Short roads generally don't go far
As you regular readers know (and you irregular ones, well, you should eat more fruit & fiber), we left Venice, FL yesterday morning & set out for Jacksonville, also in Florida, but up at the northern & eastern end. Now, keep in mind, Dick just made this very same journey, on his way to visit Tabatha & her new baby. I was still in too much pain & undergoing physical therapy 3 times a week for my hip, so I didn't make that trip, BUT, he was scoping it out, knowing we'd be coming up this way. Granted, I am generally the navigator, and granted, he made a couple of wrong turns (and missed a couple, too, I understand), but, he came back safely & on time, and theoretically, he scoped things out. VITAL things. Like, rest areas, fuel stops, REST AREAS, etc.
Well, I use DeLorme Streets & Trips on the computer, which has a little GPS chip that plugs into the USB port. That program gives you the opportunity to plot routes based on your desired destination and wherever you may be, based on the GPS position. Sorta. It does NOT allow you to specify important (for us, anyway) things like height & weight restrictions. It just goes for shortest or quickest routes. Of course, if you *know* there's a problem area, or a place/road you want to go to or on, you are allowed to insert a "via," as in go here, via this road or that place. First glitch in my programming was that it didn't know where Mayport Naval Station was. Well, I didn't have an address either, but I finally finagled the map to show me a road in the vicinity of where I wanted to go. Used that as my destination, and started my planning. Well, I don't know what Dick was doing on the ride up to Virginia last month, but he sure wasn't taking notes about the roads. 'Cuz, the trip he routed for us didn't have the same turn & twists that the program did. So, I inserted a few "vias" to make sure I stayed on the road he'd planned out, and we got thru Ocala & onto Rt 301 without issue. However, the signage said the BP station with diesel was to the LEFT. We could see another BP to the right, but we didn't know if it would have diesel or not, so we went left. Remember, we are 13' 4"' tall, and very long, so we cannot turn on a dime. Nor can we pull into just any old 7-11 parking lot. And the BP station did not appear in time for us to get into it. Well, ok, change of plans & a U-turn in the mall parking lot, and we were back on our way, to the right, where we wanted to be anyway. THAT BP we could get into, but we didn't realize we could until we were past the entrance. Oh well, change in plans again & keep on going. No rest, no fuel. Didn't he just come this way a month ago?????
Ok, so down the road we head, and eventually, there's a station with diesel, and we can enter, so we do. He's out there pumping fuel, and I get to rest. (That's why we carry a bit of water on board. ALWAYS.) As I exit the camper, I start looking for a way out of the lot. Oh, geez, the exit is onto another street, going AWAY from our desired street. I needed to stretch my legs a bit anyway, so I walked on down the road a bit to scope it out & find a way to turn around in the lot across the way & get back in the right direction. So, off we go, fueled, rested & well-fed (if you call snacking on hard pretzels well fed). We get up toward the junction of I-10, and he starts looking for the truck stop that was there last month. I dunno what transpired in the month between trips, but, somehow, the truck stop was no longer where he thought he left it. I pointed out the T & A (truck stop) on the left, but since we were in the RIGHT lane, we couldn't make it there in time and we passed it. And then, all of a sudden, there was the on-ramp to I-10 (also on the left), so I said, just forget it (I had asked to rest again), and "go up there & get on the street." OK, so, I-10 is not exactly a street, but in no way did I mean to turn RIGHT onto a very short street. This street was not much longer that our whole rig (meaning, the street was about 100 feet, while we are about 60 feet ourselves), and led us directly to a closed, locked gate, the other side of which were several railroad tracks. On one side of the street was MickeyD's, and on the other, a Burger King. Neither of which appeared parking-lot-friendly to big trucks, never mind big rigs. So, there we were, taking up the whole of the street, can't back up (onto Rt 301, are you kidding??), can't turn right, can't turn left & can't go straight. And, somehow, this is my fault, because I'd said to never mind, just get on the street. I *thought* he'd scoped this out last month!! (Yup, I reminded him that he had planned this fuel stop.) So, now you know why I titled this entry, "Short roads generally don't go far." 'Cuz they don't go far, nor do they go where you want!!! I hopped out (best I can hop, anyway), taking my phone with me & hiked thru the BK parking lot, since that was the closest, and also appeared to exit back into our intended & desired direction of travel. Surprise of surprises, the way was clear, with no curbs, islands or low overhangs to snag us along the way!!! Yippee, we could get out!!! And so we did.
