I had to put this off longer than I wanted too, but I haven't been feeling up to par for a couple of weeks even though the days have been awesome. Really I don't even think that is the reason I've been avoiding what I'm about do, its not what I want to do, I know its not what she wants to do, its what has to be done. We all have choices to make at one time at another that we don't want to make, we all have to do things we absolutely don't want to do, it is against everything we want and this my friend is one of those times. I met little "Anna Banana" at the door and walked to the garage with out much fan fare. Pressed the open sesame button, and herd the clinking of the garage door opening as the sunlight began to stream in. I took a walk around, and looked from a distance at the tires, under neath for drips, and anything that didn't seem right from this angle. Even under a light layer of dust she was eye catching with her read and orange flames on red background, recently polished chrome and paint. I looked closer at the hoses and cables, tire walls, for smaller drips and such, flipped the switches for the lights and turn signals, horn then sat down on her. I reached in and fumbled around in the front fork bag for the little tire pressure gauge I gave her as a gift for completing her first road trip to Charleston South Carolina a few years ago. I checked the pressure and cleaned the windshield, re adjusted the mirrors and roller her out into the world.
I got the key and sat there for a second stuffing the I pod in my bra, great holder by the way, left one bob in and one out, and before I zoom out of the driveway I think to myself she really is a pretty bike. Has everything anyone could need or want, solo mustang seat with original in the garage, saddlebags, windshield, engine guard and highway pegs. I nod as I starter her and pull out off to the horizon. I'm thinking St. Augustine, it would be a great place to display and show off her beauty, park at the fort with the back drop of the river a place where old meets modern, shine shining off the chrome, yeah that would be a good place. Before I head out anywhere I take a few laps around the development. Its been awhile since I've ridden her and I've only rode her once. I wanted to get used to where all the controls are with out looking, see how fast she accelarates from a dead stop, and with some speed , how it feels in right and left turns the weight in slow maneuvers and quick short stops.
Man the traffic here is unreal it will take 10 minutes to make that left on to Kernan. Once on Kernan I go up and over the fly over and start to move over into the left lane as I will be taking JTB east bound. Its been awhile since I've been in this area and I can say those that travel JTB haven't changed. I approach the off ramp at Ponite Vedra to A1A. I really dislike this off ramp, because it meets 2 lanes of frustrated A1A congested traffic to the left and about 20 yeards to the right is the entrance of a shopping center. Yeah you know complete chaos and random bad driving habits meet. Past this mess is a congested section of A1A thru Pointe Vedra up to where SawGrass (TPC) is located and at that point it becomes a race. I don't know why but it does there's a very small stretch of road that goes from tow lane to one and everyone wants to be the first one there, LOL! I pass The Plantation where I did alot of work for my personal buiness, I bet the gate keepers would remember me, once passed a few more gated communities the road agains opens up to two lanes for a short distance. Here the big old oaks branches criss cross over the road, and thick vegetation hides homes from those on the streets we are reaching the public beach access areas. and a few mile of tower beasts of homes. They used to be all little ranch homes come just cinder block but they've been bought one by one and renovated into the monsters we see here today. Here is where the water becomes slightly bluer than Jacksonville area.
Once pasted the public beach areas some nice views of the Atlantic Ocean cam be seen on the left. Depending on the tide ya can either see the swells or the top of the cresting waves. I pass the Gate Station, scene of one of my crimes (bad casting). This is where A1A has a few nice wide sweepers don't even have to take the feet off the highway pegs or adjust speed go with the flow. Now were are at what I call the the beatnick section of A1A. Right before ya enter Vero Beach area where I will be making a right, one passes all these little cottages I think they are called cottages by the sea but I'm not 100% sure. I make the left there onto the bridge at Matanza Bay which will connect to route 1 at the Merry go round. From this bridge is some of my most favorite view of St. Augustine. To the left is a marina the size of some of them rowboats, then a restaurant, on the left the bay and olde and new town St. Augustine.
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