LoboGunLeather
US Veteran
Back at home now after 8 days travelling from southern Colorado to south-central Tennessee, then on to Tampa Bay, Florida. After more than two months of lock-down I was ready to get away.
Travelling during Wu-Flu season was an interesting challenge. Crossing Kansas was easy enough, stopping only for fuel and an occasional rest area where I made meals from my supplies in the cooler. No restaurants open except for carry-out orders.
Missouri was much the same, pretty much shut down but fuel was easy to get and the weather was decent. Spent the night in Springfield where I was entertained by constant action in the parking lot with local cops staying busy all night, and a couple of rooms occupied by loud screaming couples who were apparently suffering more from the current state of affairs than I was. Next time I will pay twice as much and hope for much less live entertainment.
On to Manchester, Tennessee where I spent the evening and night with my older son and his family. Four of the five great-grandkids were on hand to brighten my visit.
Loaded up with my son and headed down through Georgia, which features actual functioning restaurants! Nice to be able to stop for a meal when needed. Seating capacities are limited and the staff look like ER nurses, but it was a welcome change. On to Tampa, Florida and a rented cottage with full furnishings and a nice kitchen. My younger son arrived shortly after us and we proceeded to cook, and eat, and have a few adult beverages.
Next morning we were up and on the way to the dock for our charter. 28' bay boat with a local fishing guide, spent the day scooting around Tampa Bay with a sweet 250HP Yamaha motor to make the breeze work for us! Temperature was over 100F by late morning, so any breeze was welcome. Caught some snook, I brought in a 3' shark (and hooked another at least 5' but wasn't able to bring it to the net), younger son caught a small sting ray, and a bunch of catfish (1-3 lbs. each). All light tackle fishing this time, no deep water stuff. Water temperatures were in the upper 80's so the fishing action was not as good as it might be, but we had a lot of fun. No redfish (which I love), but even if we caught those we would have to release them due to the red tide event a few months ago that messed up the local waters pretty badly.
Florida bars and restaurants are also open, with some limitations. We enjoyed the following day knocking around the area, and eating some more, and having a few more adult beverages. Daytime temps over 100F so any air conditioned space is preferable to most outdoor activities.
I learned about (or perhaps re-learned an old lesson) shaving with a sunburn. Not recommended!
Following day younger son went back to his business in Jacksonville and older son and I went back to Tennessee. Another nice visit with the family, then I came home. Travelled back through Arkansas and Oklahoma, both seriously shut down which makes travelling a bit of a grind. Stayed overnight at Enid, Oklahoma (very nice smaller city).
Interesting experience at an Oklahoma turnpike toll station. No attendant on duty, so one lane for pre-pay passes and one lane for cash (change only, no bills). Toll was a buck, and in my pockets and console I found 97 cents. Threw that into the machine, no action. Phone number posted to call with any problems, called that number and received a 3-minute recorded message on how to purchase a pre-pay toll pass, no live operator. Traffic started stacking up behind me so I went ahead, the alarms went off, and I pulled over to the shoulder. Waited for about a half-hour expecting to meet one of Oklahoma's finest, but no one ever showed up. I expect I will be receiving a nasty-gram from the Oklahoma toll authorities over my 3-cent deficit, maybe a stiff fine, perhaps an arrest warrant. We'll see what comes.
For those of you folks who have lasted this long through a fairly boring account, there is one thing that I have not figured out. All through this trip (3700 miles including southeast Kansas, southern Missouri, a bit of Kentucky, Tennessee north-to-south, Florida panhandle, Arkansas, and eastern Oklahoma) I think I saw at least one dead armadillo on the road for every mile or two driven. Is this a mass suicide event among armadillos? Are there any left in the woods or the weeds? I don't recall ever seeing so many armadillos at any time in my life.
So, that's it. No big excitement. No big fish stories (except for the 5' shark that wasn't very cooperative with my efforts). Just a pretty good time for an old guy and my two middle-aged sons. Well worth the drive!
Travelling during Wu-Flu season was an interesting challenge. Crossing Kansas was easy enough, stopping only for fuel and an occasional rest area where I made meals from my supplies in the cooler. No restaurants open except for carry-out orders.
Missouri was much the same, pretty much shut down but fuel was easy to get and the weather was decent. Spent the night in Springfield where I was entertained by constant action in the parking lot with local cops staying busy all night, and a couple of rooms occupied by loud screaming couples who were apparently suffering more from the current state of affairs than I was. Next time I will pay twice as much and hope for much less live entertainment.
On to Manchester, Tennessee where I spent the evening and night with my older son and his family. Four of the five great-grandkids were on hand to brighten my visit.
Loaded up with my son and headed down through Georgia, which features actual functioning restaurants! Nice to be able to stop for a meal when needed. Seating capacities are limited and the staff look like ER nurses, but it was a welcome change. On to Tampa, Florida and a rented cottage with full furnishings and a nice kitchen. My younger son arrived shortly after us and we proceeded to cook, and eat, and have a few adult beverages.
Next morning we were up and on the way to the dock for our charter. 28' bay boat with a local fishing guide, spent the day scooting around Tampa Bay with a sweet 250HP Yamaha motor to make the breeze work for us! Temperature was over 100F by late morning, so any breeze was welcome. Caught some snook, I brought in a 3' shark (and hooked another at least 5' but wasn't able to bring it to the net), younger son caught a small sting ray, and a bunch of catfish (1-3 lbs. each). All light tackle fishing this time, no deep water stuff. Water temperatures were in the upper 80's so the fishing action was not as good as it might be, but we had a lot of fun. No redfish (which I love), but even if we caught those we would have to release them due to the red tide event a few months ago that messed up the local waters pretty badly.
Florida bars and restaurants are also open, with some limitations. We enjoyed the following day knocking around the area, and eating some more, and having a few more adult beverages. Daytime temps over 100F so any air conditioned space is preferable to most outdoor activities.
I learned about (or perhaps re-learned an old lesson) shaving with a sunburn. Not recommended!
Following day younger son went back to his business in Jacksonville and older son and I went back to Tennessee. Another nice visit with the family, then I came home. Travelled back through Arkansas and Oklahoma, both seriously shut down which makes travelling a bit of a grind. Stayed overnight at Enid, Oklahoma (very nice smaller city).
Interesting experience at an Oklahoma turnpike toll station. No attendant on duty, so one lane for pre-pay passes and one lane for cash (change only, no bills). Toll was a buck, and in my pockets and console I found 97 cents. Threw that into the machine, no action. Phone number posted to call with any problems, called that number and received a 3-minute recorded message on how to purchase a pre-pay toll pass, no live operator. Traffic started stacking up behind me so I went ahead, the alarms went off, and I pulled over to the shoulder. Waited for about a half-hour expecting to meet one of Oklahoma's finest, but no one ever showed up. I expect I will be receiving a nasty-gram from the Oklahoma toll authorities over my 3-cent deficit, maybe a stiff fine, perhaps an arrest warrant. We'll see what comes.
For those of you folks who have lasted this long through a fairly boring account, there is one thing that I have not figured out. All through this trip (3700 miles including southeast Kansas, southern Missouri, a bit of Kentucky, Tennessee north-to-south, Florida panhandle, Arkansas, and eastern Oklahoma) I think I saw at least one dead armadillo on the road for every mile or two driven. Is this a mass suicide event among armadillos? Are there any left in the woods or the weeds? I don't recall ever seeing so many armadillos at any time in my life.
So, that's it. No big excitement. No big fish stories (except for the 5' shark that wasn't very cooperative with my efforts). Just a pretty good time for an old guy and my two middle-aged sons. Well worth the drive!
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