Adirondack New York

Just an update - We've been in Lake Luzerne, NY for about 2 weeks now. Although the base of the Adirondack Mountains is very beautiful and green, it has been either raining, drizzling, or overcast 95% of the time. The rivers have been too fast so no kayaking, and the trails are too muddy to mountain bike. So I've been going out with Elton during his sales calls to keep myself busy. We were able to take some pictures during the sunny days which I'll upload under a different post. Just wanted to keep everyone up to date as to where we are. More later . . .

Detour

The Road Hazard has taken a detour from our travels up to the northern part of New York. We find ourselves here in Netcong, New Jersey. We will be here for a few days and then resume our travel up north. This isn't a pleasant detour but one that I felt should be addressed personally. Family matters like this are never pleasant when planned and even worse when it's unexpected.

Bite of the Big Apple

After completing our job here in Woodstock we decided to go south for the day and explore the Big Apple. First stop was a place that was once the first place people would see when arriving in this country for the first time. Between the years 1894 thru 1924 Ellis Island was the first check point for the numerous immigrants they would know they arrived to the land of Freedom when they would look out and see Lady Liberty standing proud in the harbor.

We walked around the base and were humbled by the sights we witnessed. Off in the distance the New York skyline was impressive. One can only imagine the events of 9/11. Reliving the events in our minds and just imagining the chaos that ensued.

Today, this very location of the World Trade Center is being rebuilt. Hundreds of construction workers are proudly assembling a new building. That one moment brought together everyone in this country for months. Today the city is back to normal in its New York minute pace. Just the occasional tourist stops to take a picture of this big hole in the ground and silently say a prayer to those that lost their lives here.

Being elevated 80 stories in 60 seconds is a rush as your ears pop to protest the change in altitude. Walking out and looking over the city from this vantage point brings you a different prospective of the city. You then start to see how big this city really is. How far the city reaches. How big the buildings really are. How packed in everything is. Down below the small toy cars zoom around as the ant like people scurry about.

We finished our day at St. Patrick's Cathedral. Once the tallest building in the city today it stands as a symbol. With the history enveloped in this church you gaze up at the tall spires and stained glass windows. Across the street is Rockefeller Center. Home to the famous Christmas tree and skating rink in winter and to the Today Show on NBC. The tiny center seems much bigger in the movies and on TV. Surrounded by tall buildings it sits in the shadows with its restaurants and shops surrounding it.

New York City is a great city to explore. One day is not enough time to really visit and get a feel for this city that never sleeps. One day we will return with more time.

(Click on picture below for slideshow)

New York, NY 06-09

Catskill Mountains

Over the last couple of days we have sprinkled some work in with site seeing. You can't have all work and no play, can you? Just down the road from us is Orange County Choppers. A bike builder made famous from being on the Discovery Channel. The Teutul family, which consists of Paul Sr, Paul Jr, Mickey and their employee Rick are always seen yelling and building bikes together on TV. Today on our visit here we were fortunate enough to see Mickey walking around the shop with his big hair and now sporting a huge beard with his signature shorts that he will wear year round no matter what the weather is outside.

The store has tons of their bikes on display. We walked around studying each one and remembering the episode in which we saw them building it. Along with the bikes one can purchase t-shirts, hats and what ever else they can put their logo on. The bikes, in case you were wondering, start at about $35,000 and climb up to $50,000. I'm sorry but I don't see it. They are nice theme bikes but not very practical or comfortable to ride. If you have money laying around and just want a show piece than sure, go buy one.

With the sun breaking out of the clouds today we decided to go out for a bike ride. We started by climbing this huge mountain. It went up about 800 ft as we climbed this twisty road. The air became cooler the higher we got. Along one stop we noticed this eye ball staring at us from the side of the road. We had to stop and stare back.

Along the way you will find countless waterfalls. Sometimes you can see them but most of the time you can just hear the rush of water through the trees.

With the threat of storm clouds coming over the mountain we decided to head back home. All along our trip we rode from cloudy and gloomy weather into beautiful sunny sections. The air went hot and cold during the entire ride. One moment you were freezing as you rode in the canyon and the next moment you were hot from the sunny and open areas. It was a great day that took us about 120 miles as we explored the area. Tomorrow should be another good day for riding.

Still in Woodstock

Still here in Saugerties and Woodstock. Enjoying the sunny days when they arrive and working hard when the rain shows up.

