Today’s drive was leisurely, no rush as I’m back in the first world. I stopped for breakfast at the Beach Hut in Jacksonville Beach. A mom & pop, it is packed and busy. Be patient, the staff of eight servers can barely keep up. It turned out to be my only meal of the day, a tremendous compliment. From there, I was north to Amelia Island to discover the Cumberland Ferry is foot traffic only.This made for a high speed run (74 mph) across the border on I-95 until I could connect with a decent secondary. I took Highway 17 through a dozen small towns with some tempting sights, but decided to carry on to Savannah, Georgia. I passed through some pine stands, what a wonderful smell. Sweeter than the west coast pine. Sadly, there is evidence of Kudzu infestation in vast stretches.
Let me give you a time line here. I was packed by 9:00 AM and on the road by 9:25 AM. Hey, what’s the missing time there? Well, you have to wait while all people from the motel finish looking at the sidecar and asking questions, same with downtown. I was in Jacksonville Beach from 10:20 AM to 11:00 AM, the up to Mayport, a nothing town near a navy base. Pretty, but nothing to see or do.
The high point of the day was the ferry across the St. Johns River. Or at least that’s what I think it’s called. A tiny river, the ride is just a few minutes long. Friendly staff, talked to the tourists, being one myself. The dead ringer is the camera hanging around my neck. Then another easy stretch up to Amelia Island. A quaint looking place, but you can tell it won’t last.Then I remembered Cowboy Mike has relatives up there. If I’d seen his truck, I’d have bought him a couple rounds at the Palace, I think that’s the place I passed on Main. I had to stop at Freddies, the local discount, for a long-sleeve t-shirt. The sun is not bothered by the thick cloud cover, I’m getting beet red.
So I took a good six or seven hours to cover a couple hundred miles. I’m in Savannah now, which is as good a destination as any. On a recommendation, I got a room nine miles from city center. There was a discussion with the staff whether or not the motel was in the city. I mentioned I could not see any city, that is, block after block or buildings touching each other. They replied that in Georgia, there is no such criteria for determining what is urban or rural. How about that?
It’s a beautiful room, 2/3 the size of my place. My built-in resistance to going out of Fridays is more accurately stated as not going downtown. So I’m not heading for Savannah proper when I decide to take a small tour around this motel. I’m out west, along Highway 21 and from the traffic, I’d say there is an airport within twenty miles. I’m heading out anyway, since I managed to forget a few items like my toothbrush.
See this dog? He seemed to like the sidecar. See, JP, this critter goes on better vacations that you do, get my drift?. I’m needling JP for missing this trip, but I miss him being along. We always meet better-looking and younger women when we work as a team. For that matter, I’m disappointed by the women who didn’t make this trip either. Let me say a few words about that.Ladies, it is one thing for you to say you want dates and adventure, but when it comes right down to it, if you are not ready and able, you are going to lose. I propositioned four women for this ride and I should mention that I always ask that she chip in for gas money so that there is no misinterpretation of motives. For this getaway, that would amount to roughly a hundred bucks or so. Of course, they should have their own spending money although I’m great with meals and clubbing.
Here is what I got instead. One could not leave her mother alone. The second would only go if I paid for everything (ahem). Another would not take time off work (she said at first she would). And the last one could not come up with the hundred dollars (since January). The peanut gallery out there need not second guess their motives, these women like me. But they plain make it difficult to be spontaneous. Gals, Prince Charming needs a gal prepared to drop everything and hop on his horse. What are you even thinking calling yourselves single when you can’t do what comes natural?
There’s more negativity, since my holiday does not really begin until tomorrow I’m allowed. As I crossed the river from Amelia Island, I saw a lady with three kids stranded on the road holding a sign asking for food and gas money. I thought it over, turned around and backtracked three miles to give them twenty dollars. One could almost say I have a soft spot for the destitute, and that much is true.
But before you get too cozy, let me fill you in on some additional facts. When a father abandons his family and doesn’t pay, that makes him a deadbeat. But when a mother remains married to a father who doesn’t pay, that makes the BOTH of them damn deadbeats. And disgusting hypocrites as well. The three kids above were a couple of pre-schoolers and a fourteen year old boy. I know a lot about women who do that to a teenager.
Burdened with responsibility beyond his years without hope of reward. Never a chance to be immature long enough to have a real childhood of his own. Saddled with a mother who selfishly had more children years after she knew she could not provide for him. Kid, twenty bucks, it hardly seems enough. I say, Kid, take my advice and no matter how it kills you in the short run, just pack up and get the hell out of there as fast as you can. You are better off living in a ditch. I beg you don’t leave it as long as I did.
ADDENDUM
I zipped over to the “Silverado”, probably not the first tourist to mistake it for a country bar. They had a four piece rock group that comped every tune, but did so respectably well. No so for the server with the black short hair and striped top. I was first served by others who were okay with me tipping a dollar, but then the witch appeared. I paid with a five and she dragged her forty-year-old ass getting my change. Since the place was already marginal at best, her attitude ruined my evening. Silverado, along with old women who compress their asses into their teenage daughter’s blue jeans, you might want to keep an eye on how they do in the hospitality department. Not every customer arrives there with the intention of paying her bills or else.
