Cape Cod 2012

The trail went through the woods and along the ocean and through these sand dunes. Rode all over Tarnation Tuesday. 33 mls. Saw the CC bay, the Atlantic and Edward Hopper's light house.


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Yoga on Beach

We did Sun Salutations on the beach at 7am. You are supposed to finish with an inversion assana.

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Free Flag and hotdogs

The BSA were set up at this rest stop giving away flags, bagels, iced tea and hotdogs for a donation.

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Cape Cod Departure

Mary had to go back to the house to get her special sun blocking shirt.

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Had super ribs at B.C. General Store. There is an eldery black lady with gold teeth in the wooden shack BBQ. I introduced myself and asked, "can I have some of your ribs?". She pointed me to the lady behind me who had a birth defect I think her neck was very large. She took me inside and told me the rib sandwich was the smallest rib order they had. It was 4 pork ribs with barbecue sauce on white bread in wax paper. I don't need to tell you the bread instantly turned into sauce mush. I ate the ribs anyway. Very good! A fellow and his father stopped in their SUV and took the photo for me. He said this was a well known rib place and it was featured in Souther Living Magazine.

Mount Dora Florida and Lake Dora

Talked to Scott at "Pisces Rising" a restaurant and outdoor bar overlooking the "Yacht Club" and the pictured pontoon house boat (called Dr. Doolittle).

A big old orange train went past and showered us in black soot. It was so close. Almost fell backwards when he blew the horn. Sheesh. The young ladies across the way are locals. We talked about the Steelers and the Superbowl Sunday. A lot of Steelers fans in Florida by the way.

Rode this cool Segway in Mount Dora Florida. Doyle the sales person took the photo and gave me operating instructions. It's really fun. The Segway is self balancing. You stand on it and it moves small amounts to keep you balance. It feels weird at first but then it is fun. You lean forward and it scoots forward. Lean backwards and it slows, stops and then reverses (if you continue to lean). Push the stick left and it revolves in place 360 degrees. Expensive though $5300. More than a new Vespa so I'm not sure how easy they are to sell.

Go to: Segway of Mount Dora Florida

Doyle had two labradors. They snuck up behind me and licked my hands. I jumped. I didn't know who would be licking my hand (in a town where I knew no one).

Spun the motorcycle around and pulled into the Holy Ghost for a few snaps and to stretch my back. No one was there. It had a lot of character. "Aunt Anne" had a personalized parking spot, there were two church vans in the grass and a travel trailer out back. Color photo of the pastor and his spouse out front. Nicest church sign I've seen in years. Very welcoming don't you think?

The town is called Howey in the Hills. No kidding. See it on a map NW of Orlando on RT 19.

This is Angel at AW Rootbeer in Clermont Florida. She noticed my iPhone and we talked shop about her boyfriend and his iTouch. I ate the hamburger ($1.59) and rode next door to Dunkin Donuts and had a donut. Spilt the coffee first. Filled the area between my legs. Ate a donunt and a hamburger within 5 minutes of each other. Would have been faster except for the pimply young man mopping the floor under my table and chair. Coney Chili

My ultimate destination for the day was Mount Dora FL. See other posting.

Drove the BMW through the orange grove today. The workers got all the oranges picked yesterday in this part of the grove. The path was sandy and there were errant oranges under tire.





They filled two trailers full and by the end of the day they moved them to a sorting location where the beat up ones got chosen for juice.

This is along route 535 in Windemere (west of Orlando)

At the railroad tracks in Ocoee Florida.
Saw this old cool metal building and hung my camera on a
(tracker) trailer across the way.









Along main street in Winter Garden

Apopka Lake in Winter Garden Florida




The Michaels and I visited Apopka Lake and we played wiffle ball in the park along the lake.
That's a Honey Bell orange peel on my forehead. Gabriel likes to wear my helmet. When ever I come in the house with it he take is from me saying something to himself about it. Usually he puts stuffed animals in it but today potato chips and his noodle. That is the back porch.

Disney World Orlando Florida
The Micheals take Ruby to Disney world. Man oh man it is some kind of place. We saw Epcot and the Magic Kingdom. See the photos.
It was really nice and pretty darn laid back (odd eh?). Sharon has connections and the got us in the back way. There were no lines at the rides. I liked the Epcot "Future world" ride and the Space Mountain ride. They used my 'chicken coup' joke submission at the Monster's Inc Comedy show although they anounced me as "Paul from Ruby University"
Why does a chicken coup have only two doors? Because if it had four doors it would be a chicken sedan. Gabriel wanted to know what a sedan was. He laughed anyway.

Going to church with the Michaels. Windemere Community Church. The service was a full blow Vegas Show with piano, organ, electric guitars and video projection. The singers were very polished and pretty. The fellow on the left was the music director. He was the featured singer and enthusiastically gave inspirational words. The church seats are padded cloth all around like a new movie theatre. Fanciest church I've ever seen. The have a 'Starbucks' and a fruit juice kiosk outside the church for crying out loud. It was like being in some movie, it seems a little unreal. The church members matched the church. The are prettier and better dressed and groomed (both males and females) as I've ever seen at a church. The church borders Disney World in Orlando Florida. That's me in the sand at the Floridian Hotel in Disney World.

