Vol. 19 No. 7 - 29 September, 2015

Amish log houses, Ohio.

On Tuesday, 1 September, we delivered the cedar logs to Hochstetler Milling near Loudonville, Ohio on 1 September.  An Amish owned company that builds log cabins, homes and buildings.  They do not have a telephone, but I see they have a Facebook page…?

It is getting harder to find freight that pays - we ended up spending the rest of the day looking at  the computer load boards – nothing.  Found two LTL’s the next morning and loaded a new forklift in Ashville, Ohio going to Sanford, Florida, then two steel coils in Cambridge, Ohio going to Monticello, Georgia.

Ohio to Florida.

Delivered Monticello on 3 Sept and Sanford on 4^th.

It was the Labor Day long weekend coming up, so we were at the house in Daytona Beach, Florida and stayed for a week.  Jim had maintenance on the truck, stuff to do around the house.  Caught up with Ron and Gina, Lis and Harvey, Jimmy was in town for one day.

Weather was hot and humid still - storms most days.

International Speedway Boulevard (ISB) bridge, Daytona Beach.

Main Street, Daytona Beach.

On Friday morning, 11 September we headed to Thomasville, Georgia and loaded at Georgia Pipe. 

Thomasville, Georgia to Harvey, Illinois.

Had the weekend to get to Chicago, and it was the first football game of the season. We stopped 70 miles south of our delivery.  Asked the locals at the truckstop and they suggested a bar in Rensselaer, Indiana would have the Buffalo Bills Vs Indianapolis Colts game, it was 20 miles from the truckstop.

The Wagon Wheel bar was fun – all locals from a farming community.  Rensselaer is closer to Chicago than Indianapolis so this area were mostly Chicago Bears fans, that game was on the larger TV, but the Bills and Colts were on the smaller screen.  It is interesting when you are the only two people in a room who is cheering for the opposition!  An excellent first game of the season – Bills led all the way: final score Colts 14, Bills 27.

Needed somewhere to park the truck for the night – Walmart!

Delivered on the south side of Chicago at Allied Tube & Conduit in Harvey, Illinois on Monday morning 14 September.  Then over to north of Detroit to load a partial shipment on Tuesday.  We wanted to be in Daytona Beach on Friday, so put together a couple of partials going to Florida.

Loaded a used Broom Badger street sweeper at Bell Equipment in Lake Orion, Michigan, then headed to Tullahoma, Tennessee to load another partial on Wednesday.

A Broom Badger, LTL Michigan to Florida.

Tullahoma is the home of George Dickel Distillery.

Website:  George A Dickel was an established Nashville merchant.  In 1867, he visited Tullahoma, three years later, Cascade Hollow would be home to the Dickel Distillery.  Declaring his whisky of equal quality to the finest scotch, George Dickel followed in the Scottish tradition of spelling whisky without an “e”.

By 1904, the distillery had become the largest in Tennessee.  Although Prohibition became federal law in 1919, it was enacted in Tennessee nine years prior.  The distillery was closed, and for nearly four decades there was no George Dickel Tennessee Whisky.

1n 1958, Master Distiller Ralph Dupps rebuilt the distillery, he obtained the original manuscripts in which George Dickel had detailed his unique recipe and process.  Today, Distiller Allisa Henley carries on the tradition of excellence that has made the brand a symbol of quality for over 130 years.

Tullahoma, Tennessee. 

We loaded at Schmiede Corporation and it was at the corner of Cascade Hollow and Riley Creek Road, Tullahoma.  Loaded and tarped a platform.

Headed to Florida and delivered the platform to Lockheed Martin at Cape Canaveral on 17 September to the Air Force Base.

Lockheed Martin Corporation website:  For the vast and space launch arena, the Cape Canaveral area in Florida serves as the point of departure. 

We delivered to Hangar Y on the Cape, no one at delivery knew what we had or what it was for, all seemed a bit confused by it.  I was a bit disappointed, because it was interesting looking and would have been great to know what its future use would be.

To Sanford and delivered the Broom Badger, then to the house in Daytona Beach.

Friends from Queensland, Dave and Linda arrived in Orlando on Friday afternoon, 18 September, we picked them up at the Orlando airport.

It had been five years since they visited us in Daytona Beach - there is a lot to do in the area, so we planned on revisiting some things and seeing new places and things.

Daytona Beach Boardwalk near our house:

Daytona Beach Boardwalk.

Main Street.

Turtles for sale as pets.

Fleamarket, favourite restaurants, ate a couple of times at Tijuana Flats.

A Led Zepplin tribute band played at the Bandshell on Saturday night, a big crowd there.

Saturday night concert at the Bandshell, Daytona Beach.

Sunday was the football game, we watched the first half at Daytona Taproom, the second half at the Oasis Tiki Bar, then had dinner at the Ocean Deck.

Met Lis and Harvey at Brian’s BBQ for nickel beer night on the Monday evening.

Dave, Linda, Lis, Harvey and Jim at Brian's BBQ.

Tuesday the car was in the garage to get the air conditioner fixed, so we stayed close to the house, walked the beach, boardwalk, went to The Roof on the Main Street Pier for happy hour – some great views.

Joe's Crab Shack and The Roof at Daytona Beach Main St. Pier.

