Leg 2:  Key West FL to Madawaska Maine

Florida

Titusville.  The city is the gateway to the tours of the NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center which is well worth doing.  It was where I worked in the mid and late 1960s as a ‘rocket scientist’ on the Project Saturn Apollo Lunar Landing, from the first flight in 1966 to the first lunar landing in 1969 (Apollo 11).

Titusville is less famous for a great restaurant:  The Dixie Crossroads.  Do not miss it if you’re in the area.  (The fritters go first, and fast)

Northern Florida is dramatically different in terrain and ambiance than the Southern parts, especially the South East (Miami area):

 

On my 3rd day of travel, pulling into a motel late in the evening, a moment’s inattention led to my first fall on this and any motorcycle, and my second drop of Nicodemus (my Triumph 1200).  (The first drop had been what is known as ‘adventures in my own garage’).

In the below video I mis-speak by referring to the engineless planes as “gliders.”  That term suggests aircraft that can only descend.  The planes visible here are capable of soaring on thermal uplifts, hence the proper term is “sailplanes.”

One of the coolest things about motorcycle (and bicycle) travel is that you get to engage some very interesting people.  Here is one of them, John Fields.

At the very northern edge of Florida and entering Georgia I was ‘baptized’ by my first serious rain shower.  There were thunderstorms and lighting even knocking out power in the fast food joint I took shelter in:

Georgia

A large timber harvesting project leaves just this old house and its few trees.  The house looks old.   Could it have been there during Civil War times?

Athens Georgia is famous for being the home city of the University of Georgia.  But also worthy of fame there is their famous hot dog ‘joint’ known as “The Varsity.”  It is  iconic to U Georgia students and fans.

I had purchased a SENA 10C helmet camera for this Adventure.  When it worked, which it did for just a few days, it was very handy as the video was directly connected to a helmet mic that enable clear audio.  Here is one of the few that shots that worked before it died (and was returned).

North Carolina and Virginia

Beginning in North Carolina and extending into Virginia is the spectacular Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP).  The southern terminus of the BRP is in Cherokee NC, named after the Native American tribe who originally inhabited the area and some of which remained and did not ‘relocate’ to Oklahoma.

The BRP is 469 miles generally following the ridge line of the Great Smokey Mountains with not a single commercial service.  The views are beautiful both East toward the foothills of the Smokey’s and West of the great valley separating the Smokey’s and the Allegheny’s.

 

There are scenic stopping points every few miles with each view seemingly more spectacular than the preceding one.  Sometimes one is even greeted by ‘locals.’

There is a unique museum as part of the National Parks on the BRP dedicated to “American” music, which, as their exhibit shows, had an important beginning in the area of the Smokey mountains in Western Virginia.  The exhibits include many life performances.

Pennsylvania

New Jersey

One breakfast institution is the Frenchtown Cafe:

New York

(pending)

Connecticut

Rain, cold (upper 40s), wind gusts

First clip below is early in the day, before the rains returned.

Below is a longish clip that ends with a few comments as I pull into a rest area.  It does not capture the extent of the rain and gusts as the GoPro is relatively shielded by the windscreen.  It was 49 F and uncomfortably gusty.

Massachusetts

One of joys of old diners is finding still used old, nostalgic technologies:

Fellow travelers huddled under the motel welcome archway:  three classics…Triumph 1200 Explorer (Nicodemus), Honda Goldwing, and a Harley.

New Hampshire

(pending)

Maine

One of the great institutions of the state is the LL Bean complex (used to be a store, now it’s virtually a city) in Freeport.  It has an amazing array of outdoor equipment for every season.  One of their claims to fame is the door is never locked because it is open 24 hours a day every day of the year.

The all weather boot is their signature item, invented by LL himself, and made the company.

Madawaska!  (Goal of Leg 2)

At long last, I made the second goal city of the Adventure, Madawaska itself.  There is now a “Four Corners Park” where one can buy memorabilia, sign a guest book, take pictures.  Still the original Post Office is also used as a documentation point.

Through the inspiration and leadership of an ardent Madawaska man–Joe LaChance–one now gets an official certificate signed by various Maine dignitaries, including the Governor:

Leg 3 to Copper Harbor Michigan begins here:

Return to 8 Corners Start Page here: