JIM & CATHY IN NEW MEXICO

I received an e-mail from Jim & Cathy Gelo with some photos of their trip to New Mexico.  Jim said they only put about 300 miles on the Wing and came back to Iowa too soon, but from the photos, it looks like they saw some neat stuff.  Thanks to Jim & Cathy for the update, and I'm sure we'll all have some questions about a couple of the photos.

GERONIMO!!

MOM LOOKS LIKE A REAL BIKER!

BETTER GET CRACKIN' !

SNOW??!!

THE ARMY CAN USE TWO GOOD BIKERS

REPORT FROM FLORIDA IV--THE RIDES

Even though it has been cooler than normal in the Florida panhandle this February (I'm not going to piss you off by telling you what they call "cooler" here.), I have still managed to put around 1900 miles on the Wing.  We attended the GW chapter meeting here in Panama City at Po Folks restaurant, and then on Valentines Day we went on a couples' ride from Panama City to Marianna, FL about 180 miles round trip.  We ate lunch at The Oaks in Marianna where we met up with a GW chapter from Dothan, AL.  The Oaks had a buffet lunch with home cooked food.  It was a nice day with good company and great food.  Keep in mind that unless the temperature is above 70, not many of these guys down here ride.

Julie and I went on a number of rides in the area including some trips to the northern counties of Florida and into Alabama.  We saw a number of cattle ranches, cotton fields, and peanut farms. (I'm still not ready to try boiled peanuts!) I didn't realize that Florida supplied most of the beef for the Confederate troops in the Civil War.  We also traveled east along the Gulf of Mexico coast through Mexico Beach, St. Joe, Indian Pass, Apalachicola, East Point, and over to St. George Island.  We visited a couple of lighthouses and stuffed ourselves with shrimp po boy sandwiches.  The fisherman at Indian Pass were catching sting rays.  I guess they actually eat them.  They were using shrimp as bait.  I told them I would eat the bait and throw away the catch!

I also rode along with a couple from the Panama City chapter over to the GW chapter meeting in DeFuniak Springs, FL.  They also meet at a restaurant that serves a breakfast buffet.  If you are going to hang around with these guys, you'd better be able to eat!  There were folks there from several other Florida and Alabama chapters.  When they said they even had a guy from Iowa there, I told them it was a long ride down here this morning!  I did win their 50/50 drawing and donated the money back to the charity that the chapter sponsors.

Although I'm in no hurry to return to Iowa, our time is about up here in Florida.  We have to make room for the spring breakers.  Depending on the weather, we should be back in Waukon by Tuesday, the 3rd.

Here's a few shots from our bike journeys.

THE PANAMA CITY GROUP ARRIVES IN MARIANNA

CHAPTER MEETING IN DE FUNIAK SPRINGS

LIGHTHOUSE IN ST. JOE WAS  RECENTLY MOVED INLAND

FISHERMEN AT INDIAN PASS

LIGHTHOUSE ON ST GEORGE ISLAND

BREAKFAST WITH ELVIS AND MARILYN

REPORT FROM FLORIDA III----TRAVERSING FLORIDA

After departing the cruise ship, we had two days to spend touring before our condo in Panama City Beach was available, so we took out time and decided to do some sight-seeing around Tallahassee.  The first day we visited the Florida State History Museum.  It was located right downtown in Tallahassee, so parking, particularly with the trailer, was a challenge, but it was worth it.  You got to see the history of Florida from the age of dinosaurs to the present day.  I particularly enjoyed the civil war display, but was disappointed that the World War II exhibit was closed due to construction.

From there we visited the Tallahassee Auto Museum where there were old restored cars, motorcycles, snowmobiles, lawn mowers, and boat motors on display.  They also had the largest collection of Case knives in the world!

After visiting the museums, we headed for Natural Bridge State Park, where the Battle of Natural Bridge during the Civil War took place.  The Confederate troops were able to defeat the Union forces there and keep Tallahassee from being the only southern capitol not captured by Union troops.  There is a monument dedicated to both the Confederate and Union soldiers who fought and died there.

