1/24/2015
If there is one thing the road has taught me, it’s that sweet kind people are everywhere. Gusts of wind whipped through the Big Oaks RV resort while we said good-bye to Ray and the friendly folks of the park. Large clouds blocked the glowing ball of heat in the sky but, the warmth persisted.
On day 145 there wasn’t much notable in terms of obstacle. There was a man riding a bike on the same path as me that spoke to himself in a loud voice. Racial slurs and profanity left his mouth every few blocks. We exchanged positions every so often. The points on the road where I passed him or he passed me, he said, “Hello Sir”. This interchange continued for several miles into the town of Lutz.
The highlight of the day came when I walked into Skipper’s Smokehouse. This fantastic joint was the must visit destination in Tampa. This iconic restaurant/bar/music venue was a place every adventurer would hope to encounter on a journey. The flavor of the place trickled down from their cosmopolitan yet laid back owner Tom White. I had the opportunity to chat with him in Mandarin, Chinese before dinner. We didn’t speak the foreign language for too long to keep from alienating Cricket and Crystal. I was intrigued by this man and his stories. He smiled when described the transformation of the place and painted a picture of how the place came to be.
Dinner was an opportunity for me and Crystal to try new things. Crystal had been wanting to try alligator so she got the grilled alligator tail. She described the taste and texture as being similar to steak. I enjoyed trying different sauces on top of my Cuban style beans and rice. For a little tang, I topped the dish with some of their kumquat salsa. The kumquats were freshly picked from around the corner. To give the dish a little kick I added Captain Tom’s hot sauce. Just for the taste, I snatched the hush puppies from Crystal’s plate. They were buttery and they tasted great with my four cheese mac and cheese.
Dinner gave me energy to continue into the night. My only regret was that I forgot to order the Key Lime pie. The bands on stage had the masses moving. Audience members spun balls and hoops in the rocking atmosphere while Crystal and I made friends with this couple, Larry and Karen, and their friends, Jim and Angela. Even when rain began to fall, the energy grew more festive. The time disappeared and Crystal had grown exhausted. The rain poured by the bucketload when we shut down for the evening.
We were lucky we had pretty much made it to Tampa because on day 146 Crystal had the energy of a used battery. She could power up but the charge wouldn’t have sustained. I watched over her for most of the morning and made sure she had plenty of liquids. When the afternoon rolled around I could play nurse no longer. My Monday schedule looked like it was going to be tight so I had to get a little bit ahead of the game to ensure my arrival to Sun City.
The moment I stepped out of the trailer a chill ran through my body. I grabbed a hoodie and took off. I oscillated between the sweatshirt and short sleeves. Without the support vehicle on the road I didn’t want to get my clothes soaked in sweat. Every few blocks a red light would give me the opportunity to switch my gear. This tactic held for about nine miles after that my chances were few and far between. So when clouds grew darker and the air grew chillier, I had to stay in motion to keep warm. After I crossed a bridge out of Tampa the landscape began to look like South America. I reached Gibsonton and decided it was a good place to stop. A large lush bed awaited at the Westin. I informed Crystal that I was ready to call it the day then I waited in the cold with my sweat soaked clothes. By the time she arrived I was shivering and ready for my accommodations. It took a while for us to reach the hotel but the waiting just made me appreciate my hot salt and alcohol bath that much more. The simple things have been the most priceless; good friends, good food, a good life.
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