We have enjoyed exploring this area rich with history and diversity. Woodstock is a delight to visit since every time is a different experience. The crowds change over from tourists on weekends to the locals coming out during the week.

The woods are thick with vegetation since it seems the moisture is always being squeezed from the mountains surrounding us.

This interesting looking moth was sitting on a building waiting for evening to arrive. About the size of my hand it was amazing to look at. With its leading edge on the wing a bright red color. Its antenna was yellow and looked like a couple of feather dusters.

We are here for another 6 days until we continue north. For now we are enjoying our adventures here.

Built FORD Tough

Entering the Catskill Mountains of New York State and winding around tight roads we arrive in Saugerties. Tucked back deep into the woods is our next stop for the next two weeks. Another little piece of paradise to explore. Just up the road, about 15 minutes, is the hallowed ground of Woodstock. Still today you can see some "hippie's" strolling the downtown area wishing or thinking they were still back in 1969. The place of the historic transformation of Rock n Roll actually happened another 20 minutes up the road in another small town called Bethel. Max Yasgur's 600 acre dairy farm was home to 320,000 people who made history that weekend.
Setting up Road Hazard for our stay I was excited about being in this area and already enjoying the beautiful backdrop. What I didn't see coming around the corner would literally take me off my feet.
The next morning I awoke early to get a start on my next assignment but something was wrong. My throat felt like I had swallowed a puffer fish. With its spinney little body pushing against the back of my throat and its fat puffy body making it difficult to swallow. I felt cold even though there were plenty of blankets on me. Oh no, I'm sick. I'll just sleep it off until noon and then go out. Nope. The day was spent exchanging positions from the couch to the bedroom. My eyes were closed more this day than they would be open. Liquids being pumped into me like I was on fire and a rarity, I even was taking aspirin to ease the pain and cool the fever. The next day, which is now Wednesday, I woke up feeling a little better but walking around like I was in a daze. That feeling of your body moving at a normal speed but your brain lags behind just a few seconds. I'm OK. I'll still go out and try to work some. After arriving at my first stop I gathered everything I thought I would need and got out of the car and started walking towards the building. The brain, still a few seconds behind, finally speaks up and asks if anyone has the car keys. What? What? Pressing my nose against the glass I could see the keys still hanging from the ignition. The doors locked, windows closed and no way to get in. Okay, can this get any better? Still in a haze the mind is now trying to get in gear and think MacGyver style. One coat hanger, duct tape, pliers, and a small stick of C4 plastic explosives. No, wait...wrong episode. What I will need for this adventure would be one coat hanger and a stick of chewing gum. I entered the Post Office while casually scanning the "Wanted" posters hoping they haven't caught up to me yet, I explained my dilemma and requested a First Class Coat Hanger. With my tool in hand I next took out a piece of chewing gum. Now I was ready to unlock the Pick Up. Bending the coat hanger and shoving the hooked piece through the back window I was able to finally pry open the window and reach in to unlock the door. And the chewing gum you might be wondering? It was used to help keep my mind focused and clear as I felt the surge of sugar hit my bloodstream. OK New York, what's next?
Friday, the weather is gloomy but I am feeling much better and looking forward to another good day working. Pulling through the intersection after having stopped for the red light the cars ahead of me slowed down once again. Then, that sound that when someone hears it instinctively makes the shoulders rise and their eyes slam shut waiting for the the next sound. The sound tires make when they protest the burden they're put under to hold a 3,000 lb car. The next sound was a loud pop followed by metal crunching up like a beer can on a frat boys forehead. The only problem was that this was followed by my head slamming into the headrest of my seat and my eyes darting up to the mirror. Like two deer's in headlights our eyes met for that brief moment right after impact. My eyes were yelling "What the hell are you doing?" and her young eyes saying "Oh shit, what just happened?" The skies, as if on cue, turned on the sprinklers and showered us as we found the shoulder of the road to examine our carriages. Right away the young girl started to apologize as she shuddered with the realization of what had just happened. The pick up had a 2 inch sliver of rubber ripped on the bumper. Other than that it was just dirty from the dirt and pollen. Her car didn't come out as well. The bumper was still intact but the paint had spidered as the bumper absorbed the impact. The hood, which found its way under my bumper was pushed in and smashed her grill. 45 minutes later the police arrived to fill out the necessary paperwork. While I waited, I started to think that if the events of the last few days would have happened at another time in my life I probably would have been really really pissed off. I'm sitting here mesmerized by the windshield wipers occasionally cleaning the fresh rain drops off the glass thinking that in my life today I am thankful. Not for everything that has happened but for what I have. I realized that this journey has changed the way I see things. Who cares about the small little problems that popped up. We worked through them. This little rip added to the pick up? who cares. Life is too good to worry about the small obstacles. Life is a postcard and we are living in it. Don't worry about the delivery.

