiences. Located on the Gulf of Mexico, it was one of the areas devastated by the tropical storm Katrina in 2005. Some of the buildings were under 30 feet of water, while others were washed away as a result of this powerful hurricane. As I drove along the shoreline the many empty lots with only the remains of a foundation or a deserted parking lot reminded me of how lives were dramatically changed as a result of the costliest natural disaster in the history of the United States. Many of the businesses have rebuilt or renovated after the storm and life continues to flourish in this beautiful city. An example of this is the White House Hotel which was one of the places submerged under 30 feet of water. It reopened in the past year after extensive renovations.

The White House Hotel, Biloxi MS was submerged under 30 feet of water as a result of Katrina

The visit to this elegant hotel and restaurant was recommended to me by Ed Miles, a wonderful volunteer I met at the Biloxi Tourist Information Centre. Another beautiful location in the city!

Here are a few photos of the historic French Quarters. The area is filled with beautiful little shops, businesses and restaurants, including the Half Shell, a wonderful oyster bar where I had dinner. Yes I did it! I tried raw shucked oysters on the half shell.

In addition to having a wonderful restaurant district, the city has a number of casinos…another first for me. I’ve lived a sheltered life and not played the slots before which resulted in another favourable experience. I walked away $33 richer after a few minutes…Ben & Jerry’s were the next to benefit…a win-win experience from my perspective 🙂

Biloxi also has a working marina and is home to a large fishing fleet. The sky is reflective of the heat which reached 38 degrees Celsius earlier in the day. Yup…it was a little warm riding into the city. Earlier that day I managed to miss two major showers as I rode towards Biloxi. You have to love that!

This was seen on the back of a state police vehicle…a great investment strategy 🙂

From here my journey has taken me to New Orleans, Louisiana – It’s an amazing fun filled city that is worthy of a blog of its own! I’ll get back to you when the music stops 🙂

May 30, 2015August 2, 2015

The Big Ride – All good things come to an end….but only to get better! (Florida)

Yesterday, May 29, 2015, marked the end of my visit to Daytona Beach, FL as I started to make my way west. Initially I felt disappointed about leaving the Atlantic seaboard as I always enjoy being close to the ocean. Here is a short video of the “Daytona Beach Strip”. I hope you enjoy it.

The ride to Perry, FL was relatively sedate with an awesome breakfast stop in Astor at a little locally owned establishment located close to the Ocala National Forest. I had the feeling that it was going to be one the best when the little parking lot was full of pickup trucks. I had an egg served with “corned beef hash” along with a warm biscuit fresh from the oven. It was one of the best breakfasts I’ve had since leaving home. I sure enjoy “doing as the Romans do!”

Sparky's Restaurant located in Astor, FL, just east of Ocala National Forest — Sparky’s Restaurant located in Astor, FL, just east of Ocala National Forest

After breakfast I continued through the Ocala / Marion country which is termed as the horse capital of the world with more 70,000 acres of thoroughbred breeding and training farms. The sprawling horse ranches consisted of some very impressive properties. The video can hardly do it justice.

After my stay in Perry, FL, I headed out this morning towards Panama City, FL on Highway 98 which is the coastal route along the Gulf of Mexico also known as the Emerald Gulf. The ride was breathtaking! The route wound gracefully along miles and miles of pure white sandy beaches and the aqua marine colored water as it sparkled under the sunny skies. The warm salty breeze was welcomed as temperatures soared to a high of 33 degrees Celsius. What was most impressive were the expansive bridges that linked the many islands and gulfs that in some cases went on for miles! The Gulf is known for its oyster and bay scallop industry.

Here is a clip of the ride to the historic St George Island. The bridge is an impressive 6.4 kilometers (4 miles) long!

Here is another short film of some of the shoreline from today’s ride, Tomorrow will be much the same – lucky me!

