Sunday Ride

[zeus]

When: Sunday, January 24th
Where: Meet at Kobe Steakhouse, Brandon, I-75 & Brandon Blvd, near the mall. Next to Regency Plaza.
Time: Kick stands up @ 9:15, please try to arrive a bit early to quickly meet everyone & discuss the ride
Disclaimer: If rains is in the forecast, I'll post a cancellation the night before. I don't ride in the rain.

In an effort to generate some forum activity, I'm going to try to organize a weekly ride. With everyone's participation, hopefully, it'll gain popularity. We'll start with approximately a 1 hour ride, through some of my favorite back roads in the Brandon/Riverview area & end up at Panera Bread for some breakfast/coffee for anyone that is wanting breakfast. In the future, I'll plan different routes for other rides and hopefully someone will volunteer to lead a ride through areas they like riding.

Who's interested? Look forward to seeing you there, cause I like riding with others vs. riding alone.
 

[dt]

Count me in. I live up in Temple Terrace. Also, I have two buds that might want to join (Softail and a CBR). I'll post back on that.

I'll bring the camera.

[bagobones]

thanks for stepping up Zeus!

[Kevblaster]

Count me in... I will be there.

[dt]

...glad you got the message!

[dt]

ttbiker asked me to mention that he'll be coming along tomorrow. He's having some IT problemos. 

[mrbones]

Crap, is this tomorrow? I feel like hell. I've been catching my kids barf all week because of a stomach virus. Now I think I may have it. Somebody snap some pics.

[dt]

A special thanks to zeus for organizing today’s ride and leading us through some great backroads and some twisties. Cool dude on a cool chopper!

Here are some photos.






















Left to right: ttbiker, zeus, kevblaster, dt2mx

  (I couldn't resist)


Let’s do this again!

[mrbones]

Cool. I'll try and make the next one. Where did you guys end up going?

[flapug]

Some day if these become regular I will have to ride over on Saturday and get a room for the night. Haven't been to St. Pete for a while anyway.

[dt]

It would be cool to keep these things going. I'm booked this and next weekend, but don't let that stop anyone from organizing another ride. 

The following weekend, we're thinking about a ride up in the Pasco>Hernando>Citrus Counties; kind of backroad/small town stuff, and I know we have some members up that way. Anyway, thoughts on and interests in those areas?




_____________________________

[zeus]

It would be cool to keep these things going. I'm booked this and next weekend, but don't let that stop anyone from organizing another ride. 

The following weekend, we're thinking about a ride up in the Pasco>Hernando>Citrus Counties; kind of backroad/small town stuff, and I know we have some members up that way. Anyway, thoughts on and interests in those areas?

This weekend I have family obligations and a honey do.
I'm up for a north run. Good roads all through Brooksville, Inverness & Wesley chapel.
Look forward to participating in that ride.



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[dt]

Well, there was a lot going on with the calendar the last couple weeks and I’d thought this Sunday would be a good day to get back on track … this Sunday turns out to be February 14. Although I’ve been married 29 years (contiguous, I might add), it’s still not a good idea to plan a ride on that day. So, let’s plan on Sunday the 21st!

Here’s the tentative plan (subject to input) that includes picking up our Lakeland Area Bros:

> Meet East Fowler at the US 301; plaza on the corner, 9:00 A.M.
> East on Fowler around Lake Thonotosassa up to Knights Griffin
> Knights Griffin East to Kathleen Road; pick up our Lakeland Bros TBD place
> North on Kathleen > North Old Dade City Road > West on 98 to Old Lakeland
> Pick up US 575 Trilby Road East [<< ooops, fixed] to Tarrytown
> South 471 through the Withlacoochee (maybe a photo stop)
> 98 and Providence back to Lakeland; drop off Lakeland Bros
> Knights back to US 301

We might want to tinker with that; have plenty of time. Too short? Hey, I’ll ride all day, if you let me fill up around 150m. Also, 471 is scenic going through the forest, but straight as an arrow and I can’t find any good roads on the map to work back to the Lakeland area … input please.

In or out?

_________________________________________

[zeus]

YOU DA MAN!!!
Count me in.
New roads, so I'm liking the scenic thing.

[dt]

I just wanted to lob out a reminder about the group ride next Sunday, February 21. The route, two posts up, is set up to include the Lakeland and surrounding area members. I actually got up this morning and ran the entire route to make sure it would work and be suitable; yup 38 degrees. Burrrr! Seriously though, it was about 60 when I got back. 

Tampa and surrounding riders will meet in the Winn Dixie parking lot on the corner of US 301 and East Fowler Avenue. Kickstands up at 9:00 AM

The meet up for the Lakeland riders will be the Shell Gas Station on the corner of Kathleen Road and Knights Station Road; north-east corner of the intersection. We should get to the meeting point at about 9:30.

The overall route is 135 miles round trip from the Tampa launch and 85 miles round trip from the Kathleen meeting point. We’ll stop in Tarrytown for a standup cup of coffee and stretch legs before we trek into the Withlacoochee.

Ideas and input always welcome. 

