St. Augustine Beach

Good afternoon, readers!

I decided to take a ride to the beach with my dad for a mini family get together.  The weather cooperated beautifully for the 200 mile round trip adventure.  We stuck to the back roads (as any motorcyclist knows, that's the only way to do it!) and really enjoyed the drive.  This was the farthest trip I've ever taken on the DRZ and surprisingly, my ass didn't hurt until I got off the bike!  Putting 200 miles on a single cylinder motorcycle does indeed sound like quite a feat and truth be told, it really was!  But with brand new chain and sprockets, I really had a comfortable, smooth ride.  I was really enjoying myself and it felt great to share this experience with my dad.  My DRZ 400 did struggle with keeping up with his Triumph 675, but dual sports aren't built for speed.  The traffic was marginal until we hit Palatka, after that I really had to keep on my toes.  The most pleasurable part of the drive was A1A.  A great stretch of highway that runs along the coastline all down the Florida Atlantic Coast.  Speed limit wasn't more than 45 mph, but the setting of a coastal highway with all of its sunshine, coastal breeze, beach goers, and restaurants was really enjoyable.  We met up with family and friends and enjoyed a beautiful day in the surf.

After 4-5 hours at the beach, we decided to grab some lunch before heading back home.  This is Florida, and there's no guarantee that it won't rain on you.  Leaving the beach was quite an experience.  I was on a dual sport and even I struggled in some of the areas of soft sand.  My dad had an even more difficult time on his Triumph.  We never lost control, but the transit back to pavement seemed to take forever.  We had lunch at the World Famous Oasis Restaurant.  If you haven't been there, make it a point to!  Amazing food and a great menu selection.

The weather had turned sour, but luckily for us we managed to stay behind the storms as the passed through, so only the roads were wet.  We never got rained on directly.  Typical of Florida, once we returned home the sun began to shine again.  I stripped out of my sweaty, sand-filled clothes and proceeded to wash down the motorcycle (and myself).  So much sand everywhere but it was certainly worth it.  I forgot how much fun the beach can be, especially if you enjoy it on a motorcycle.  For me, the journey was just as enjoyable as the destination.  I will certainly be making that trip again.