Mufflehead

Once in awhile you stumble onto something and it turns out to be a great experience. This is our visit to Sandusky, Ohio. How and why did we pick this place to stop? It was close to Cleveland and it was close to water. What we discovered were two things. First, the Muffleheads (more on that later) and second Put-In-Bay.

To get to this island off the coast of Sandusky one has to take about a 25 minute Jet Boat ferry ride. Once the Captain has cleared the dock and opens the throttles up the boat seems to climb on top of the water and gently skims the waves. With a light sway and an occasional spray of water you are quickly taken to a calm and peaceful place. The scenery before you is hard to believe. You are on Lake Erie but it could be the ocean. This is all fresh water around you.

We are greeted to Put-In-Bay by a tall monument erected back in the early 1900's. Established to honor those who fought in the Battle of Lake Erie, during the war of 1812, but in equal part it is here to celebrate the long-lasting peace between Britain, Canada and the U.S. Situated only 5 miles from the longest undefended boarder in the world.

The island is only about 4 miles long. There are two main modes of transportation. Golf carts and bikes. We took our bicycles and explored almost every corner. There are many summer homes with only a small population that live here year long. Every side of this island presents new views of Lake Erie and the surrounding islands. The downtown strip consists of two roads that intersect each other. Lined with restaurants, bars, brewery's and gift shops. After peddling around the entire island it was time to hit the restaurants and bars. We visited 4 bars and one restaurant. Needless to say we were quite happy by the time we boarded the ferry for the return trip. The island is a popular destination for all types but today it seemed like the bridal parties were in control. Nothing like seeing a bunch of squealing drunk women running around and driving golf carts.
Now, being next to Lake Erie has its disadvantages. We discovered these things on our arrival to the Park. As I walked in the grass it seemed that it became alive. Thousands and thousands of these feather duster antenna, winged insects came out. It looked like I was walking in a snow globe but instead of snow it was these mosquito looking things swarming around. Thankfully, we discovered later, that they don't bite. They just annoy you by flying into your mouth or landing on your face.

We met this couple at a local restaurant and after having talked in length about RV'ing I finally remembered to ask what this plague is called. Mufflehead was his response. Wait, did he just call me a "Mufflehead"? No, that's what they call this insect. I don't know how it got the name but we did learn that they live in the mud at the bottom of Lake Erie. People around here are excited to see these winged nuisance because it lets them know that the lake is healthy. They come out once a year, grow some wings and go off to mate. They only live for a couple of weeks before their empty carcass crunches underfoot. They can live for a couple of years in the mud as larva. When you go outside everything is covered in these bugs. It looks like a shaggy living blanket. Of course when we were packing to leave we had bugs get inside the RV. We have been killing these things by the handful. Mufflehead. Another interesting fact about this country that we didn't know existed. Oh, we never did make it to Cleveland. We had to much fun around here.

Tonight we are parked in another Flying J Truck stop, en route to our next job. Thank God for the satellite to pass the time tonight.

Pudding Bay?

Our journey around the lake brought with it big gray clouds that threatened to show its furry at any moment. Winds were hitting Road Hazard hard but inside it was warm and dry. Just sitting back and watching the world go by.

Yesterday was our day to go out and explore Sandusky, Ohio. This little town sits right against Lake Erie and is a sleepy little town until summer, when families call this place vacation. There is a large amusement park nearby but the attraction for us are the two islands off shore. Just a short ferry ride will take you there.

The downtown area of Sandusky takes you back in time when main streets were wide and filled with stores and big windows displaying their wares. Today, however, this town has many vacant buildings. The few businesses that are around are scattered about the downtown area. It seems the only traffic here is for the ferry.