May 28, 2015October 2, 2015

The Big Ride – Timing is everything! (Daytona Beach Florida – Bruce Rossmeyer Daytona Dealership)

It’s interesting how things work out. Over the past few days I was experiencing some problems with my bike when trying to shift up into second gear. I know…I know…it’s a Harley 🙂

When I rolled into Daytona Beach at the end of the day I stopped at Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Harley Davidson Dealership and arranged to stop back this morning thinking it was a minor clutch adjustment. Later in the afternoon I happened to be by a Yamaha dealership and asked if they could adjust my clutch cable. When looking at it the mechanic thought that there might be a problem with the inner primary and suggested I have it looked at. Thank you Daytona Fun Machines for the excellent diagnositcs!

This morning when I returned to the Harley Davidson Dealership I was impressed not only with the service experience but also with their efficiency and the hospitality that was extended. The Service Advisor, Jacob Snyder, ensured that my bike was looked at as soon as I arrived, while the Customer Relations Manager, Jean Abeling took the time to tell me about their impressive dealership, one of the largest in North America. She also introduced me to one of the principles, Mandy Rossmeyer Campbell who was interested in learning more about the epic motorcycle trip that I was on.

Bruce Rossmeyer's Daytona Harley Davidson Dealership where Highway 1 meets the I-95 — Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Harley Davidson Dealership where Highway 1 meets the I-95

I must say that the Bruce Rossmeyer Daytona Dealership is like none-other that I’ve been in. First of all I rode my bike into the dealership when I checked it in. From there it is placed on a ramp that took it up to the second floor where there were 42 bays. The dealership has a coffee shop, smartphone charging stations, merchandise and parts, chroming and detailing as well as the the late Mr. Rossmeyer’s bike collection on display. Here are a few photos from the dealership.

Checking my bike into the Bruce Rossmeyer Daytona Harley Davidson Dealership

Smartphone stations

Lounge area and coffee shop inside dealership

Working on my tan in sunny Daytona Beach

My repairs were covered under my extended warranty so while my baby was in having the sprocket replaced in the inner primary, along with a new shifter, I was enjoying another day in sunny Daytona Beach. This included some much needed beach time and an opportunity for my legs to see a little sun. If you know me well, my legs are always white at the end of riding season so the odd day of sun is always welcomed 🙂

As well, I had the opportunity to check out some local favorites and enjoyed dinner at a great BBQ spot called the Daytona Pig Stand. It was a carnivours delight! I ordered a combination plate of BBQed ribs, brisket and smoked chicken. Hmmmm

A carnivour's delight! — A carnivour’s delight!

The decor was a little on the wild side as well 🙂

After dinner I stopped off at the Iron Horse Salon and Kyla, one of the employees provided me with a personal tour of their establishment which was interesting. I can only imagine how interesting this place must be during Daytona Bike Week when there are about 100,000 bikers in the area.

Now that my baby is back on the road I’ll be heading out in the morning to see more of Florida. Stay tuned…there’s more to come!

May 28, 2015October 2, 2015

The Big Ride – Heavenly Sunshine (Florida)

My ride on Welcome to Florida Wednesday, May 27, 2015 took me from Savannah, Georgia to Daytona Beach, Florida with a stop in St Augustine, Florida. Not having visited Florida before, I took advantage of stopping at the Tourist Centre when I crossed the state line. It was an impressive centre offering numerous free publications, informative staff and “fresh Florida orange juice”.

Enjoying fresh Florida orange juice at the State Information Centre

The stop in St Augustine was very pleasant. What a beautiful little town. The weather was warm…okay it was darn right hot out yesterday and by the time I left I was riding without my motorcycle jacket in an effort to keep me from melting into the pavement.

You know you are south when all you can see in the distance are palm trees

St Augustine is one of the oldest cities in the US and was founded in 1565 by the Spanish and served as the capital city of Florida for a couple hundred years during the the Spanish rein. The Spanish influence is evident in the architecture which was impressive and left me with the impression that I was transported back in time.

