Another day of drooling

My late uncle Jack got me started.  My Dad would take me over to his house and there would always be talk of cars and fishing.  Some 60 years have passed since I began my appreciation of both topics.  Not very good at either, I did however manage to acquire a level of passion for motorcars that still excites and intrigues me throughout the years.

So fast forward to 2012 and an invitation from my friend Jim to attend the 25th Mecum Automobile Auction in Kissimmee Florida (www.mecum.com).  Much like the rival Barrett-Jackson auctions, these traveling road shows are dedicated to assembling an automobile collage ranging from Model 'A' Fords to half a million dollar Maybachs.

Walking amongst the rows upon rows of vehicles, a trip or two down memory lane came upon me.   There sat that 51' Chevrolet 2 door sedan.  Just like my first car.  I looked it over carefully remembering the tiniest details ... even after some fifty years had past.  OMG ... there was my 65' Stingray Corvette.  Even my 66' Cougar was there.  We listened and watched the auctioneer work his staccato plea for that higher bid ... working the crowd for that final, hammer smacking 'Sold to the buyer in the red shirt'!

Great fun for car lovers.  I've taken a few still images as I wandered around so I thought I'd share them with you.  As you can see I like the detail and symmetry that make up many of these fine automobiles.  They just never grow old.

Auction Central 

 Darrus?  First one I'd ever seen

810 Cord exhaust pipe ... pretty spiffy.  Looks like a Tuffy Muffler job.

A real
'Deusey' 

Won't find one these on your minivan 

Coffee?  Tea?  Corn dog?

detomaso Pantera ...sounds like a sandwich at Panera's

I guess mobile wine bars never caught on in this country

I think the Cadillac designers understood sexy 

T Bird with a fancy U-Haul

Drooling permitted

And this was the tent for those that didn't sell.

So there you have it.  Another side trip for the old guy.  The dogs are sore and it will be a three ibuprofen night ... but I'll surely have sweet dreams.

Still livin' the dream.

Phil

A full week

Taking a deep breath and finally sitting still after a whirl-wind week.

We actually made the 1200 mile journey in just two days.  Sort of like a world record for us slug-setters.
Arriving early Monday evening to clear skies and low-70's, our escape from the grip of 'old man winter' is complete.  After waking up the coach (it naps while we're away) we contacted our Iowa friends Jim and Carol to make plans to meet later in the week for the visiting the Tampa RV show.  The following day we returned to our favorite Mexican haunt to refresh our memories and friendship.  And make plans to visit the Tampa RV show later in the week.

We then made plans for meeting our Michigan friends Tom and Mary to hand-off some frozen venison sausage we'd carried south for them.  Actually Tom created this scrumptious delicacy from the results of his fall deer hunt in upper Michigan.  I've had a taste of this world-class sausage before and he was kind enough to give us a generous sample while we were back in Michigan.  Actually his daughter Jenny brought it over to us as Tom and Mary had already headed south.  She said she was going to ship a package of it to them but I suggest we hand-carry it to Florida as we were staying at a park not too far from them.  Anyway we made the transfer and enjoyed getting caught up over lunch.

Wednesday was movie day and we joined Jim and Carol to see film 'Tinker-Tailor-Soldier-Spy'.  Now this movie is both dark and deep.  So dark it may have put me to sleep for a minute or two, and so deep that I would have to see it about six more times before I got the gist of it.  All that means that it will probably win an Oscar and I will continue to wonder about my skill set.

Thursday I was granted a day of rest by my social director, though she was scheming to fill up the remainder of the week.

We took off early Friday with Jim and Carol for the Tampa RV show.  About an hour or so from our Florida Grande RV Resort location, this spring Mecca for the over the road set is always a good reason to get out and drool over the latest offerings from the RV industry.  Entering the main building we were met with a display of of maybe fifteen of the finest motor coaches money can buy.  These opulent, feature rich road condos will cause jaws to drop and lips to drool.  Some needing an appointment even to get inside to look at, this display of over consumption was still pretty cool.  Setting aside the alligator skin inserts in the leather seating areas, the Sub-Zero appliances, and the electronic packages that would confound the Star Trek crew, but what got my attention was the engine compartment.  Crammed into this rear area was a 650 HP turbo charged behemoth with 5 alternators, a water pump that could run the fountains at the Bellagio Hotel in Vegas, and enough belts and do-dads to drive any respectable gear head insane.

You need lots of Love and lots of Money

Rube Goldberg would be proud

So where do you store your junk? 

This couple is trying to figure out if you can get 12 fillet Mignon on the grill.   

Since nobody who owns one of these beauties ever will actually work on one of these mechanical marvels themselves,  the repair guys they hire must be absolutely giddy when one of these comes in for work.

