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PALATKA -- The younger generation of politicians does things differently. 

So why not turn those old whistle stops via train into whistle stops on a spiffy Yamaha 1100 V-Star motorcycle?

That's what Rep. Willie Logan, the erstwhile Democrat turned independent, is doing with his bid for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Connie Mack.

"It's fun and I didn't want to walk the state," said the 43-year-old Logan, who is at least holding to a bit of political tradition.

He's following the late Gov. Lawton Chiles' walking paths around the state, though he's given up Chiles' traditional brogans for the Yamaha.

"I will end up on July 4th in Key West," said Logan, on a stop at the Putnam County Courthouse on Thursday. "I came in today from Gainesville."

Logan, a veteran Democrat and once the 23-year-old mayor of the Miami suburb of Opa-locka, spent 18 years in the Florida House. Term limits are forcing him out this year.

In the true spirit of his new-found political rebirth, Logan invokes the name of that great independent -- Jessie Ventura.

"Jessie did it, and I can, too," said Logan when questioned about his chances of winning Republican Mack's seat. "Most of those people in the Senate have never had to work to eat, they are good people, honest people, but they aren't like most people in the United States or in Florida."

Logan, before making rounds of courthouse offices for the usual glad handing, sits on a bench beneath the old oak on the lawn:

"This is nice," said Logan, surveying the surroundings and the century-plus-old tree.  

He is clearly hoping for another miracle of the political variety.

You see, he was a tall, skinny 25-year-old when he beat the odds and won the seat in the Legislature.

"I can do it again," Logan said with a smile.

He's still tall and lanky, but a little grayer.

"I think Florida is ready for an independent," Logan said.

His small entourage includes two aides and a fellow motorcyclist he picked up in Alachua County.

"I'm riding with him for a ways," said Doug Mitchell of Trenton. "I like some of the things he says and I've voted for an independent before."

Logan said his independent battle for the Senate will likely end up in court even before he gets out of Florida.

"I'm going to court," said Logan."  

Logan is planning to challenge a measure that allows for the party in the governor's mansion to have their candidate listed first on the Senate ballot.