Here’s a great “tip jar” I saw while picking up an iced coffee before heading back out on the road to Dayton Beach, Florida.

I love the establishments sense of humour :) — Money the root of all evil – Cleanse yourself here 🙂

My arrival in Daytona Beach was finished off with a fresh seafood dinner on the patio of my hotel which over looked the ocean, followed by a walk on the beach as the sun started to set. Nothing beats kicking off your motorcycle boots and feeling the warmth of the ocean lapping against your feet. The ride in the heat to get here was oh so worth it!!

May 26, 2015October 2, 2015

The Big Ride – History History History! (Savannah, Georgia)

You may have been wondering what I’ve been up to for the past few days…well let me tell you. It’s been pretty interesting being in the south and particularly in Savannah, Georgia! If you know anything about me, you’ll know that I love curvy roads, old cemeteries and interesting architecture and this trip is satisfying all of these interests.

On the ride to Savannah I took Route 321 and came across a couple of treasures. The first was on old abandoned service station with the most amazing architecture. Here’s a few photos of what I found:

Abandoned service station, Route 321 South Carolina

The other treasure was an antique store that had a great collection of old service station signs. I’m sure that some of you will recognized a few that haven’t been around for awhile.

Antique store on Route 321, South Carolina going towards Savannah, Georgia.

Entering Savannah, Georgia was pretty spectacular with the expanse of the Talmadge Memorial Bridge. The river separates South Carolina and Georgia. My hotel was fairly close to the bridge which is located on the north side of Savannah’s Historic District. At night you can see the cars crossing over to South Carolina which is located on the other side of the bridge.

http://youtu.be/QmJXR5_VVJQ
Touring the city was even more wonderful than I had imagined. It is very different from Charleston, South Carolina which I visited two years ago on one of my motorcycle vacations. Savannah was established in the late 1700’s and built around 24 squares of which 22 continue to exist today. Unfortunately two of the city squares were lost to development of a highway and a parking garage.

One of the 22 remaining city squares in Savannah, Georgia

The city’s history is rich and filled with stories of financial ruin due to an economic crisis in 1819, followed by a fire in the warehouse district along the river where cotton, lumber, and turpentine were stored for shipping. You could have seen that one coming. This was then followed by an outbreak of yellow fever in 1820, which was believed to have be the result of something airborne. The lack of hygiene wasn’t considered, despite human waste being dumped into the streets, river, and nearby swamps.

Many of the historical homes are breathtakingly beautiful and have been restored with incredible attention to detail and past historical significance. Photography is not allowed inside the houses but as you will see from some of the pictures, the exteriors are equally as amazing and very rich in detail and architectural design.

Cast iron detailing is used on many of the buildings — Cast iron detailing
is used on many of the buildings

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Savannah 14 - Copy - Copy - Copy

Svannah 1 - Copy

Many of the city streets in the Historic District are paved with brick and river stones making it interesting for scooters and motorcycles. As a result the trolley bus was my primary mode of transportation while in the city 🙂

Savannah 20 - Copy (2) - Copy

The cemetery was also of interest with many of the grave markers going back to the late 1700’s. Tragically, many of the tombstones were vandalized by the Union soldiers from the north when Sherman brought 60,000 troops into Savannah which had only 20,000 residents at that time. The headstones that were vandalized are displayed on the back wall of the cemetery. Interestingly, the tour guide mentioned that over the years the deceased were buried one on top of another until there was as little as two feet of soil between the remains and the surface. This eventually caused a problem resulting in many of the bodies being exhumed and moved to new cemeteries.

Savannah 28 - Copy - Copy

Savannah 36 - Copy

Savannah 33 - Copy (2)

In addition to the history and amazing architecture, Savannah is filled with a wonderful selection of street cafes, restaurants and pubs to suit all tastes and budgets. One of the places I dined at was Corleone’s, a wonderful Italian restaurant close to the City Market and my hotel. Christine, thank you for the wonderful service and it was nice running into you while we were walking around town.

