Spring Journey: Aurora to Georgia Part One

We have been quite tardy in getting out this mail,
But this can be explained – I can, I shall, I will.
It has to do with busy-ness, and bicycles, and trails,
Not to mention seafood, friends, and bookstores -
With tons of stuff for sale!

(I should never have purchased that Ogden Nash poetry book.)

Waiting for Inspiration

Leaving Aurora
Four minutes from the house we pass a runner. He is struggling with his breathing as he lumbers along the sidewalk pushing his 250 pound body to the limit. It is 23 degrees F (-5 C). He is wearing blue track pants and shoes - that is all that he is wearing.

We left the house at 10.30 wanting to get to Niagara Falls before a predicted storm arrived.
It took slightly longer to leave the house this time; we had some extra clean up because our neighbors are taking over our house while theirs is under renovation.

The last task for Cathy was to toss a carrot into the back yard for our winter tenant: Bugsy Wabbit.

Haven't seen a rabbit yet!

Our first major stop was at the Foster's Food and Fashion Shoppe in Fonthill, ON. For six hours we dined, conversed and viewed fashion. Katrina displayed her dance costumes, David shared winter plowing adventures while Clay and Melodie cooked pasta and veal parmigiana. A great evening with friends acquired on a camping adventure in North Bay, many, many years ago!

There were snow showers from Niagara Falls to Clarksburg, WV, however, there was no snow on the road and the visibility was great. At Erie, PA, they were under a winter warning so we gave up that planned stop.

Crossing the border was fun.
''What is your destination?''
''Brunswick, Georgia, and I know that you are familiar with it.''
Immediate double-take followed by all the normal questions then a big smile. ''How do you know that I am familiar with Brunswick?''
''Because that is where you received your security training.''
He laughed and wished us a great vacation.

Bridgeport, WV
We often meet itinerant workers: men who travel from state to state, working on gas pipe lines and power plant projects.
On the way out of the motel we met a worker coming in. His comment: “If I had to live here, I'd put a bullet in my head.” It was a cold, blustery day in Bridgeport, West Virginia. The wind was .... across the parking lot has we headed into the El Rincon Mexican Restaurant; this is our hangout in Bridgeport. We have feasted there a number of times. I went in to visit my friend Margarita.


A Commercial – Sort of - Pocketmail

Most of you know that we used a mini-pocket email gadget for many years of our travel. This device made it possible for us to type up our newsletters and send them over regular phone lines. As Wi-Fi became the standard for campgrounds and phone accessibility became limited, we switched to using the computer.

Pocketmail offered to buy back my unit but, on thinking this over, I decided that I could use it as a PDA; write my thoughts while stretched out on the couch or bed, then transfer the writing to the computer. Originally, there was a program to facilitate the transfer.
Computers have changed and there seemed to be a glitch in the program. I contacted Pocketmail and they told me they would be unable to help; they said I would have to contact the original makers of the software.
I hunted down Compulink; they replied that they were unfamiliar with the program and denied ownership. Excuse me! Their story changed when I sent them an image of the software disk and the software listing of the staff who had created the program. Their new story: “ We made it for Pocketmail; you will have to contact them for support.”
I suggested that both companies should find a third company to blame.
With some thinking and experimentation I discovered the solution. I let them know but I also refused to share it with them.

Third Night
We planned our third night on the road to be Mayberry, RFD. (Mt. Airy, NC). The truck was filthy but we hunted down a car wash and I was careful not to wash out the snow. I wanted to see how far I could carry the white Canadian Blessing.
At last we found downtown Mt. Airy. We had never been successful before. Tim and Jer remember Mt. Airy for Goober's restaurant.

We stayed a couple of days at River Bottom Farms before heading to Savannah, but, that is another story.