florida again

34 years ago a small band of like minded friends pulled up stakes and headed south. we really didn't plan too well, we weren't sure what we would find or even if we would return. my traveling companion was the inscrutable stu. besides thumbing up and down 109, the main drag in our burg, we had no real experience with the great wide world. the first few rides got us down to the nutmeg state and then the thought of passing through the world's greatest city drew the first [of many] pangs of fear. driving through would have been scary enough but standing on the interstate somewhere in the bronx was something else. we weren't welcome and the citizens of this fabled borough let us know. luckily a grizzled cop stopped by and yelled at us to get outta town any way but the method we had chosen. we hopped a train and headed to jersey relieved to be going but not sure what lay ahead. this is probably not the most politically correct thing to say but as we rode silently out of the city, we stuck out like two snowballs in a coal bin. i wondered what they thought, two white kids, dressed like lumberjacks, clutching backpacks and staring at the floor, what the hell are these two doing here. the florda sign i carried, homemade the night before probably brought amusement but nobody was laughing. i kept tapping stu on the arm and asking when are we going to get off this train. soon we glided into new jersey, departed and made our way off into the night. the country was big and we had along way to go. the road is a different place, removed from the comforts of home, an ever changing experience that can tire you out. now we had to find somewhere to stretch out, if just for a few hours........cont.