Flat land people (not much Guzzi)

[GeorgiaGuzzi]

I’m working in Jacksonville Fla. right now. I considered loading up the Quota and riding it down here. Kinda glad I didn’t. The roads down here are boooooooorrrrrrring!!! Straight and flat. Does not appeal to me at all. The weather is great, but everything is laid out like a grid. How do y’all deal with these roads? I’d seriously be in danger of sleeping behind the bars!

Okay, rant over. I may still ride the bike down next week. 😂

[guzzisteve]

You have to have a bike that accelerates wildly in a strait line. It takes the boredom away, you have to make your own excitement.
Kept me going in the corn fields of IL.

[wavedog]

I lived in Florida for 12 years and just recently moved to Georgia. You need to get out of Jacksonville to ride.  There are some nice places to ride in Florida and not as much traffic as Georgia. Spend some time studying maps. I found some delightful places to ride. The thing about Florida is that you can ride most of the year. I lived in Palm Coast, between Daytona and St. Augustine. South of Palm Coast, before it turns into Ormond, there is a marshy beautiful area with a very cool curvy road that I call Tail of the Gecko. 1.1 miles with 3.18 curves.

Addendum: West of Jax a couple of hours is some great hilly riding, not Blue Ridge stuff but fun and relaxing. There is a nice campground, and four of the five highest "peaks" are close by and also the highest waterfall in Florida. At 70 feet give or take a few it is something to behold. Guess what is on top of the highest point in Florida? That's right, a public restroom. It is the one place in Florida where it will flow down hill.
 I used to ride this winding road that led to an old wooden building that was a small bar and grill. usually 4-5 items on the menu. Good cheeseburger. Sometimes people sit on the porch and smoke weed. Not me but some do.
  It's Florida man, the land south of the south. Ya got to get into it.

[Lannis]

I’m working in Jacksonville Fla. right now. I considered loading up the Quota and riding it down here. Kinda glad I didn’t. The roads down here are boooooooorrrrrrring!!! Straight and flat. Does not appeal to me at all. The weather is great, but everything is laid out like a grid. How do y’all deal with these roads? I’d seriously be in danger of sleeping behind the bars!

Okay, rant over. I may still ride the bike down next week. 😂

Ask the guys in southern Minnesota what they do.   Fay and I rode across the state and my first thought was, as we passed groups of cruiser riders out for a jaunt, "How do these guys stand it?"

Laid out in 640 acre (1 square mile) grids, sometimes a road every 5 miles, so you ride 20 miles in a dead straight line, take a right, 20 miles in a dead straight line, take a right, 20 miles in a dead straight line, take a right, 20 miles in a dead straight line and you're home and stop at the bar or cafe and ... what, talk about the ride?

Everyone in the cafes was talking about corn prices and sorghum futures, so maybe that's enough, but seems to me that motorcyclists would be riding a looong way to find what I have at my front door.

Lannis

[Guzzistajohn]

Sounds like riding in Kansas, seems like a waist of tires when I can so an hour south to Arkansas

[Gliderjohn]

Living in KS I am very familiar with long straight flat roads. It is a matter of seeking out the more fun and interesting areas. No, KS is not going to be like riding in Western Co or the Ozarks but there are curves to be found and some really nice areas. It is a mindset. There is something very relaxing about riding for miles and not meeting another vehicle. I also occasionally enjoy short high speed runs which one can do fairly safely as their are places you can see for miles.
GliderJohn

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

I bought my Ambo driving across the country from a fellow in Kansas...  The rear tire was absolutely square. I thought it was a dark side bike at first glance, til I realized it had just worn that way 

[Gliderjohn]

From mayor:

I bought my Ambo driving across the country from a fellow in Kansas...  The rear tire was absolutely square. I thought it was a dark side bike at first glance, til I realized it had just worn that way

No longer a problem now that the town near me has two traffic circles. Just make a bunch of laps each direction. 
GliderJohn

[SIR REAL ED]

I’m working in Jacksonville Fla. right now. I considered loading up the Quota and riding it down here. Kinda glad I didn’t. The roads down here are boooooooorrrrrrring!!! Straight and flat. Does not appeal to me at all. The weather is great, but everything is laid out like a grid. How do y’all deal with these roads? I’d seriously be in danger of sleeping behind the bars!

