Pictured above: Dan (left) and John (right) about to embark on their week-long journey. They set out on matching red Honda VFR’s from Port Charlotte. Destination: Daytona Beach.
(As a side note, if you ever see Dan around Columbus- shake this man’s hand! He and his wife Patty are a rare breed of human beings who exude kindness and generosity, and should serve as an inspiration to us all. John says that Dan was right, “It’s not the pictures that you remember, but the memories you can picture.”)
Departing from Port Charlotte, they decided to take the scenic route, often choosing country back-roads over highways. Nearly 300 miles later, John and Dan arrived at their ocean-front hotel in Daytona Beach. Pictured above is John overlooking the beach from the balcony of his room. “A room with a view” is quite the understatement!
| They eventually met up with a group of friends who were also in Daytona for the week, visiting their uncle who is a local in DeLand. Together the group traveled to Ponce de Leon Springs State Park to get some riding in and see the manatees. |
Afterwards, they stopped at the Old Spanish Sugarmill to have breakfast. Each of the tables were equipped with a griddle that allowed diners to cook their own pancakes!
| On the way home, they stopped by the drive-thru Iron Horse Bar. As pictured below, there were many unique motorcycles at the Iron Horse, and equally as many interesting people according to John! |
The next morning, John and Dan rode to Flagler Beach (just North of Daytona) and had breakfast at the Funky Pelican.
| Later that day, they headed to the Daytona Speedway to watch the Daytona TT race. It was a very exciting race, and John was thrilled to see the other manufacturers participating in the flat-track arena. Indian took both the 1st and 2nd place awards. However, Harley-Davidson and Indian both underestimated Kawasaki and Yamaha, both of which were surprisingly competitive. |
On the ride back toward Port Charlotte, the weather conditions could not have been better for leather-jacket riding. There was an abundance of warmth and sunshine. Pictured below is John riding through the fragrant orange groves along the Scenic Trail.
Worth nothing, however, is the fact that he and Dan both agreed that the strawberry fields that they encountered were even more fragrant than the orange groves!
En route to the airport, Dan and John stopped at the Bass Pro Shop to grab lunch. They decided to try alligator hors d’oeuvres complete with a mint jalapeno dipping sauce. John said that alligator is utterly delicious and he will definitely get this dish again when he returns!
Pictured below is the aquarium-bar inside of the Bass Pro Shop.
As Dan stated perfectly, “When everything comes together – weather, roads, scenery, fragrance, wild life, accommodations, friends, food, flat track racing, and more – it’s pretty special. And John said many times he wouldn’t change a thing. And I wouldn’t either. Mission accomplished.”
