2018 Scooter Diaries: OYSTER TOURS

OK, LET THE RIDES BEGIN

OYSTER TOUR #1

February 17

The call came in that it was time for another Oyster Tour. So on Saturday Bill arrived around 1 from Jacksonville and Capt. Gary rolled in around 4. Dinner was at the Casual Clam along with neighbor Rich and fellow Cannonballer Walt and his wife Helen.

Bill and Gary in the never ending construction garage

The gang at the Clam. The interesting thing here is the lady in the top right corner
of the picture, not in our group, passed out on the table and the fire dept came to
taker here away.

February 18

Breakfast was with the boys from Newberry and we saddled up and headed south across the bridge to Palmetto to meet Terrythevanman and his lovely wife Nada. He is British but now retired to Malta. Nada is Lebanese and American and, until recently, held a Lebanese, British and American passport. She recently turned one of those in. They travel to the Sarasota area every winter and are in hopes of buying something here soon. We had a great time. Terry, being like a lot of Brit's, is a great story teller and he detailed his adventure into narrow boating in England during his retirement. Nada and I talked about her very interesting years growing up in America, Cairo and Lebanon.

We said our goodbyes and headed east to Avon Park. We found a couple of roads with a curve or two and that is about as exciting as a ride can get central Florida.

Bob, a former space center worker, had driven over to meet us from Titusville and was waiting at the Jacaranda when we arrived. Our favorite restaurant 18 East is closed on Sunday's so we walked to the first Taco stand we came to and had a great dinner.

Terry, the other two, and Nada

Gary, Bob, and Bill ordering at the taco stand

Bill ordering corn in a cup

She thinks we used to date back in Thailand

February 19

I had chosen a mini-suite, the cheapest in America, to stay in last night as I thought Vicki was coming to stay, but once she heard 18 East was closed, she declined and the $8 extra for the room was not going to break me. It had a door directly on to the shared balcony and a nice setting room. It also had a jet engine, disguised as air handler, over the bed. You can not turn it off as it is part of the system for the whole hotel. What little sleep I got was on the couch in the setting room. Thanks for the mini-suite.

Breakfast was at the Depot a standard small town dinner. Portions are huge and I just ordered a sausage biscuit. We sat around for a while discussing the clientele just as they were discussing us.

Coffeed up, we headed for the Farmall tractor museum near Lakeland only to find out before arrival it was closed for Presidents Day. The ride was OK except when we had to penetrate the I-4 corridor with lots of build up in the area. Other wise it was just water buffalo and the sweet smell of citrus in bloom.

First stop was at Jim's house, a fellow scooter guy, who is building a great little camping trailer to pull behind his Vespa. I can not share the pictures at his request as he is attempting purchase a dormant patent on the tongue design. We road to lunch in Jim's 2001 VW camper with over 200,000 miles and still looks and runs like new. The lunch was good. I don't know if that is because it tasted good or it took so long to get.

Back on the road we headed for Cedar Key. This is back on the straight roads we have done many times with nothing interesting. Our choice of lodging tonight is the Dockside Inn, a small place setting out over the water on the pier. When we first started coming here Gary, not the Capt, had just arrived to manage it. We took bets on how long he would be here and we all lost the bet as he lasted over a year. I was even there the day he finally got off probation. But, alas, he is back in rehab and probably off to the states hotel for a while. Young Lawrence Oliver, Jr was running it today as his daddy was in Cheifland, the nearest big town, shopping. He did a great job of checking us in and sending us on our way. We are taking bets on Lawrence Sr. now.

blossoming citrus

I don't think he is from around here

Gary and Jim parked behind Jim's VW

young Lawrence checking us in

February 20

After coffee and breakfast at the Daily Grind, one of my most favorite coffee shops in the world, we hit the road. Did a little dirt riding in the Lower Suwanee Reserve and then stopped in to visit the bat houses, though they were all sleeping.

Next stop was Cross City for gas where we met Tom. Tom retired to Cross City because he could actually own something here, i.e. real estate is cheap. He had grown up in Homestead, Fl working at his dad's gas station. He saved all his money until he had $400 or enough to buy his first Vespa at the age of 14. He claims that was then and still is one of the proudest moments of his life. His friend bought a Cushman and they rode them everywhere. Over hill over dale and on the dusty trail all the way to Key West. Us pulling up at the gas pumps the same time as him was like old home week.

