Update #10

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Geo: 29.8613, -89.9009

HEMANEHTAKE CHEHENTAAMO? (How are you doing today? from the Miccosukee Tribe of the Everglades)

After reading where my last update left off, it seems I have a whole lotta shit to condense down to a few paragraphs. I believe I said I'd never wait another month to do one and now it's been 6 weeks......leave it to me to shoot myself in the ass. I guess unless someone emails and says "Hey, what the hell happened to you", I'm just rolling on down the road (thanks June for the kick in the ass).

Of course I'm sitting here in the rain but it's the first rain we've had camping in the last three weeks so I can't grumble too much about the weather. We're camping right outside New Orleans at a great state park. Louisiana accepts the Golden Age Pass (thanks Dave for being the old fart I love) so it's only costing $8 bucks a night which is big plus after the hit we took in Georgia. The entire engine was replaced or rebuilt to a 103 to the tune of $4248.50. Yep, the hits keep on coming.....still smiling OK maybe smiling again. Wasn't so much the first few weeks after that. Lessons learned: 1. Everything is just a pothole in the road of life but I wish the damn road crew would show up and give me a break for a month or two. 2. Getting old has it's perks. Not many but enough.

We stayed in Daytona for Biketoberfest and the usual good time was had by all, especially the couple who kept getting it on in the pool right under our balcony. Do they know Dave swims in that pool? As I said the usual, wonderful, life affirming fun all bikers have when they get together. We were starting to wonder if our black cloud was branching out though. 175,000 bikers, hundreds of hotels, and the only death in a hotel is two floors down from our room and everywhere we've gone - the weather has sucked most of the time and everyone always says "It's strange for this time of year, we never have weather like this". Ok, now who wants us to come and visit?? There must be one masochist among our family and friends...lmao. Lessons learned: 1. Man biker's have gotten old! Biktoberfest looked like an AARP convention. 2. There can be too much of a good time. You can party too much and die far away from home.

On the way to Key West we hit one of the keys famous afternoon storms - hard, heavy, torrential and fast. Either the rain or the constant heat from being kept inside my shirt fried the camera so of course, another $300 out the door. Key West was not what I expected but then again I still wasn't smiling much. With the heat and HUMIDITY we got a room right on the water which may seem much better than it is. It was more like a bed, tv and shower that hadn't seen much repair for a couple of years but it came with wake up service from some damn bird outside the sliding glass door each morning. That's probably one of the better things (and sometimes scary) about this adventure. The amount of nature we get to live with. Lessons learned: 1. Just because a town is famous and sounds romantic in the movies, it probably isn't. 2. When the locals tell you not drive through Miami due to the gunfire, you probably shouldn't (damn motherf-ing TomTom apparently didn't get the message).

Even though our plan was to camp in the Everglades, the humidity and my disposition was not a match (POOR DAVE AGAIN) and better heads prevailed and we headed north to cooler temps. We landed in O'leno State Park north of Gainesville and what a welcome relief. If we could have stayed longer (even though the showers were just OK) than the 14 days, we would have (damn rules). The camp hosts were this adorable couple (and Gus the dog) who reminded me so much of Leo and Louie it made me homesick. This campsite provided another hysterical moment that we'll remember forever - Picture it: Halloween Night: We're one of only a few campers so there's no one around us for many shaded and semi private campsites. The trip to the bathroom is down a long and winding trail through very dense vegetation (not easily accessible in the dark or even quickly in daylight) so we decided to put up my privy potty just in case I didn't want to pee in bushes at midnight (I keep splashing my feet and that's just disgusting when climbing back into bed). Needless to say, it came in very handy that very night. Dave gave me a bite of his crab he had for dinner (I made the wise choice of chicken pot pie). I have now confirmed my allergy to seafood because at midnight on the nose - I'm running to the privy while puking in a Walgreen's bag. It was coming out both ends with a vengeance. I'm hollering for Dave (who is dead to the world) to get me a wet washcloth and a hair tie. Finally after about 5 minutes of first saying and then practically screaming "Dave, David, Honey, Asshole, Shit for Brains", he gets up and is running around butt naked (his favorite mode) and half asleep trying to find a hair tie to tie up my hair and wet a washrag for the back of my neck. It was better than Laurel and Hardy routine. After about three hours, it all calmed down and peace once again ruled in the campsite. Lessons learned: 1 Quit eating seafood you idiot. 2. My last and most disgusting adjustment (I HOPE) - bagging up your poop for disposal. 3. If you don't bother the huge spider the size of your hand living with you, he won't bother you!

We planned on staying near Pensacola but Hurricane Ida stuck us in a motel and motoring on to Shepard State Park in Mississippi for 4 days. Of course, 4 days was enough to find the 1 PERFECT (and I do mean PERFECT) bar & a great bartender named Dave! One Eyed Ron's in Gautier (Go-she-A). $1 Bottled bud light and free jello shots for Monday Night Football! Loved the place until the next morning when we had to pack out for New Orleans. Lucky thing we have come to the point of being half ass-ed organized or we'd still be sitting there holding our heads. Dave woke up with bronchitis so the day was short lived. Holed up in a motel 70 miles down the road and finally got him to the doctor when we hit here, St Bernard State Park just outside New Orleans. Good news (besides our 1st ferry ride): He's going to live and even has a little of his humor back. I'm just hoping he's better by Thanksgiving. After seeing the devastation from Katrina and how little most have around here, we plan on spending the day at the Mission in New Orleans helping out. That will mean another ride on the ferry which was the bomb! They put the bike front row center just like she deserved both going over and coming back. This campground does have one thing that I could do without: a mutant raccoon who will eat anything: cough drops (2 bags), starter logs for the fire, several past due bills, 1 hair tie....as I said, mutant! Lessons learned: 1. Even $1 bud light can't keep us in town for another week (now there's a shock)! 2. Dave's bronchitis has a bright side - our first ferry ride and it was awesome! 3. Even when you think you have left nothing out for the wildlife to eat, YOU'RE WRONG!

Lastly, I have to eat my words from a few updates ago. I know it's not the first time and I'm sure it won't be the last. We broke down and purchased a SAT-GO Direct TV system so we could watch the NFL games in camp (much cheaper at less than a $1 a beer). The system was well priced at $499 and the monthly service of $34.99 didn't seem so bad.......but then of course they get you. First we have to purchase the NFL package in addition to the monthly service (did that and only slightly frustrated), then if you want the prime games on late Sunday and Monday night, you have to get an FCC Waiver (45 days and $5.00 more a month)(a little more frustrated) and now after you get the waiver it's another $14.99 a month and you have to call them to change your service address each time we move campgrounds (of course for an additional fee)! Now mind you, their web advertising says "Take it anywhere, on vacation, on your boat, ...Get all your local channels" (now insanely frustrated and pissed). I'm sure I'll forget about the pissed part in about an hour when the games we can see (OK, there are 13 of them today so I guess I should quit whining). Lessons learned: 1. If you love football, don't say you'll never buy a TV for camping. 2. Check the finer details of a too good to be true offer. The cost of bar beer might have been well spent for this season, anyway!

Smugmug link for pictures: http://oscarswildadventure.smugmug.com/Travel/Update-10/10392266_UbXox/1/719743856_yDQsg

Much love and laughter to all this Thanksgiving season. Remember to be thankful for all those you love (especially us of course)! We're very blessed to have each and everyone of you in our lives.

Debbie & Dave

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