Traveled along to Jacksonville with no further detours (and no rest stops, either) and got to where he thought we should be. Never mind that they blacked out all the signs and made new roads along the way. And the fact that the roads didn't match the map didn't help much either. But, I had a good idea of the desired destination, and the GPS program showed a direct route, so we held our breaths & took a chance on going straight thru town. Now, if we'd still been in Winston, we'd have lost the top 6 inches of trailer, so we were hopeful that would not be the case with this route, and we were very fortunate. NO low overpasses. We musta hit ever stop light red, but we were safe & didn't make any wrong turns. Got on base easily, and thanks to the new gate, did not have to maneuver through the terrorist barriers. For those that don't know, these barriers are short cement walls that are places in such a way that you have to zig-zag thru them. SLOWLY. There are usually 5-6, and if you're towing, it's darned near impossible. These barriers are moved by forklifts, and they usually don't move 'em. Again - we got lucky!! We pulled up to the campground office at 3:59, one minute before the 4pm closing time. Whew! Slid under the wire, AGAIN.
Registered, washed off the love bugs, and 30 minutes later, we were sitting outside, drinking beer & lemonade (separately, silly) and watching the dolphins playing in the river. Better than at Sea World, and WAY cheaper!!! What a lovely way to end a long, hard day. But, from here on out, *I* am gonna be the navigator!!!
It's windy here, but very warm & pleasant. I'm thinking it'll be just like this at our next park, so it's good to get used to it now. If I get any good pictures here at the river, I'll be sure to put a link on Our Photo Albums page. Be sure to check out the new snake video I posted on YouTube - it's really kinda neat! You can use the link I provided or you can search for "thecallanders" - I have only posted the one video, so it's not hard to find.
Till next time, y'all take care. Wash your hands & stay safe! And watch out for those short roads!
Well, I use DeLorme Streets & Trips on the computer, which has a little GPS chip that plugs into the USB port. That program gives you the opportunity to plot routes based on your desired destination and wherever you may be, based on the GPS position. Sorta. It does NOT allow you to specify important (for us, anyway) things like height & weight restrictions. It just goes for shortest or quickest routes. Of course, if you *know* there's a problem area, or a place/road you want to go to or on, you are allowed to insert a "via," as in go here, via this road or that place. First glitch in my programming was that it didn't know where Mayport Naval Station was. Well, I didn't have an address either, but I finally finagled the map to show me a road in the vicinity of where I wanted to go. Used that as my destination, and started my planning. Well, I don't know what Dick was doing on the ride up to Virginia last month, but he sure wasn't taking notes about the roads. 'Cuz, the trip he routed for us didn't have the same turn & twists that the program did. So, I inserted a few "vias" to make sure I stayed on the road he'd planned out, and we got thru Ocala & onto Rt 301 without issue. However, the signage said the BP station with diesel was to the LEFT. We could see another BP to the right, but we didn't know if it would have diesel or not, so we went left. Remember, we are 13' 4"' tall, and very long, so we cannot turn on a dime. Nor can we pull into just any old 7-11 parking lot. And the BP station did not appear in time for us to get into it. Well, ok, change of plans & a U-turn in the mall parking lot, and we were back on our way, to the right, where we wanted to be anyway. THAT BP we could get into, but we didn't realize we could until we were past the entrance. Oh well, change in plans again & keep on going. No rest, no fuel. Didn't he just come this way a month ago?????
