The day started off at 5:00 when the Screaming Meanie went off.  For those not in the LDRider community, a Screaming Meanie is an ultra loud battery alarm clock.  And I mean LOUD as in 120 DB.  It will set off car alarms in rest areas.  Don't ask me how I know this.  I'm probably still being hunted for by two guys in a Honda Civic that were (I'm sure) very sound asleep.  We called over to Jeff and got him up.  It sure seems to be weird to look out at 5:00am and it is dark out.  I thought that only was in winter.  Of course not having any darkness as when above the Arctic Circle is also weird.  We're now having to start planning our days around daylight and when the deer start coming out.  We were lucky this morning as no deer were sighted on the way to Atlanta.

Charles trying to find Ft Pearce in the GPS  grumble...mumble.  It's Fort Pierce. Jeff White Photo 

Bob on the road through Atlanta just after dawn.  Jeff White Photo

In deference to Jeff we stopped at a restaurant (random choice) just south of Atlanta.  While we were sitting there an obvious long distance equipped bike pulled up outside.  The rider was also not wearing the usual casual attire.  This got our attention, but what flabbergasted us was when the rider came in and introduced himself as Jack Ferguson.

Jack Ferguson and Charles swap "truths"at breakfast. Jack said they no longer sell that jacket as they ran out of batteries! It is waaaay brighter than it looks.

 We've met him in Jacksonville at the spring dinner event and last year he spent some time going over 99 while we were working on it.  He had also found us by using the Spot Tracker.  Now this is almost scary.  I'm going to have to start watching when I turn it on.  It was nice to see Jack again and the breakfast turned out to be almost an hour long.  We then left Jeff to return home and Jack rode along with us for a few miles and took some photos.  I hope he sends them to me as he went ahead and actually got some of us riding.
   The only other thing of note was an extremely dense lightening and very heavy rainfall storm just as we approached Ft. Pierce this afternoon. 

Drying receipts.  I inadverdently left a small opening in the suit zipper and of course it was right where my neck "receipt" pouch was. This is only about two or three days worth.

We took the first hotel that presented itself.  A Holiday Inn.  Quite a change from last night's accommodation. This whole trip has been a study in contrasts. 
   We went over the bikes after supper and found the only things requiring immediate attention was 99's new chain had stretched and required adjustment (a normal thing for a new chain) and the Old Girl required new packing on her exhaust header.  This is the second time for this repair.  The new back tire is (sigh) wearing fast but should make Key West with ease (fingers tightly crossed.  There are so many small things wrong with 99 that I couldn't even list them.  But her heart is strong (and not burning any oil) and she assures me she's going the distance, no matter what.
   As the ride gets closer to completion I get more paranoid and start to double check every little thing and take extra precautions when driving.  We all want to arrive in Key West tomorrow.
   So from our steamy (drying ride suits etc.) hotel room,
Goodnight
Bob
P.S. It was HOT, HOT, HOT and sticky - where is a little bit of that arctic cold now when we need it!  Guess we're just not acclimatized yet.