Finally out of Florida

I finally made a big push to get out of Florida. My time spent there was good to catch up but the surf was a real bust. After St. Auggies I headed to a Small town called Surf City North Carolina. I did my first urban stealth camp right in the parking lot of the fishing pier. Fishing is huge her and there are fisherman coming and going all night . Fairly busy place and it was easy to blend in, sort of. The blue bomb with Ca. plates is a little conspicuous as if I need to say. I pulled in there around 130 am and just couldn't justify the coin for a room or a camp site. Who knows where the campground is anyway. The next morning I was able to get some small clean waves. After the all time worst breakfast at the all time dirtiest greasy spoon. I was under way for the outer banks ferries. It seemed like a long day of travel. I got to the ferry terminal and I had no reservation. Luck was with me and I boarded the 2 o'clock and connected a few minutes later with the second ferry boat. At the terminal I met a couple of fellow VW bus folks and after 4 hours of visiting on the boat ride we caravaned to the KOA campground on the outer banks. It wasn't what I had planned but after the first nit and a couple of real waves I decide to spend the rest of this swell right here.
It was really great having somebody else to camp with . Arron and Ashley are fron Erie Pa. No two nicer people. Of course they are Bus people. True VW folks Ashley drives a new beetle and Arrons daily is a Golf. Then he has 2 Busses. A man after my own heart. They left today for the north.
Saturday morning was proof that I was woefully under gunned. So I had to make due with surfing Just the slightly overhead hucking barrels on offer today. What a wave! Just like the magazines.
Back in Surf City the best waves are next to the pier, of course, but surfing within 300 ft. of the pier can result in 50-500. dollar fine. And if you surf you must wear a leash. How strange is that. Fortunately for me it was just a get wet and go session. The locals are mellow and one guy even gave me the lowdown on the route here. Thanks Joe. I am gonna shut up for now. I am having power issues so sorry no pics

St. Augustines

I arrived in St. Augustine to spend the after noon at the beach and catch a surf. Maybe I should say a crappy surf. The water was warm. If it had not been for someone else out I may have not gone. It really was that good. The Northeast wind has been blowing for 3 straight days now. Not so good for the surf but helps keep the Mauzies down. Last night though was just too hot and the bugs kicked my ass. At 2 am I left my camp site and went for a snooze in the day use area. Now that was a smart move. Its breezy enough that I could open all the doors and no Mauzies. That the upside to being mobile I guess. I sure had a nice nap then. I am however not going to get to town and do the tourist thing. I will save that for another trip. I feel the need to get on the road and get out of Fla. I have some miles ahead. Hopefully when I get to N. Carolina tropical storm Fred will create something to surf on there.

To me this is what Daytona has become. SPRAWL. To bad. Ormond beach is the total opposite. And of course St. Augustines has tried to stay this way. Nice place. Why do all the Bugs here bite ME?

As a little side note : I had a squirrel in my bus as soon as I turned my back. It had no idea just how much I wished my dog was here. We both hate squirrels.

No News is not good news

I had a great visit with old friends from the central coast here in Satellite Beach. I was gonna have dinner with Brown Bus Troy and his wife but He wasn`t feeling well. I figure why stay here for another day of no waves when I can be farther along with no waves somewhere else. I originally headed for St. Augustine's but while on the way there I had to pass by my friend Mikes old stomping ground. So a stop seemed in order. Had some decent Mex. at Clancy's on Flagler ave. I think I will be able to get some small waves today. Then stop for lunch at THE seafood place here in New Smyrna. Off to St Augustine's. No new photos. I forgot my Camera again. I can sometimes be a lousy tourist as well as a lousy typist. Tell me " Why do all the bugs here bite"?

