Judy Grillo
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Onward, it's spring.

3/30/2019

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After two weeks in hiding, I thankfully had plans to reconnect with friends I've met along the way, and headed northwest toward the Gulf side. There were three folks I was looking forward to seeing again, and I was lucky to find a lovely wilderness park in New Port Richey where I could camp for a week at a really good price. While I was in the middle of civilization (about 10 miles south of Tampa), the park is  over 8,000 acres with hundreds of bird species, deer, wild turkeys, armadillos and wild boar. Best of all, there's walking trails and a 7-mile paved bike trail that connects to the 42-mile Suncoast Trail. Heaven!    

I was happy to be back in my tent in the woods, and started my first day with a visit from Cathy, a gal I met 3 years ago on Sebastian Inlet. We've been attempting a face-to-face all this time as she's also nomadic, in a camper van. She actually spent a night in a Cracker Barrel parking lot in order to connect with me. After a few hours of catching up over coffee & muffins, we talked and trail-walked, then parted ways with the hope of an annual reunion. The next day, I arrived at the RV spot of Judy & Sid from Pennsylvania. We met 2 years ago on Jekyll Island and this is our second reunion. This couple knows how to welcome you into their lives, eat well, tell stories, and laugh often. We did all these things, as well as cycling, swimming, sunbathing, and sitting by the campfire. They will soon be settling into a Florida homestead so I know where to find them! 

With just 5 days remaining in March and plans to roll out of Florida on the 1st, I found an affordable Airbnb just west of St. Augustine. What a sweet little surprise this has been -- Green Cove Springs has a population of 7,000 and my stay in the Lake Asbury neighborhood has been peaceful, comfortable, relaxing, and social. I've not only had interesting conversations, found fun local sites, and biked and walked around the lake daily, but also had another unexpected reunion. Emily and I met last year camping in Fort Pierce and have stayed in touch. Much to my surprise, she now lives 1.5 hours away and made the trek so we could catch up in person over an amazing breakfast at the Black Creek Cafe. 

My Florida season began happily with long-time friends in South Florida, and is now coming to a close happily thanks to newly-made traveling friends. Next year, I'll avoid the middle!        
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An Insane Asylum Developed on a Sandbar

3/11/2019

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Thank heaven I'm returning to blog as I have no idea where February went and now March is nearly half over! Is time flying by because I'm lackadaisical or is it my ostrich in the sand behavior?

It's sunny, hot, and the ocean in Central Florida is in the low '70s right now. Honestly, it feels like summer in Florida, with really warm temps and brief afternoon showers or thunderstorms. So, no surprise, it appears that most everyone from Canada to Texas is here. I've met a couple from South Dakota, with their life in tow, moving to Sebastian, and another couple from Vancouver BC who have been driving their humongous RV cross-country for a number of years.  The solution? This spring, they're moving to Prince Edward Island to make the winter commute simpler every season.

I'm not sure how this eroding sandbar is going to hold the influx in the years to come. I continue to hope that climate change will heat things up a bit to the north! Florida now has 21 million residents, nearly a million snowbirds, and an unknown number of tourists in any given week (with March as the busiest month). While most of 95 and the Turnpike are 10 lanes, the brain surgeons in charge don't seem to recognize what happens when people get off the exits (yes, A1A is still two lanes in most places).

Public transport? Don't be ridiculous; we can't survive without income tax and gas tax!  My two favorite road observations to date -- waiting to cross Federal Highway and counting NINE cars going through the red light before stepping off the curb (in Stuart). Then, in the no-longer-peaceful town of Sebastian, the car behind me driving onto the swale & sidewalk to take a right turn on red. I'm sure it was an emergency.

Need to food shop? Don't go early, as there's some reason why people queue up with their shopping carts 20 minutes before Aldi opens, and don't joke ("Are they giving something away?"), as very few people will laugh. Need a tire rotation? You best have 2-3 hours to wait as only the very hungry show up for the $11/hour job. Plan accordingly.  

Now, it's March and the real amateur tourists are here. My favorites so far are a couple from Michigan who spent an hour in the nearby campsite on speaker phone calling friends to brag how great it is here. I checked out and got a refund, which was a very brave act, as tent camping is limited and restricted to 2-week stays at most locations. Every square of dirt is worth far more as an RV parking spot. Best story yet from a "green" Ottawa couple -- the Okeechobee RV "Resort" (yes, mid-state) offered them a pop-up space for just $85/night.  Sleeping indoors via AirBnb has become cheaper and quieter, but I want to be outside!

Perhaps you're wondering why I'm not already pointing north today. A simple answer -- it's Bike Week (no, not bicycles) in Daytona, so even if I could ignore the noise and smell, every sleeping spot within a 50+-mile radius is booked. I'm ​no longer finding Carl Hiaasen novels funny.

Read the title of this post again. I wasn't kidding.

For those of you who remember my summer tour, I will say I am oh-so-missing Marysville, Kansas, Plainview, Nebraska and Dubuque, Iowa.  As I chant "serenity now, serenity now," it is these small towns with kind people that I imagine. It's also been a good time for me to be constructive -- working one day a week freelancing; getting taxes done; prepping my car for travel; reading a bundle of books; and pondering 2019, as well as life in one place perhaps, in a year or two. Of course, I've clocked more than a thousand miles on the bike seat to date; my only true relief.

Has it really been all insanity in Florida for me this year? Of course not. I've reconnected with many friends & acquaintances, with more reunions still to come.  I've enjoyed many beautiful spots by the water at peaceful times of the day.  I also recognize that what many people now seem to accept as "normal" just isn't normal or necessary to me. And, thanks to years of being on the road now, I've developed the ability to simply shake my head, walk away, and (I hope) be a more civilized person.

Yes, George, "We're trying to live in a society here." I think.
   

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    Cyclist, writer, teacher, avid reader, bike/ped advocate, nomad, pie lover

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