Universally Wet

Monday, April 6, 2009

On Saturday I woke up at around 11AM. I had slept late the previous night because I was dumb enough to read Google's newspaper archives. My head was spinning in anticipation of my vacation. I didn't get worked up about it on the days previous but I was excited. Too bad I only had three days off including Sunday. I suspect I wanted to save on a day's motel check.

I got food for the family from Zaxby's and got packing once I finished lunch. It was approximately 2PM when I left. I dropped by a Dollar General and got lucky on drinks. I found a six-pack of Coke for as much as a 20oz bottle. With that and two
candy bars I left. I dropped by a station near the Dooly County line to gas up then went to Cordele to take pictures of the missile. There is a Titan I missile on display. The plaque on it was updated since I last took pictures but it was still referred to as the "Confedereate Air Force" missile pad. I didn't know they could get away with that in these times!

I dropped by Ashburn and Cordele to see a surplus store. I saw a billboard and got the exit numbers confused. I drove through Ashburn and found nothing. I found the store in Cordele but it was closed. There was this drive-in which seemed to be a leftover from the Sixties. On the way to Valdosta I took pictures of some flooding near Brooks County. The boat ramp was inaccessible due to the water. I felt I needed a john break so I went to Wal-Mart in Valdosta. There are bunches of fat,
whiskery country boys in Valdosta. This happens in agrarian communities. I slid by Shoney's and had coffee and a strawberry pie.

It was becoming night and I drove on and on to Ocala. One motel there had plywood on the windows. Another had someone rolling luggage on a provided clothes rack. I figured the motel was a bit too rich for my blood. When I hit the turnpike I drove
back and forth and down side roads since I was reading what passed for a map. A little more planning would not have hurt. I made it to a Best Western in Ocoee. The room was only 70.00 or so. I love being off the beaten path sometimes; it is so
cheap!

I intended to lay there in bed and wake up. I woke up- at 9AM. I slept in my clothes. I brushed my teeth, showered and shaved, and made it down to Perkins' restaurant. They were busy. But not to worry; I had a 10% discount. These days mean
that I will take anything cheap besides a kick in the pants. I had a 10.00 breakfast. Just think; I could have gone to Hardee's if I had gotten up earlier. Why do I do these things to myself?

I picked up a few things and drove to Universal Orlando Resort. Being the absent-minded person I am I had picked up brochures only to forget them at the breakfast table. At least I remembered what I read. As I made my way to Interstate 4 I
took some pictures of an Ocoee hotel that was being demolished. There were three police cars nearby so I went to the side of the building on the sidewalk to take pictures. I guess the cops were there to see who wrote gang graffiti on the structure.

I had sidetracked myself onto Apopka-Vineland and Conroy-Windermere Roads. I had to turn around twice near the Catholic Church around the corner from the Mall of the Millenium.I looked at the map again in the parking lot of the mall. I had no time
to go into the mall- even if it had a Bloomingdale's and was fancier than most malls in Atlanta. I wasn't thrilled enough to go into the Ikea either.

I made it onto the exit to Universal. I only had to pay 12.00 to park. I was pleasantly surprised. I had to take a few moving walkways and get my bags searched but it was much more trouble-free than Disney World. I was in the park and thought
was going to visit for only 12.00. I didn't see much in the el cheapo section. I sat and had a non-alcoholic pina colada. Then I found that the rest of the attractions cost 94.00. I waited in line at the Islands of Adventure as some clueless people tried to buy tickets. My efforts were simple; just give the man a credit card and say what you want. I was determined to make my money count.

My favorite was the Comics section of the park. There was a Gasoline Alley store where I bought Mom a shirt. There was xylophone and raucous swing music playing to set the mood. The station played old OTR episodes of "Gasoline Alley". I went to the Popeye store to look at goodies for my sister's grandchildren. I loved the fog-fans used to cool visitors.

The next stop was Jurassic Park. I had ribs and chicken with a corn ear and seasoned potatoes. I should learn to cook this good. I bought my great-nephew a shirt. I saw a cute "dinosaur" hatch from its egg. I wondered if Big Boy would have attacked it mercilessly or just run. I rode the roller-coaster style ride. I sat on my hat and put away my sunglasses. The ride was innocent enough other than being splashed a little bit. Then my craft was raised for approximately four or five stories. I saw a wall in front of my head and wondered if I were headed right for it. I felt the ride stop for a little then I closed my eyes. I wish that I had not closed my eyes but it seemed to be the thing to do. I had to keep myself from leaning forward (we were instructed not to do this). I saw the Dr. Seuss section and returned to the Cartoon section. I rode a Popeye raft after circumnavigating a maze that seemed to lead in circles. I was drenched as much or more than at Jurassic Park. I bought my great-niece an Olive Oyl doll.

It was close to 6:30 when I left. I saw the actual Studios section and saw where the ticket was for two parks. This was a park made to appear like a movie set. I went in line and asked if the ticket would get me in. I put my thumbprint on a reader, had my ticket scanned, and went in. There was a Schwab's Drug Store restaurant, a Mel's Drive In, and some old-style Hollywood
stores in the first section. After passing through a garden I went to the Woody Woodpecker and Barney sections. It's sad when signs are posted telling you to respect "the little people" in the Woody Woodpecker area.

I walked through the Jaws area, the San Francisco area, and went to the Disaster section. It was an interactive exhibit which had a select few of the audience participate in a tape-and-splice disaster movie including "The Rock" himself. I and the other secondary "players" were subway riders who were videotaped. I had pizza and cherry Coke at Louie's, a restaurant in the New York section. Before I left i got a big cookie. It was 8:30PM.

I drove from I-4 going the opposite way, thinking I was headed to Daytona. I was headed to Tampa. I wanted to head to St. Augustine and get some rest. I went to the Super Target to make a pit stop. I took the turnpike to US 17. I felt weird listening to airchecks instead of the radio. Most of the time I listen to talk radio as I drive. In Orlando I saw a white lady either selling crack or tricks to a black man in the decrepit section. I saw a Cowboy-whatever club. Then I saw some old bedraggled man making gestures to the traffic. And I was scared of the ride at Jurassic Park?

I made it out and when I got to Sanford I decided to just take Interstate 4 to Interstate 95. My speed was taking a hit at the stop lights and small towns. I needed to go to bed sooner or later. The Ipod had some 1964 WKBW airchecks replete with easy listening intertwined with Beatles cuts. I made it to St. Augustine near FL 16. I stayed in an Econo Lodge. My room had an inoperative TV so I had to try to get the weather on the radio. I should have brought the larger AM/FM/TV/Weatheradio instead of the hand-crank gizmo. My feet stunk and it was a wonder I didn't have athlete's foot.

The next morning I woke up in time to catch the last ten minutes of the continental breakfast in the lobby (rolls and coffee). I went to the old village and was rained on. It turned sunny so I returned to the SUV to stow my umbrella as it was getting sunny. The Florida weather gave me a sucker punch. Thankfully I had a hat
on as I finished my hot dog. I took FL16 to Lake City and took Interstate 75 back home. I got gas in Valdosta and made a toilet stop at a rest stop near Adel on the way home.