One year ago today: June 13, 2016, unfocused clutter.
Five years ago today: June 13, 2012, on Swedish immigration.
Nine years ago today: June 13, 2008, we made gas money.
Random years ago today: June 13, 2009, an infinite loop.
6:45 AM – That sub-moron I bought the Rebel from must have hooked up the speakers himself. He didn’t have the brains to find a switched wire so he tapped the amp right off the battery. Of course, this killed the ignition overnight and I had to boost the unit at dawn.
7:20 AM – I’m south toward Bartow and Lake Meade, overcast, but with a slight clearing to the far east in the sunrise. Travel conditions ideal, except I can’t find any place open to grab a bite to eat. Highway 17 in this part of the state is not big on local restaurants.
8:20 AM – Still clearing, the reports of major thunderstorms tend to apply to later in the afternoons, so I’m pressing on ahead of any obvious weather patterns. The sky is clearing to the south-south-east, the direction I am heading to avoid the potential rains near Lake Okeechobee. I stopped for gas, but there is no place to sit down for a cup of coffee.
9:20 AM – I turned off the beaten path to specially make a stop at the Olga Mall. Disappointment. The sign on the door says “See you in the Fall”. What, you mean I mention Old Olga in this blog and business doesn’t skyrocket until they stay open 24/7? Fine. Let them drink franchise swill. Wiki says there are 515 houses and 1,398 people in the town. But the picture above is a better representation of what there is to see. And it is still four times the size of the place I grew up.
10:20 AM – I pulled into Imokalee, that’s how desperate I am for coffee. I found a Honduran restaurant, which you think would be super cheap in that part of the countryside, but you’d be wrong. It was one of the more expensive places I’ve been. So I grabbed a small sandwich, and tanked up before heading into the Everglades. Cost me $7.52.
The Eye of Heaven (China).
Remember to use BACK ARROW to return to blog.
11:20 AM – the phone rings, it is Agt. R. Does he reserve me a spot at the church wedding dinner? Nope, I decided against it because he’d be the only person I know there and he’ll be totally distracted. Instead, I suggested I take him and the blushing bride out to some place for brunch, say hello all ‘round, and let them get back to preparations.
Oddly, he said she would like me because the told her this is the kind of decision I would make.
12:20 PM – Despite maintaining a fairly stead 65mph on the highways, I’m only averaging 40mph overall. The weather is perfect shirtsleeve motorcycle made to order, I finally pulled into the Carnestown intersection and called ahead to JZ.
1:20 PM – The usual slow traffic along the two lane trail, but some twenty miles west of Miami it looks like they are constructing another raised roadbed to allow the natural flow of the Everglades and the River of Grass to proceed south again. You can look this up, but the original Tamiami Trail disrupted the flow and turned the area south of the highway into a barren mess. I could not slow to take a picture, but here is a photo from the Miami Herald showing a typical section. It allows the water to flow, or seep really, under the road bed.
2:20 PM – I pulled up to find JZ had left to go do a landscaping job. So I unpacked and drove to the bookstore. My god, the magazines seem to have all gone downhill while raising their prices to near $20 per issue. I checked the movie listings and I don’t know if Captain Underpants is the fare I’ll be after this summer at $14 per ticket.
3:20 PM – as I left, my medical office called, causing me to misplace my parking ticket. This resulting in Sunset Place soaking me $8 for a lost ticket. I’m so glad I got the hell out of south Florida because it is chalk full of this type of small scale rip-off. These people will never amount to anything, never go anywhere, but they won’t quit with the bullshit.
I pulled ahead and searched a few minutes until I found the ticket. I had closed my cell phone over it. I returned to the booth, but “Sorry, no refunds.” Miami continues to slide down the hill into Third World oblivion.
“To compare is not to prove.”
4:20 PM – I stopped for coffee and a cookie. That set me back $6.01. So I just got into town and it has already cost me $31 for the trip. I sat down to wait for JZ only to realize I’ve read every book in his condo as well.
5:20 – JZ shows and we decide to make chicken dinner. It takes an hour to catch up on the gossip despite the fact nothing has really happened or changed. He is slowing fixing his Blazer and I am doing the same with the Rebel. The rear tire is $160. And I ordered the chain and sprocket assembly for another $220. This is the money that was slated for new shocks on the batbike, y’know.
6:20 – There we are at the market, always good for babe-spotting, though tonight wasn’t great. One started talking to me but, um, no thanks. You know, JZ has never eaten candied ginger. You should try it, especially if you get morning breath.
7:20 PM - Pardon us while we pig out. I make a huge pot of potatoes, JZ fried the chicken. He washes every pot right after, me, as long as there is one clean plate in the kitchen, I’m good to go. I declined to go out, it was 6 hours to cover 3.5 hours travel time. I read a book on Hawaiian weather patterns and listened to jazz radio. There are not good radio stations in south Florida.
8:20 PM – I fell asleep with the Hawaiian book on my face and was out like a light until 3:30 the next morning.
Last Laugh
Return Home
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