Linda’s birthday on Thursday we spent the day in St. Augustine.  Stopped on the way north at Flagler Beach Funky Pelican for breakfast.

View from the Funky Pelican.

Flagler Beach and Atlantic Ocean.

Did some shopping at the outlet mall, then stopped in the historic downtown area of St Augustine.  It is the 450^th anniversary of settlement in St Augustine and there have been parades, festivities and activities all month.

Internet:  St Augustine was the first settlement in the US, established in 1565 by the Spanish.  St Augustine is considered the oldest continually occupied European settlement.  Settlements established before St Augustine did not prosper and became unoccupied.

We all had lunch at A1A Ale House across from the Lion Bridge.

A1A Ale House, downtown St Augustine (photo stolen from their Facebook page).

A1A Ale House (Dave's photo).

Internet:  The Bridge of Lions is a double-leaf bascule bridge (drawbridge) that spans the intra-coastal Waterway, part of State Road A1A, it connects downtown St Augustine to Anastasia Island.

Lion Bridge over St John's River, St Augustine

Took a stroll past Castillo de San Marcos Fort and through the historic district back to the car.

Castillo de San Marcos Fort St. Augustine.

Stopped at Matanzas Inlet on the way back.

Sign at Matanzas Inlet.

Friday lunch at Sunsetters on the Halifax River and discovered drawbridge beers.  Whenever the Main Street drawbridge was up, beers were 50 cents each.  They were about 6oz beers, but Jim and Dave lucked out and had one each while we were there.

50 cent drawbridge beers at Sunsetters.

Spent the afternoon in New Smyrna Beach, the historic seaside district of Flagler Avenue.  

New Smyrna Beach.

New Smyrna Beach.

Then the Canal Street business district and the New Smyrna Beach Brewery.  Then met Ron and Gina at Lost Lagoons for dinner.

Saturday we went to the Art & Craft Show in DeLand, four blocks of Woodland Boulevard was closed and lots of art, crafts and food vendors.

Woodland Boulevard, DeLand Art & Craft Fair.

There were lots of storm clouds, and a few light showers, but we didn't get wet.

First time visit to the Persimmon Hollow Brewery in DeLand.  It was an interesting place – an old warehouse with unusual décor.  Been in operation less then one year (anniversary Oct 10).

Website:  Persimmon Hollow Brewing Company is nestled in the heart of historic towntown DeLand.  The backdoor of the brewery opens onto Artisan Alley, home of several great boutiques, an incredible farm-to-table restaurant and the famous Friday night farmers market.

“Persimmon Hollow” was the early name of DeLand.

That evening with Lis and Harvey – Lis prepared a delicious dinner and we spent several hours with them - eating and laughing.

On Sunday, 27^th we were all out of bed early - Jim, Dave, Jimmy, Derek, and John went on a half day fishing charter on the Super Critter from the Critter Fleet deep sea and fishing charter.

Linda and I walked to the beach to watch and photograph the sunrise - it was spectacular.

From the Bandshell.

This couple had the perfect spot to enjoy the sunrise.

A1A / Atlantic Avenue.

A1A / Atlantic Avenue; Ocean Walk.

Linda and I drove to Ponce Inlet late afternoon to wait for the fishermen.  

About five hours fishing – they caught some fish, Dave caught the largest – a snapper, but it had to be returned to the sea as it was out of season and illegal to keep them.

Super Critter of the Critter Fleet.

Jimmy with the stringer (Linda's photo).

The only ones they could keep (Linda's photo) - a Lane Snapper and a Red Eye.

Dave's Atlantic Red Snapper that had to be released (Jimmy's photo).

Stopped in next door to Hidden Treasures Restaurant and they cooked the fish fillets for us. We had to order other items to have a meal - but it was fun.

Hidden Treasures Restaurant: L to R: Linda P, Jimmy, Derek, Lesley, Jim, Linda H, Dave. (John's photo).

Tuesday, was overcast with intermittent rain.  We drove to the city of Sanford.  Jim and I delivered there earlier in the month and realized we had never been into the downtown area.

Sanford is a small city north-east of Orlando on the southern shore of Lake Monroe.

Sanford.

We had planned to go on an airboat ride into the swamp, but the weather had not improved.  Early afternoon we got to Black Hammock near Oviedo, they checked the radar and they were prepared to go out, if we were prepared to get a little wet!  We opted for the 1/2 hour trip.

Pen of alligators at Black Hammock.

Website:  Lake Jesup lies in the heart of Seminole County along the middle basin of the St. Johns River. The 100,000 year old lake is home to well over 10,000 alligators, wild boars, bobcats and birds, including bald eagles.

Bald eagle.

One week old alligators - this one is yawning.

This baby frog landed on the bar in front of me, as we speeded up it landed on my leg!  It was about 1 1/2 cm (1 inch) long.  The captain said they grow to 4 inches long!

 We enjoyed the trip and we only experienced a few drops of rain - did see wildlife though and had a memorable adventure.

Airboat ride with Captain Steve - we were the only ones on the boat.

Got back to Daytona Beach and met Jimmy at La Fiesta Mexican Restaurant, had a great meal and many laughs.
The next day Dave, Linda, Jim and I left for Key West, but I will include that trip in October Casey Capers.