The Home Guard Thread

[Lazy B'stard]

Thanks for the advice Brad. 2014 is a long way off. I might have to do a recce in 2013. Just to make sure it's good you know.

[Kristof]

Spoke at length with the wife last night and we have set 2014 as the date. Planning a two week vacation, probably a week around Orlando for the kids in a hotel and then a week in an RV. As a kid I was a huge Miami Vice fan and want a few days in South Beach. I'll be rolling up the sleeves on my Armani sport jacket and will leave the socks at home. Anyone know where I can hire a black Daytona Spider for a few days?

We started at South Beach this year, then headed on to Key West and to Sebring.  After Sebring up to Daytona Beach for the final day of the bike week.   Great trip, and I'll do it again next year for sure, although I'd stay a bit longer in Miami then to check out downtown Miami and the Everglades.    Might do Sebring in an RV next year, but not sure about that yet.

[gatordad]

You guys do know that you can visit more than one site, don't you?  As for beer, we import great beers from all over the world.  I'm sure that there are super local brews that we can't get but oh well.  It has been hot the last few years but I have seen it where it is really cold (for Florida anyway) and/or really wet.  Our site is on pavement so we can weather the storm without getting knee-deep in mud.

If you go to Miami, you must go to Joe's Stone Crab on Miami Beach.  It has been around for 99 years and the stone crab are as sweet as candy and wonderful to eat. 

We live in Vero Beach.  Look it up on Google Maps.  It is a little slice of heaven and located half way between Daytona Beach and Sebring.  You would be welcome to cruise by for a quick visit if you're traveling around the state anyway and we'll take you fishing. 

As for parking, we have reserved spots on the track between turn 3 and 4 on the outside of the track.  Look it up on the Sebring map.  There is usually room to park an RV around us (if we know you're coming) as well as in Green Park without the restrictions of having to stay there until the race ends.  At least you can walk over to our site.  Keep in touch and you can always PM me to my email address.

As for flying, Orlando is the busiest vacation airport in the world, Miami is about the same drive from a different direction, and West Palm Beach is smaller but closer still.  It just depends on what you want to do after the race and if you have kids with you.  As for an adult trip, consider flying into and out of Miami.  It is an adult city and a great place to see and be seen and work on your melanoma...did I mention the weather is perfect in March?

Keep in touch race fans!

[Kristof]

If you go to Miami, you must go to Joe's Stone Crab on Miami Beach.  It has been around for 99 years and the stone crab are as sweet as candy and wonderful to eat. 

Went there this year, wasn't impressed.   Made us wait for more than 2 hours to get a table, and I wasn't impressed neither by the food, neither by the service.  Felt like another tourist trap to me.    Next day went to Red, the Steakhouse ... much much better (and happily returned there).

[Lord Steve]

Good stuff Brad re baby and thanks for all the Sebring info.
Steve

[Doris]

If you want Spirits....well....do you know what - i'm not going to tell you about that - go to Total Wine and more, and see for yourself.  Oh and budget a couple of hours to do so....it's fair to say there's some decisions to be made in there

I'm fairly sure we didn't spend that long making decisions on spirits.  IIRC the conversation went somerthing like this...

Brad:  "Doris, do you want to go halves with me in a 2 litre bottle of Jagermeister?"

Me: "How much?"

Brad: "$20"

Me:  opened wallet and handed over money

 

Brad is right though.  As a bottle shop it has everything you could possibly want, and if you're prone to wandering about looking at what is on offer then you'll definitely need more then 10 minutes.  It's got a great selection of everything.

Dx