Corleone's is a wonderful Italian restaurant with amazing food, including home made Tiramisu that was to die for! — Corleone’s is a wonderful Italian restaurant with amazing food, including home made Tiramisu that was to die for!

Another interesting experience was to taste boiled peanuts which is a snack enjoyed by many of the locals. In the early 1800’s when the Union Army was then occupying Savannah food supplies were dwindling and the soldiers resorted to boiling peanuts in salty water as an alternate food source. I must say they were tasty.

I must say that visiting Savannah was a wonderful experience! If Savannah, Georgia is not yet on your bucket list, I’d highly recommend that you add it as it’s well worth the trip.

Next stop…Florida here I come! And I’m thinking I just might need to trade in my motorcycle boots for sandals 🙂

May 22, 2015August 2, 2015

The Big Ride – When the Universe hands you a little rain (West Virginia)

On Thursday, May 20, 2015, I woke to the inevitable…it was a dreary rainy wet day. So what do you do when it rains?

This was part of it:

Along with a little of this:

Today the sun is back with a high of 26 degrees celsius so “I’m walking on sunshine”

May 21, 2015October 2, 2015

The Big Ride – Riding on a cloud (West Virginia)

Thursday, May 20, 2015 was a spectacular day for a number of reasons. The first was spending two nights in Charleston, WV which meant a day that did not involve having to load up my bike. I know, life is tough but I’m a woman and I brought a lot of stuff with me so the break was really appreciated 🙂

The second thing that made the day spectacular was the ride. When I was doing the route planning I contacted the West Virginia Harley Owners Group and they forwarded me a great brochure, which included what ended up being an incredible ride. In fact it may well have been the best so far. The route started out with a few miles on Highway 3, also known as Coal Miners Road. The ride which was one sweeping curve after another was made even more pleasant by the sweet smell of wild white roses growing along the roadside.

Wild white roses growing long the roadside in West Virginia - Route 3 — Wild white roses growing long the roadside in West Virginia – Route 3

In the past few days I’ve learned a great deal about West Virginia heritage, along with the impact the coal industry is having on the local economy. A young coal miner that I met on the way told me that many of the mines are being closed in favour of finding a cleaner energy source…the problem however is that another energy source hasn’t been established despite 40% of the State still relying on coal as it’s main energy source. Some of the towns I rode through were literally boarded up as a result of mine closures. A dreadful place to be for many.

The route continued to Highway 41 which was a quiet secondary road that wound through the countryside and into Babcock State National Park. What a delight that was. The park was quiet as many campers and travelers are holding out for Memorial Day weekend which is just around the corner. The park was made up of a series of one way routes that wandered through the beautiful green forest.

Babcock National State Park, West Virginia

The ride also included a stop in Hawks Nest State Park which is very picturesque and pristine. This provided an opportunity for a little stroll in the woods. I hope you enjoy the walk with me:

And of course, what would a ride be without some awesome twisties. Hawks Nest State Park on Route 60 was spectacular and this loop turned into some of the best riding yet. This is not a route for the faint of heart. It was a series of hairpin corners that required some fancy work with the shifter. Much of the ride was in second and third gear with several opportunities to get down to the nitty gritty of first gear. Gotta say it was challenging…especially with a number of 18 wheelers on the road and those big shiny chrome grills heading for you as you’re navigating hairpin turns. Yup…I loved every minute of it!!

Here’s a video that incorporates both Babcock Park and a little of Route 60:

May 19, 2015October 2, 2015

The Big Ride – Sweet mountain byways! (West Virginia)

I have to say that it’s been two days of sweet mountain riding! The roads have been exceptional. Yesterday (Monday May 18, 2015) was a rain free day despite having been chased by a number of ominous rain clouds through the mountains heading from Elkins, WV, to Summersville, WV on Route 219.

