JOURNEY NORTH-SOUTH AND BACK (2026): DAY 12+++ (18 total) OF THE JOURNEY NORTH-SOUTH (Southern Leg)

DAY 12+++ (18 total) May 26, 2026

Today is my last hotel stay in Florida. I am going to ride North from Sarasota, FL to Perry, FL. Just about 254 miles:
The weather is supposed to be as yesterday: hot and humid. Predicted 92 F - actually low humidity of 45% at 3PM. Wow...

Since I entered Florida I see on the sky a lot of clouds (scattered), on a Sunny and hot day. Most of these clouds are very tall, not flat. What it means is that there is a lot of vertical displacement within such clouds (I learned it from my drone trainings). Some of them are very dense and dark. A lot of times it means nothing to you... but, sometimes there is a lot of precipitation from such clouds. I get at least 2-3 sprinkles a day. Not heavy enough to put a rain gear on, the water dries up in a hot wind very fast... but again - sometimes there is a violent downpour and I have to be prepared for it. I never stop for rain. It's a part of the journey, bt have my rain gear handy.

A little note on my time spent in Florida:
I am pretty impressed by the highways in Florida. They are wide, multi lane, and well maintained.

I located a small motorcycle service shop near the hotel I will stay overnight in Perry.
It's past my MID POINT of the journey. I need to change oil. I do not want grind my old engine in the oil which by now probably brakes up a bit. High ambient temperatures and constant 75 miles per hour speed may do a trick. Better be safe than sorry.
I would have done it in Homestead, but one thing I didn't consider: Memorial Weekend.
Might seem funny. I planned almost everything but didn't think that everything would be closed - not a single chance to change oil...

Here is a map of today's route:

...and what remains of the whole Journey:

On the way from Sarasota, Fl, before Tampa I rode through a spectacular Cable-Stay Bridge named 'Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge', designed by the Figg & Muller Engineering Group.