Washed Up in Savannah

Location: Savannah, GA
Ride: here
Ah, the sunny Savannah days and it's famous foggy nights... I have no idea what I am talking about, but that's what I have experienced, so it is so. Yeah, that's me last night having a late night walk. Giving a place time to grow on me, as I am doing this time around, has made a big difference.

Last year, even though it took me three months to get across the country, I still feel like I rushed it a bit. This time it's more of a crawl, and I'm enjoying the suck-it-in part.

The riding gets poor grades here, I'm afraid. I did mix it up the past couple of days, a ride east the first day, a ride west yesterday. Over a hundred miles in all. It's the traffic issue and you can't get around it. I realize that I have gotten really tolerant of almost any riding situation (out of necessity) but I was nerve wracked yesterday on my ride out towards Tybee Island.

The entire point was just to see the ocean, but my head was on a swivel the whole time, and all I can remember of note was (1) actually stopping at the beach, and (2) the walnut banana loaf and the chocolate chip cookie I had at The Jitterbug Bakery once on the island.

Can't say much for the food either, although there is a hipster scene here, and there is the Savannah School of Art and Design, which has badly nicknamed itself SCAD which makes me think of the words scab, slab, and scat.

It has other things going wrong for it as well, which is specifically the amount of homeless and the corresponding crime rate. And don't get all righteous on me, I don't have a solution for it, it's just a matter of fact and it taints the towns image.

I give majority props to the fantastic bakeries like Back in the Day, where I had a Lavender cookie and a ham and cheese croissant that were damn straight on both counts.

The town itself is beautiful, almost European in layout. Shit, they even have a fountain, and a big one at that. So I like it, despite the crappy riding, but I wouldn't choose it as a place to place my hat.

Oh yeah, about the food part. Last night I didn't feel like choosing where to eat dinner so I took some suggestions from friends. The vote was "Lady and Sons." Now, I don't watch TV so I did not know who Paula Deen was but I went anyway. And it sucked. The waitress would not leave me alone, and the food was no better than diner fare. Don't do it.

But this was the worst part and listen up restauranteurs. In my mind, you will always suck if you only have a hand dryer in the bathroom and no way for me to leave without putting my freshly washed hands on the doorknob. I can use my sleeve, yeah for sure, but I shouldn't have to. I've been in a lot of restaurant bathrooms and I know less than 50% of my disgusting species washes after fondling.

A good restaurant will have towels and a trashcan directly near the exit. Enough said.

I have also come to realize that I am a great big pussy lately. I realize confidence ebbs and flows, but here is a good example of how ebbed/flowed it has been:

Lonely road SW of Savannah. 

Two day ago I did my three hours on the bike and when I got back into town I stopped at Gallery Espresso for a bite and a coffee. Sitting in a window seat there, was a beautiful girl. 

Since I don’t have a lock, when I walked in I asked if she might keep an eye on the bike while I ordered some food. She smiled and said she would. Once I had my food, I walked back over and told her she was off duty, and that I could see it from where I was sitting.

On my way back to my seat, I glanced back and I caught her doing the same. Eyes met, little smirks. Bam.

And what did I do? Yep, I kept right on walking away.  I did not follow my most basic rule: which is if you get a second look that’s the chance. I drop kicked that chance away right then and there. And I sat and ate my food and punished myself by formulating a rebound but no, I had learned my own lesson. You can't hit a ball already in the catchers mitt. 

On the way out, I gave myself a "fuck it" and I told her to have a good day and she smiled nicely and looked me in the eyes and said the same. So she gave me another chance, and guess what I did? You're damn right;  I walked right out that door, went home, and had a nap. 

Give me credit for admitting, but ain't that pitiful? I'm not worried, moxy is a fickle lover and will return. Whenever in doubt, I channel two things: (1) the twenty second of courage rule from "We Bought a Zoo" and (2) knowing that the answer will always be "No" if you never ask.

Anyway, going out on the bike here in a bit just for a stroll-around, maybe take some pictures, have an espresso, people watch. It's a good town for that, no question.

Tomorrow I make way to St. Augustine, FL. I know nothing about St. Augustine and I will not be taking any food recommendations from any of you who told me to go to Paula Deens.

Thank you. And good night.

Some park with a fountain. Probably a big deal.