On we went to Perry, where we found, much to dismay, that Pouncy's had once again closed. It has been around since the '50's but has been in and out of business many many times. We said goodbye to Capt Gary who headed home to Dothan as Bill and I pointed west for Apalachicola.

We arrived at Lynn's Oyster's in Eastpoint a few hours later and quickly ordered a dozen and a beer. We discovered that Apalachicola oyster beds have been closed for months and probably for years. Donna Jo thinks they should be closed to give them a chance to recover as they have just about been fished out. They were serving Texas oyster and I can tell you after the second dozen they were just fine.

We over nighted at Bill's favorite the old Gibson Inn. Dinner was at a new restaurant to us, The Owl. The food was great and so was the service once Rachal found us out on the balcony all by ourselves. Thank you Bill for buying.

Tom talking Vespas

Bill and Lynn just a little shorter than Donna Jo

Oh yea, this is the exhaust gasket. It is worn out and once again I am on the ground changing it in front of the Gibson.

February 21

We are up and coffeed and on the road by 7:30. One stop for fuel and one to save a turtle and we are in Perry. Bill continued east to Jacksonville and I headed south for home. All today was just long straight roads, but they do get me home by mid-afternoon.

Saving the turrtle

Hmmm which to pick

This Kenny. I saw him yesterday when we were going the other way. His goal is to peddle to all 48 states.

I have always wanted to stop at this roadside train. So today I combined the stop with lunch from Popeyes that I have not had in years. Nothing exciting about either. The only info on the train was "don't climb over the fence" and a plaque saying the land was donated by Georgia Pacific.

#2 Oyster Tour…..hold the OystersMarch 28

Time for the spring float on the river. We have done this the last two years and really enjoyed so we worked up another one. Dave wanted to do the Peace River out of Arcadia, so I began making reservations. The Canoe Outpost in Arcadia was not able to accommodate us on our selected day, so we moved it from Wednesday to Thursday. Our desire to stay at the Oak Park Inn, one of Florida’s oldest hotels, was dashed when I called the owner and they said they were damaged in hurricane Irma and not sure they would reopen. See the picture below. So, we went to our fall back position, the good old Jacaranda in Avon Park.

We all arrived at the Jac just out of the lunch hour. This place is becoming a second home for me. The people greet me by name when I walk and seem glad to see us. For the first time ever, I was able to take part in their seasonal lunch buffet. I had to get an age waiver as the minimum age seems to be 80 to get in. Since I am on a serious diet, I have to get down to less than 250 pounds for the Dakar to Dakar in West Africa scooter rally in January, I only had salad and one piece of fried chicken (a legal requirement in the south). It was hard to judge the food from that limited selection of a very large buffet.

I walked around town and by mid-afternoon Bill and Jim arrived. We set on the front stoop and caught up on what has been happening, mainly about Jim’s new camper trailer that he built from scratch to pull behind his scooter or motorcycle. At happy hour time we roamed across the street to the 18 East, http://www.beststeakaround.com/, the only real restaurant in town.

Food and service was excellent. However, they had to guitar players singing. They are of the group that believes if you cannot sing good, sing louder. I real took a lot away from the event.

The day was over by 9 pm for all of us.

This is the official Rigid repair shop for all of Tampa

I was mot sure these guys would ever stop with the small talk.

Day 2 March 29

We were on the road by 8:30 for the hour ride over to the Canoe Outpost. In the past, we have been just about the only people on the river in the middle of the week this time of year. This year we failed to account for Spring Break. Not only for college students but for local schools as well. This translates to a crowd. Larry, Dave, and Celeste were there waiting on us.

After checking in, we loaded up on the bus and headed 8 miles north to put in point. We all had canoes as the river was to low for kayaks. We paired off two to a canoe and headed south. The weather was perfect, except the occasional strong winds on the nose. For me that was no problem as my partner, Jim, is a Canoe the World Instructor, or something like that, and has canoed north of the artic circle and he could paddle hard. So, I let him. We drifted and paddled for about four hours, not passing anything exciting. Just a few alligators and a lot of families searching for shark’s teeth.

For lunch we wandered in to downtown Arcadia to the Deli. Arcadia has a fairly thriving downtown, which is a lot different from Avon Park. Lunch was great, the staff friendly, and the conversation interesting. After lunch Dave and Larry bid their goodbyes and drove back to St. Pete. We wandered downtown, and Jim and Bill had home made ice cream at a little shop and I had an expresso. The ice cream greatly exceeded the value of the expresso.

