Any chance for a RTE near Naples Oct 24?

I will be heading down from Cleveland and visiting family in Naples. I would be great to meet some of the Florida guys!

Let me know if anyone is interested in meeting up for lunch on Saturday October the 24th.

Steve

I'm in WPB. I'll see what my schedule looks like and if I can, I'll join you.

Nipples? I'm in!

Well I was thinking of organizing a RTE in Oct.
I understand your date is solid, but are you willing to ride to a different location? If so, what would be your range?

In Florida during Oct. we have the "Biketoberfest" and usually an expo that are real draws for us. If it is not that weekend, I might be up for a SW Florida ride.

Edit: Just looked the Aimexpo & Biketoberfest up… (Oct. 15-18)

I'll be leaving Cleveland on 10/16 and staying at my brothers place in Columbus to get a jump on my SS1000 attempt Saturday the 17th.

Then heading back home on the 27th.

That leaves me the 19th-23rd open as well if a weekday is an option for meeting up.

Tony, perhaps 200-250 miles but I'd like to be a little flexible.

pista said:

That leaves me the 19th-23rd open as well if a weekday is an option for meeting up.
Tony, perhaps 200-250 miles but I'd like to be a little flexible.

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In that case to answer your post question… Yes, there is a good chance.

Some of the Florida riders will be getting together this weekend for a tech day in Mims, FL We will see what we can come up with.

Good chance I'd be open for a RTE someone's around the east coast area. Let's see where this goes.

We discussed this RTE at the tech day. The general thought was that Naples was a little too SW cornered for most riders. LKLD is in the Lakeland area and that seems like

the area that would be ideal for a RTE. That is within 150 miles of Naples and more importantly, closer to Tampa metro where there are a large group of riders from the forum.

So hopefully LKLD can scout out a nice location for a RTE.

Sorry for being late to the dance, Tony made mention of it yesterday to me, so I'll look into to some places in the heartland to make it easier for everyone to reach. I see the 24th of October (Saturday ) listed as the timeline. That should be workable to most, and enough time to clear a schedule, if need be.

Since the OP is coming from Naples, and some from the WPB area, I'll look around south of I-4, to hold down mileage to under 200, possibly 150. That way Vic won't have to get up before 10:00a. :grin:

I'm assuming we're talking about a lunch RTE, please correct me if I'm wrong. So how's a 1:00p for a time? That would give enough time, for those riding a longer distance, to ride at their own pace and not feel rushed.

I'll get back with some suggestions, and menu links, in the next couple of days. Also, I'll look for places that can/will accommodate a group of, say, 8-12(?) riders.

Looking forward to it!

Rob

Rob, I'm actually from Cleveland, OH but will be visiting family in Naples.

For me a lunch RTE would be ideal as it would allow me to get off I-75 and take backroads to and from Naples without getting back too late.

Speaking of backroads, I've never strayed away from either coast south of Lakeland. So places like Sebring, Yeehaw Junction, Okeechobee, etc would be most appealing for myself.

Sunday I will be with family, so meeting up Saturday seemed to make the most sense as most people probably have weekends off.

I'm looking forward to meeting some of you Flatistan folk too

pista said:

Speaking of backroads, I've never strayed away from either coast south of Lakeland. So places like Sebring, Yeehaw Junction, Okeechobee, etc would be most appealing for myself.

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Heck … this is in Vic's back yard-

Been to a few places in that area with the wife on the way to Cedar Key. Some BBQ places…

This might just open up to some good riding if we put our collective riding together. Good roads are hard to find, but if we look hard enough…

pista said:

Rob, I'm actually from Cleveland, OH but will be visiting family in Naples.
For me a lunch RTE would be ideal as it would allow me to get off I-75 and take backroads to and from Naples without getting back too late.

Speaking of backroads, I've never strayed away from either coast south of Lakeland. So places like Sebring, Yeehaw Junction, Okeechobee, etc would be most appealing for myself.

Sunday I will be with family, so meeting up Saturday seemed to make the most sense as most people probably have weekends off.

I'm looking forward to meeting some of you Flatistan folk too

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Gotcha Pista, I thought you would be riding from Naples, my mistake.
As far as places in Florida to ride, let me say firstly that Okeechobee is NOT one of them. Nor is Yeehaw Junction, unless you like looking at nothing. South Florida, for the most part, has very straight roads. A real accomplishment considering the swampland they made them through. The southern end of the Lake Wales Ridge offers, ever so slight, elevations and some curves, not to be confused with twisties. Someone, like you Pista, might want to ride the straight roads for the "Florida experience", and we could easily make that happen if you so wish.

I will try to get options in the Ridge area and in areas of Florida flatlands, and then we can choose it from there.

LKLD said:

pista said:

Rob, I'm actually from Cleveland, OH but will be visiting family in Naples.

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Gotcha Pista, I thought you would be riding from Naples, my mistake.

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Rob, no mistake, you got it right. I will be in Naples as a starting point for the RTE.

Too hard to time "meeting up" on my way down from Cleveland

Rob,

Try looking in the Sebring area. About 120 miles for all, except me way up north and then onto 140. Gotta be somewhere there we can have a bite and swap stories.I know someone not far from there, let me do some checking and we talk.

Saturday is great for me.

Actually working on a Sebring location, hopefully will have some options tonight.

pista posted: <snip> Speaking of backroads, I've never strayed away from either coast south of Lakeland. So places like Sebring, Yeehaw Junction, Okeechobee, etc would be most appealing for myself.

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Just don't stray OFF those backroads. South of Tampa Bay, you can expect alligators in any body of water bigger than a bathtub, and they can snap the handle of a Louisville Slugger if they chomp down. I am not kidding.

They especially like meat from Ohio and Pennsylvania. (I am kidding about that. They like any kind of meat.)

I went on an Airboat ride in June (just South and a little East of Naples) and you are correct, there were gators everwhere! Big-uns!

My brother lives in Orangetree and they have some smaller ones in the lake behind his house. And it's in a gated community!

Saw this one and kinda looked good #4 in Sebring

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g34626-d2459105-Reviews-Cowpoke_s_Watering_Hole-Sebring_Florida.html

Good one Jim! Here's another Dock 633, just a little further south in Lake Placid, on a lake. Menu: https://ridgearearestaurants.com/RestaurantPages/LakePlacidPages/Dock633/Dock633Menu.html Maybe Pista would like some "Gator Bites"!

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Dock633

Just a little further north of Sebring is 18 East, in Avon Park. Parking out front (bonus for photos) and pretty good reviews https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g29181-d2690893-Reviews-Eighteen_East_Restaurant-Avon_Park_Florida.html

Here's a list of select Sebring restaurant menus: https://ridgearearestaurants.com/seb.html