View of the Intercoastal Waterway from one of the many bridges on Florida State Road A1A. Naval Station Mayport is visible on the horizon. Photos by Brian Carpenter.

The salt in the air greeted me as I pulled up to the beach for some ?Here Comes the Sun? action on my Moto Guzzi V85 TT. It was July 4th, 2020, during a global pandemic, and several of us stood spread apart, watching the horizon. As the sun peeked out and turned the sky orange, I felt it appropriate to start my journey with coffee, the fuel that moves the body. Every motorcycle ride since the dawn (pun intended) of mankind has, to my knowledge, started or ended with coffee and food.

Rumbling at idle, the Guzzi tells you its name right away but settles into a nice smooth burble once underway. I had a ferry to catch to get across the St. John?s River before the holiday crowds appeared. There was no mistaking the visceral feeling the V85?s engine provides as I veered onto Florida State Road A1A, a scenic highway that runs down the Florida coast from just below the Georgia line all the way to the Keys. Today I?d be going north to Fort Clinch State Park, a historic site I?ve been meaning to visit. 
The author and his Moto Guzzi V85 TT. No luggage needed for this day ride.

Skimming past Atlantic Beach to Mayport, known for its naval base, I left behind the usual Florida beachside fare. A1A opened up into sawgrass fields, the stalks swaying gently in the morning breeze. I embraced the faint coolness,...