The world turns and I try to hold on.
Magic Man's Spoon and I have traveled to Florida seeking a good nights sleep. Flying into Atlanta Monday morning we caught a shuttle to Fort Bragg where a pickup truck needing to be delivered to Fort Lewis in Washington was waiting.
Things were going smoothly and each connection was met easily which should have been a clue something was waiting to slow things down. I had been given a location where I would meet the owner of the truck however it was on the Army base and I did not have military ID allowing me in. Magic Man's Spoon was hiding deep in my bag fearing it might be put to use for the duration. The shuttle people were planning on dropping me off 20 miles away at their hub, but how I was going to get the rest of the way they felt wasn't their problem. Would have been nice to know beforehand but what are ya gonna do? I called the truck owner and he arraigned with the shuttle company to pick me up at a museum just off base so everything worked out.
He got me into the base and I dropped him off at his house, (military housing has become pretty nice these days), I then proceeded to get lost trying to find the main gate. No national emergency was declared and after firing up "Miss Direction" my sometimes misguided GPS the correct path was found. I was driving a Ford F150 and it was a nice truck. Lot's of room, a back seat, and good size bed for hauling stuff. The dash computer said the average MPG was around 15, so of course I set out to raise that with easy driving and good living.
First stop was Tampa FL where I was to pick up a piece of pottery equipment (a Pug Mill used for mixing clay), I had won on a government auction. This was the entire reason for the trip, getting this tool back to Oregon. As the Pug Mill was large (five feet long, four feet high, and two feet wide, and very heavy) a truck was needed so I set out to make the trip more affordable by adding on two shipments of video game cabinets (three total), and a boat to tow with another shipment of a kayak setting inside the boat.
Uship is making this possible so I can afford to travel for good bargains on equipment for my pottery studio. Finding shipments that start in common locations and need delivering along the route is sometimes a challenge but with patience things fall into place. Timing of course is going away as I over slept due to the time change and driving five hundred miles so far, and then it took a couple of hours to get the pug mill loaded and secured, the fellas shipping the video game cabinets had not prepared them as yet so the hoped for visit to a world class RV shop for GMC motor homes fell by the wayside. It was just not possible after losing most of the day waiting on folks. Someday I just might learn and not plan on such a tight schedule.
So far I have filled the bed of the truck, and am about to leave the hotel in Ocala FL to get the two boats. Wish me luck....
Wow my Friend, this sounds like another interesting trip. Please keep us updated....As the Spoon Spins. :)
I always look forward to reading your adventures. Thanks for taking me along!
Great to hear from you again. Give us a shout if you ever pass through southern WV. I am located halfway between I-64 and I-77 just before they meet in Beckley WV so lots of routes take you this way.
The company I work for has a job there in beckley wv right now at the hospital doing a remodel and additions.
Quote from: WV Sawmiller on July 12, 2018, 09:31:21 AM
Great to hear from you again. Give us a shout if you ever pass through southern WV. I am located halfway between I-64 and I-77 just before they meet in Beckley WV so lots of routes take you this way.
Here's wishing you good luck and a safe trip 8).
The miles roll by with nothing to report. I tried to find a friend in Ocala FL to visit 'cause he is having problems only to arrive just after his friends took him to the hospital. A missed connection that would have meant a lot to both of us but that's the way life goes.
Trying to make up too many miles and driving hard means little (no) sightseeing. Driving when tired is never good so I am cat napping whenever I need to and driving on. Gotta get back on schedule as I have to meet my brother in Phoenix 16 July to tour the aircraft boneyard. Yep, I gonna try that again!
Got to Baton Rouge and then Waco so now back on schedule. It was really hard to sleep in a real bed after skipping a night at a hotel, as I keep waking up in a panic afraid to fall asleep. I hate to be tied down and unable to rest as I need to. My normal routine is to drive four or so hours and stop when I get tired. Just make an easy trip and don't worry about getting anywhere soon.
So Waco is a pleasant city but geese was it hot. Texas was running temps over a hundred with no end in sight. Magic Man's Spoon refused to get out of the truck just for a picture so I visited the Silos and Magnolia Market by my self (along with about a thousand other people). To get into the bakery the line was several hundred long and if I wanted to eat at the restaurant Chip Gaines wanted, the waiting time was between an hour min up to three hours long. I hope they are making good money as people were there to experience everything. I will admit the complex was very well done and lot's of room for folks to enjoy a good time.
