IBA 50CC Quest Ride

Les finishes her oil change while our dog, Magggie "helps". You can see her "hang-dog" expression that tells us she's getting the feeling that we're taking off yet again--dang it!

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:41 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
Les finishes her oil change while our dog, Magggie "helps". You can see her "hang-dog" expression that tells us she's getting the feeling that we're taking off yet again--dang it!

T-Minus 75 minutes and counting--getting ready to head for the beach! Don't you just LOVE those 50W amber Motolights? The folks at Motolight are top-notch, too--as is the product. It ma ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:36 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
T-Minus 75 minutes and counting--getting ready to head for the beach! Don't you just LOVE those 50W amber Motolights? The folks at Motolight are top-notch, too--as is the product. It ma ...

T-Minus 60 minutes and counting--we arrive safely at work (my heart is still pumping--it never gets any easier) and find Lt. Lawton just leaving the Fire Station--perfect! Who says there's ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:34 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
T-Minus 60 minutes and counting--we arrive safely at work (my heart is still pumping--it never gets any easier) and find Lt. Lawton just leaving the Fire Station--perfect! Who says there's ...

T-Minus 40 minutes and counting--we head down to the beach to gather our sand and water. Avenida Del Sol is a cul-de-sac off of Highway 75 in Coronado that goes right down to the beach be ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:30 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
T-Minus 40 minutes and counting--we head down to the beach to gather our sand and water. Avenida Del Sol is a cul-de-sac off of Highway 75 in Coronado that goes right down to the beach be ...

Leslie has packed two empty water bottles to gather the sand and water for the start and finish and marked one with a "P" and the other with an "A". You can see Point Loma on the horizon.

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:29 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
Leslie has packed two empty water bottles to gather the sand and water for the start and finish and marked one with a "P" and the other with an "A". You can see Point Loma on the horizon.

A passer-by sees us and offers to take our picture. The inlet to San Diego Bay goes between the Point and Coronado.

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:28 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
A passer-by sees us and offers to take our picture. The inlet to San Diego Bay goes between the Point and Coronado.

A view back down Avenida Del Sol looking east towards HY-75.

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:24 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
A view back down Avenida Del Sol looking east towards HY-75.

Leslie gathering up the sand and water with the Hotel Del Coronado in the backround.

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:45 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
Leslie gathering up the sand and water with the Hotel Del Coronado in the backround.

The view the other way out to sea. The surf is really going off this morning (unusual for Coronado).

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:45 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
The view the other way out to sea. The surf is really going off this morning (unusual for Coronado).

We draw a little attention (well, okay blatant stares, actually) as we appear to be a bit over-dressed for a morning walk on the beach. Another passer-by offers to take our picture.

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:44 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
We draw a little attention (well, okay blatant stares, actually) as we appear to be a bit over-dressed for a morning walk on the beach. Another passer-by offers to take our picture.

T-Minus 15 minutes and counting--annointing "Arianrhod's" tire with beach sand.

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:49 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
T-Minus 15 minutes and counting--annointing "Arianrhod's" tire with beach sand.

. . . and the same for "Maynard".

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:49 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
. . . and the same for "Maynard".

T-Minus 1 minute and counting . . . first "official" gas stop-Coronado, CA. Departure safety checks completed, all systems show "nominal". GPS and trip meter are reset, Valentine-1 is en ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:41 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
T-Minus 1 minute and counting . . . first "official" gas stop-Coronado, CA. Departure safety checks completed, all systems show "nominal". GPS and trip meter are reset, Valentine-1 is en ...

At first-stage separation at T-Plus three hours--our first SNAFU is encountered in Tacna, Arizona at about 225 miles. My low-fuel warning light has been on for almost 30 miles (Leslie routi ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:53 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
At first-stage separation at T-Plus three hours--our first SNAFU is encountered in Tacna, Arizona at about 225 miles. My low-fuel warning light has been on for almost 30 miles (Leslie routi ...

