SteveWFL
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posted December 04, 2008 08:09 PM
Florida Keys- Island hopping a Yamaha
Just wanted to share a few BS pics from the Key West portion of the trip. Most were taken from my Blackberry, although I have no mad photo skills with the regular cam either. I could've got a lot more but was having big fun riding and socializing on the Island.
The Keys was only one stop of a journey the southeast visiting friends and family that will consist of around 3000 miles (when I finish this trip and am back in Tampa).
Tip: Marriott has great rates and a boardwalk to roll the bike off the truck onto. Also, employees there will see you and volunteer to help and remove tie down straps and such.
Everything is rustic and sun-bleached
I was told old hippies from way back when live on these year round?
And a bike dealership on the island (they said jet-ski's and scooters selling well in this economy)
OK I'm in super uber tourist mode here at the southern most point in USA near Cuba
Jet-ski was having big fun
Typical neighborhood street on the island
A lot of folks were shopping for a little something for the head
No thanks, I brought my own scooter
Interesting seeing the end of the road, I grew up along US HWY 1 up in the Carolinas. It runs over 2000 miles from Key West, Florida to Fort Kent, Maine at the Canadian border. Maybe I'll see the other end one day (hopefully in the summer!)
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aliveagain
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posted December 04, 2008 08:16 PM
Cool photos Steve,whats the temp? I always heard the keys were real laid back.
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SteveWFL
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posted December 04, 2008 08:19 PM
Thanks - Yea wish you'd come visit us down here, it was 78 today. A Tampa visit would be nice, I heard it was around 70 there today, although its an 8 hour drive north of me!
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posted December 04, 2008 09:37 PM
 Edited By: H2 to ZX12 on 5 Dec 2008 05:47
try stopping in ramrod key. take a snorkeling trip to Looe Key at Looe Key Reef Resort.
http://www.diveflakeys.com/ (or dive if you're a diver)
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SteveWFL
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posted December 04, 2008 09:42 PM
Edited By: SteveWFL on 5 Dec 2008 05:45
kewl, this trip was for biking and socializing above water, I need more than two days on the keys if I include a swim trip!
Eric, the guy I do track with owns a dive shop and is going to certify me. They do the Keys for lobster and looking around under water, I'll come a few days early and ride and socialize.
Lets go down to Keys after I get the diving license. Also, lets go spear fishing in the gulf with Eric and them!
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Lee
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posted December 05, 2008 02:28 AM
Looks like a good time, thanx for the pics Steve! We're looking to head down there for a three day weekend pretty soon as well.
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KikonZX14
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posted December 05, 2008 03:20 AM
Kewl pics Steve, thanks for sharing. Boy, do I love Pin-ups....that Eat it Raw 
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Feel the need for SPEED2007 ZX-14 Black with Red Flames (Helibars, Sliders, Yoshimura TRC Ti 4-2 Slip Ons, Fender Eliminator, Zero Gravity SR Windscreen, Custom Heel Guards , Speedohealer V4, Pazzo Levers -soon to come: Flies out / PCV w/A/T kit and later 16T sprocket)1990 Honda Steed (Japan model same as Shadow)1993 Kawasaki Vulcan EN 500 (gone as I trade it in for the ZX-14)Santiago, Chile, South America
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bawls
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posted December 05, 2008 06:50 AM
No pictures of Irish Kevins? What the duece kid? lol
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sassyvanilla
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posted December 05, 2008 08:23 AM
Cool pics!
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K Bryant
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posted December 05, 2008 08:47 AM
Awesome. Last trip to FL, I only had enough time to make it down to Islamorada from the Ft. Lauderdale airport. Traffic was a bitch (Friday afternoon). Top of the list to make it all the way to Key West very soon for some Diving along the way.
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SteveWFL
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posted December 05, 2008 02:23 PM
quote:
Looks like a good time, thanx for the pics Steve! We're looking to head down there for a three day weekend pretty soon as well.
enjoy your trip!
quote:
Cool pics!
Thanks!
quote:
Awesome. Last trip to FL, I only had enough time to make it down to Islamorada from the Ft. Lauderdale airport. Traffic was a bitch (Friday afternoon). Top of the list to make it all the way to Key West very soon for some Diving along the way.
Thank you sir and good luck with all that, I traveled all over the southeast this trip and only had two days for the FL Islands. Next trip to the Keys I hope to have more time as well and a new dive certificate to have as much fun in the water as on land
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posted December 05, 2008 02:36 PM
quote:
I traveled all over the southeast this trip and only had two days for the FL Islands. Next trip to the Keys I hope to have more time as well and a new dive certificate to have as much fun in the water as on land
Enjoying the lower cost of fuel I see. Prices started falling as soon as polls favored Obama winning.
