Subject: End of the Ride
Content:
The end was in sight. It's been a long ride for
the intrepid bear. From the high reaches of Washington down the western
coast, and then across the lower part of the country to the east coast,
miles and miles rolling by under his furry butt. Meeting new friends along
the way, he's been a focal point that has brought riders from across the
land to his cause.
The end was in sight.
The last stage of Larry's historic ride was
underway. From the high mountains of the west, he was
on his way to the farthest southern point in the continental US, Key West.
After the relaxation and gifts of Christmas, it was time to finish the
trip. The first stop was a short 60 miles south of Punta Gorda, FL at the Naples
Harley Davidson. Of course Larry was well received because of his
goal to help kids. The Naples HD added a new tire pressure gauge key ring
to Larry's collection so that he and any future riders carrying him would
be safer on the road. They also posed for a picture with our intrepid
bear, letting their Hawg Girl of the month have the honor of holding him.
You can tell by the grin on Larry's face that it was definitely to his liking!
Soon it was time to hit the road again. The
next stretch was the long Alligator Alley.
From west coast of the state to the east coast with only one exit in
between to gas and rest. Traffic was light and Shadow and his furry
passenger made good time. Along the way, the smiles of other drivers and
their passengers heartened the little bear to the point that he threw his
arms wide and waved to one and all as they thundered down the highway. The
time passed, the sun flew across the skies and Larry and Shadow rode out
the miles. The trip took longer than they thought due to high winds and
the sun had long since set before they arrived in Key West.
But with changes in latitude come changes in
attitude. Larry was instantly laid back and ready to sample the night life
on the world famous Duval Street. We swear he started humming Jimmy Buffet
tunes as we set out to walk the famous strip. Larry wanted to see and be
photographed in some of the places he had only heard about until now.
Now there is no doubt that Larry is a handsome
little bear. As Shadow carried him up the street,
heads turned and watched Larry. Girls came up to talk to him and get his
story. He was an instant hit with everyone. Even though the night had
turned warm and sultry, Larry had no troubles getting women to hold him
and listen to his story. He continued his walk up the street stopping
often to talk or grab a picture or two.
Before long the heat and the distance got to
the poor bears short little legs. He was tuckered out. We had to stop and
let him rest and rejuvenate. The first place that caught Larry's eye was
the Hard Rock. we stopped in and told our tale to the two
doormen. They promptly gave Larry the VIP treatment. After posing for a
picture with the little guy, they gave him pins off their own uniforms and
then led us to a perfect table with a view of the street so we could still
watch the people going by. They even brought a
booster chair so Larry had a clearer view of his surroundings, and people
had a clearer view of the celebrity bear! We aren't sure but we think we
saw him giving out autographs and maybe his phone number!
Soon it was time to move on. Larry just couldn't sit still too long. We
moved on up the street and he was still the center of attention cradled in
Shadow's arms. The next stop was the world famous bar, Sloppy Joe's.
We figured out from his faltering steps that Larry was sneaking drinks
along the way, but what the hell, it's a place made to party! It's that
changes in attitude thing. The rest of the night was a blur of bars and
photo opportunities and pretty girls and talk about Toys for Tots. Hundreds
of little shops, hundreds of people, lots of famous bars, all greeted the
intrepid traveler warmly. He visited the Hogs Breath Saloon,
The Smallest Bar in the World, and others as his steps led
unerringly towards his last stop of the night. As the clock stuck 1:00 am,
Larry was wasted away comfortably in
Margaritaville! Even Shadow and William were
feeling the effects of a long day. It was
time to get poor Larry to bed, tomorrow would see him to mile marker 0 and
the end of his trip.
The day was clear and bright when we woke up
the next morning. Even throbbing heads didn't deter the hardy bear and he
was itching to complete his mission. As we walked to the southernmost
point Larry got his first view of the waters where the gulf meets the
Atlantic. With the clear blue waters breaking gently on the white sand and
stretching away
as far as the eye can see, Larry and crew traveled the streets of Key West
again. His first task was to complete his run, so after a short stop at
the southernmost point (where unfortunately the camera screwed up on us
mysteriously) we proceeded to mile marker 0. This is the end and beginning
point of US 1. The end of the road so to speak.
When this was accomplished we decided to make a few more visits before we
left. Larry saw a different side of Key West. We visited Hemingway's
House, more of the tourist shops on Duval Street, The
Chicken House, (you would have to understand that feral chickens
are all over the place in Key West, it's part of the charm or part of the
problem depending on your view of chickens for other than eating) and
stopped for a photo with a beauty from Poland and a refreshing fruit
smoothie. It was time to load up the bike and head back home. We still
didn't head directly back, but stopped along the way at Bone Island,
a little shop that worked on and rented Harleys, and the Key West
Police Department. We had hoped to add to Larry's Law Enforcement
badges that he wears now, but they didn't have any. Just our luck they had
some on order if we want to come back in about 6 weeks... oh well... maybe
next year. Now we were truly on the way home.
It's hard to describe how it feels in this little town, how your attitude
changes and refreshes. Larry sighed and settled deeper into the saddle as
we rode on out. His journey ended for this year. What a trip!
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