End of day 3

I got a pleasantly slow start today.
The past few days I've been navigating by the seat of my pants, and it usually bites me in the ass. I did a lot of miles yesterday, not all of them in the right direction.
Today I used the gps. I picked a spot out 600 miles out and then just followed the blue line. By the end of the day I had no idea where I was, only to find out I was just where I didn't want to be. I was right outside Dallas at rush hour. So I made a slight turn and found a state park.
The riding was HOT. But some of the roads were very nice. Winding through the soft hills of central Texas. The air is drying out so at least the shade is cooler and there is a nice breeze to help, but the riding in the sun is still very HOT.
I'm starting to get into the groove of riding, and then taking a brake to cool off. Things are getting easier. I'm still not thinking about how far I have to go, but just enjoying each day of riding for what it's worth. Tomorrow I ride again and as long as I'm heading in the general direction all is good.
Just had my first wildlife encounter as I'm typing this, a skunk just walked by me not more that 10 feet away, luckily he just kept walking.
Well that's all for tonight, it's off to bed.

End of two

Okay I thought it would be an easy day, but that didn't happen. All started out well. I gor a good start and headed out of Florida, I blew right through Alabama and then I hit Louisiana. My Plan was to take LA 10 all the way across the center of the state. It's a small two lane reiss that goes from one small town to the next. I stopped at the first town I came to (it shale remain nameless) and went to the mini Walmart for a few things. It wasn't until I was heading out of town did I realize that it had been filed with mutants. The town only had 2 to 3 thousand people in it and I saw maybe 50. So here is what struck me as I left.
The air was filled with the smell of rot from a nearby paper mill. All was well until I entered the Walmart. Things looked normal at first, but as I made my way to the check out I noticed the women was covered in bumps, much like a lepper. But okay some people have challenges in life. Than I noticed the gay women in trying of me, she stood 4 feet tall and was crooked. Her girl friend showed up and she was 6 tall, googled eyed and no teeth. As I headed out of town, I was stopped at a green light for ever while an old man, all bent over and talking to him self worked his way across the street never once looking up. All the cars just sat there waiting. A little way down the road a man wearing long pants, a heavy coat and soo much hair he looked like a small big foot was walking along with out a care in the world. The dwellings they lived in were half caved in houses, rusted trailers, and other things covered in plastic. This town was freaking me out.
A few miles down the road I came to a place that was as different as the sun is to the moon. It was a group of homes with front yards that were massive. They had big gates, manicured lawns and large ponds. The homes were of the old south, large porches, big white pillars and very impressive. I road on in a state off concussion.
In the state of Louisiana they don't tell you things they think you should already know, things like the bridge across the Mississippy river fell down a few years ag goodo. So a long detour to find a bridge. Once I was across and picked up LA10 again all was good. Not. An hour later the road just ends with a sign that says road closed. So back I go.
In the end it was indoor camping at the Super 8.
12 hours 500 miles later I think you could say it wasn't the easy day I was looking forward to.
But hey I'm sleeping indoors, so there is that.

Texas

I finally made it to Texas

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Day two

I had a good night sleep, though it was a little warm. I got a bit of a show start today due to packing and re packing. I'll get this packing thing down, it just might take a few more days. The campground was a bit noisy with kids running all over, but once the rain hit they all headed inside.
The riding yesterday was a bit boring. I'm really looking forward to the mountains. Curvy roads, cool air, and more interesting landscapes. Flat straight roads with pine trees only go so far. Although the smell of a pine forest after a rain is wonderful.
Not many opportunitys for pictures yet, that  and since I'm still working on getting into a groove, grabbing the camera is still an afterthought. Hope to do better.
Planning on an easy day, there is always hope.

End of day one

It's 9:00 pm and I'm done for the day. I did about 400 miles today in rain and then heat, then more rain and more heat. It was a long day, but the first few are always the hardest. I'm in the tent and it's a light rain with a good light show, summer in Florida.
I'm at Black river state park, close to the state line, so it was a god start. I'll try to take it easy tomorrow, but I always say that then haul ass for most of the day. We'll see.

I'm on my way. .

I was just a little late getting started but I'm on my way. The first few hours flew by. My mind was occupied with all the things I could have forgotten, so far long johns, and a coffe cup. So not to bad. The ride up US19 is very boring, but maybe that's a good thing as my mind has been wondering. I'm getting ready to turn west and leave civilization behind and enter the swamp lands of the panhandle.

10 days to go

Well I'm on the final push. The bike is ready, the money is there and I've got the time off. All thats left is the going. Okay there's the final packing to do but how hard could that be. The problem with planing for so long is that I now have 10 pounds of @#@%#% to stuff in a 5 pound bag. It turns out trying to figure out what to leave out is much harder than figuring out what to put in.
The weather looks like HOTTTTTT for the first few days. Then it's off to the mountains to freeze. Summer time at 7000 feet is still cold at 60 MPH. The west is covered in forest fires, and theres rain in the north, so there is that. The good news is gas prices are falling and it looks like they will continue to fall for some time.
I just got over the black plague that put me on my ass for 4 days, so I got that out of the way, with the added benefit of helping me reach my weight loss goal for the trip. Not the best way to lose that last few pounds, but hey it works.
So Friday morning I load the bike and head off to work. After work I continue my trip north to Tarpon Springs for one last home cooked meal by Mom. On Sunday the trip starts again. Next stop, Deadhorse AK, okay there might be a few stops along the way.
So now it's go time!!!!!