Today, being May 29th, is also Reta's birthday. This gave us a moment of reflection as we remembered where we were last year for her birthday. It was Palo Duro, Texas. We've traveled a long way since then along with plenty of exciting stories.

Today will be our last full day here and we will be taking our Mountain Bikes to explore one of the islands, Put-In-Bay. I swear that when we first got here I heard people talk about this place called Pudding Bay. With their slight accents, I guess, that's how I heard it. I now know it is called Put-In-Bay. Too bad, I was hoping to see Bill Cosby standing with his multicolored sweater somewhere near Pudding Bay.

Downtown Detroit

The city is busy with cars and people everywhere. Tall buildings loom overhead and block out the direct warmth of the sun as we walked around downtown. Our first stop was to head down to the river. It's a newly developed area with fountains and sculptures. Across the river sits Canada which you can get to by bridge or tunnel.

This area on weekends and holidays is filled with people and activity. Today, the pigeons are enjoying the peace and quiet.

We finally made it over to our new business that we now own 70%. The GM building is the tallest in the city and sits on the bank of the river. It is also home to the Marriott and is the tallest Hotel Building in the Western Hampshire. We decided to walk around inside the building, since we now own it. The lobby greets you with brand new GM Cars all polished and on display. The guards just smile at you when you walk in. We made our way deep inside and discovered a circular open area that displays more GM products. On the outer ring, facing the cars are a bunch of fast food joints. Some important suit is sitting in front of a electric blue car doing an interview. He doesn't look too happy and we assume they were talking about the bankruptcy. A few employees are milling around with a deer in headlight look. Not a good feeling.

Our last stop was to head over to the stadiums. Home of the Lions and Tigers. These two stadiums sit right next to each other. The Detroit Tigers have a game this evening and the PA system was being tested and music was blaring as we walked around. The cool thing is you can see the playing field when you walk on the sidewalk outside of the stadium. I'm sure that when there is a game you can't see anything because of all the people in your way.

Today we are packing up and moving out. Still a few days before our next assignment in Woodstock, New York, so we are going to explore Cleveland, Ohio before we get there.

Hive of Activity

The evening brought with it many friends that arrived via small wings and long proboscises. Waiting patiently for their moment to feed on my red cool aid pumping beneath my skin. It was worth the several bites to sit out and enjoy a fire in the cool Michigan evening. My wife, the closet pyromaniac, was at her best stoking the fire and rearranging the logs to get the maximum heat and flame.

This morning we went off to Dearborn and home of the Ford Automotive Plant. The tour started at the Ford Museum. After boarding the bus we went of to the Rouge Plant. The oldest Automotive Plant that still is in use today.

We watched the workers on the assembly line as they completed their tasks in 60 seconds only to repeat it again when the next truck moved into their area. For 10 hours a day these workers screw, pound and secure the same pieces. Day after day they go through the same motions. It must be like living in "Ground Hog Day". I'm sure your mind just goes numb after doing the same thing over and over. That's why you see almost everyone wearing some sort of MP3 player, IPod or Radio. Something to take your mind far away.

It is amazing to see how these cars are put together and the most amazing thing for me was to see how many people are required. Even with all the technology around today they still need humans to perform these tasks.

I wish we were allowed to take pictures in the plant but they were very strict with people always watching you. As we walked around the catwalk the factory below looked like a hive with workers in their own sections busily grabbing parts and inserting them into the new car. One interesting fact I learned today is that every car being built is already paid for. They only build a car when a dealer or private individual has ordered and paid for the car. There is no surplus or warehouse sitting with cars to be sold.

Tomorrow we are headed off to explore the downtown area of Detroit.

The South Beach of the North

Today we left behind our new friends and last Resort that we worked. The Road Hazard is rolling east with its destination set for Detroit, Michigan. What we take with us from South Haven, Michigan is a couple of mosquito bites and plenty of good memories. The seasonal city is home to Chicagoians who make this their summer retreat. This Memorial Day weekend kicked off the city coming to life. It was nice because we got to enjoy it before the crowds and then enjoy the crowds.

One of the things that we really knew to look out for was the weather. Here it can change pretty quick. With the winds coming off that big body of water anything can happen. One of our first days here the wind was kicking hard. We decided to check out the lake and were surprised to see these huge waves crashing on the sandy shore.