I think the least expensive one listed at $1,200,000, so this rarefied air is only available for certain clientele to breathe.  But its still nice for the rest of us to just get a little sniff.

She does have perfect hair.

I don't know how many rigs were in the show nor how may vendors were present, but it's worth a visit to this traveling show.  I think this following week its starts all over in the down-state Sarasota area.

With little strength left, we left the RV show and wouldn't you know it but there, within eyesight, was the Hard Rock Casino.  Not that I wasn't already sapped of all my physical powers after ogling the RV stuff, so now the social director conned me into going gambling.  Apparently with hopes of winning enough for a new coach, we ventured in ... into the belly of the beast to be krill for giant money eating whale.  An hour and half passed and we escaped.  Luckily with the shirts still on our back, we made it out alive and of course vowed never to return.  Oh what a lie!  Anyway it was a fun day.

It was quite a surprise to learn that our friends Henry and Geannie were here in camp for a few days.  Down from their South Carolina home for some mechanical repairs at Wildwood, it was good to see them again.  We made plans to visit them Saturday afternoon and ended up staying for dinner.  Southern hospitality at its finest and great conversationalist.  They were leaving the following morning for Jacksonville to have something repaired at the Marathon dealer so we made plans for a late March visit and closed out the evening.

Getting up early (for us) is not our strong suit but be wanted to say good-bye to Geannie and Henry (and Buddy their four-legged companion) so be got over to their site just before they left.  We said our farewells and they headed north.

Henry and Geannie (looking out the window) heading north

Belleville, I think.  An uneventful meal but it lead us past a large flea market that was in full swing.  We found a parking spot and headed in.  As you know from previous trips we usually stop at these places, if only for a short while as we find them unique and the people are always interesting to look at.

Wandering around the place reiterated the old adage ... "one man's junk is another man's treasure".  But we did find some interesting things.

Just right for a special girl

This girl sold us pistachios and cashews

This guy said his new tattoo was 'family' friendly as were the 15 others he already had.

At the 'puppy palace' customers could give hugs

Thousands to choose from.

From the flea market we headed south back to the Clermont area for dinner with Jim and Carol.  So you fellow retirees and those soon to be retired ... no need to sit around waiting for the grim reaper.  Get out and see the world ... it's not as bad as the evening news says it is.

I know this blog is beginning to look like a Twitter message but I can blabber more than 160 words and you can get pictures too!  So it's a real bargain.

On the road and still livin' the dream.

Phil

Headin' for the Promise land

Yup ... the promise of no snow and no sub-zero temps gets us on the road today.  We've managed to put 600 miles under our butts and we're now snuggled into a comfy Hampton Inn in Knoxville Tennessee.

Totally great weather for driving, at least until we got to TN whereas a light drizzle goobered up the once clean car.  We arrived in Knoxville shortly after dark and located the Hampton.  We checked in and got from the manager, with a little coaxing from Sharon, a recommendation for a place to eat this evening.  Since it seemingly is what we do best, we headed out to Puleo's Grille www.puleosgrille.com to find out for ourselves. A quick ride down the street brought us to the restaurant and were soon seated.  As Puleo's advertising likes to put it ... it has 'Southern roots and Italian heritage'.  I know it sounds like fried chicken, grits and spaghetti but it really has a very nice selection.  We started out with a delicately battered and fried calamari (chopped up little eight legged {and two tentacles}denizens of the deep). As good as Sweeny's (near Miamisburg Ohio) they were, and as my son-in-law would say ... "very tasty".  Sharon ordered shrimp whereas I choose a NY strip.  We each split our order when it arrived so we each had surf and turf.  Each meal was very nicely prepared and ... very tasty.  The dinning area was very comfortable and, even though it was a Sunday night, very well attended.  Our waitress Emily was so pleasant and helpful this northerner had almost gotten what southern hospitality was all about.  I think I've met a couple of hundred waitresses who could learn a thing or two from her.  Attentive, friendly, and able to give excellent details on Puleo's many offerings, it made the evening extra special.  Give this place a try the next time you're in the Knoxville area.  I think they have about six locations but we were at the Cedar Lane restaurant off I75 at exit #108.

So we've got about half the distance covered for this trip ... on the very first day!  I know many of our friends will find this a complete fantasy but before we left I put some blue fairy dust in the fuel tank and we travelled like the wind.  Or at least that's the story I'm telling today.

Still livin' the dream and headin' south.

Phil

Happy New Year

To each and everyone of you we wish all the best in 2012.  May your life be full of good health, happiness, good fortune and safe travels.

Still livin' the dream

Phil & Sharon