Day 9 - 520 x 103 = Misery

Well, it's early and Cuz seems to be chompin at the bits to get started…so, he and Loosie packed their bike and got started before me 'n CK were barely outta bed. Sadly enough, yesterday had been our last day ridin together, so we said our goodbyes and climbed back in bed for few minutes. I don't know why 'cause we had much further to go than they did. Mighta had something to do with mass consumption of mango the night before. Anyways, we finally drag ourselves up, pack the bike, and hit the road 'round 7:00 that morn. Now, it's a thing with me, gotta hit a Waffle House for breakfast at least once every ride…and that's sometimes hard to do seein as they're usually located off interstate exits…and me 'n the missus avoid the superslab as much as possible. In fact, this 2400 mile trip to Key West 'n back was done without hittin even one mile of interstates…a fact we might regret after today's 520 mile ride home on back roads in ever intensifyin heat. But I digress.

We head west to pick up US-1 north into Jawja. As we pass under I-95…usually the closest we come to the interstates…wouldn't ya know it, there's a Waffle House…first one we've come across this trip…at least at breakfast time anyways. After my Waffle House cravin is satisfied, we make it to US-1, hang a right, and set our sights on Tennessee. We're barely 150 miles up the road when I feel CK's head occassionally tappin the back of mine. I guess it was the mango overload the night before, but she can barely keep awake. She drapes her right arm over my shoulder, hookin the bend in her elbow on my collar bone, and lays her head 'gainst my back tryin to get some shuteye. That's not workin too well so we stop at the Old Ocmulgee State Park near McRae, GA, find us a nice pinestraw covered shady spot, and kick back for a few z's before headin on towards home. It was here that we considered gettin a room at the park's motel, but we had to get home for some personal stuff…remember…the same stuff that turned this from a Gettysburg to a Key West trip? Anyways, after the nap and a big ole bottle of Mountain Dew, we hit the road.

The rest of the trip was uneventful 'cept for the ever increasin heat of the day. At 300 miles we're sittin at a redlight in Athens, GA…just 200 miles left…did I say "just"…and we glance over at a bank sign to see it's now 103 degrees out. And, I don't have to tell you folks that 103 ambiant usually equates to 110 or better at asphalt level on the bike. It's gettin miserable, and I offer to blow off the stuff we gots waitin on us at home, and get a room…but the missus is a real trooper, and tells me she can make it. We trudge on.We finally get some relief from the heat as we're headin into the mountains of north GA, but now we're just plain worn out and ready for home. We stop at a station for a final fill-up 'bout 110 miles out. We enter the store to get our umpteenth water of the day, and the red-dot dude behind the counter looks outside at our bike and says, "You need car! With windows and air-conditioner!" He musta seen we were not amused, as he quickly went back to doin his paperwork behind the counter, and only looked up at us long enough to ring us up. We jumped back on the scoot…I told the missus to roll the window up…we feigned laughter at my feeble mockin of the clerk…and hit the road again. We did the last 110 miles non-stop, and rolled into our drive at 'bout 9:00 that night. 520 miles…103+ degrees…14 hours…but we no longer cared…we were home!

Til next time…keep it cool…

TJ