I couldn't get any closer because it felt like I was being sand blasted as the wind kicked up the loose sand. But, from where I stood the waves looked pretty big. Remember, this is a LAKE!!!

One evening we decided to explore the local area and were delighted to stumble into this place. They really had to convince us to go inside and try this homemade style Ice Cream. The cost for all this was just as sweet. We only paid $5 for these two items in the picture above. One can get pretty fat living around here with these prices.

The big draw to this city is the beach. They have two. Very original names for them. This one is South Beach and there is another on the other side of the lighthouse / channel called, you probably guessed it, North Beach. The water is very clean and clear but you do have to watch for the occasional ice berg that floats by. Okay, maybe not but it sure does feel like it.

By the time we left the beach this day I felt like I knew so many people as all I heard most of the time was: "Arron, put that down. It isn't yours." or "Gabrielle, don't put sand in your mouth!" As I closed my heavy eyelids to usher in that much thought about nap on the beach it was often interrupted by some kid up to no good. Hey, at least they had fun. As for Gabrielle, I don't want to be around when that diaper needs changing.

South Haven is a great place to visit. The people are very friendly. The downtown area is great for walking, shopping and eating.

Now, we'll spend the next couple of days exploring Detroit and seeing where all this Stimulus Money is going. Maybe I can get a piece of that action.

The Windy City

When one hears of Chicago, Illinois there are several things that come to mind. Scarface and the Mafia, Chicago Thick Crust Pizza, Illinois Politics, Mike Ditka and Da' Bears and of course the curse on the Cubs. Being our first visit into this metropolis we were excited about what we would see. The city did not disappoint. From the moment we arrived and walked out of the parking garage we fell in love with the city. The busy activity of cars everywhere and people packed onto the sidewalks. Tall buildings that seemed to bend toward the sky when you would look straight up.

We were also surprised at how much "green" space spread around the city. This park in the picture above held an interesting piece of art. A huge reflective bean. The surface is polished to a mirror finish and as you get closer you can see the skyline of the buildings around you reflected in this curved piece of art.

With several rivers cutting the city apart there are over 50 bridges that keep the city connected. Another way to explore the city was to jump on a River Cruise and take in the sites of these beautiful buildings. With the tour guide trying to quickly give a brief history of each building we passed we sat with our heads turned up looking at these fingers touching the sky. There is the new Trump building going up...there is the building that Oprah lives in...there is the tallest building in Chicago.

The second day we brought our bicycles with us and rode along the Lake on a wide path filled with joggers, walkers and bikers. We started down at Solider Field, Home of Da' Bears and peddled all the way up to North Beach. An area large enough to hold 12 volleyball courts and plenty of sand leftover for people to relax by the always cold blue water.

We were thankful that during our visit we never encountered Bobby the Shoe or Jimmy the Hit Man with mini machine guns strapped under there London Fog Rain coats. Instead it was just the normal busy crowds of a big city. It seems at every turn in this city you will find a hidden gem.

Enjoy this slide show of all the great places we visited.

Need Help

Ok, here is the story. As some of you may know already, I discovered that I really enjoy writing our experiences on the blog. A friend called me about a week ago and told me about this winery in California was looking to hire someone. This person would be responsible in writing a blog about their experiences of learning all about the wine making process. They would help out in the fields, in the wine making process and bottling. The whole process would be told through this person on a blog. What a perfect job! After some pleading from Reta and our friend Deborah, I finally decided to upload a video. To my surprise the next day I get an email requesting a phone interview. Today, Wednesday, I spoke with the representative and she said that she has chosen to interview me because she really enjoyed my writing and loved my sense of humor. The only thing she questioned me on was why no one has voted on my video. This is where you come in. Please click on this link and enter your email address to say you think this is the best video.
http://www.areallygoodejob.com/video-view.aspx?vid=2YY7RY5ggDg
The results will be posted on June 15th and they will pick 10 people out of the bunch to fly out to California for the final interview. Oh, by the way the company is Murphy-Goode and it's a six month job. The pay is actually not bad for what I would have to do. Now that I've gotten this far I allowed myself to get a little excited about the possibility. I appreciate your help in voting for me and will let you know how we do.

