Not certain we've mentioned it before, but based on the prevalence of their use, we've come to the conclusion that across much of the country … and in Florida in particular … directional signals for changing lanes or making turns must have been disabled or bannd by local or state laws. It is amazing that there are not many more accidents based on avoiding drivers slamolning down the Interstates, cutting across multiple lanes to make turns they'd not properly planned for or, when used, are good for a single blink before dying or being turned off! Very frustrating and dangerous.
Thursday – Today we stayed put at our campground in Tallahassee as the southern tip of the weather which has casued flooding across Missouri and several eastern seaboard states drenched the Tallahassee area.
Friday – Today's trip took us back east along I-10 toward Jacksonville and then north along I-95 with winds 10-15 MPH and gusting at over 25 MPH … mostly catching us braodsides … made driving a real challenge and requireing a near "death grip" on the steering wheel for most of the trip. What highlights there were …
A freight company owned my a Female Native American
An unfortunate speader corraled by no less than three police cruisers … his day was obviously ruined
Some roadside color
An RVer who either has a broken fuel gauge or has forgotten the adage to "drive on the top half of his tank"
A water tower in Live Oak, FL
Loved the sign just before crossing the river Stephen Foster made famous
A couple just starting out on their life's journey
And then …
where our first stop was at the Georgia Welcome Center where the kick off for the summer tourist season was bening promoted … free popcorn and "everything" peach. They also had a World War II torpedo on display.
A little over an hour later we arrived at our campground for a one-night stay
and discovered it had a great lake
complete with its own … albeit now "retired" … boat
and was full of Mute Swans
-
Size & Shape – Mute Swans are very large waterfowl. They have heavy bodies, short legs, and a long, slender neck habitually held in a graceful S. The large, flat bill has a bulging knob at the base.
-
Color Pattern – Mute Swans are entirely white with a bill that is orange with a black base. Young swans (cygnets) may be dusky brown-gray all over, with a gray-black bill.
-
Behavior – Mute Swans spend most of their time floating on the water. They feed by grazing on underwater vegetation in shallow water, tipping up their bodies if necessary. These aggressive birds often hold their wings half-raised in a display as they swim toward an intruder.
Dating back to the 1500s the oxford English Dictionary verified male swans have been called “cobs”, meaning big or stout … while other sources suggest the knot on their head, the “crown”, which was more highly developed on males was also called a "cob".
“Pen”, the name for female swans, has also been in existence since the 1500s. Two possibilities; they arch their wings when they swim, displaying their “pennes” … their feathers were used for writing implements.
as well as some Canadian geese
and even a family of wood ducks
This evening we took advantage of a discount coupon offered by the campground to have dinner at
To the right of the restaurant’s door is a 1917 Model-T delivery truck named “Gertie”. Although 100 years old, the car runs, drives and stops, too. Her wooden body and wheels are original! In the 1920s, Gertie worked for Pike’s Quality Meats in Colorado and even made the climb up Pike’s Peak.
Entering, you dsicover a most unusual chandelier
made from inverted wine glasses
and a fishing boat above the bar.
We were greeted by the owner, a wounded veteran, and his step-daughter.
Oh, yes … the dinner was excellent!
Saturday – Another windy day along I-95 as we drove north from Richomnd Hill, GA
to Fayetteville, NC.
We saw a
2016 Porsche 911 GT3
and old cars,
boats,
more local water towers,
and roadside flowers,
a walker
a horse trailer with a horse's tail streaming through a crack in the rear door
and an American flag!
Sunday – Today's drive from Fayetteville to Ashland, VA (just north of Richmond) was equally uneventful but denefited from far less wind that we've had the past several days.
Again, more water towers,
and more roadside color.
Meanwile, Debbie did finally find more old and decaying barns and homes,
a borken down military Humvee,
Confederate
and American flags
beautiful landscapes
Fields from a bridge over the James River
and efficient Virginia state police!
