Rain Won't Stand In Our Way...Key West or Bust

Beautiful sunset in Key West

A few years back, we traveled from Texas to Key West. Bad weather was in the forecast from the very beginning. On our very first day of travel, we were behind one front and ahead of another. We were unable to get a hotel and had to ride an hour and a half further because the storm had impacted electricity, and residents were unable to stay in their homes.

The next day we set out with clear skies, but not for long. We could see the wall of black skies and rain behind us. We stopped for gas and lunch. With no time for a sit-down lunch, it was a gas station hot dog and off we went. Amazingly, we stayed ahead of that storm the whole time. However, in the 15-day trip, our rain gear was used 14 out of 15 days.

Alexander Springs

We stayed in Daytona for five days. We rode the Ormond Scenic Loop several times. It is a 34-mile loop that includes 10 miles of beach, natural Florida vegetation, and a section of canopy-lined trees. I have included a reel on the facebook page of both sides of the loop. We also rode along the Florida National Scenic Trail and stopped at Alexander Springs. It's a clear, turquoise swimming area with a constant 72 degrees Fahrenheit temperature year-round. Unfortunately, the park ranger would not allow us to swim because a storm was coming and lightning strikes were too close.

During our five days in Daytona, we also visited the Canaveral National Seashore, the Kennedy Space Center, and St. Augustine. The Canaveral National Seashore is a beautiful ride. If you have ever heard there is a section that is a nudist beach, I can confirm. We viewed the Kennedy Space Center launch site from afar. We opted not to do the walking tour in the rain. We got lucky on our two visits to St. Augustine and walked the shops rain-free.

Kennedy Space Center launch site (in the distance).

Lessons were learned in Florida. It will rain every day, but it will pass pretty quickly. Sometimes, it is better to pull over and wait it out than to put on rain gear. If a storm hits as you are riding along the ocean, the sand is intense. We had to cross two lanes to get to our lodging, and between the rain and sand, couldn’t see a thing!

We left Daytona and made our way to Key West. We made it across the 3-hour bridge with no rain. Once in Key West, we walked nearly everywhere… Duval Street, the southernmost part of the US, and to the best Cuban restaurant (El Siboney) I have ever been to! We had a jet ski tour, and we did that in the rain too! Due to the rain, we also visited a butterfly house, and it was quite an experience.

We left Key West at 6 AM to beat an incoming storm. Our return route included the western part of Florida through the Everglades. The hubs had done some research, and we stayed in Crystal River in order to ride the N. Ozello Trail and eat at Peck's Old Port Cove. The ride is nine miles long with 67 turns through marshland. It was a great ride, and once at the restaurant, we selected our fresh crab to eat from the locally bred blue crabs. Nearly a year later, we discovered the N. Ozello Trail road is considered the best motorcycle road in Florida according to our Harley Owner's Guide.

Our lunch at Peck's Old Port Cove

Before I began riding, I looked at bikers in the rain and thought they must be miserable. Rain suits are a game changer.  I am completely dry in the rain, but if the temperature is warm, I do feel like I am in a sauna in my rain suit! Waterproof riding boots were purchased after this trip. Riding in soggy socks is no fun, trust me.

Unless we return to Florida for Daytona Bike Week, we have no plans of revisiting Florida. Going to Key West on a motorcycle was on our bucket list. The only thing I wish we had known about before the trip was to look for "Fred the Tree" growing on the Old Seven Mile Bridge parallel to the bridge ridden between Marathon and the Lower Keys. So, maybe there will be a next time and if so, I bet there will be rain.

The Blonde Backpack