Lisa and I planned our first multi-day trip together, and the route was home to Savannah to St. Simon’s Island to the Okefenokee Swamp to Providence Canyon State Park to home. We gave ourselves four days for the trip, and it turned out to be the best experience I have had to date. We can’t wait for the next one.
We got up early and got the bikes ready to go. We washed the bikes, checked the air in the tires, and then loaded them down with luggage for the trip. I had two small sidebags and a small top bag, and Lisa had… quite a bit more.
We arrived in Savannah early in the afternoon, and when we got to the hotel, we were told (to our surprise) that we could park the bikes here, right next to the entrance. It was an ideal spot because there was always someone working at the entrance for parking and whatnot, so there was always someone able to keep an eye on the bikes.
The next morning we took a self-paced walking tour of River Street in Savannah. Of course, we couldn’t visit the city without stopping in the Harley-Davidson shop. I don’t mind visiting Harley stores, but I wish there were Yamaha stores so I could shop too.
This is the Anchor Monument, erected in 1974 by the Savannah Chapter of the Women’s Propeller Club of the United States, and was built in honor of the Chatham County seamen who lost their lives while at sea.
This is one of many ships that are constantly docked in Savannah. In the opposite direction of this photo, there are huge container ships docked for loading and unloading. Seeing them making their way down the river is very, very impressive.
I have been to Savannah many times, but this is the first time that I really paid attention. Walking along the old roads was awe-inspiring… just thinking about the history and what it must have been like so long ago.
We left Savannah and headed to St. Simon’s Island, which was a short road trip for the day. Lisa had some training she had to attend while in St. Simon’s (the whole reason the trip came together in the first place), so our stay there was brief and pre-planned. Unfortunately, I don’t really have any photos to share of St. Simon’s.
After St. Simon’s, and on Day 3 of the trip, we headed to the Okefenokee Swamp. Again, I unfortunately don’t have any photos to share, as carrying the camera with me is something I have to get used to. Suffice it to say that the swamp was an exciting experience, but getting there was even more exciting. Why? Well, the GPS routed us onto what appeared to be a dirt road. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a mud road, discovered only after we sank into the mud. We survived the road, but the bikes were covered in wet, caked on filth. We made a bee-line to a car wash at that point.
Day 4 of the trip took us to Providence Canyon State Park. I had never been here before, but after going, I highly recommend that people stop by and visit. It was really interesting to see the natural erosion that lead to the canyons.
Lisa was captivated as well, and I was able to sneak a photo of her (she doesn’t like her photo being taken).
Despite her dislike of her own photographs, I was able to convince her to sit still long enough for me to get a proper photo of her. Now it’s her turn to try and convince me to sit still long enough so she can get a photo of me… I don’t like my own photographs either.
This is what you walk along when exploring the canyons… a mostly dried up creek. When we first got off the trail leading to the canyons, I wasn’t quite sure what to do next. I didn’t want to walk along the creek, but it became clear that was exactly what we were supposed to do, as odd as it felt.
And this is the path that leads you to the canyons. This picture doesn’t quite do it justice… the path is steep. Going to the canyons is great as the path is all downhill. Leaving the canyons after being in the hot sun, wishing that you had brought a drink with you, however, means that you have to climb back up the path (now uphill all the way).
This trip was a turning point for me, as I discovered just how much I really enjoyed the multi-day trips on the motorcycle. I also discovered just how much I truly enjoy Lisa’s company, and can’t wait to take the next multi-day trip with her. Unfortunately, I came to the conclusion that the Yamaha FJR-1300, while an amazing machine, isn’t the bike for me for these multi-day trips. So, you might want to keep an eye out for something to replace the bike in the near future…