The next dozen or so of these shots are just documentation shots of our stops and nothing to really look at . . . "Oh, look! Here's another shot of Leslie at yet another gas station!" :-) ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:40 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
The next dozen or so of these shots are just documentation shots of our stops and nothing to really look at . . . "Oh, look! Here's another shot of Leslie at yet another gas station!" :-) ...

Vado, New Mexico (just past Mesquite,NM . . . RIGHT before the WESTERN border of Texas). Time: 19:52 MDT (we lose one hour for Mountain Daylight Time), 258 miles, 745 miles total.

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:55 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
Vado, New Mexico (just past Mesquite,NM . . . RIGHT before the WESTERN border of Texas). Time: 19:52 MDT (we lose one hour for Mountain Daylight Time), 258 miles, 745 miles total.

Our first rest stop is in a Motel 6 in Ft Stockton, Texas. Time: 01:09 CDT, April 10th, 275 miles, 1020 miles total. We lose another hour for Central Daylight Time, but it is really onl ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:52 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
Our first rest stop is in a Motel 6 in Ft Stockton, Texas. Time: 01:09 CDT, April 10th, 275 miles, 1020 miles total. We lose another hour for Central Daylight Time, but it is really onl ...

We left a wake-up call at the front desk and the phone jolts us awake at 07:00 (05:00 "body time"). I answer the phone and get a recording of Tom Bodett telling me to get up! :-) It is a ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:41 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
We left a wake-up call at the front desk and the phone jolts us awake at 07:00 (05:00 "body time"). I answer the phone and get a recording of Tom Bodett telling me to get up! :-) It is a ...

We gas up at the Chevron a few miles down the street and head off into the rising sun still hidden behind the cloudy skies. Time: 07:53 CDT, Saturday, April, 10th, my odometer reads 48,7 ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:55 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
We gas up at the Chevron a few miles down the street and head off into the rising sun still hidden behind the cloudy skies. Time: 07:53 CDT, Saturday, April, 10th, my odometer reads 48,7 ...

We make a quick pit stop at a rest area near Sonora, Texas. The sun is out now and it is getting quite warm. We change shields, shed a few layers, and . . . "see a man about a horse". ;-) ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:39 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
We make a quick pit stop at a rest area near Sonora, Texas. The sun is out now and it is getting quite warm. We change shields, shed a few layers, and . . . "see a man about a horse". ;-) ...

Junction, Texas. (Boy, Texas is a BIG state!!) Time: 10:28 CDT, 205 miles, 344 miles for the day, 1227 miles total.

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:38 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
Junction, Texas. (Boy, Texas is a BIG state!!) Time: 10:28 CDT, 205 miles, 344 miles for the day, 1227 miles total.

Columbus, Texas. (Man, are we STILL in Texas????!!!!!) Time: 13:38 CDT, 242 miles, 447 day-miles, 1469 total miles.

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:54 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
Columbus, Texas. (Man, are we STILL in Texas????!!!!!) Time: 13:38 CDT, 242 miles, 447 day-miles, 1469 total miles.

Jennings, Louisiana. (Not too far from the EASTERN border of Texas!) I'm listening to the XM satellite radio weather channel and hearing about the "severe storm warning for the Houston are ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:40 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
Jennings, Louisiana. (Not too far from the EASTERN border of Texas!) I'm listening to the XM satellite radio weather channel and hearing about the "severe storm warning for the Houston are ...

Gulfport, Missisippi. (Getting a little further away from Texas now, finally!) Time: 21:03 CDT (but the receipt says 20:03--I make a note on the receipt), 236 miles, 939 day-miles, 1961 ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:50 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
Gulfport, Missisippi. (Getting a little further away from Texas now, finally!) Time: 21:03 CDT (but the receipt says 20:03--I make a note on the receipt), 236 miles, 939 day-miles, 1961 ...

Second rest stop is in the cough (flea-bag!) cough "Bonifay Inn" in Bonifay, Florida. We wanted to make it to Tallahassee, Florida (only about 200 miles from Jacksonville Beach), but we ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:24 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
Second rest stop is in the *cough* (flea-bag!) *cough* "Bonifay Inn" in Bonifay, Florida. We wanted to make it to Tallahassee, Florida (only about 200 miles from Jacksonville Beach), but we ...