Okay, rant over. I may still ride the bike down next week. 😂

Stick some weights on the front wheel, just enough to make it shake at 40 mph or so.  Then loosen up the handlebars bolts.  Boredom will never even enter your mind.

[Daniel Kalal]

If all you're looking at are the stripes in front of you, I'd see your point.  Look around; Florida is a beautiful place to ride.  But, like anywhere, stay away from the city-sprawl and only follow the two-lane roads.

[Bert Remington]

GG -- these routes should be less boring: https://gravelmap.com/#9/30.3322/-81.6557

The Speed Demons on my V7 III will be worn out by February and I'm getting these https://www.bridgestone.com/products/motorcycle_tires/products/detail/pr177/ for more backcountry fun.  I know some roads that aren't on Gravel's map and intend to add them.

[nsmith]

Two wrongs don't make a right but when driving in Eastern South Dakota you learn 4 lefts do indeed make a right.

[nsmith]

Oops I meant 3 lefts make a right, 4 lefts make a straight.

[Tim Henry]

I'm working in jax this week too I'm I'm guarding top golf at town center overnight. I lived here15 years on and off but recently moved to Melbourne Fl area I'll be here till sat morning then heading back south returning Monday morning again. Most locals like riding south on 13 along the st John's river in st John county also get with Alan antmanbee in ormond he knows some really good back roads in the area  PM me if you're interested

[n3303j]

Add a third wheel and wander off into the bush.

[Tim Henry]

Or take the old brick road to espanola 9 miles of fun ask antmanbee about it

[wavedog]

The Old Brick Road, which is mostly sand, occasionally brick, ridden it a few times. Took my jackal on it several times. Also my Vespa P200 and my V-Strom. Best wait until after a rain to ride it. When there is land clearing going on the brick road is covered in sand to protect the brick from damage from the large trucks.

[Tim Henry]

Did it on the griso before the pandemic and the road was all brick no sugar sand wasn't as bad as Alan warned me I may take the Calvin on it when I get to that end of town

[JJ]

Florida and Kansas are FLAT for riding?!?   

Sounds like it's time for a "Flat-Earth-Theory" thread!! 

[twowheeladdict]

I started riding in Daytona Beach, FL.  It was nice riding on the beach and along A1A, etc.  Then I moved to Orlando which actually had some curves here and there.

When I moved to North Alabama, southern Middle Tennessee for work in 1994 I realized I really didn't know how to ride a motorcycle.  I really had to hone my skills on curvy hilly roads.  In this area when you crest a blind hill there is a good chance the road immediately goes to the right or left, and there will be a gravel driveway if you go straight, or a gravel driveway at he crest what will wash gravel into the road after a rain.

I also think there is a right bike for every type of riding environment.  I could see having one of those really fat rear tire cruisers in Florida.  Just sit back, relax, and take in the scenery.   

[n3303j]

Florida and Kansas are FLAT for riding?!?   

Sounds like it's time for a "Flat-Earth-Theory" thread!! 

Maximum natural elevation in Florida is 345 feet MSL.
After bicycling New England, Florida feels like its all down hill.

[drw916]

Until you hit a head wind

[Ochuck01]

Just joined your group, couldn’t help myself from relating to this. I’m a life long central Il farm boy. I remember as a child mom and dad took us kids to Turkey Run park in Indiana, my first experience off the farm. I thought the mountains were huge! Life on the grid is difficult to lean into.

[PeteS]

Maximum natural elevation in Florida is 345 feet MSL.
After bicycling New England, Florida feels like its all down hill.

Mt Dora. Look it up on a map. I think its in Lake County, correct me if wrong but the roads around there are some of the more interesting ones I have ridden there. Hopefully its not gotten too built up with all the folks moving there.
Mt Dora is a pleasant town. Get the T shirt, “ I climbed Mt Dora”.

Pete

[JJ]

Mt Dora. Look it up on a map. I think its in Lake County, correct me if wrong but the roads around there are some of the more interesting ones I have ridden there. Hopefully its not gotten too built up with all the folks moving there.
Mt Dora is a pleasant town. Get the T shirt, “ I climbed Mt Dora”.

Pete

Years ago, parents retired from upstate NY to "Beverly Hills, Florida", (Look that one up!! ), and when they were alive, we used to go antique shopping in Mt. Dora.  It is indeed a quaint little town...