George, Michael and Dylan with Wright Bros. airplane in the Kendall Florida airport.

Michael Ferguson showing George, Dylan and I around the Kendall Florida airport. Michael is a pilot for Spirit Air. He flies a jet of the same model as the one that floated on the Hudson last week. The airplane I'm in front of is a Russian transport, the one Dylan and George are by is an 'Islander' it has a very short take off distance. This one is being restored. The paint was stripped and the left engine is new. Michael is helping Dylan line up a pool shot.

Clearing Head on park bench Kendall Florida.
This man and boy circled the loop many times and I finally took their photo. That's my foot. A great thing about this trip is I get to slow down and stop when I want. I'm not running around trying to see everything. I' enjoying making renewed friends with my relatives. I take time to talk with them all and I don't feel the need to rush off. It has paid large dividends. My priorities are clearer, I'm able to get out of my head more and I'm feeling some peace come back -- A peace I lost years ago somewhere in the middle of a protracted divorce. The vacation trip have been very worth while. I'll try to go slow and breath deep and let go more. I'll see how long I can it up when I get back home to cold Pennsylvania.

Dania Beach Pier Paul drinking cappuccino in bottle, Greg Ferguson Miramar Fireman in rescue outfit, Ava and Carmen on the floor with puppy, Dania Beach boy with fish his father caught, Greg and Paul at Hard Rock Casino (owned by Native Indian Tribe) Miami Florida.
Jan 2009

Scott Ferguson www.NBC6.NET Channel 6 Miami FL WTVJ

Scott gave Cathie and me a detailed tour of the channel 6 studio. He's an advanced technical director. He coordinates and assembles the cameras, newscasters and various video feeds and graphics using digital video mixing monitors and controls see the photos). It's very high tech and impressive. Jan 2009.

Scott said, "

Call letters are WTVJ and is the first TV station to go on the air in Miami.

There are lots of historical film and video from the old days at WTVJ.

The station used to be in and old theatre in down town Miami until we built this new building here in Miramar. If you search WTVJ on the web all kinds of things will come up. Sister Station T-51, the local Telemundo affiliate."

WWW.TELEMUNDO51.COM

Liz and Brenda Miami Beach Fl
I headed down A1A Collins Avenue just to see the large Miami hotels and the South Beach spots. Liz and Brenda were reading
books on the beach in sweaters and long pants. "We are only here for two days and then we have to go back to Rhode Island."

I said, "Can I take your picture for my blog?" "Sure!"

I stuck my coffee cup in the sand and put the camera on the coffee cup. They laughed when I ran over and plopped myself between them. I'm not really drinking their Perrier. They are both nurses. "We are sort of on a therapy trip," said Liz. Brenda said, "Yes. Liz is coaching me."I asked them if they had any parting words for me before I left. "Take care of yourself first," said Brenda. Liz pointed her finger at me, "Yeah! Brenda's right!"

This lady is hold "Bath Buddies." Some shower gifts for Allison and Mary. They are puppets you use as shower mitt. The sales lady is making the puppet say "Hello. How are you" in Russian.












Sales Ladies at Scarlet Letter South Beach Fl
"Is that the kind of dog in "Legally Blond?" "No. This is a Pomeranian. That's a chihuahua in Legally Blond."

Jewish Bakery Bal Harbour Florida Route A1A


This roll was a croissant with chocolate chips inside. It was just made. Oooo good. Soft and warm. The men in the bakery wore yarmulke.

Coconuts and Lizards Pembroke Pines Florida
Coconuts in tree: Cathie and Georges side yard. Big lizard on sidewalk by my truck. It was two feet long! I thought it was the neighbor's pet but George said he was wild. How would you like to curl up in the blankets and find one of those staring at you from the other pillow?

Photo details: This is a photograph of me taking a photograph of a lizard (as opposed to a photograph of a lizard). Capisce?

















Don't see these in State College Pennsylvania eh?

Florida Everglades Bike Trip, Greg Paul Ducati 996 BMW 650
Greg and I did a 200 mile round tripper today. Went deep into the Everglades past the Miccosukee Reservation. Stopped often, drove too fast. There are long stretches of straight low traffic roads through the everglades. So mostly we cruised at 85. I had to rest my left forearm on the tank in order to lean forward enough to get my torso out of the wind. The BMW isn't a good high speed cruiser (it's still fun though...all motorcycles are fun). When we were traveling fast there was no time to watch the scenery you have to keep your eyes ahead for cars or alligators crossing the road.


The pictures pretty much tell the story. Took some breaks. Stopped at Michael and Carmen's in South Miami. Allison called to tell me the furnace at home had stopped working. Steve W went over and fixed it. He saved the day. It was 49F in the house and 18F outside.
Got pulled over for speeding but Greg is a fireman and they let us go. 30 miles west of Dade Corners on RT41. It was a close call. The one officer said, "You are lucky you are with him or else you'd have gotten a ticket." Greg said he new right away they would be cool.