Road Queen Ramblings: Canada to Texas to Florida

Spring has sprung across the US and I have to say that God's tapestry is beautiful!

Where we've been:

Montreal, Canada to Dallas, Texas: 1584 miles
Dallas, Texas to Gainesville, Florida: 1200 miles
Gainesville, Florida to Atlanta, Georgia: 330 miles
Gainesville, Georgia to Thibodaux, Louisianna: 580 miles

Staying busy, and that's a good thing!

We are now on our 4th truck and 3rd fleet owner in 3 months, ugh. But we really like this new fleet owner and truck -hopefully we won't have as severe of transmission or brake troubles with this one.

Ah, Canada. . . at first the boring dead fields and trees mixed with the sludge of the still melting ice and snow was nothing to write home about, but once we got across the border it was a novelty to see the lines of "smoke shops" on the Canada border. It was like a "last call" of them all! I think the number of smoke shops compared to the number of rental cars we've had in the past three months. . . . I'll have to run my stats. . . .

The butt literally stopped at the border! I wish I could have gotten some good pics of them -they were tiny sheds painted all different colors simply labeled "Smokes." Then all the streets were labeled in French. Um, hello, my Spanish isn't great, but I know zilch French! Michael was asking me how to pronounce things, and I think that's what kept us awake as the sun rose on the border. . . laughing at my overwhelming American dialect. Lol.

On the way out of Canada, we crossed at Alexandria Bay and a place called Thousand Islands (about 16 miles away from Niagra Falls). I have a picture below of the "garage for the jetty."

It was really neat going over the draw bridge and hearing me exclaim "Lord Jesus" as I climbed to heaven in a mack truck on a draw bridge. It was a novelty moment and I am learning I have a phobia of high bridges over water. The roads to Texas were good roads, and of course the only road construction I went through was at dark. The Renegade cattle truck behind me blew his air horn at me for the next 3 miles because I drove 50 through the twilight zone of cones (the speed limit was 55.)

Ah, Texas. . . . everything happens in Texas. Let me start by saying I love Dallas and I love the twang. I also loved our God Send of a tow truck driver that was as layed back in that southern way as one could get while hauling us around Dallas at 2 a.m. while trying to find a Freightliner dealership that was open.

Then, Michael took me to a treat of a place -completely Texas style! It was the Texas Rose. Later to discover, this Saloon/ Restaurant is actually owned by Willie Nelson! We enjoyed a huge lunch of brisket, fajitas, and cherry pie.

It was also in Dallas we made a deal with Ditto Transport and a man named TC to drive to Florida to begin working for them come Tuesday. TC and his wife Vicky. . . I really like them. When we were talking to TC on the phone, Michael and I both thought that he was a squatty overweight biker dude and his wife was a stay at home princess. When we met them, we were amused to find a different set of characters . . . Crocadile Dundee and his workin' wife. Lol! They were wonderful! Raised in Corpus Christy, Texas TC ain't sceered of nothin' and I believe one of the hardest working fellows I have met. Vicky was the type willing to give you the shirt off her back and help in any way possible.

So TC and Vicky live in Ocala, Florida -outside of Gainesville, home of University of Florida Gators. I love Florida! Driving along I-10 that runs litterally across the Gulf of Mexico at Mobile, AL and into the panhandle of Florida, my Pices (fish) soul ached. How could I be this close to the ocean and not stop to enjoy the waves of my favorite beaches along Fort Walton, only 30 miles from where we were. Oh, how I moaned and groaned . . . I will someday live at the ocean. My soul belongs there.

Gainesville, Florida was beautiful, we finally drove out of the Georgia / Florida pine trees and into the beginnings of the Palms. Gainesville had sidewalks and bike lanes all across the city -as did Tallahassee, the capitol. I was amazed. Finally! A community that met the transportation needs and desires of its people. Who wants to ride in a car all the time when the weather is beautiful and the commute can be done by bike??? Well, that is until the morning's thunderstorm about blew us away and soaked us to the bone -lol. Only lasted 30 mins. but I did feel sorry for the people on bikes having to fight the wind and rain.

Alas, I found Michael and I a house on Mirimar beach! A condo priced just right! Holy cow I was about to fall hook line and sinker and then read two menacing words. . . . "Time Share." Darn.

From Florida, we went to Gainesville and Atlanta Georgia. . . people are crazy drivers in this monsterous size of a city. Good grief! From Decatur all the way to Atlanta, people jockeyed at outrageous speeds for position on an 8 lane Interstate! This country girl longed for some dirt roads!

Georgia looks great and the town of Pine Apple boast some of the greatest. . . peaches. Lol.

Louisianna -we are right on the Gulf Coast, and going through it in the dark, you can't tell any oil spill was close by, but the stench of the canals and barges doesn't quite beacon me like the Emerald Coast in the Florida panhandle. I think of Pam and her living in New Orleans, and I dearly miss my friend who now lives in Chicago...

We weren't by the French Quarter, but I wonder if the recovery efforts there are as slowly progressing as the ones in Haiti, some things are just complete atrosities against humanity and it breaks my heart. . .

The Interstate made me sea sick. Stay off of I-65 and I-10 through New Orleans and Baton Rouge if at all possible. Those roads are so warped! However, I did want to stop for breakfast at the "Cajun Seafood" joint that we passed, too bad it was closed at 4 a.m.! Plus, I don't think I would have had too much fun on the "truck boat" afterward. :( Get it. . . "Truck boat" / "Tug Boat" . . . ok, maybe my humor is wierd in writing. . .

Hmmm. . . no telling where we'll end up next -prolly Memphis headed to Texas. . .

Here's a couple of songs I love:

Josh Kelley - "Georgia Clay"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=AqdcOnFBSIY

Kid Rock and Martina McBride -"Care"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGe7nAwrCcs&feature=player_detailpage

~Pictures~