Long ride to Flamingo yesterday.

[danh600]

Got up early yesterday. Decide I needed a long ride.

Went down to Flamingo. I love riding to the end of the road. About a 275 mile round trip.

Stopped in Homestead for a little breakfast.


I love the road once you get into the park. No powerlines, few signs, few buildings and very few cars. Especially this time of year. I saw maybe 5 cars in there. Only two other motorcycles. Can't imagine why this isn't a more popular place to ride.


Curvy roads are the best on a bike, but there is something to be said about a long lonely road.


Not a single camper in the camp ground. Bugs are just too bad this time of year.


Of course I had to stop and eat again. Food is an important part of travel. I love hitting the little hole in the wall ethnic places.


Lots of heat but little rain. I was actually wishing for rain by the end of the ride.

A good day.

[v65infla]

I love the road once you get into the park. No powerlines, few signs, few buildings and very few cars. Especially this time of year. I saw maybe 5 cars in there. Only two other motorcycles. Can't imagine why this isn't a more popular place to ride.

Maybe because it is too friggin hot.   

Thanks for calling your buddy to see if he wanted to meet up for a ride.   

[danh600]

Sorry last minute ride. Other plans fell through so I jumped on the bike.

I wouldn't mind going back down there in a couple weeks. We could meet at I-75 and US27.

[v65infla]

Sorry last minute ride. Other plans fell through so I jumped on the bike.

I wouldn't mind going back down there in a couple weeks. We could meet at I-75 and US27.

Wife is on vacation for a couple of weeks coming up and plan's to go to GA fell through so at least one day of a nice long ride will have be in order for sure. 

[dt]

Nice photos.

When you go in there, do you explore all those side roads or just shoot to the back and then out? The reason I ask is I didn't get to explore all of them 'cuz I had to do the northside too in one day, but I was wondering if one could make a whole day out of riding just the southside if there was enough miles on those side roads. What do you think? I just couldn't figure the whole place (Glades) in the day I had.

[bagobones]

Nice. Ridin' Lone Wolf style. I haven't done a really long solo in a while. It might be time.

I rode about 175 miles with three buddies this Sunday. One guy was an old dude from Panama City. He had the only V-Rod I have ever seen with rust on it. Damn Florida salt!  His tailight came off and went flying into a field when he hit a big bump, and his gauges stopped working later in the ride. The ride ended with us going to a roller derby! HAHAHA!!!! Chicks on skates! wtf?

OK, I gotta say it. God, it's hot in IL. 90's every day for a couple weeks now, and 100% humidity. If we were in FL, we could jump in some water. No end in sight either.

Yesterday there were times like I felt like I was riding into a giant hair dryer!

[danh600]

Nice photos.

When you go in there, do you explore all those side roads or just shoot to the back and then out? The reason I ask is I didn't get to explore all of them 'cuz I had to do the northside too in one day, but I was wondering if one could make a whole day out of riding just the southside if there was enough miles on those side roads. What do you think? I just couldn't figure the whole place (Glades) in the day I had.

Yes, you could certainly spend a whole day coming out. There are several places to tour. There are also a couple of nice trails to walk. It's just too hot and buggy this time of year. I just zipped in and zipped out this time. Seriously, I had to leave the riding jacket on to keep the mosquitoes and no-see-ums off me.

The campground is nice in the winter. Since you are not a camper there are decent places to stay in Homestead. I like Homestead. Some people say it's just a dump, but really it has an appeal if you are just passing through. The speedway is there. There are lots of great ethnic restaurants. Staying in Homestead and riding the park would make a great weekend. Better in the winter, but doable most of the year.

[v65infla]

Nice photos.

When you go in there, do you explore all those side roads or just shoot to the back and then out? The reason I ask is I didn't get to explore all of them 'cuz I had to do the northside too in one day, but I was wondering if one could make a whole day out of riding just the southside if there was enough miles on those side roads. What do you think? I just couldn't figure the whole place (Glades) in the day I had.

Yes, you could certainly spend a whole day coming out. There are several places to tour. There are also a couple of nice trails to walk. It's just too hot and buggy this time of year. I just zipped in and zipped out this time. Seriously, I had to leave the riding jacket on to keep the mosquitoes and no-see-ums off me.

The campground is nice in the winter. Since you are not a camper there are decent places to stay in Homestead. I like Homestead. Some people say it's just a dump, but really it has an appeal if you are just passing through. The speedway is there. There are lots of great ethnic restaurants. Staying in Homestead and riding the park would make a great weekend. Better in the winter, but doable most of the year.

I think we need to put a weekend camping trip together for end of November when it is a bit cooler out.

[dt]

Yeah, there seem to be a few that I missed. If you go into googlemaps and zoom in, you can see several roads, but I know for sure some of them are dirt or gravel. There seems to be a maze of roads on the southside just as you pass the visitors center.

When I was down there last December, I stayed in Florida City at a comfort in just across town on US1 before it starts the trek down to the Keys. There were a number of those types of cheapo hotels over there and restaurants. A little closer to the southside than Homestead. If you wanted to travel between the north and south, Homestead would be the place.

I'm definitely heading back in there and agree that waiting for the fall is a much better plan. 

There are also a couple of nice trails to walk.

Yeah, like this one...Snake Bight!

[danh600]

Jamie - I am always up for a camping trip when the weather is cool.

DT - A few of those roads I think are service roads. There were signs that say authorized vehicles only. But there are also other paved roads that go off to overlooks, trails and the old missle site. I did see a few rock road with no signs. No sign = open to public I would assume .

[dcameras]

No sign = open to public I would assume .

It's easier to ask forgiveness than permission!! 

[niteman]

I've always meant to check out the glades but every time I was passing through it was for work and I didn't have time. I might have to plan a dedicated trip down there sometime in the fall like you guys are talking about. It'd be a good, long ride.

[danh600]

Keep in mind the roads in the park don't connect. If you want to go to Flamingo you have to go in the east side close to Homestead. If you want to see the north of the park you have to go in on 41. Then you can also see some of the park over by Everglades City.

You see more park on the Homestead side, but the Everglades City ride is a nice one too.