Snake Hoppin In Gainesville

Location: Gainesville, FL

Sometimes I go somewhere because someone tells me I should. And since I am disinclined to question anyone's judgement when I don't know a single thing to the contrary, I will. And that's what led me to Gainesville.

While the city itself doesn't do too much for me, I enjoyed it mostly. There are several nice pedestrian areas with lots of bars and restaurants. The University of Florida is beautiful, although I don't understand why the frat/sorority houses are so ugly. They look hastily built, and as if someone, too late to the party, came by and said,"It looks like a fucking prison. Add white pillars and hope no one notices."

Florida is all rida by me.

Location: St. Augustine, FL

I didn't ride today, although I had planned to. It wasn't because it was a little dreary or that I woke up a little later than normal, it just didn't strike me. So I decided to get some chores done, specifically re-stock at a CVS nearby. I found out why I didn't ride my bike once at the counter. 

At the cashier next to me was a young women, late teens I would call her, and she had a shopping cart full of juice, eggs, bread, diapers, your basic shit. She was handing the cashier some sort of checks, like three or four of them, and I couldn't hear the name of them but I guess they were some sort of welfare tickets or something.

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.

Why Not?

Location: Athens, GA
Yesterday was everything I never wanted. I had toilet fever, or as someone put it more kindly, the "tummy flu." I don't know which cook to shake my finger at, but I think it had more to do with the 830 miles I did in 23 days and the 36,000 calories I replenished with Miller Lite, bananas, and butter-heavy dinners. I feel better after 15 hours in bed, but also a little restless. 

So I'm pulling the trigger, and I'm headed to Savannah on Monday.

I love when I tell people where I am going next and get the following reaction: "Why the hell are you going there?" And my answer is "Because I have never been there," which is just another version of "Why not?" That usually ends that discussion.

Breeze-Like

Location: Tucker, GA
Ride: here
Just a short one to wish everyone a happy holiday, even though I don't like them very much. But other people do, and it's not my duty to change the world,  just to live happily in my own. And that's what I am doing today, and I hope you're doing the same.

I'm thankful for being able to ride my bike, for having great friends, for my new friends who reach out to me and inspire me back, for the new experiences I get myself into, and those that just show up on my doorstep.

It's That Kind Of Party.

Location: Athens, GA
I like to throw parties. Used to be I would have one at my house every month or so. I inherited this appetite from my parents who also had the fever, though in retrospect, theirs had a suspicious "Ice Storm" flavor to them.
I would secretly roll around in all of the guests jackets, which were tossed onto an upstairs bed. I would inspect the pockets for treasures, route through purses, smell each coat deeply, especially the collars, and I would guess which guest matched which coat. It was warm and strange and it fascinated me.