January 13th, 2008 | categorizilation: all categories,USA (FLorida)
Today’s distance / ???????: 9.20 miles / 14.8km
Average speed / ????: 8.6mph / 13.8km/h
Time on skateboard / ????: 1h 04m
Total skateboarding distance to date / ????????????: 1621mi (plus 266mi) / 2609km (plus 430km)
Ascent / ??: n/a
Descent / ??: n/a
End-of-day GPS coordinates: n/a
Tough leaving the warm atmosphere of Pensacola today. Knowing that I have more tough skating ahead. The only thing that keeps me going these days is the excitement of the unknown; a desire to see what is up the road.
Jamey and friend skater/surfer Charlie skated a few blocks to see me off out of Pensacola. I’m sure I’ve never seen so many skateboards in one place before, apart from a skateboard shop. Charlie is a bit of a collector.
We left from where I arrived in Pensacola – the public library. The white water tower eased into the distance as I rolled towards the west.
I was happy to have a cycle path and generous shoulders all the way out of Pensacola and to Pleasant Grove.
It was the following photos that totally ruined my plans for a long day on the board today.
Trash and Treasures Antique Shop. It kind of reminds me of the antique shop in the British TV comedy series The Old Summer Wine. In the TV series, once someone entered the shop, they didn’t leave without being pressured into buying something they don’t need by the elderly shopkeeper.
In this case, I wasn’t pressured into buying something, but as I was taking photos, the owner of the shop, a spritely 80 year old lady named Verna, along with two of her daughters rolled up beside me in their big old car, wound down the window, and asked what I was doing and where I was going. I did my explaination, and explained that I was also in today’s newspaper. Suitably impressed, they proceeded to abduct me for the rest of the day, taking me to lunch and showing me the local Naval Museum.
Despite the fact that I was gate-crashing Bonnie’s (lady holding the baby) birthday party, no one seemed perturbed by the fact that I was present; it was if this happened all the time. Further investigation into the lives of this lively family of four girls showed that they had done their share of camping in their time, driving near and far across the country for extended vacations. They would ocassionally come across a needy-looking person and take them under their wing. Thanks guys!
The navy museum in Pleasant Grove is incredible. It is massive, and jam packed full of very well preserved war planes.
Now, the culprit behind all the signs on the antique shop was of course Verna. Her husband passed away just over a year ago, and ever since she has been filling her time painting signs that express her feelings on all manner of subjects. The one below I found particularly poignant.
I was honoured when she showed me one she had made while I was away with her daughters Shiela and Donna at the navy museum. Stoked!
I ended up staying at Bonnie (the birthday girl) and Al’s place. I went to church with the family in the evening, and crashed at their place afterwards. It was a good thing that it worked out this way, as it seems as though my website was hacked either yesterday or today. I managed to get the issue worked out, and promptly changed my passwords on my server. I apologise if anyone was offended by the images and words that were displayed.
The TV program was "Last of the Summer Wine" Rob, but we know the one you mean!!
and Auntie Wainwright was the lady who had the shop.