Out of Fort Lauderdale

Its funny how things can work out sometimes. Regardless of the clock in my head or the pain in my back from sitting too long,the traffic,the stops for fuel, the tinkering on the car, food, what ever it may be. The time is the time I get there. So yesterday after all that I pull over at a pizzeria in Melbourne beach. Its getting almost dark thirty. I have no plans but I know that I should have some food before my choices are narrowed to junk food. So Pappgallos it is. There are many pizza joints around here I might add. They have a killer eggplant parm for 9 bucks. After my meal I meander, and check out the nav system looking for a place to crash for the night. I make a few calls and one that I choose from the navigator is some guys name and he asks me where I got his number and about the snafu a couple of years ago and that from time to time he gets a call like this. Well as luck would have it he directs me to Wickham park in the middle of Melbourne. So after knowing that I don't have to backtrack or drive another hour I am stoked. I walk out of the restaurant and there is this clean yellow bus parked next to mine and in it is Brown Bus from the Samba. He asks me my name and a while back he had offered me a place to urban camp and a shower. They had put a note on my window and were about to leave. So how is that for timing. You can`t make plans like that. I went to the Wickham and the Night watch Park ranger is a VW person so I got the Killer spot. But I am gonna have dinner with Brown Bus and his wife tonight. Its a good set up. People never cease to surprise me.

I am a little behind on the photos but here are a few from Lauderdale and Deerfield.

I am such a tramp

So the day that I surfed Hightower beach was really the end of a small disturbance. I was lucky that day. Since then it has been flat in S. Florida. The time here in Fort Lauderdale has been relaxing and I am eating very well. Hernons wife is a chef and her mother is a great cook and asked if I was gonna stay for a little celebration for her grand daughter. She is making a Peruvian pork roast. I was gonna head out today but thought, if I leave and travel on Sunday what is the point of leaving that pork roast behind. It good to not be a vegetarian. I could leave and head north to the campground and flat surf, maybe a hotdog with some mac and cheese for dinner... or I can hang out just a little longer and get fat. HMMM...I`ll get fat.
Note that after 2 weeks or more I finally figured out how to find and reply to comments. I am fat and challenged. Gotta eat.

Made the East coast

I can no longer say that I have never driven across the country. I can say that I did it in a 38 year old VW bus. Its a good car. The drive from Florence Al. to Cocoa Beach Fla. was without incident and for the most part long. I pushed through to arrive as I really needed a surf. It had been nearly 3 weeks since my last paddle out. I had encountered some rainy, blustery conditions on the road through Florida. The good part is that it made the heat a little more tolerable. When I finally did get off the highway and make it to the sand I was pleasantly surprised to find some waist high warm water waves. Now it not to say that I had travelled all this way for that, but something is better than nothing. Crowd was lite and the few guys in the water were cool I did tell one guy what I was doing, He said I was nuts. I will be sure to keep it a secret next time.
After a short surf I pushed on to Fort Lauderdale where I have people. I made it in time for a late dinner and a nice visit with friends and their new wives. It was nice. But the weather here is tough for me. I can only imagine what it must have been like when the first railroad was put in through Florida. Who thought that it would be a good idea to build where there is just swamps. Yea I guess that it takes imagination. Well I will try to get back as I have to run off for now. Sorry No pics. In my excitement to get waves I forgot.

Family time in Florence Al.

After leaving E.S. Ar. I did a overnight stay in Memphis. Bar B Q was just ok and the music is still alive and well there. Had a chance to get my new hat at Lansky and sons. Then it was off to Florence Al.

If it wasn`t for family in Florence Al. I don`t know that I would spend much time here. It was good to spend time with them doing nothing at all. It is a nice small town. If I lived in a place like this I think I would go a little crazy as there is no beach or I would work a lot. I just don`t know how people that don`t surf get along. I am ready for the beach.

This is a picture of a Frank Loyd Wright designed home. It is made of plywood/wood and glass. The Rosenbaum Home even had a Frank Loyd Wright designed remodel. It still has 95% of the original plywood furniture in it. Cool pad and cooler car...ehh.