Ok, so down the road we head, and eventually, there's a station with diesel, and we can enter, so we do. He's out there pumping fuel, and I get to rest. (That's why we carry a bit of water on board. ALWAYS.) As I exit the camper, I start looking for a way out of the lot. Oh, geez, the exit is onto another street, going AWAY from our desired street. I needed to stretch my legs a bit anyway, so I walked on down the road a bit to scope it out & find a way to turn around in the lot across the way & get back in the right direction. So, off we go, fueled, rested & well-fed (if you call snacking on hard pretzels well fed). We get up toward the junction of I-10, and he starts looking for the truck stop that was there last month. I dunno what transpired in the month between trips, but, somehow, the truck stop was no longer where he thought he left it. I pointed out the T & A (truck stop) on the left, but since we were in the RIGHT lane, we couldn't make it there in time and we passed it. And then, all of a sudden, there was the on-ramp to I-10 (also on the left), so I said, just forget it (I had asked to rest again), and "go up there & get on the street." OK, so, I-10 is not exactly a street, but in no way did I mean to turn RIGHT onto a very short street. This street was not much longer that our whole rig (meaning, the street was about 100 feet, while we are about 60 feet ourselves), and led us directly to a closed, locked gate, the other side of which were several railroad tracks. On one side of the street was MickeyD's, and on the other, a Burger King. Neither of which appeared parking-lot-friendly to big trucks, never mind big rigs. So, there we were, taking up the whole of the street, can't back up (onto Rt 301, are you kidding??), can't turn right, can't turn left & can't go straight. And, somehow, this is my fault, because I'd said to never mind, just get on the street. I *thought* he'd scoped this out last month!! (Yup, I reminded him that he had planned this fuel stop.) So, now you know why I titled this entry, "Short roads generally don't go far." 'Cuz they don't go far, nor do they go where you want!!! I hopped out (best I can hop, anyway), taking my phone with me & hiked thru the BK parking lot, since that was the closest, and also appeared to exit back into our intended & desired direction of travel. Surprise of surprises, the way was clear, with no curbs, islands or low overhangs to snag us along the way!!! Yippee, we could get out!!! And so we did.
Traveled along to Jacksonville with no further detours (and no rest stops, either) and got to where he thought we should be. Never mind that they blacked out all the signs and made new roads along the way. And the fact that the roads didn't match the map didn't help much either. But, I had a good idea of the desired destination, and the GPS program showed a direct route, so we held our breaths & took a chance on going straight thru town. Now, if we'd still been in Winston, we'd have lost the top 6 inches of trailer, so we were hopeful that would not be the case with this route, and we were very fortunate. NO low overpasses. We musta hit ever stop light red, but we were safe & didn't make any wrong turns. Got on base easily, and thanks to the new gate, did not have to maneuver through the terrorist barriers. For those that don't know, these barriers are short cement walls that are places in such a way that you have to zig-zag thru them. SLOWLY. There are usually 5-6, and if you're towing, it's darned near impossible. These barriers are moved by forklifts, and they usually don't move 'em. Again - we got lucky!! We pulled up to the campground office at 3:59, one minute before the 4pm closing time. Whew! Slid under the wire, AGAIN.
Registered, washed off the love bugs, and 30 minutes later, we were sitting outside, drinking beer & lemonade (separately, silly) and watching the dolphins playing in the river. Better than at Sea World, and WAY cheaper!!! What a lovely way to end a long, hard day. But, from here on out, *I* am gonna be the navigator!!!
It's windy here, but very warm & pleasant. I'm thinking it'll be just like this at our next park, so it's good to get used to it now. If I get any good pictures here at the river, I'll be sure to put a link on Our Photo Albums page. Be sure to check out the new snake video I posted on YouTube - it's really kinda neat! You can use the link I provided or you can search for "thecallanders" - I have only posted the one video, so it's not hard to find.
Till next time, y'all take care. Wash your hands & stay safe! And watch out for those short roads!
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