Father and Son Across America! Most Say We're Crazy!

Here's Tampa Bay on the bridge from St. Pete. I would like

 

The Colorado is a lake! I nearly lost my GoPro on it when we hit some rapids - lol:

[video=youtube;rbDkR4ixRPM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbDkR4ixRPM[/video]

 

Ooooh how was that museum? I've been in Fla most of my life but I've never been there - I would like to check that out.

 

I used to blow air mattresses up until they were fairly hard. I learned that if you blow it up just enough that your lower most part of your body, usually a fat ass, barely or almost touches the ground, that stiffness of the mattress works out to be perfect. That Klymit mattress seems like a very nice mat.

 

Looks like an awesome time! Forgot about the Grand Canyon!

 

Several people told us about it on the way and said it was a must see. They were right! I probably have 300 pics from there, we were there so long that's why I took a nap... layful: Definitely worth a road trip!

 

Yeah I really love my Static V Luxe, nice and wide and thick. I'm a side sleeper and 6'4" 240lbs, my hips don't touch when mostly inflated. I got the non insulated one and in cold below 35 I put a space blanket on top of the mattress to radiate heat. No problems down into the low 20s, lower than that and I would have to add a closed cell foam pad on top of it. The hardest part of so many nights on the road is sleeping, so I don't skimp on my comfort. My poor son well he's young and can deal but now with his pad he's happy. I've had my Klymit for a couple of years without a problem.

 

OK, off to find a place to camp. In this part of Florida (Tampa to Fort Meyers) there aren't a lot of campgrounds let alone free ones. Let's check out trusty freecampsites.net! Myakka State Forest Flying A campground, looks good! So we got there after hours and had to call a Ranger somewhere and he gave us a code to open the combo lock on the gate... First time I've ever camped at a locked up campground. The ground was hard as a rock though... Bent 4 of my stakes!

 

My sleeping bag is rated for -3C so that puts it in the mid 20'sF. While at Yosemite, the temps hit freezing over night for a very short time just before dawn. I found that my bag was far too warm all done up and ended up unzipping it, opening the tent fly and sleeping with my head outside. I tend to like the cold though I know for my back and neck health, that is not a good idea.

Aren't there a lot of those fugly ground crawlers in Florida that like to eat people around there? Also, how are First Responders supposed to get through a locked gate in emergencies when time is an issue? I suppose they have contact numbers they call to get that combination. I do like the idea of a locked gate though. I have his problem with women trying to get into my tent while I am sleeping all the time. Thing is. They all have blue hair and they keep banging into my bike with their walkers. Bitches!

 

Yeah it was a weird campground with the locked gate. I guess it's common in Florida as I saw several on the web requiring you to call in for a code. I'm sure first responders have a universal code like in gated communities. We didn't notice any fugly crawlers or gators until we got closer to Miami. But lots of fireflies! I think you're right about trying to keep out the ladies... if you can call them that or blue hairs and grannies!! :smile-new: We almost got taken out 3 times in Florida by the old lady drivers!! Worst drivers in the 22 states we visited!

 

Now to cut across Florida's swamp country, Alligator Alley US Route 41!! We wanted to take 41 rather than the freeway. Better chance for that gator sighting!! Saw a gas station and we needed to fill up anyways... They had gators!! We really wanted to see them wild but this was a good start. Plus they had our favorite energy drink, AMP!!

 

Down the road a bit further we finally found wild gators!!

 

The phot links are not showing up here. :unsure:

 

Try it now, I think it's fixed...

 

A few more gators and we're off to Florida City! Some say the most dangerous city in Florida!! Yay!!

Standard bike porn shot!

 

We were supposed to camp in the Keys for free at a hidden secret spot in Sugarloaf Key (24°37'50.5"N 81°30'55.8"W or
24.630698, -81.515489) but at the last minute we found out that it has been found by drug dealers and the Coast Guard patrols the area heavily... So we had to find a place to stay cheap. Not easy in the Keys, so bust out the Booking.com app and found a nice little motel in Florida City. Only $49 bucks a night and no hookers or drug dealers!! Since we aren't going to be there except to sleep it would work.
Once we got settled in let's find someplace to eat, no chain restaurant for us. Let's eat in da hood!! Bust out the Yelp app and find a nice little mexican restaurant called Rosita's. We haven't had good mexican food since Texas so let's go check it out! We roll up and it's definitely in da hood, gang graffiti on the outside and sketchy dudes with too much gold on their necks on the outside. My son was like "hell no"! I said I'll go check it out. Needless to say it was the best mexican food we've had in a long time!

 

All I see is pix of my ex mother in law. What's up with that?

 

Now off to the Keys!!! Today we are only exploring, tomorrow we swim with sharks! Let's go to Key West and the most southern point in the continental US. This post might be a picture overload...

Southern most beach and bar plus we weren't going to wait in line to take a photo at the monument so photo bomb!! Sorry for the smudges on photos, fat fingers...

 

Wife and I were on a cruise a few years back and Key West was one of our ports of call. We quite enjoyed our short stay there. Would move there except I would miss out west coast Canada winter weather with all that rain, sleet and sometimes snow.

 

Does she live here with my ex and her mom?? Hahahaha!!!:wink: