Along another stretch there was a patrol car along side the
road. Then around the bend, maybe a quarter of a mile ahead, were two
FSP cars in the median, one facing each direction — they were making
a killing in both lanes.
Rev. 02/08/02
Florida Adventure - continued
2/01 - 2/08
Leaving Margate, heading west -
Santa Fe
02/01/02 - Groundhog's Day
After my meeting with the doctor, I headed north on the Florida Turnpike and I-75. Got as far north as where I-75 intersects I-10, the most southern Interstate running east and west. For dinner I had chicken pot pie with turnip greens — that "red neck" food again.
02/02/02
I left early, before dawn. Today I wanted to end up west of New Orleans, beyond the traffic mess that will occur Sunday. Sunday is Mardi Gras, plus the Super Bowl — some day I want to be in New Orleans for Mardi Gras, but not when the Super Bowl is held there — not my cup of tea.
Crossing the Suwannee River, I recalled the song "Way down upon the Suwannee River.......," one of my Daddy's favorites — and recalled what I learned up north recently — Steven Foster was from Pittsburg, not Georgia. On the Pitt campus is the Steven Foster Memorial, housing many of his things.
It is interesting to watch the Florida State Patrol. An officer was ahead of me. We came to a stretch where the median between the opposing lanes was quite wide, maybe two hundred feet. It was filled with large pine trees, with branches reaching close to the ground — a nice forest of trees. The officer slowed his vehicle, drove out into the "forest" and hid himself under the branches. He had a good view of on coming traffic, but no one could see him — sneaky.
Along another stretch there was a patrol car along side the
road. Then around the bend, maybe a quarter of a mile ahead, were two
FSP cars in the median, one facing each direction — they were making
a killing in both lanes.
For a break, I left the Interstate, the "Super Slab," and went down on US-90 where it follows the Gulf of Mexico shore line. While sand, beautiful water, not a cloud in the sky.
Just before Pensacola I went back up to I-10 to make time. It was dark as I drove through Baton Rouge, and crossed the Mississippi River, to stop for the night — I'm west of New Orleans. Tomorrow I can take it easy.
02/03/02
Traveling west, near Lake Charles, LA, There was one of those
dreaded signs I'm addicted to — Scenic Byway. So I had
to turnoff. This one, Creole Nature Trail, was a 97 mile loop south,
all the way to the Gulf of Mexico shore and then back to I-10.
The road down to Creole was through marsh land. Contrary to the picture on the sign, I didn't see any 'gators, but did see millions of big cranes, wadding and swimming shore birds, and lots and lots of ducks. The only problem was the road was narrow, with no shoulder, so I couldn't stop to take pictures.
The
road then turned west to Cameron, where a ferry took us across the shipping
canal. Moored on one side of the canal was a oil rig that had been
brought in from the Gulf of Mexico. The ferry operator said they were
remodeling and upgrading it. The helicopter pad on the rig is very
visible. To the left of the oil rig, you can see the mouth of the ship
canal and out into the gulf.
Yes, it was worth the detour.
Got as far as Houston, and called it a day.
02/04/02
Looking at the map heading west, toward Austin, I realized that Brenham, TX was just a few miles from my route. Years ago Fred and Laverne were our next door neighbor in Niu Valley, and Fred was our minister. They now live in Brenham, which is where Laverne grew up. So I phoned. She answered, I said, "Laverne, this Bob Graham." "Bob Graham, hmmmm — (I could almost hear the wheels turning — she told me later that she had to mentally run through the membership of ten different churches) — Bob Graham!!! Where are you?" I told her where I was, and was immediately invited for breakfast.
An hour or so later I pulled up in front of their home in Brenham. Had an enjoyable time, and an enjoyable breakfast.
Then we stopped at the local Radio Shack where their son, Tam works. Hadn't seen him for over fifteen years. Walked into the store and asked for him. He came over, with a slightly puzzled look — I paused, then I told him who I was — his folks walked in — they'd really set him up.
It was just a few hours drive on to Texas, where my brother Chuck and his wife Alice, aka "Red," live.
0205/02
The next evening we went to have dinner with their daughter's
family. Last summer they had gone to Hawaii, for the first time. So
I brought the girls Kukui Nut Leis — and some dried squid. I'll
be interested in what they do with the squid.
02/06/02
In the morning Chuck and I went to Ft. Hood. It gave Chuck a chance to show off his armor. And there is a lot of it there, much more than I was aware of.
Then we Chuck and Alice took me to the Texas Historical Museum in Austin. Of course you are not allowed to take pictures in a museum, but I had to sneak one of a Texas Longhorn. The museum begins with the existing Indian culture, through the Spanish settlement, the Anglos (us), on into cattle, oil, up to today. It takes hours to go through it, but well worth the time.
02/07/02
I left in the morning, heading west — out through the flat lands.
One nuisance thing with this eye is what they call floaters. In my case, a small black speck that drifts across my field of vision and usually drifts down. Driving out across the wide open prairies, a floater slowly crossed from right to left, outlined against the blue sky. Then, instead of floating down, it floated up and perched on the top of a tree — a hawk — dahhhhh.
02/08/02
Spent the night at Clovis, NM.
In the morning headed west again. The road parallels the railroad, out across the flat prairie. Trains pass about every half hour.
Arrived in Santa Fe about noon, and met Bill and Sue for lunch.