And the Rains Came

Been a pretty neat day. Didn't get up till 7am this morning. Got some breakfast at the Huddle House, one of two places to get a real breakfast, and the other place is closed on Sunday.

 The rains from Beryl aren't due til this afternoon earliest. So off to the Train Platform, see who we can meet. A couple of local fellows - lots of local people come down here regularly to watch trains.

 Look real close - far right, middle top to bottom - three headlights of a locomotive.

 This is a different brand of locomotive; more common then the one above. Real Train buffs can tell you everything about the engines and all the various rail cars (I don't have a clue).

These are called 'modular cars', they hold shipping containers, sometime stacked two high.

Amtrak comes thru here 8 times a day, including the "Auto Train" (not shown here - I missed them today)

A young lady (they're all young to me), showed up with her two sons, their friend, her daughter. They are from Clearwater. She teaches special ed. A fellow from Tampa also came up to view the trains.

This young lady arrived, pulled out some wood object, and started carving away - making some figurine. Seems she has been doing this for 20 yrs or more. We asked her how many times she has cut her fingers. She looked up atg us with this funny smile, and said "many".

Sometime two at a time, this wasn't the only time today.

 
Got to be about noon time and I headed back to the motel to check how far away the rains where, turned out to be small rain cells in less then a hour away. The rest of the afternoon was a game of riding between cells when I had to go somewhere. Worked well, eat dinner, at Huddle, go back to the motel, wait out next cell, then to the Dairy Queen for a 'Blizzard', and back to the platform.

My parking spot for the rains.

Once or twice it rained so hard, you couldn't see across court yard.

You know everythings going to work out fine whrn you get a rainbow (between the tall trees).

Anybody ever see the movie called the "Hall Pass"? I caught the last part of it on TV of all places, while writing this. I would want that one next to my face either.

Train Watch Time - Folkston, GA

Not a long ride today, only 150 miles in five and a half hours. http://tinyurl.com/88vpya3

Nice A1A ride along the shoreline.

Got to Folkston a little after noon. Staying in the Relax Inn, nice place, recently remodeled.

 

Got unpacked and of course went down to Train Platform to watch a few trains go by.

I got started this morning by geting over to the Waffle House about 6:25am. Kelly was already mopping the floor.

 And everybody else was getting the place cleaned up. Not a customer (except me) in sight. Had the place to myself.

Went back to the motel, loaded up, turned my keys into Ish. Told him the toilet in my run was not refilling after flushing - but clean forgot to tell him about the two hypodermic needles I saw floating in the tank (not mine by the way). Wonder what he's thinking of me?

 Love this early morning riding - 7am. Sun just barely up, nice and cool.

 The image above and right below are on Pine Tree Dr, cutting over to Old Dixie Hwy.

 The next two pictures are right where I got on Old Dixie Hwy. This is part of what is considered 'The Daytona Loop', which my friend Bob #2 and I rode two weekends ago.

The Intercoastal bridge and Highbridge Park are also on the 'Loop', just before you turn north on the east side of the Intercoastal. This time I'm going straight another block to the coast and A1A.

 Just as you turn onto A1A. Speed limit for quite a ways beyond here is 55mph. Lot of modest homes on the ocean side, all on a ridge about 30 feet above the ocean.

 Really nice scenery along this stretch up to St. Augustine. Intercoastal on one side.

And the ocean on the other side.

This is the only shot I got in St. Augustine. I should have stopped and checked out the lighthouse and museum.

 This was a short ferry ride across the inlet at Mayport - Jacksonville

 The name on that red,  blue, and white yacht is "Jacks and Better".

 Seems like everybody drives on the beach anywhere above St. Augustine.

 These bikers from Warner Robins, Ga where staying in Waycross, Ga and dropped down to see some trains. I know so little about these trains and how to tell when they are soon to showup, but They though I was pretty smart about it, despite my protests to the contrary.

  Going to be here through Monday 'Memorial Day'. 

If you double click on the pictures, I believe they open full size.

Sure like to see more comments - just click on the word 'comments' right below here to open a box you can add your remarks - good or bad.

Finally on the road, 224 miles in 8 hrs. Other than stopping for gas and pictures, plus a 20 minute break in Titusville, that's some of the best none stop riding I've done. I did use my Airhawk seat (kind of air cushion). OK, here's the route traveled today http://tinyurl.com/cd962ko .

Here are some of the pictures I took today.

This church always has some interesting message, some better than others - this is not their best, but it'll do.

It's about 6:35am, the best time of day in my opinion - about 72 degrees.

First stop is the Flashback Diner in Stuart - I have breakfast here about once a week. The cashier and all of the customers had lots of questions about my trip, my scoot, and me. At 6:45 there aren't a lot of customers.

I have always had to chuckle over this sign inside - Good Morning , Let the Stress Begin.

This is along River Road above Jenson Beach - That's the nuke plant in between the palm tree V, middle of the picture.

 GPS says I'll get to Titusville at 11am if I keep moving and don't make any stops.

Most of the roads from Vero Beach to Palm Bay looked like this, straight and no traffic.

 May only rest stop at a Sunoco gas station in Titusville. A bit warm here, but heading toward the coast and cooler air.

This ride through the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is really a delight, lots of wildlife.

 Refuge info

 Riding these back roads gives you these out of the way gems.

A little town in the middle of nowhere.

 Volco Rd., a two mile stretch of gravel road

Love these back roads.

 The south end of Airport Rd goes thru the Venetian Bay community. Divided road with a 45mph speed limit.

First nights rest at a Scottish Inn in Omond Beach. Bob #2 and I where here two weeks ago for a four scoot club ride on the Daytona Loop. Shiftless Scooters hosted, 7-Bridges out of Jacksonville, St. Petersburg Scooter Club, and my club, the www.meetup.com/Palm-Beach-Scooter-Club/ .

Not a very exciting day. Kind of a dull post. Sorry.

What was interesting to me was how my emotions where bouncing all over the scale, from really sad to quite happy. I suppose my decision to finally terminate my outstanding problem plays a big part in today's emotions. (you folks in my Thursday and Saturday groups know what I.m talking about.)

I sure hope my life goes in a little better direction soon. This so far has been one my most depressing years.

Tomorrows ride should be really fun. Going up along the coast - taking a ferry to GA - and some interesting cross country to Folkston, GA.

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My trip to 'somewhere' for 'sometime' - prelude

I've been meaning to get this post started for several days, but one 'urgent' detail after another has prevented that - yesterday/today it was a leaking water heater that need replacement. Question - why do they install these heaters without shutoff valves? Cold water would certainly be better than no water.

This trip is about getting my mind, body and soul realigned. This year so far has been one of my worst in recent memory and has left me with a really bad outlook on everything.
OK, enough of (whatever), on with the trip and enjoying life.

My first destination is Folkston, GA - home of the Folkston Funnel - http://www.folkston.com/trains/trains.htm . http://folkston.railfanning.org/ . http://virtualrailfan.com/ . Going to be here thru Memorial Day.
Each day I will try to post a writeup and pictures - assuming I have internet access and the time to post.

Because of our water heater failure Tue evening, and spending the whole day yesterday installing a new one, I my not post tomorrow - I got about 3 days prepping for this trip to do in one day.
Here's what I'm riding on this trip.

SYM HD200 EVO