North Carolina to Florida Year End Christmas Ride 2019
Day 4
Praise be to God for a fantastic day’s ride. 12-24-2019 Christmas Eve
We got up earlier than the previous days and were excited about today’s explorations. We rolled out with wet streets from rain overnight. The temperature was 56 degrees and the forecast were promising mostly sunny and highs in the upper 60’s. We it was simply cool. We had put both liners back in the HD Killian jackets and had the heated grips and heated seat doing what they are designed to do. In short order we had crossed both bridges and stopped at Bagel Heads for breakfast. This place is simply amazing. The best bagels ever, the locals were there as were us out of town visitors. One lady took 12 bagels with her. My wife had the Blue Berry Cobbler and I had a cinnamon raisin crunch with coffee. Little did we know these would tie us over until a late lunch at 2 pm. After visiting with several locals who were excited to learn about our travels on a motorcycle we saddled up and rolled on.
In no time we were at Blue Angles Blvd and headed toward the museum, but they were closed. We rolled on to Perdido Key. Our next stop was at the World Famous “Flora-Bama”. The wife picked up a cool shirt, we walked around the entire area even though it was before the bar opened and we wrote our names on the wall. After about thirty minutes there we continued to Fort Morgan where we would catch the Mobile Bay Ferry to Dauphin Island. We arrived at 10:30am and the ferry had just pulled out. The next was at 11:45 which was perfect as it allowed us time to explore the old Civil War battery. We paid and were first in line. Behind us came two young bikes who were down from Illinois. They were enjoying themselves and it was nice to visit with them and talk about riding in the area. Next a father and his 12-year-old son rode in on bicycles. They really enjoyed looking at the bikes. We took off on foot to explore. This was an amazing place over a 100 years ago. Lots of history that you can read about and see in the pictures.
Time flew by fast and the ferry was in and we were the first onboard. It was still completely overcast, in the upper 50’s and the breeze made it feel cooler. Everyone was asking where the sunshine we were promised was? They loaded quickly and we set sail on a 45-minute cruise to Dauphin Island. The seas were rough, and we took water over the front a couple of times. I stayed with the bike to make sure it did not get knocked over. We passed by several natural gas drilling platforms in the bay which was cool. As soon as we docked, we were rolling again and in no time, we were on the bay bridge to the mainland. I was flat for miles not far above the waters surface all except a small section that looked like a mountain in the road ahead. It really was a big uphill, followed by a steep downhill and back to level bridge. The view off the top was nice. The bad news is just before I got there the sim card in my GoPro filled up. Apparently, I put the wrong card in. That really stinks as the bridge and the miles following along the bay was beautiful.
Our next destination was Mobile Bay HD. As we got closer the skies got brighter and finally the sunshine was in full display. A salesman came outside to greet us and show a picture for us. We went in and looked round. I got my poker chips and the had a t-shirt sale. Buy two, get a third FREE. So, the wife suggested I pick at another for myself. In talking with the sales manager, we learned that this dealership is a sister store to Smokin HD in Winston-Salem, NC and learned that the dealership in Pensacola that washed our bike for us is a sister store. Small world! A couple of the guys helped me with directions as now my phone battery was dead! Yeah it turns out that all the rain we drove through on Sunday screwed up the cigarette plug on the dash and while I assumed the phone was charging all day it was not. So not phone for pictures and no GoPro. This really stinks. We broke out the wife’s phone and I started using it for pictures at our next stops. We rolled down Hwy 90 “Governors Blvd” toward down town. The life oaks that liked the roadway were beautiful. The big and I mean BIG old homes in the historic district we simply amazing. In no time we rolled down into Bulkhead Tunnel under the bay. I must tell you it stunk in the tunnel. Smelled like a sewer.
We were really getting hungry and stopped at Felix’s Seafood just beyond the USS Alabama for lunch. This place was packed, and the food was excellent. I can recommend it! After eating we rolled over to the battle ship only to find the gates locked. Took a couple of pictures from a distance.
Well it’s time to get to the resort before dark. We could have jumped on I-10 and make quick time of it but that is not any fun. Instead we stayed on 98, then on 90, 181 and back on 98.
The high temp of the day was 73 degrees for maybe two hours and by 4pm it was cooling back off quickly.
We went to the restaurant in the resort and enjoyed a good meal, called our daughter and son-in-law on the west coast to see if their Christmas gifts arrived and just chilled. Both the wife and I were very happy with the day. If was fun, stress free, safe, full of new sights to us both as well as good food. What more can you ask for?
Totally mileage today was 190 and the trip total to date is 946 miles.
12-24-2019 | 10:55 PM
