Alligator alley, is soooo dammed boring. Key West is such a blast though!

 

We thought about hitting the Natchez Trace a couple years back when taking the southern route home from a Vegas trip. Read the same stuff, that it was full of history, but slow as hell. We did not end up going that way. The group got together yesterday to solidify some plans. We still plan on making our way down the Mississippi, we will be spending at least a day in New Orleans. Head over to Miami from there and meet up with the wives. They will get a car and we all head down to Key West. We've got a house lined up for the six of us for a couple of days. After that we ride/drive back to Miami, say good bye to the women and make our way back to Illinois, by way of the Tail of the Dragon.

 

Just returned from Key West. Took 75 to 27 out of Ocala and followed it to 997 to 1. First part of 27 is a little congested w/lots of traffic. Last part is pretty desolate. Spend the night in FL City and make the run down to KW since it's pretty much an all day slow *** ride. If you're a vet I would suggest staying at the Navy air base. Very $$ in the old part of KW. If not a vet stay in the new part of town. The one full day we were there, there were 3 cruise ships docked and very crowded.

 

thanks to all who have gave me their ideas of routes and motels I am sure we are going to have a real good ride

 

I have made the trip from Denver to the Keys on the bike a handful of times. My folks live in the Keys and I have friends and a sister in Tampa...so I generally haul 2 lane highways through NM, TX (stop in Dallas area for the first night), LA.

Then I drop down to I-10 in the Biloxi area. 2nd night stop...and hit the craps tables before bed...great deals on casino hotel rooms which are usually much nicer than the 'commuter' hotel chains. From Biloxi I ride 10 to 75 and then haul *** to Tampa. 75 is generally very fast moving til you get into Tampa...though you'll definitely want to watch yourself going through Gainesville, Paynes Prairie, and Micanopy...the troopers love to hide in the shadows of the trees and run stings.

I stay with my sister in Tampa and then run down to Naples and pick up Tamiami and cut across the everglades to Krome Ave. Krome will keep you on the outskirts of the miami traffic and deposit you right on US1 in Florida City...after that it is just the slow 2-lane, beautiful, q-tip infested 119 miles of the Overseas Hwy to Key West.

Check traffic on Google Maps at the Race Trac where Krome meets US1...if you see a lot of red for the first 20 miles (The "Stretch") you can take Card Sound Rd for a buck or two toll that will skirt the traffic on the Stretch and put you back on US1 in Key Largo.

A couple things about the last leg of the trip....STAY VERY ALERT on Tamiami and Krome. Idiot cagers will run Tamiami at 80-100 (on a 2 lane wildlife road) and I have had more than usual numbers drift over the center-line while texting or nodding off.

Krome can move slowly, but steadily, which seems to anger some idiots that are in a hurry and they will pull dumb moves to pass over double yellows, etc. It's mostly a farm road, too, so the condition of the road surface is exremely crappy by Florida standards.

The overseas hwy is beautiful but is also overrun by idiots in a hurry...and other idiots who like to stop, without warning, in the middle of the road to take pictures on the bridges.


Obviously the Turnpike from Wildwood all the way through miami is the fastest route through Florida...but it's heavily congested, full of homicidal drivers, and is just plain hot as hell and boring. The route I laid out above would be the 2nd fastest from the West and is considerably less congested, less hot (through the 'glades), and a bit more scenic.

If time is no issue, there are many wonderful backroads through the panhandle, big bend, and Ocala National Forest areas. You can also follow the gulf coast along to Naples before crossing Tamiami.


Have a wonderful trip and don't be afraid to ride your bike up onto the curb and right up to the Southernmost point marker for a photoshoot. Best time to do that is a weekday morning.

 

I've gone down this way (to Naples and across on 41 Tamiami Trail) and I've taken the Turnpike. As far as I'm concerned Naples is the best way to go. A lot less traffic. The frustrating thing with the Turnpike is even though you are paying to avoid Interstate traffic the closer you get to Miami the worse traffic gets - can't avoid it. 75 to Naples is the way to go.

 

thanks ramblin5 and Colorido
we will be coming from the west (California] I am pretty sure we will go down the west coast of Florida to Naples the across the state on 41

 

heading there after bikeweek ......ya buddy

 

HDriderDave1
might bump into you then

 

sounds good Leon. The wife and I will be there Monday and Tuesday staying at a bed n breakfast just a few blocks from Duval Street. I will be on a black Ultra with the cool lights.