I have to say, Route 219 is one of the nicest highways out there. It’s one beautiful curve after another and I’m loving it! If you are planning a trip down this way you might want to build it into your route. And remember, when the signs say 20 miles per hour…yup best to get into first gear because there are some very tight curves on this route and they just might sneak up on you.

Here’s a few shots from yesterday:

And here is a short video clip of yesterday’s ride….enjoy!

And here is a little clip from today’s ride (Tuesday, May 19, 2015) from Summersville to Charleston, WV. The camera is in a new position and offers a very interesting view – hope you like it 🙂

May 16, 2015August 2, 2015

The Big Ride – Such a Sweet Treat of a Day! (Hersey, Pennsylvania)

Today’s ride took me through much of Pennsylvania, including the Delaware Water Cap National Recreation Area. The route consisted of sweeping curves through lush forests accompanied with the sweet fragrance of an abundance of wild flowers and shrubs in full bloom. Despite a forecast that suggested rain gear would likely be inevitable, the skies remained clear, with temperatures reaching almost 30 degrees Celsius.

Here is a short clip of today’s ride.

The ride just kept getting sweeter with an unplanned stop at none other than Hershey Pennsylvania to visit Chocolate World!

This one's for you :) — This one’s for you 🙂

Could it possibly get any sweeter than this?

May 14, 2015October 2, 2015

The Big Ride – Living the Dream in Real Time (New York)

Today I experienced what living life is really about. As a personal development and leadership coach I am blessed with being able to help individuals realize their potential and most importantly to live life to its fullest. Being on this trip is allowing me to do just that. Today I experienced it through someone I met along the way.

While riding from Lake Placid towards Lake Scanadaga I took Highway 8 which hugged the curves of a series of lakes. I stopped in Hague, NY to take advantage of one of the beautiful lakes that was nestled in behind a park filled with ornamental fruit trees that were in full bloom.

When I pulled into the parking lot there was another motorcycle…a red Daucati sport bike. When I walked down to the lake I met Guenther, an older gentleman who was enjoying his lunch by the water. What was of particular interest was that he had a motorcycle jacket on the bench next to him. He and I introduced ourselves and I learned that he was 79 years young and had ridden his bike from Vermont to NY State for lunch…about a 250 mile round trip. Gunther told me that he’s been riding since he was 18 years old and that this was his seventh Dacauti sports bike. He said he just can’t stop 🙂

What an inspiration to meet a person who is living his life out loud and continues to enjoy his passion of riding motorcycles at 79 years of age. As I rode away I was filled with a knowing that this is what life is really about. It’s about following our dreams and doing the things that we love most.

Thank you Gunther for reaffirming what my heart has been telling me all along. Ride on!!

May 13, 2015October 2, 2015

The Big Ride – A Great Beginning

Wow…what a great first day! Despite a very chilly start to this morning’s kick off of my epic motorcycle trip to circumnavigate much of North America, today’s ride was dry and very enjoyable, thanks to having electric gear. As I pulled out of the garage this morning the “real feel” according to AccuWeather was a chilly zero degrees!

Today I headed south to the Adirondacks, with a first night stay-over in beautiful Lake Placid, New York.

The area is one of my favorite motorcycle destinations, with its majestic pine forests, pristine mountain streams and some pretty amazing roads that wind through the mountains….it is absolutely breath taking this time of year. The scenery on the ride to Keen along side of the mountain stream was spectacular. I filmed the ride but being day one and still getting used to running my new GoPro camera, I experienced an alignment issue so I won’t bother sharing with you the video of the dashboard of my bike. Hopefully my filming improves tomorrow….that or I hire a film crew 🙂

If you are in the area be sure to check out the The Adk Restaurant in Keen, a few kilometers south east of Lake Placid. Their menu is full of wonderful choices, all prepared locally, including homemade breads, soups, and more, including many healthy choices.

Tomorrow I head south towards Lake George and beyond where the real mountains are. I can hardly wait!

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