Article about group rides:
http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/streetsurvival/group_motorcycle_safety/index.html

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[rKyDeX]

The weather forecast for Sunday looks great. I'm going to be coming up from Bradenton. Looks like I'll have a couple of fuel stops though - I get just over 100 miles to a tank on the Hawk.

See you Sunday.

[dt]

The half-way point will be Tarrytown (about 75 miles out from Tampa) where I thought we'd stop for a cup of coffee and stretch the legs. There's nothing there except a 7-11/Shell Station so that can be the refueling point, too.

There's probably stations coming up 301, but if you come up I-75, get off at the Fowler Exit heading west (i.e. bear left) and there's a BP right there about 200 yards. Then head back east on Fowler about one mile and the Winn Dixie is on the right.

[Edit] Also, as mentioned, the Lakeland pickup point is a Shell Station, which will be 25 miles out.

[rKyDeX]

Thanks DT.

[dt]

                     

I just wanted to lob out a reminder about the group ride next Sunday, February 21. The route, two posts up, is set up to include the Lakeland and surrounding area members. I actually got up this morning and ran the entire route to make sure it would work and be suitable; yup 38 degrees. Burrrr! Seriously though, it was about 60 when I got back. 

Tampa and surrounding riders will meet in the Winn Dixie parking lot on the corner of US 301 and East Fowler Avenue. Kickstands up at 9:00 AM

The meet up for the Lakeland riders will be the Shell Gas Station on the corner of Kathleen Road and Knights Station Road; north-east corner of the intersection. We should get to the meeting point at about 9:30.

The overall route is 135 miles round trip from the Tampa launch and 85 miles round trip from the Kathleen meeting point. We’ll stop in Tarrytown for a standup cup of coffee and stretch legs before we trek into the Withlacoochee.

Ideas and input always welcome. 

____________________________________

[mrbones]

Can't make this one either. I'll be out of town this weekend with the family. We have to come back a little early on Sunday, too. The wife has a yearly inventory to do and she gets to work from 5:00pm to 2:00am Monday morning. JOY!

I hope it doesn't rain on you guys.

[zeus]

I'm still in on this. Don't know if my backside can take the full ride, but I can turn around accordingly.

[dt]

I've seen the ergos on that. We'll make an extra stop. 

When I'm out riding, I stop all the time, particularly if I see a photo op. Hell, if I ever had to do a cross country trip, I'd never actually make it.

Sunday weather says partly sunny, low 70s, no rain until the evening and then only 20% chance. Looks like the rain is coming Monday.

[dt]

We completed our second “monthly” Sunday Ride. Yup, we pulled a marathon ride covering 140 miles of all kinds of roads (add 100 for rKyDex who rode up from Bradenton). Took off from Tampa at 9:00 AM … two stops … landed back at the launch point at 12:30. Lot’s of bikers out today; hope YOU were one of them.


Zeus on his chopper!




rKyDex’s Hawk! 


rKyDex himself.





Our route was generally >> Thonotosassa and around Lake Thonotosassa >> Knights Griffin over to Kathleen >> up Old Dade City Highway North to US98, where we picked up Old Lakeland Road North >> US301 North up to Trilacoochee, the US 575 East to Tarrytown >> US 441 South through the Withlacoochee State Forest >> Rockridge South back into Kathleen and Knights Griffin back to Tampa.



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[zeus]

I appreciate you leading the ride. It was evident you put time into finding some good twisties and scenic back country rodes. 140 miles of enjoyment. The memorable:
Nice homes
People picking strawberries
The dog chasing us, when we first started. DT2MX probably didn't see him. The last guy got the rath. (He stayed on the side of the road, but he had my attention)
I counted 4 road kill. We distrubed 1 vulture from enjoying his breakfast
A hand full of Po-Po.
Some guy standing on the side of the road, in the middle of nowhere, starring out into the woods. If he would of had a mask & a knife, you guys would have been on your own.
Plenty of farm animals, some beautiful horses, Malards in the creek.
A person taking forever to pass, with another idiot following behind them. The person finally dips in & the person in the rear doesn't see oncoming traffic. Luckily, the oncoming driver pulled partially into the dirt to avoid them. Luckily traffic for us was lite. We had clear rodes. Oh, except for the truck carring a trailer of sod. We were getting sand blasted from the dirt flying off. Finally we all got around that country boy.
Everyone owns a 4X4 in Sumter County. We were at the gas station & every other vehicle was an off road truck with dirt on the side. The weather kicked tail, couldn't have asked for a nicer day to ride. The negative: The chopper needs a detail. Cleaning chrome sucks.
Thanks again, looking forward to the next one.

[rKyDeX]

Zeus covered all the bases with his report. I had it easy - all I had to do was sight see from the middle. My only heart pumping moment was when a cattle egret was spooked into flight and was heading my way before it turned away at the last second. I thought I was going to be wiping bird guts off my helmet.

There was a big "road kill" where we were going through the forest. There was a car pulled off the road nearby and I couldn't tell if it was a bear or a hog or a yeti.

It was great to ride with you both. I had plenty of seat time in by the time I got home. Unfortunately, if the next ride is on the third Sunday of March I won't be able to make it - I'll be running in the Tobacco Road Marathon in Cary, North Carolina.

Keep the Sunday rides going and I'll catch back up when I can. April and May are looking good for me.