This past Sunday, the wife and I got babysitters and took off for a ride to the Boca/Gasparilla area. From our house this is a half-day adventure, about 100 miles round-trip and as far as we like to travel on the Scrambler. We checked out the Range Marker (see picture) and hit the beach (after changing) for a while too.
The tires, which make the Scrambler so deft at handling parking lots, yards, construction sites, beach areas, and trails, are a bit of a burden at speed too. They howl on the highway, starting at 50 MPH.
When you can hear the engine, you’re also reminded that the bike could use a 6th gear. Couldn’t they all?
But the Scrambler is about simplicity and fun. It delivered. Smiles greeted us everywhere we went, and the old guy at the toll-bridge gushed, recounting he had a Triumph 50 years ago. Its super-handling allowed us to tour the island and swiftly traverse back-roads, all while enjoying its unique rumble.
The area is just beautiful. Right after Placida you hit the toll-bridge, $4. The next half mile is just stunning as you go over short, narrow bridges and small areas of land, directly over a pass from Gasparilla Sound to the Gulf of Mexico. On our trip, the water seemed to glow blue-green with transient stripes of white cut by passing boats. Unfortunately, there’s no parking here!
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This is a great area for a family vacation. The beaches are wide, and although a little shelly, white and clean. Unlike Sarasota, the beaches are desolate too – lots of privacy and quiet.
I forgot my camera, and had to use my Blackberry’s camera. Next time I’ll remember the real thing!