We were up early, had breakfast, and worked our way down the departure list. We were able to get on the road by 7:30 a.m. The weather was warm, with completely clear skies.

Our first stop was for gas and some coffee from the thermos.

We checked the GPS for a park for lunch and lucked out. The GPS led us to Lamont Recreation Park in Lamont, FL. There’s a basketball court, baseball field, and pavilion.

The park is a bit run down, but someone is cutting the grass and emptying the trash.

The refrigerator is full of goodies for sandwiches and after-hours libations.

Long-time followers will recognize our lunch setup.

Our route took us north on 4-lane US highways. Traffic is much lighter, and the ride is much less-stressful than on Interstates despite the traffic lights.

It was very hot in the afternoon. The bike showed 98 deg. F at one point. Our late afternoon stop was at McDonalds for coffee, carbs, and air conditioning.

Notice how we park 3 units in 2 parking spaces and position ourselves for an easy getaway.

Before checking into our hotel in Columbus, GA, we did a check-in at the nearby Harley dealer. There’s a new pattern emerging to our cross-country rides. We travel all day without a drop of rain. About 15 minutes before getting to our hotel the big, black clouds roll in and threaten rain. It happened a few times last year and again today. Fortunately, we dodged the rain today, but the weather radar showed the storm was close by.

We put the bikes to bed and headed straight to the shower.

We brought left-over beef stew and beer from home for a tasty dinner.

Statistics: Miles – 433, Hours – 9, Gas consumption – Lots.