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February 11, 2000
I'm absolutely loving my adventure. This road trip with my son Matt is phase one,
a transition to going abroad. During this leg of my adventure I at least know the language (although a couple of
times in the South that was questionable), the currency, and most of the customs. I now have an opportunity to
explore some of the United States that I've not yet seen, visit some friends and family, make some new friends,
and share some precious time with Matt under the best of circumstances: doing what we both have a passion for doing.
After enjoying two nights with my daughter Nicole and her husband Stuart in southern Arizona, we headed east across
the southern states, with Austin our first notable stop. We enjoyed this oasis within Texas, even though we didn't
get a chance to check out the music scene that it's so heralded for, since it was a Tuesday night. Driving the
interstate through Texas to get there was a bit daunting, however, especially through "The Killing Fields",
an area west of Austin where dead deer are strewn along side the road like beer bottles on lover's lane. There
had to be a hundred of them in one day, a gruesome sight! And that's not counting the staggering total of other
various and sundry wild and domestic critters that failed to survive the steady, deadly stream of traffic. Moving
on.……
New Orleans was epic! We loved the architecture, music, food and people and spent two nights in a hostel there.
We could have stayed a long, long time, though that town is better enjoyed with loads of "disposable income".
They do take their partying very seriously there, and the locals are extremely laid back and friendly. If you go
(and shame on you if you don't), check out JacqueImo's @ 8320 Oak for Shrimp Gumbo and Fried Green Tomatoes that
are truly a religious experience. Matt did most of his chewing with his eyes closed, moaning a lot!
There was seriously inclement and wild weather in the South that week, so we got down to Florida really fast. After
an unscheduled stop in St. Cloud (mid-state) getting a new clutch (two days there...less than charming), we went
to Miami where Matt's uncle Bill and his family live. We had a good time there: loved the beach (can never get
too much of that), South Beach (great people watching), and sunshine galore. Warning though: if there was a city
planner in Miami, he/she must have been on drugs while laying out the streets and naming them.
We then drove north of Tampa and enjoyed our friends Valerie and Cecil and more warm weather. The highlight there
- a picnic at sunset on the beach watching dolphins frolic just offshore...very nice!
Again north, camping outside of Savannah at Skidaway St. Park amongst the egrets and deer, and exploring that city
for a day. It has a very pretty downtown with historic and ancient homes, and twenty-one squares to sit in and
enjoy. But the atmosphere there was a bit spooky - hard to connect with the locals. Then we were filled in that
night at a coffee shop by a recent transplant that Savannah apparently is still a good-ole-boy's town. Segregation
may have been outlawed in America in 1963, but I guess it's still alive and well in the South in many places, and
we got all the taste of that we wanted in Savannah.
We loved Charleston, South Carolina. It was wonderful walking the narrow streets with absolutely stunning older
homes, cobblestones and bricks all over. The ocean is great and the vibes there good. Enchanting comes to mind.
Now we're in Saffire, North Carolina staying with a friend of a friend who's becoming a friend. Stacy has opened
up her wonderful home that sits here on a pristine little lake. This is in Transylvania County near the Smokie
Mountains and it's just beautiful here. Two days ago Matt and I negotiated a steep trail down to a white water
river that roared beneath magnificent falls and had our lunch there. Nice country here.
It's been a lot of driving (about 4000 miles so far), but a big box of wicked cassettes, great conversation and
a cooler full of those little Starbucks coffee drinks really make a difference. I'm walking a lot, playing and
laughing a lot, making new friends, and with Matt's coaching learning to juggle (can always use a new job skill
for the road). I'm also getting used to the idea that I don't have a permanent address, and loving that!
It's fun writing this and I hope you enjoy receiving it. We'll probably be in New York next week and considering
the time of year, I reckon we're through camping.
Until I find my next computer, peace and love to you all!
 Peace and
love
-------------Fast Eddie
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