Glove State

The Road Hazard is sitting in the city of South Haven, Michigan. Beautiful city on the water along Lake Michigan. With the winds coming off the water with the storm yesterday, the waves looked like you were standing on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. Huge 5 foot waves breaking on the sandy shore. We sat there in amazement watching this wonder of nature before us.
It looks like we were able to find a campground here that wants our service of site maps. The campground is beautiful and we have a site overlooking a small lake they have on the property. They even have a fitness room that we both intend to use. I'll upload some pictures that we took while visiting Chicago a few days ago. I'll also update our status here in South Haven.

Today’s True Hero

My wife and I went to Marathon, Florida earlier this year to get away from the cold winds of the north. Once there, you wake up to the sounds of Sea Gulls surfing the sky while you inhale deeply tasting the hint of salt in the air, reminding you of where you are. Later, still trying to awaken your other senses, you sit under your awning wiggling your toes in the cool sand with your first cup of coffee. Life is a postcard and we are in it. Nothing to spoil the dream…until I look over and spot someone wearing BLUE OVERALLS? Wait, that doesn’t fit into this postcard image! He’s approaching me now. But why? As he gets closer I see he is wearing a smile that seems to never leave his face. He is accompanied by a much taller fellow that I instantly recognize as my friend Jerry. Maybe Jerry is having some work done on his RV? Mr. “Overalls” extends his hand to introduce himself to me and in a soft spoken voice says, “Hello, I’m Jim. Jerry’s nephew.”
First impressions are everything and Jim showed me in those first few seconds a few of his characteristics. He loves to work which is obvious by the overalls. He can “modify” just about anything and make it run or perform its function better. Has a great sense of humor and not just because he laughs at all my jokes. He loves to polish his car and RV so much that I often wondered if it was possible to rub the paint right off. He also loves a cold beer and to play cards or board games. He’ll play his hand as well as the hand of anyone sitting next to him.
I met his wife Betty a day later as she likes to wake up a little later after everyone is busy on tasks and activities. Betty, is also soft spoken and always cautious as to what she says since Jerry and Jim are there to quickly twist her words into something funny. Soon, the friendship grew as evenings opened up to happy hours and turned into night caps. Many stories were told and retold accompanied by laughter and empty beer cans or wine bottles thrown on the grass. It was then that we were told that Jim and Betty would be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this year. WOW, 50 years! My wife and I weren’t even born then! That got me thinking of what it was like 50 years ago. I typed in a few words in Google and was surprised to discover just how long ago 50 years was. Here is just a sample of things I discovered:

The cost of a gallon of Gas was only 25 cents.
You could go to the movies and pay only a $1.00 for a ticket.
The average Cost of a new car was only $2,200.00 while the average cost of new house was $12,400.00. Average Yearly Wages was $5,010.00 Alaska becomes the 49th State and Hawaii becomes the 50th State of the United States that year.
Lee Petty wins the first Daytona 500.The Grammy Music Awards got started that year
The musical from Rodgers and Hammerstein "The Sound of Music" opens on broadway
Some famous singers of the day included Doris Day, Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald.
TV was around with Bonanza premiering on NBC as the first weekly television series broadcast completely in color. The Huckleberry Hound Show was also popular.

To just think that when these two got married all this was happening. These are things that I can only read about in history books or see at the Smithsonian Institute Museums today. They were part of history and have been part of all the other developments that have come along since then. Their married lives also moved forward along with a growing family. Today, they will talk about their kids and grandkids with a hint of pride in their voices. Only they know of the struggles that they endured and how it made them stronger. Who would have known that those two little words “I do” spoken 50 years ago would have lead to this great day.
50 years of Marriage?
Today, you can hear women say “The majority of husbands remind me of an orangutan trying to play the violin.” That’s our level of expectations? I once asked Jim what is the secret to celebrating the Golden Anniversary? He told me, over a cold beverage, that at least once a day he always makes sure to say to his bride those three words that have been displayed on cards and written in song, “Honey, you’re right!”
Marriage is a scary thing but I imagine it like being an earthquake, unpredictable, a few ups and downs, but when the hard part is over you realize how lucky you truly are.

Watching these two bike across the Pigeon Key Bridge was like watching two school kids cutting class while giggling to each other. It only makes you hope that one day you can also celebrate the Golden Nuptials. With the media today being quick to label someone as a hero they should look no further than these two and realize what an accomplishment their marriage and lives are. To spend 50 years of your life with someone and to come out productive, healthy and full of life and humor is what I call a true Hero.

