Midnight Sunday morning (or Saturday night for the average person), I randomly became inspired to take a trip. I spent two hours in the garage in preparation for an almost two hour drive to the Gulf Coast. The weather was in the mid 40's, so a cold weather prep was a must. If you aren't familiar with cold weather motorcycle preparation, read about it here!
I woke up at 8:30 and was on the road by 9:45. It was a balmy 47 degrees as I headed towards Cedar Key. For those of you who aren't familiar, Cedar Key is not part of The Florida Keys or associated with Key West. The Florida Keys are located in the Florida Straits, with Key West being 90 miles north of Cuba. However, Cedar Key is located on the Florida Gulf Coast and is mostly a fishing and boating community. There are restaurants and touristy shops.
The drive down to the coast was great. I passed by the grave of legendary blues artist Bo Diddley in the town of Bronson. I knew he was buried nearby, but to casually turn my head and to see it at just the right moment was quite a treat. Definitely owe plenty of American culture to men like B.B. King and Bo Diddley!
The last time I visited Cedar Key was prior to 2003. I cannot remember exactly when, but my grandfather was still alive and I remember him patting a Pelican on the head. I'll never forget that. Cedar Key is not the same as it used to be. Tourism is the mainstay of the local economy, so when the economy tanked in 2007-2008, Cedar Key was hit hard. Many of the restaurants closed as tourism declined.
I had lunch at the Pickled Pelican restaurant. I sat outside and had a great view of the Gulf of Mexico and the nearby islands. The menu was great, as was the pricing. I certainly recommend it!
The area is really beautiful and, in my opinion, really epitomizes what the Florida coast is all about. Shrubbery, coastal inlets, and beautifully flat terrain.
I ended up putting 156.8 miles on the bike. The weather was incredible, as was the ride. Very little traffic and I was able to average a speed of about 70mph. If you live in the Sunshine State and haven't made a trip to Cedar Key, I do recommend it. It is a fun day trip and there is a large pier to go fishing from. The food, scenery, atmosphere, and the people are wonderful. Unfortunately, I won't be able to spend as much time on the road in the future as I would like. I recently was hired by Veteran's Affairs on top of being a college student. I'm going to be busy, but it is for all the right reasons. Stay safe out on the road, fellow riders! Happy Halloween!
-J
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