To America and Beyond

http://v2.travelark.org/traveller/oneworldonebike

Finally we have a bike for the trip. After a momentary lapse of sanity (gargantuan brain fart) I have replaced the 1200 GSA with a F800GS This is a far more enjoyable bike to ride compared to the 1200. We Might as well of gone by car with that massive screen and the leg heaters sticking out the side. We have our flights booked and as soon as the log book arrives I can arrange to have the bike freighted out to Orlando.

Bit of a set back

On my way home from work after a crap week I was all excited as Marcia was up from cornwall for the weekend and looking forward to a curry and a few beers then BANG
I have re broken my left metacarpal and possibly written the bike off. And I only have myself to blame. What a plonker.

I attended the fracture clinic and was told that the casualty nurse had misread the x-ray and the fracture was of the old break from 2012. This has cheered me up, also I have found out that I have a protected no claims bonus so I will not be losing my NCB. Just waiting for the bike to be collected and find out if its a write off or not.

As I need a log book to apply for my EDP at least a month before we leave and it might take the insurance 2 months to decide if they are going to write the bike off or not and if in 2 months I had to get another bike and wait for the log book to be transferred to my name I would have very little time to arrange the EDP and shipping of the bike So I decided to bite the bullet and have put a deposit down on a 2009 F800GS with only 900 miles on the clock. Hopefully once the insurance pays out for my 2014 bike I should be able to recoup my losses.

The 24th is approaching fast now and I am looking forward to finishing work. There is not much more to be done. I have a tenant due to move in to my house in Jan so will need to get the house emptied and the cleaners in. We have Travel insurance and motorcycle insurance. We both need to get our international driving permits I hope to be getting mine from the Post office if I'm not to hungover this Saturday after the works Xmas meal. The bike is all ready to freight just need the EDP which I have been told should be with me very soon.

The EDP (Temporary import letter of approval) and The last piece of the puzzle has arrived. So all I need to do now is book the freight then sit back and wait till the 9th of Feb.
Getting really excited about it. Its now starting feel real.

I am now unemployed for the first time since before I left school. I was given a fantastic send off from work today. Feeling very excited about 2015 and our upcoming adventure. I don't think I will miss work to much but will Deffinately miss some of the people.
Thanks 3TRPD. May your order books be full and your bonuses be plentiful.

I Went out for a fair well drink at the station inn on Friday with some friends from 3t had a great night and slept on the floor of an empty house. It felt very strange leaving my home on Saturday. And leaving it for some body else to live in. It's now Sunday and I have another hangover from another good night out with friends. Off to Mum's today to unload the bike and get the van sold.

Took my bike to the freight yard today where it will be crated and air freighted to Orlando. It felt very strange wheeling my bike in to the warehouse and handing over the key. Starting to feel a little nervous now. It's not a dream anymore.

Woke up at 2 UK time so thought I would update our blog. Glad we checked in online the night before. And booked a Taxi from Lyn's. Taxi to the airport was on time even though we got there 3 hours before the take off we only had time for a coffee and it was almost time to board we had no problems at the bag drop. They stopped and searched my bag as I had left my IPad in it, this then madte Marcia think she had left her iPad behind as she thought it was in her bag too so once we got through she checked to see and yes it was in there, panick over. Other than that we sailed through boarding.

Note to self "never listen to all the pessimists"

Tuesday 10th February
After our first ride on the streets of Florida we decided to try our first of probably many waffles, waffles, bacon and maple syrup sounds very odd but was also vey good. We also had a plan of staying up late hoping to readjust our body clocks by going out for a drink at a local bar just down the road from our motel. We just had a couple of drinks and felt a bit pissed straight away, so did not manage to stay up as late as we planned but at least we slept till about 5:30 which is much better than 2:00.
Wednesday 11th February

Thursday 12th February

Sunday 15 February

We've just had a couple of lazy days and really done bugger all but sit by the pool.
Wednesday 18th February
Today we went back to Wekiwa springs for another day canoeing, due to yesterday's rain the water level was slightly higher and faster flowing. Saw more Aligators they are starting to come out of hibernation. We even saw one swimming but by the time I got my camera out he had gone. We're hoping to go back one more time before we head off on the road. There were also people swimming at the spring head and looked very tempting.

I have been posting up on an American adventure bike riders forum that we are here and what we are doing and we have now started recieving invites and suggestions of places to visit. How did we all cope without the world wide web?

Thursday 19th February
On our way to meet Bob & Jude at Melbourne Beach we stopped for some petrol and it came to $6.66 ooer the sign of the devil we laughed.
We got to the beach ok although it was a cold ride temp had dropped to 7c still bright blue skies. We arrived a little early and as there was a Starbucks on the corner we went in for a coffee and a warm up.
Sent a text to Bob to let them know we were there. At about 12:00 there was a bit of activity at the entrance with staff rushing in and out grabbing a first aid kit.

Saturday 21 Febuary
We had a trip into downtown Orlando and visited there science Museam at night.

Sunday 22 February
We have stopped off in a place called Winter Haven to Stay at a complete strangers house curtesy of a web site called couch surfing. We were both quite apprehensive about doing this but needs must etc. But we have both been pleasantly surprised and have been made to feel very welcome. We think we will be very happy to do this again.

Tuesday 24th February