My sleepy brain was trying to re-calculate the night before: we left at 09:14 PDT and we have 50 hours to complete the ride. That means we have until 11:14 PDT, or 14:14 EDT to arrive in J ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:54 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
My sleepy brain was trying to re-calculate the night before: we left at 09:14 PDT and we have 50 hours to complete the ride. That means we have until 11:14 PDT, or 14:14 EDT to arrive in J ...

McClenny, Florida. On the way Leslie sees an actual alligator road-kill on the side of the highway--as opposed to the many so-called "road-gators" (shredded truck tire-treads, which resembl ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:55 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
McClenny, Florida. On the way Leslie sees an actual alligator road-kill on the side of the highway--as opposed to the many so-called "road-gators" (shredded truck tire-treads, which resembl ...

Final gas stop at the Shell station in Jacksonville Beach! (See? I was there, too! :-) Time: 13:16 EDT (almost one whole hour to spare!), 48 miles, 280 day-miles, 2470 total miles. I ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:53 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
Final gas stop at the Shell station in Jacksonville Beach! (See? I was there, too! :-) Time: 13:16 EDT (almost one whole hour to spare!), 48 miles, 280 day-miles, 2470 total miles. I ...

The beach access is just down the street from the gas station. Now we can relax and sight-see a little bit since the clock has stopped ticking. Leslie unpacks the "A" bottle and we hit the ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:52 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
The beach access is just down the street from the gas station. Now we can relax and sight-see a little bit since the clock has stopped ticking. Leslie unpacks the "A" bottle and we hit the ...

Leslie heading for the waters' edge to collect our sand and water from the Atlantic Ocean! The sand is very different than what we're used to. It is full of small stones, shells, and broke ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:43 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
Leslie heading for the waters' edge to collect our sand and water from the Atlantic Ocean! The sand is very different than what we're used to. It is full of small stones, shells, and broke ...

I dug a shallow trench with my boot heel near the water line that would fill up when a wave came in so we wouldn't have to get our boots too wet.

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:43 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
I dug a shallow trench with my boot heel near the water line that would fill up when a wave came in so we wouldn't have to get our boots too wet.

41Atlantic3.jpg

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:43 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
41Atlantic3.jpg

42Atlantic4.jpg

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:43 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
42Atlantic4.jpg

Documentation photo, courtesy of the Jacksonville Beach Lifeguard from the stand in the previous photos--complete with finger over the lens! :-)

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:42 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
Documentation photo, courtesy of the Jacksonville Beach Lifeguard from the stand in the previous photos--complete with finger over the lens! :-)

Look at all the pretty shells!

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:42 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
Look at all the pretty shells!

We stopped by the Jacksonville Beach Fire and Rescue Department to find a witness for our finish paperwork. Although it was Easter Sunday morning, the apparatus bay doors were open and we p ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:53 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
We stopped by the Jacksonville Beach Fire and Rescue Department to find a witness for our finish paperwork. Although it was Easter Sunday morning, the apparatus bay doors were open and we p ...

Okay! Now that all of the documentation duties were completed, it was time for a celebratory meal! We asked the Firefighters for a recommendation and they said the place right next door wa ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:37 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
Okay! Now that all of the documentation duties were completed, it was time for a celebratory meal! We asked the Firefighters for a recommendation and they said the place right next door wa ...

After lunch, we headed back to Tallahassee to spend the night to take a few miles off of the return trip and buy some more time for sight-seeing on the way home! The next morning we headed ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:41 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
After lunch, we headed back to Tallahassee to spend the night to take a few miles off of the return trip and buy some more time for sight-seeing on the way home! The next morning we headed ...

Stopped for breakfast in Apalachicola, Florida. A grey-haired gentleman comes over to us with his eyes a-sparkle, and asks about our trip (he's obviously seen the bikes outside). He tells ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:52 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
Stopped for breakfast in Apalachicola, Florida. A grey-haired gentleman comes over to us with his eyes a-sparkle, and asks about our trip (he's obviously seen the bikes outside). He tells ...