Carolina Snow

Have you ever seen Carolina snow? It isn't what you would normally see up north and it isn't the type of snow that you want to be out playing in. This snow is a lime green color and usually starts to fall from the sky in the spring time. We had never heard of such a thing much less seen it. Well, it all started off at a normal pace. The Pine Trees that cover this vast area are starting to bud and produce this little flower on the ends of their branches. These little flowers also produce pollen and as the wind kicks up it gently stirs up the air with this lime green dust.

The locals tell me that this is just the beginning and that in a week it will be at its peak. Last night as we walked around the campground with our flashlights we noticed in the beam of the light being cast from the flashlight it looked as though it was snowing. I tried to take a picture to give you an idea of what we saw.

Over night the pollen continued to fall and by the time we woke up this morning everything had a fine layer of this lime green talc.

This afternoon the clouds rolled in and a few sprinkles fell and mixed with this talc creating a nice goo green past when you would try the windshield wipers on. Over the next couple of days they are calling for more rain so it should wash away the dust for now. The bad news is that next week should be the peak for pollen around here and I didn't bring our snow shovel. I may have to call on our RoadSide Assistance to come shovel us out. Hopefully Road Hazard will get traction in this stuff.

So now you can say that you've heard about Carolina Snow.

McCormick

I haven't been able to upload anything to the blog in awhile since we arrived in a small city in the southwest corner of South Carolina. Land of the Palmetto Tree and Crescent Moon. Just 50 minutes north of Augusta, Georgia. Tucked in between the hills and shore of the Savannah River lies the city of McCormick.

The temperature is still quite chilly when I wake up in the morning. Around the low 30's with the low laying mist hugging the ground until the sun warms up enough to burn it away. The campground is away from any busy roads and your only neighbors are the deer and raccoons that come by the campsite to look for anything we may have left out.
The other night we built a nice fire and sat enjoying the heat while talking about our past year on the road. What is it about a campfire that just relaxes you. Is it the crackling logs or the warm heat against your legs? Is it the smell of smoke or the dancing light across your partners face? We burned all the wood we had and then picked up what ever we could find around us not wanting the fire to die.

I have been working this State Park with my new job. Today, my first day, I spent in the small town of McCormick. I say small because there is a Main Street with a few side streets. The railroad tracks go right down the middle of town and still see quite a bit of traffic today. As I walk this Main Street and look into shop windows I can still imagine how life must have been back in the days that these small towns were so important to the Railroads. It used to be that the trains wouldn't run at night so they would stop here in McCormick for the night. Travelers would walk the block down to the local Bed and Breakfast to stay overnight. The local restaurants would be full of hungry travelers. The streets would be a hive of activity. Today, as I look around I am the only one walking around with very few cars passing by. Yet, these old buildings are still standing and telling their stories of years gone by. The faint musty smell gently hits you as you enter through the big tall glass doors. The squeaky worn wooden floor bends under your weight as you walk down the isles of displayed wares.
I am glad to be able to see yet another side of this country. Just when I thought I had seen it all I realize that there are these small communities tucked away like little gems waiting to be found.

Truck Stop

Tonight I am sitting in a huge parking lot filled with tractor trailer trucks all around us. Their big diesel engines running, the constant popping and whizzing of their air brakes and purge values going off. You might be wondering why? We are in transit to our next job site and decided to pull into this truck stop for the night. Since we are only here for the evening and will be on the road first thing tomorrow morning why spend money on a campground. We are headed up to the southwest corner of South Carolina. About 50 minutes north of Augusta, Georgia. The place we will be staying and working is called Hickory Knob State Park. It's more like a resort since they have an 18 hole golf course along with hotel and campground. We'll be there for the next two weeks as we work the area. I hope to get some golf in while we are there or at least go to the driving range a bunch of times.
For now I am entertaining myself by watching these truckers pull up in their big rigs. Maneuver them around, back them up between two other trucks with the ease of a two year old picking his nose. No thought at all.
I can only hope that the weather will continue to be hot as we move north. I think we got a little spoiled being by the ocean for the past couple of weeks. We really had forgotten how much we missed just hanging on the beach all day. Reading, sleeping, watching the waves roll in and people watching. We hope to be on a shore again soon. For now, here we come South Carolina!

