[ST] Coast to Coast ride

["Richard C" <rscorn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello all,

As some of you know I rode way down South to Tallahassee, FL to hook up with Andy Kay and his Riders of the Lost Empire for the beginning of the Coast to Coast ride over the weekend. Thought I'd write down some impressions of the trip. The HOV lane in Atlanta is open to bikes and the trip through town wasn't near as stressful as I thought it would be. Just get in the HOV lane an boogie. Not near as bad as riding I-40 through Knoxville. In fact Knoxville has more road construction going on than any of the other cities I rode through. Spring is springing forth in full bloom somewhere near Moultrie, GA. 

On Saturday I met Andy's group for lunch at a cool biker-friendly oyster bar restaurant called Calico Jack's in Tallahassee. About 25-30 Triumph riders showed up for lunch and the ride over to Pensacola!!  Met some old friends and a few new friends too, including the another long distance ST rider from Pennsylvania. After lunch and a prize raffle the best part of the weekends ride got under way.  After a short run on I-10 we jumped off onto Hwy 90 and headed west. At the first gas stop, some of the fellows where itching to ride fast and asked if I wanted to joined their group. And that's when the fun really began. Four ST's and Andy on his Tiger roared off like rockets. During our Triple digit sweeper attacks, and wfo straight, where cagers pulled over onto the paved shoulders to let us pass, I thought about James G. and his need for speed, and wished he were healthy enough to come along for the ride. I'd like to see him with that silly grin of his as he takes it to the max on some fantastic Florida backroads. The long I-10 bridge over Escambia Bay? afforded me a look at the gulf, cause what would a trip to Florida be without at least a glimpse of the ocean. Our day's journey ended at D & D Cycles in Pensacola where owners Dink & Julie and their RAT pack awaited our arrival. The generous hospitality they showed us was matched by their excitement at seeing so many Triumphs roll into their parking lot!! Again another chance to greet old friends. Dink and his crew even performed on the spot repairs to two ST's with minor problems. One bike had lost part of a custom gearshift lever and another lost a front brake pad. We left the Triumph dealer for a short ride to dinner in a long line of about 50 beaming Triumph riders and caused heads to turn as we rolled through town. During the prize raffle at dinner me and Phil from Pennsylvania received free ROTLE t-shirts for being the longest traveled riders.

Sunday's ride north to home was fast and trouble free. I covered 493 miles in 6 hours and 58 minutes, at an average riding speed of 70.9 miles per hour, according to the bicycle computer on my ST. Thank goodness the only cops I saw where parked at convenience stores with their radar in the off mode, or I just might be sending this email from the jailhouse. 

If you get a chance to join Andy's Coast-to-Coast ride you'll not regret it. I know I don't, even though I rode nearly 1000 miles round trip to travel about 200 miles with them. Good friends, old and new are worth it. 

See www.lostempire.com for route details.

See you somewhere down a twisty road....

Richard C.


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