Thursday, April 3, 2008

We are on the road - so look out!




Caption the above photo "Daddy, why haven't we left yet?"

We finally got on the road tonight at about 5PM. Just in time to get mired in Jacksonville's rush hour.

After stopping to check our tire pressures at the old TA Truckstop in Baldwin, FL (still part of Jacksonville, believe it or not, although about 45 miles and a world apart culturally from where our workshops are at) we motored until sundown to another old-timey truckstop in Lee, Florida. The last time that I was here was about 20 years ago and I swear that the place hasn't been painted or spruced up since then.

At least the salad bar was serving remarkably fresh lettuce. There must be a story or two there - like a case of lettuce "fell off" of the back of someone's trailer on the way to the Publix and Winn Dixie warehouse.

Jeese, I am becoming such a cynic these days!

The Wanderlodge is running very well. I am sitting here at my computer desk, writing to my blog, connected to the 'net, running the generator and A/C, and drinking a frosty-cold 24.5 ounce "oilcan" of Foster's, Oz's best beer (someone will surely send me a nasty email over that comment), all from the comfort of the front row at a truckstop and I am thinking "man, things were never this pleasant when I ran trucks for a living!" Certainly the bohemian mobile lifestyle has improved quite a bit during that last several years.

Anywho, we expect to have lunch or dinner - or both - at Jimmy Buffett's new Margaritaville in Panama City, Florida tomorrow. Will keep y'all posted as we cruise along for the next week or three.

2 comments:

Norm said...

AWESOME PJ!!!!!
Seemed like a world of Life, Love, and Realism...scary sometimes huh...
Maybe next year we'll all be able to go to NOJF?? Whatya think?? Major road trip next May??

PyrateJohn said...

Thanks Norm! They were advertising Jazz Fest when we were down there (with Jimmy Buffett headlining, no less!) and it was really tempting to consider staying for a few more weeks. But yeah ... next year sounds like there are some possibilities there ... ;)