I am about to leave Lubbock Texas so off I go. Wonder if I can find a church that will let me on as it's Sunday?
Sorry I missed you this time, but there again, schedules don't always meet. Safe travels my friend.
:P :)
The truck is loaded and time is passing. Visiting the GMC Co-op was a good idea but reality has caused me to choose between that and visiting an internet friend who is going through hard times, so the Co-op will be there for next time. Off I go to Ocala FL to pick up the boat and kayak. I spent the night in Ocala and found the boat easily, the owner not so much. While I know he was ready for me to get the boat, he wasn't home when I arrived and calling his cell phone got me nowhere. Seeing all was ready, I inspected the boat, attached the trailer to the truck and headed out to get the kayak. Getting the kayak was easier as the owner was waiting for me and it fit inside the open boat just fine. Almost time for lunch and my friend was not far away so finding him was the next step. All I had was his address but he knew I was coming today sometime so I had high hopes.
I found his house, met his dogs, and saw a lizard sitting in the sun, but he was no where to be found. Visiting the near by American Legion hall where he spend most of his time revealed the managers wife had just loaded my friend up to take him to the hospital to get him admitted. I miss him by less than an hour. What to do? I knew he was going to get the help he needed and as my visit was just to be a moral booster I accepted the fact that loose plans sometimes go awry. Times a-wasting and the road waits for no one. I headed West.
Driving along the Gulf Coast was easier than I expected. While serious rain was expected, all I experienced was intermittent down pores. Heavy amounts of rain but only for a few miles until the next sunny patch was the norm. I was trying to get as many miles traveled as quickly as possible due to commitments so I slept the night in Baton Rouge in the truck cat napping as needed to keep moving. I learned this was a poor substitute for a good nights sleep and was tired all the next day. Had I just stopped and gotten a hotel room I would have lost less time and driven safer than having to stop often for another nap.
Missing all the sights I love to see, the next stop was Waco Texas. Here I wanted to visit the compound of Chip and Joanna Gains at the Silo's. Having followed their home remodeling TV show and seeing how affordable homes were in Waco I wanted to experience for myself what they accomplished. I spent the night and first thing the next day I set out to find their place. Finding a parking spot nearby was easy even though the hordes of tourists were everywhere. The Silo's complex was a very well conceived group of buildings with plenty of outdoor space for people to rest, play, and enjoy the location. MMS felt kinda timid so stayed in the truck while I was absorbed by the crowds. People were everywhere, enjoying the day, having fun and waiting to get into the shops. The line for the bakery was long, and took at least half an hour to get a chance to buy anything, but the store for home accessories was doing great business and people were flowing in and out easily. I chatted with a policeman while he watched over the assembly and learned this was a normal day. It was good to see things were being monitored and that people were just having a good time without worries. I wanted to eat breakfast at Chip's restaurant but found the wait time was between an hour (minimum) and three hours (normal) so I passed on that.
Setting my GPS for Clovis NM I took to the road again. Not having a good computer with me means I cannot keep a quality journal of my experiences. The past trips I had a tablet with a good keyboard so it was easy to jot down my thoughts as I traveled. This trip I am trying out an Ipad which is great for listening to audio books (much better than hassling with discs in a book while driving) but not great for anything else. I do not have a "smart" cell phone preferring to retain the old school flip phone that is pretty much waterproof (a lesson I learned while on my last crabbing trip where I ended up in the water when the boat sank). This means I don't have internet for looking up things easily. I have relied on free internet provided by McDonald's and the like. When I check in to a hotel for the night I generally am too tired to go down to the public computer station so I am relying on memory to capture my feelings and experiences. I am finding the "color" of my journal is a little drab and lacking substance, something to consider in the future.
I am enjoying your writing. I wish you safe travels!
I see that you and da Spoon got separated from each other. I opened a box at da Pig Roast and surprise...surprise. Problem was that I was not supposed to open dat box and I got in big trouble with da Lady. :-\
Anyway da Traveling Spoon remained at Jeff's place awaiting it's next or final move. ???
Does the truck owner know you are hauling all that stuff across country with his truck?
Yep. Part of my bid is the understanding that I will be looking for ways to share the expense of transport.
Safe travels to you.