Just when you are feeling good about not buying into the unfair "Southern, small backwater town, good 'ole boy" stereotype--one walks up and corners you in a gas station 30 miles out of Mobi ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:54 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
Just when you are feeling good about not buying into the unfair "Southern, small backwater town, good 'ole boy" stereotype--one walks up and corners you in a gas station 30 miles out of Mobi ...

Just got a shot of this raccoon foraging in a Louisiana gas station's trash can. I really wanted to catch him as he was scrabbling around the side of the can--spread-eagled--and trying to c ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:52 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
Just got a shot of this raccoon foraging in a Louisiana gas station's trash can. I really wanted to catch him as he was scrabbling around the side of the can--spread-eagled--and trying to c ...

We stopped by to visit my Dad who lives in Sulphur, Louisiana (near Lake Charles) on the Gulf Coast near Texas. We had a very nice, if short, visit and he recommended a route south to the c ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:39 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
We stopped by to visit my Dad who lives in Sulphur, Louisiana (near Lake Charles) on the Gulf Coast near Texas. We had a very nice, if short, visit and he recommended a route south to the c ...

The ride along the coast was really beautiful and we saw signs for the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge. I thought about stopping, but then I saw the sign: "Visitor's Center", and that seale ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:40 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
The ride along the coast was really beautiful and we saw signs for the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge. I thought about stopping, but then I saw the sign: "Visitor's Center", and that seale ...

We walked around reading up on the local flora and fauna and enjoying the static taxonomic displays, when I came around the corner and saw this large full sized diorama of this old cajun guy ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:50 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
We walked around reading up on the local flora and fauna and enjoying the static taxonomic displays, when I came around the corner and saw this large full sized diorama of this old cajun guy ...

The NWR is a huge protected habitat for migratory waterfowl and other birds who winter down here in the warmer climes--excellent birdwatching territory. Well, after a number of false starts ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:55 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
The NWR is a huge protected habitat for migratory waterfowl and other birds who winter down here in the warmer climes--excellent birdwatching territory. Well, after a number of false starts ...

Our excitement takes on a slightly different tone as we start down the path, turn the first corner and come across this warning sign. Ooooh, I hope Leslie gets to see one up close! I live ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:54 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
Our excitement takes on a slightly different tone as we start down the path, turn the first corner and come across this warning sign. Ooooh, I hope Leslie gets to see one up close! I live ...

We're busy finding all sorts of new birds, coaxing responses out of the rails and other unseen birds nesting in the reeds, enjoying the beautiful wildflowers, and spotting turtles in the wat ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:49 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
We're busy finding all sorts of new birds, coaxing responses out of the rails and other unseen birds nesting in the reeds, enjoying the beautiful wildflowers, and spotting turtles in the wat ...

Another few 100 yards along the trail we spot this guy! He's HUGE! Gotta be 10-12 feet long, and only maybe 30 yards away! He's just hanging out with his mouth open waiting for lunch to h ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:48 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
Another few 100 yards along the trail we spot this guy! He's HUGE! Gotta be 10-12 feet long, and only maybe 30 yards away! He's just hanging out with his mouth open waiting for lunch to h ...

His head is enormous--it has to be a foot across and two feet long! The inside of his mouth is a startling bright pink and looks so soft, warm and eerily inviting! We study him for awhile ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:46 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
His head is enormous--it has to be a foot across and two feet long! The inside of his mouth is a startling bright pink and looks so soft, warm and eerily inviting! We study him for awhile ...

Spotted on the door of a gas station convenience store somewhere in Texas. This is just another shot for my budding collection of "English as a second language" professionally made signs a ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:50 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
Spotted on the door of a gas station convenience store somewhere in Texas. This is just another shot for my budding collection of "English as a second language" professionally made signs a ...

We also got to stop by and visit a really good buddy of ours from San Diego, who just moved his whole family out to the Austin area a few months ago. This is Frank "acting natural" . . . he ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Jamie (KMG-365)) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:58:39 -0700

Jamie (KMG-365)
We also got to stop by and visit a really good buddy of ours from San Diego, who just moved his whole family out to the Austin area a few months ago. This is Frank "acting natural" . . . he ...