Oil companies = Afraid, very Afraid. lol
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SteveWFL
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posted December 05, 2008 02:41 PM
Edited By: SteveWFL on 5 Dec 2008 22:43
quote:
quote:
I traveled all over the southeast this trip and only had two days for the FL Islands. Next trip to the Keys I hope to have more time as well and a new dive certificate to have as much fun in the water as on land
Enjoying the lower cost of fuel I see. Prices started falling as soon as polls favored Obama winning.
Oil companies = Afraid, very Afraid. lol
dude I drove my truck further than this when fuel was over 4 bucks a gallon and right after the hurricane in Texas! (but yea, I'm enjoying these prices!) 
This trip around the southeast USA was 2500 miles and uber-cheap. I'm glad to be back in Tampa
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posted December 06, 2008 03:56 AM
I used to make trips like that on my ZX11. You gotta like ridding on the interstate in the rain though
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Ozzy
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posted December 06, 2008 05:02 AM
Did you purchase a bumper sticker in Key West for your pickup? the bumper sticker that reads: I hauled my bike to Key West.
LOL.
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aliveagain
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posted December 06, 2008 05:40 AM
Steve ,are you keeping track of what that non union truck is getting on the trip?
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SteveWFL
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posted December 06, 2008 06:21 AM
Edited By: SteveWFL on 6 Dec 2008 14:59
quote:
Did you purchase a bumper sticker in Key West for your pickup? the bumper sticker that reads: I hauled my bike to Key West.
LOL.
I hauled my bike thousands of miles in a little over a week and went out with special friends in clothes other than motorcycle attire. Plus some don't care to go out on the back of a bike 
This trip wasn't about riding the bike, it was about visiting people and driving 7-12 hours each leg, I just happened to find time to do the Keys a few days.
I went all over Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama visiting The ride from Pensacola Beach in the Pan Handle to Port Charlotte to Key West was 14 hours, why would I do that on a sport bike, especially when I luggage/going out clothes.
Heads, up, Pensacola (Panhandle area of upstate FL) has some white sands! I had a chance to unload the bike there for one day because I got in town ahead of folks I was meeting there.
I bought a truck to haul a sportbike. Its a nice ride. For me, friends and family are the major reason for long trips, biking secondary. Although I ride in the mountains when its warm up there, thats an 11 hour trip and I haul the bike there as well (meet friends along the way) I need weeks worth of luggage and I love to travel comfortably. If I wanted to go thousands of miles on two wheels I'd purchase a bike thats designed to make long distance riding fun.
If you can find me that bumper sticker that says I hauled a litre bike a few thousand miles, I'll put it on my truck and post a pic
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SteveWFL
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posted December 06, 2008 06:50 AM
Edited By: SteveWFL on 6 Dec 2008 14:51
quote:
Steve ,are you keeping track of what that non union truck is getting on the trip?
Hi, this is an Yamaha forum thread thats mirrored, I hope we can keep it on topic. I think you'll agree the union topic in the keys would be better served in the smackhouse, so I created a thread for us there to jack this topic up!
Union made vehicles in the Keys----> http://www.bikeland.org/board/viewthread.php?FID=2&TID=43560&set_time=1228574908
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aliveagain
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posted December 06, 2008 07:06 AM
quote:
quote:
Steve ,are you keeping track of what that non union truck is getting on the trip?
Hi, this is an Yamaha forum thread thats mirrored, I hope we can keep it on topic. I think you'll agree the union topic in the keys would be better served in the smackhouse, so I created a thread for us there to jack this topic up!
Union made vehicles in the Keys----> http://www.bikeland.org/board/viewthread.php?FID=2&TID=43560&set_time=1228574908
My mistake about the question as I left out the gas mileage part and the non-union was just a slant.Seriously,with that kind of mileage ,I would be interested in how in fared with mpg and at what speed.
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SteveWFL
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posted December 06, 2008 09:40 AM
Its all good, I check fuel mileage often. with bike in the back at 85 MPH I get 17 mpg, at 75 I get 18 mpg, at 55 I get 21. The Tundra has the 5.7 engine option or it'd get a lot better.
Also, when I pulled the bike in a little trailer, I got 11 mpg, and bought ramps after that Deal's Gap trip
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posted December 06, 2008 02:07 PM
21 ain't too shabby at 55mph especially considering it is a v-8.
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SteveWFL
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posted December 06, 2008 08:29 PM
Edited By: SteveWFL on 7 Dec 2008 04:30
quote:
21 ain't too shabby at 55mph especially considering it is a v-8.
if i could only drive it that slow for any distance whatsoever!
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aliveagain
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posted December 06, 2008 08:49 PM
I hear ya,short distances I do but when I'll be on the road for a few hours,I'm up around 75.
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