A merry band of eight Sandies on an assortment of bikes rode through Crestview, Milligan, and Florala for lunch. Local residents are left questioning their eyesight, and wondering if the circus was in town. There were three (Honda) Goldwings, a pair of Can-Ams, a BMW, a Harley-Davidson, and a Victory. All eight pilots were bundled in an assortment of textiles, leather, and gasp electrically heated layers of gear. We started the ride with temperatures in the upper 30’s, and because it’s Florida the humidity was still around 50%.
George and Sam led the group. They made sure we stayed on the move so we didn’t have much time to think about the frigid temperatures, our bladders, or just how long it had been since breakfast. Tony G was filming the shenanigans of the group, and telling tales of the recently retired. JoeJoe took up residence in the middle of the pack to get still photos of the group. JoeJoe awards bonus points to himself for the most awkward photos he can publish. Mark S was out with us. He was sharing stories of his recent travels and showing off his battery heated gear. “Sacrificing” the convenience and portability, Greg L and Tommy N showed the rest of us how to travel in the cold. Full on heated gear with multi-zone adjustments. Tommy reminded us that it’s always 74 degrees, even at 60 mph under his jacket.
After circling Lake Jackson, we stopped for lunch at The Depot in Florala, AL. We had a great meal and super service. Mostly we were happy to be warm, but that doesn’t take away from the great job the staff did at handling us right at opening time. Kudos to the team there, everyone we saw was professional and courteous. If you are ever out that way, I highly encourage you to stop by and give them a try.
With full bellies, we headed back to our homes. To change things up a bit we cut back towards Mossy Head instead of Laurel Hill. After leaning into a few curves and feeling the day starting to gather some warmth, we parted ways along the way. It was a good time with friends, and it was great to be out on the bike in February.