On our second day on the way to Panama City Beach, we stopped at Wakulla Springs State Park.  (The state of Florida does a tremendous job with their state parks!)  Wakulla springs is the largest and deepest freshwater spring in the world.  It is over 350 ft. deep and covers 32 miles!  The water there is a constant 70 degrees.  Not too comfortable now, but great during the summer heat.  We took a guided riverboat tour where we were able to see all kinds of exotic birds and fish along with some alligators and manitees.  Two of the old Tarzan movies were filmed there along with "Creature from the Black Lagoon".  There is also an eleven-foot stuffed alligator in the lodge called "Old Joe".  Apparently back in the early sixties, some jerk shot and killed him.  Rangers found Joe's remains, had him stuffed and returned him to the lodge where he lies in state.  Believe it or not, there's still a reward out for the capture of the person who shot him!

We then set sail for PCB where I was finally able to get the Wing off the trailer and out on the roads.  More on that later.

Here's a few shots of our journey.

THE FAMOUS TUCKER "TORPEDO"

MONUMENT AT NATURAL BRIDGE BATTLE FIELD

ON THE BOAT AT WAKULLA SPRINGS

YES, THERE WERE GATORS THERE!

A GATOR SNEAKING UP ON THE BOAT

"OLD JOE"

MOVIE POSTER

REPORT FROM FLORIDA II--THE CRUISE

On the 24th of January, along with several hundred Gold Wingers, we boarded the "Explorer of the Seas" cruise ship at Port Canaveral bound for stops in Cozumel, Mexico and Freeport, Bahamas.  We could feel a few bumps and dips on the trip, but overall I think it beats the hell out of flying.  I can compare the cruise to the guy's trip in one aspect. With the food available, both are training grounds for Sumo wrestlers!  My advice to anyone considering a cruise would be to starve yourself for at least a month before, and don't eat anything for a month afterwards, and you might be back to normal!  We had a great time with the rest of the Gold Wingers and as a group we were treated like royalty.  Each night we had special seating in the dining room and were served a full three-course meal by our own personal waiter. We met a number of Wingers that we would now consider friends.  "You meet the nicest people on a Honda!" The entertainment they had each night aboard the ship was fantastic!  You wouldn't see any better in Las Vegas.  I still can't believe they steer this ship with a joystick!

We spent the rest of the 24th and all of the 25th at sea and arrived in Cozumel on the 26th.  On Cozumel we toured some Mayan ruins and toured the island with a stop for a lunch on the beach.  The 27th was spent at sea and arriving in Freeport on the 28th where we got a tour of the city and took a ride on a glass bottom boat.  Departing the Bahamas on the evening of the 28th, we arrived back in Port Canaveral on the morning of the 29th.  If taking a cruise is on your bucket list, I say "Just do it!"

After the cruise we worked our way across Florida stopping for some sight seeing in and around Tallahassee.  (More on that later.)

Here's some photos of our FIRST cruise.

OUR SHIP--POWERED BY TWIN GOLD WING ENGINES

MAYAN TEMPLE RUINS

OUR TOUR GUIDE---  HIS NAME WAS CHUCKLES!

FREEPORT--THE BAHAMAS

SHARK FROM GLASS BOTTOM BOAT

FIRST REPORT FROM FLORIDA

I just saw the weather report from Waukon, so the only comment I'm going to make is.."Chuckles is doing a lousy job!"
Our winter adventure has been pretty interesting so far.  We left Waukon on Tuesday the 24th bound for Port Canaveral where we were to leave on a cruise with other Gold Wingers on the 28th.  The weather was cloudy and sloppy until we hit the Missouri border and the sun came out!  Our first night we stayed in Jackson, TN, the birthplace of Casey Jones.  The next day we made it to Tallahassee for an overnight stay with Tom Bodette.  The next day we rolled into Cocoa Beach for out motel stay before going out to the Kennedy Space Center, which has been on my bucket list for some time.  If you have never visited the space center, make sure you do it sometime.  It was awesome!

Here's some photos from the Kennedy Space Center.  On the SECOND REPORT FROM FLORIDA I'll tell you about the cruise.

MY NEW GOLD WING TRIKE

CONTROL ROOM WHERE BOB SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED A ROCKET

ROCKETS THAT ARE ALL POWERED BY GOLD WING ENGINES

THE SPACE SHUTTLE (ALSO POWERED BY A GOLD WING ENGINE

ALAN SHEPPARD'S ROCKET (FIRST MANNED SPACE FLIGHT)

CHUCKLES WAS THERE!