St. Petersburg, Florida 2002
It's a haul down here for sure from Cincinnati OH. 952 miles to be exact. These are just some pics I took on my way down. Mostly I was trying to pay attention to the road. It got quite hypnotic from Valdosta GA to St. Pete. I'll NEVER drive that at nite again ! As you'll see, my commentary follows. Be sure to click the NEXT links at the bottom.
Just getting on the road and what do I see... a big home on wheels.
Too bad I was driving so fast, these things are HUGE.
When I grow up, I may get one.
The sunrise was beautiful starting off.
I thought I was gonna get rained on for a bit there. It never did.
It was a beautiful sunny day, great for driving.
I thought I was gonna get rained on. It didn't happen.
This one gave me the chills. It was truly majestic and beautiful and awe inspiring.
Just cruising along. My cam is great. No motion in the pics at all.
I was stuck behind this transporter for miles ! I thought that car was going to roll off.
The guy was going 90 mph and I was following. The other lane was full of slow pokes.
A 75 South split that I should have been a bit closer to before snapping the pic.
My cam can handle it !
Krystal's Hamburgers. White Castles away from home ! Sliders ! Woohoo !
I've heard of them, never had them. They are like White Castles only a bit bigger with a dab of yellow mustard. Yummy. I was 144 miles north of Valdosta at this point and ready to get a room across the street, but after eating here, I got a 2nd wind and was determined to make it thru Atlanta. Once you commit to going thru Atlanta, there is NO turning back.
The heavens opened up again and once again, I thought I was going to get rained on. It didn't.
Once again I should have been a bit closer. That sign says "Atlanta 90 Miles".
I figured, what the heck, I can make that in an hour.
Zoom, zoom, zoom. (Praying my insurance company knows nothing of this site !)
Somewhere in Atlanta. Driving mega miles like this, I always get disoriented a bit and it messes with my equilibrium something serious. Like being in the ocean. I don't have motion sickness, it just throws my innards off. My balance gets totally hosed from mass moving.
Atlanta has got to be the absolute worse place to drive thru. You have to pay 200% attention, (unless you drive it constantly) or you wind up going the opposite direction somewhere totally unintended. Not only that, but it takes a good half hour or so to drive thru just on 75 south. I find the drive thru Atlanta to be a white knuckle experience from hell. At one point, there are 8 lanes. I stayed to the right which seemed to work for me. Traffic is a nitemare there. There is just too much of it and not enough room.
Actually traffic wasn't too bad this day. But then again, I couldn't take pics driving while everyone was cutting me off ! Atlanta is the home of road rage !! -snicker-
This loops around (for MILES) and there is a Stadium there somewhere. I didn't get pics of that.
The long drive was worth it all just to see the skies open up again. I was waiting for a minute there for God to say hi. I think he did in His own way. :-)
Here I am in Stockbridge GA. 1451 Hudson Bridge Rd. Stockbridge GA 30281. A burb outside Atlanta. I HAD to sleep at this point. I was ready to drop. (notice that Pinto)...more later on that...
Here's the story. I go in to rent a room. They give me 212 to start. I'm tired and road weary as all get out. It's on the 2nd floor. I'm ready to crash. But I wanted to log on first and check mail, blah blah... I grab my overnite bag, laptop, cam and myself. Open the door and immediately notice, 2 garbage cans sitting on the bed. I'm thinking ok, I just drove hundreds of miles, I can handle that. I look down and the floor is full of bread crumbs. It looked like someone had strewn croutons all over. I called the desk to have someone come up with a salad. I mean a vacuum. Then I noticed the ashtray in the sink, the tray that holds the cups turned over with nothing on it and there were NO towels. At this point, I wondered had the bed even been changed or just remade with someone else's dirty sheets. I had already turned the a/c on high as it was HOT down there. It was in the high 90's. I was ready to pull a Nelly and take off all my clothes. I hadn't unpacked yet, so I just gathered all my stuff which is all arm strap luggage and left. Went back down to the office and said "You have to give me another room, that one is NOT ready". They complied. For the absolute life of me, I have NO idea with my dig cam right there, why the hell I didn't take a pic of that mess !! That is how tired I was. Somehow, I got a 2nd wind again once I hit my "good" room. I was on the road at 720a and it was about 330p when I finally got a decent room. I worked Friday nite 11p-7a and by this point I was hallucinating. Maybe that is why trying to log onto aohell after 200+ dials, I could NOT get connected. I tried Juno too. NO luck there either. It was nothing but busy signal hell down there. I will stop on the other side of Atlanta going home. I simply must have some internet access or I start hallucinating again. LoL Wow, that surely was one great experience ! I wouldn't trade it for anything... except maybe a lawsuit settlement of about $5 million. I been traumatized by seasoned bread crumbs. Works for me.
At this point after trying to log on and tired of busy signals out the wazoo, I decide... I'll take a shower, cool off and crash. I got the room til 12p the next day. I grab my toiletries... damn sam, where is my toothbrush ? I searched high and low. Even looked in the trunk of my car. I remember throwing it in my bag with my Crest. No toothbrush to be found. UGH I wanted to flush the Krystal memories off my taste buds. Brushing by finger just doesn't get it. I do for some odd reason really, really, really like those wash cloths in motels though. They are white and starchy, hard ass as hell. NOBODY has them except motels. I'm going to steal one on the way home. I have this feeling the pics I got of the skies opening up are warning me "Do not steal one. You will be punished". I think I already was since my toothbrush disappeared. I give up on effective brushing and finally decide to just take a shower, relax and go to sleep. Imagine my horror when I see this on the bathroom door !!!
Bullet hole !
Here I am in Stockbridge GA., zillions of miles from home, having crouton bad dreams, no toothbrush and garnishments of bullet hole... I was there about 4 hours tops. I could NOT sleep. Not even with all of Ted Turner's cable stations boring me into oblivion. Then came the thoughts of the 2 way mirror and the assholes laffing at me freaking over the bullet hole and the croutons !! LMAO
For anyone going on a road trip soon, I highly recommend this specific Motel 6. Oh geez, it was a Super 8 ! I shoulda went to where they left the light on for me. Considering it was only $43. and some change, I can't complain about the good things it's given me to write about ! As usual I wouldn't change the experience for anything, except maybe a bushel of fresh GA peaches or perhaps a personal vacation with the Griswalds.
The drive from there to here was a trip for sure. Nothing but pitch black...thoughts running rampant...no where to look... no where to hide...white dots in the highway dancing on time meeting my eyes in hypnotic rhythm...
I've NEVER been so gleeful to arrive at a destination as I was October 6, 2002, 215a. This is my 3rd trip here. I'm no longer a tourist ! LoL
I don't know what to say about this mess. I'm glad I'm NOT the one driving it.
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This page was uploaded 10-8-02.
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