Day 9. - 3/13/14 Cocoa to Emporia, VA

AOB was supposed to be 7 but we were a liitle late. We ssid our good bye's and got gassed up and were on the road at 7:30. The TV weather told us that yesterdays rain front still had to finish coming through so even though is was sunny the winds were blowing between 20 -30 mph. The temp in Cocoa was about 55 when we left but kept dropping quick all day. We all started with chaps but only Tom had his electric liner on but not plugged in. About 20 miles up the road I call out over the CB to pull over as I want yo put on my liner. Both Mark and I add a layer But Mark put on a fleece not his Gerbing and we continue. The wind is in our face and at the first gas stop we knew it would be a long day. We had only gone 130 miles and Toms bike was nearly empty.  Tom had only got 28 mpg and Mark & I, 34 mpg. Over coffee/tea we figure we'll lower our crusing speed to 72ish from 78ish to see if we get better mileage and also decide to get a couple of Edible Arrangements delivered to IZ & Pete and Brooke & Joe as a Thank you. This proved to be more difficult than it should as Mark was on the phone for at least a half hour to accomplish it. So between coffee, getting on more gear to plug in and ordering the baskets our stop is over 45 minutes. By now the temp is barely 40 but the sun is out. We start grinding the miles.  At one point we get passed by the biggest livestock trailer Ive ever seen. We all comment about how much this truck bliws us around as he's moving at a good clip and the rig is long, tall and very low to the ground so he creates a hugr wind vortex. We don't stop fo0r lunch til after 3 and were back on the road about 3:45. We have a discussion about whether we're going to make this the last tank or go one more. Mark & I are definite one more and Tom says fine. We pick our speed back up a bit. Temps now in the low 30's and we've been dialing the heat up all day. We pull out of the last gas stop a little before 6 and I had put on my helmet liner and advised Mark & Tom to do likewise. I say lets ride til 7:30 as I'm hoping to get into Virgina. The grind & cold is wearing on Tom so I take the lead. We also decide that we don't care about mileage and set the cruise at 80. We pull into Emporia, VA at 7:30 pm after a 700 mile day all pretty beat. Tom is pretty chilled and it takes a while for him to stop swaying and shivering! His shot of JD with a coffee at dinner is what got him back to normal!!!!) It doesnt take us long to settle in and go to sleep. Tomorrow we should make it home.