Back on the noble steeds Bill took the lead. He plotted us a mixed route. A third was on a un-busy four lane, a third was on a back road, and a third was on a dirt road. We arrived back at the Jacaranda a little sunburned and a little dusty. I went the room to make some calls and the rest sat on the veranda chatting, when another Vespa pulled up. Aboard it was a snowbird from Maine who was coming for the buffet. He too got a waver as he was only in his sixties.

We convinced him to go to dinner with us. So, the men marched across the street to 18 East so I could have a martini and Bill could have a beer. Dave the owner waited on us and we explained our displeasure with last night’s music and we believed tonight’s band was more reasonable in sound levels. “Yea, I know, but they play the songs these old people want to hear, especially the Canadians!” “The Canadians” is a inside joke between Floridians. He took our drink orders and brought me what seemed like a triple as it would not all fit in the glass, so he brought it in side glass. I immediately reduced the volume of the full glass by spilling some on the table. After our happy hour, we gathered up Celeste and headed for the Taco stand. An interesting place. In a screened in area outside they make tacos, and in the attached store, they have a kitchen that serves everything else. We ordered a dozen flauta’s for $6, some ribs for $4, and some tacos. We thought they were good, but you could tell that newcomer Brian was thinking twice about passing up the buffet.

Back at the Jac, we bid Brain goodbye and went into the lobby. I like everyone that works in this place but tonight’s front desk clerk, Tamara, gets extra points as she always greets me with a loud “Mr. Wilson”. We all stood around and she regaled us with tales of the dorm half of the hotel. This year they decided to mix sex’s on the floors and it ain’t going well. They are all athletes, mostly on scholarship, and the staff has to keep reminding them that their hormones are going to get them booted out of the dorm, the only one for the whole school, and quite likely will lose their scholarship. They seem to be a little slow getting it.

I was off to bed about 9:30 and the others stayed on for a short while.

Jim paddled my fat ass around using only his left side and it shows

brian and his Vespa

Tamara my favorite front desk lady

Day 3

Celeste decided to stay another day and lay next to the pool and read and do nothing. She enjoys escaping here just as I do and in fact is the one that brought the place to my attention.

After breakfast we all scattered. Bill left first around 7 trying to beat the weather that was moving in on Jax, followed by Jim. I had less than a two hour ride so I left at a leisurely pace.

A great ride until 27 miles east of Parish my drive belt broke. It had been trying to get my attention for some time, but I knew I was doing a major servicing getting ready for the ride to the west coast, so ignored it. It was not going to be ignored no more.

I worked the options through in my mind. Fix on the side of the road, but this could be a lot of work. So, I called for a tow, intent on taking to Darren, a great mechanic, just 31 miles down the road, but I had to be there before 2 pm. That all imploded when the tow truck called and said they were coming from Clearwater, 81 miles away, and would take 90 minutes to get there. Mind you there were 28 tow companies within 31 miles of me, put Progressive picked this one. I found a Coors box and sat across the road in the shade until the tow arrived. Thankfully we were in telephone communications as the dispatcher was sending them another 20 miles past my location.

By 3:30, Fred and I were tucked back into the new garage. I went inside to refreshment and left Fred for another day.

Bill at the free breakfast

And off he goes

This facility is in the middle of nowhere. It has a beautiful campus with about a half mile driveway leading to it.

The escaping from every hole

Fred set here for several hours while I was across the road in the shade

Another Day.

In my mind I was sure that I had changed the drive belt at 7,000, well with in limits. I now had 15,191 miles on Fred and nowhere could I find a record of changing the belt. I had changed belts on several others at that time and I was sure I had done Fred’s but evidently not. No wander it disintegrated.

I pulled Fred apart and there was almost nothing left of the belt. What was left, was all wrapped in the clutch, a very hard part to disassemble. The decision was made to take the scooter down to Darren and let him put it back together. This accomplished two things. First, it took him less than ten minutes to disassemble the clutch as he has the right tools and second it was great having his trained eye look at the whole bike as he reassembled looking for other flaws. Fortunately, there were none visible, so I headed home. I will do some electrical work and oil change and Fred will be ready for his first cross country ride.