Lift Off

After getting settled into our new location Sunday afternoon, here in Fort Pierce, we watched the clock closely and had the news turned on. This evening at 7:43 the Space Shuttle was to try and lift off after its three previous attempts were scrubbed due to faulty equipment. A small crowd started to gather at the swimming pool which had an unobstructed view of the northern sky.

As the clock got closer people would shout out of their rig excitedly with the time remaining. It was almost like waiting for new years with the countdown. Then as the small crowds started the countdown in unison chills started up my spine. Is it true? Was I going to witness the 128th Space Shuttle launch?

Then, as a silent star shooting across the dusk sky we saw the rockets fury as it pushed the space vehicle upwards. Too far to hear or feel the power of those engines, left to only imagine it.

Slowly the Shuttle continued to ascend. Even though it was going straight up, with the earth spinning at close to 900 miles an hour, the Shuttle looked like it was going at an angle.We were slowly moving away from the shuttle as it continued its journey to weightlessness.

We could see the two rockets get ejected off the Space Shuttle and slowly separate from each other and start the decent back to earth to be recycled and used for another launch. All that remained was a small white glowing star that got smaller and smaller. Soon all that remained to show that something spectacular had happened was the smoke left lingering in the warm Florida night sky. As the last rays of the sun bounced off the smoke it cast beautiful colors. All this took place in a matter of a minute since the Shuttle is moving at close to 16,700 miles an hour to get out of earths gravitational pull. Once it reaches 150 miles above the earths surface it will begin to orbit around the earth like another satellite.

Ruins in Florida

Not too far down the road from our campground sits a Sugar Mill Ruin, once a highly functional sugar mill. This area was once surrounded by acres and acres of Sugar Cane fields. An investor borrowed money from several banks to buy machinery and to build this mill. It was built and run by slaves.

Around 1835 the area was also home to many Seminole Indians and this plantation was right in the middle of their grounds. Soon the Indians began to attack this mill and with the help of the slaves they burned it down.

Today, all that is left are a few walls and scattered machinery parts. The large metal drums that were used to cook the sugar cane to extract the sugar and molasses are still here. The place has been forgotten and very few visitors venture back into this park. Its a part of history that doesn't get any attention and is never spoken of. We always think of Indian battles taking place out west but there were many bloody wars that happened here in Florida.

The Sugar Mill Ruins evoke a time long ago when the Seminole Indians fought the settlers, ending the area's molasses and sugar industries.

Scrub

How lucky can we be? That's the thought the kept racing through my head yesterday as the anticipation of the evenings events were drawing closer. I had seen it on television and watched with awe in movies and now I was going to get my chance of a lifetime. The Space Shuttle is going to launch tonight and it is only 40 miles down the road. We planned the entire day around this momentous event. We even left the beach early so that we could get ready and drive the 40 miles to pick our site for the launch. We wanted to get as close as possible. I wanted to feel the rumbling, the jarring deep within my chest when this space vehicle took off. If we could feel the heat and get a few hairs singed from the flames it would be a bonus.

We had our plans set and were executing them perfectly. I called ahead to the restaurant to book our reservations for a perfect view of the launch pad across the Indian River from Cape Canaveral. Instead of someone answering the phone a message came on. It informed us that the Space Shuttle launch had been scrubbed. Oh no! This can't be happening. Don't they know that we are in place for this once in a lifetime event? Don't they know that we planned the entire day for this moment. How can it be? What could have possibly have happened to scrub the launch? We found the restaurant, Paul's Smokehouse, and decided to go in and have dinner anyways. While seated at the bar downing our sours and waiting for our table we heard on the news that there was a fuel leak. They wouldn't be able to inspect the bird until Friday and the tentative launch date is set for Sunday evening at 7:43.

We were told the wait was only an hour for our table. After an hour and a half we checked back with the hostess. She said we were next. Another half hour and we finally got seated. When I asked to speak to the manager it took another hour for him to materialize and just hear excuses why their staff was doing such a poor job. Just when we thought the night was lost our friend Janice looked out the window and saw the perfect shot. The full moon had risen over the Cape and cast its light across the water.

So we didn't get to see the rockets red glare but we did witness one of natures nightly launching and its celestial show. We'll have to wait and see if our plans work out for the next attempt but we did learn a valuable lesson. Space Shuttle launches are unpredictable. That's why if you ever get the opportunity to witness a launch it truly is a once in a lifetime shot.