pan·dem·ic | \ pan-ˈde-mik \: occurring over a wide geographic area and affecting an exceptionally high proportion of the population
May 6 Wednesday
It is week six of covid-19 lock down. Things have been pretty good considering all that is going on. However, I was really wanting some scooter freedom. The house Medial Officer said she would approve a trip to Newberry to Camp David on the Daluhunty Plantation. Only one other person has stayed in Camp David on Daluhunty Plantation other than me in the last year and that was months ago so I felt it would be safe to spend a few nights there.
I loaded up and headed out around 9. Traffic seemed to pretty much like normal except the SunCoast Parkway was busier than normal. I got off the highway at Marsyktown and took some nice back roads to Hernando and the house of Jim and Grace. Jim's Chief Medical Officer had given me pre-clearance to come visit. Grace has always had a green thumb and her vegetable garden this year is no exception. She saved some tomato seeds from a tomato last year and just dropped them in pots and they are already about three feet high and loaded with tomatoes. I am going to try again this year to grow tomatoes. She presented me with a home made mask and some lemon cake and sent me on my way with her husband in tow.
The weather is perfect and made for a great ride. The main road is US 41 and we stayed off of that. The roads we took are straight and some would call boring but I loved them as there was no traffic.
Close to Newberry I stopped and asked Jim if there was rain ahead, but he said no and wanted to press on. About five minutes later I pulled over in the rain and he decided he would leave me there and I rode the last half mile by myself. It was one of those really localized showers and when I arrived at Larry's the ground was not even wet.
I was met by Kim, the resident caretaker and the former Mickey Mouse. I was astounded by the amount of brush she had cleared since I was there last. The place looked great.
A few hours later Bill arrived from Jacksonville. It was nice to see him again. He would spend the night in Larry's by himself. After he had a few beers we decided to go pickup dinner. The Villaggo makes a great pizza to we got two smalls and two salads. We sat outside on the scooters until they were delivered to the parking lot and I strapped on the pizza's and Bill was in charge of the salads.
Back the plantation we set outside at opposite ends on the picnic table while Kim set in a rocking chair near by. A fine dinner under the raising full moon was magical.
The weather is perfect and made for a great ride. The main road is US 41 and we stayed off of that. The roads we took are straight and some would call boring but I loved them as there was no traffic.
Close to Newberry I stopped and asked Jim if there was rain ahead, but he said no and wanted to press on. About five minutes later I pulled over in the rain and he decided he would leave me there and I rode the last half mile by myself. It was one of those really localized showers and when I arrived at Larry's the ground was not even wet.
I was met by Kim, the resident caretaker and the former Mickey Mouse. I was astounded by the amount of brush she had cleared since I was there last. The place looked great.
A few hours later Bill arrived from Jacksonville. It was nice to see him again. He would spend the night in Larry's by himself. After he had a few beers we decided to go pickup dinner. The Villaggo makes a great pizza to we got two smalls and two salads. We sat outside on the scooters until they were delivered to the parking lot and I strapped on the pizza's and Bill was in charge of the salads.
Back the plantation we set outside at opposite ends on the picnic table while Kim set in a rocking chair near by. A fine dinner under the raising full moon was magical.
 |
| Grace's garden with Jim at a social distance. |
 |
| Dilahunty plantation |
May 7 Thursday
The weather surprised us all. We knew it would be pretty, we did not know it would be as cold as it got. Bill had heat over at Larry's but there was no heat in Camp David. It was not like last time when I froze my ass off. It was survivable, but neither Bill nor I had brought clothes for cold weather. Fortunately, Bill had thrown in a sweatshirt at the last minute and I had my rain gear which is great for cutting the cold wind when riding and would keep me less than frozen anyway.
We decided we would ride to Suwanee on the gulf in hopes of getting oyster stew, fried mullet and grits thus making it a Oyster Tour. We waited until 10 when the temperature broke into the upper 50's and headed out. We went north for awhile riding through nice rural areas. There were lots of wild flowers and in the chilly bright morning sun they were beautiful. We arrived in Suwanee just before noon. Though we were hoping the Salt Creek Restaurant, home of the oyster stew and mullet,would be open it did not open until five. We headed over to the Gateway Marina but it was just frozen pizza and pasta and no one was home. The last chance was the Suwanee River Marina. The basic restaurant was open and we ordered fish sandwiches with french fries and onion rings. This was not what we were after but it did the job. The bun was a large hamburger bun with piece of fried tilapia that filled about half the bun. The people were nice and the location was great. We took the direct route back to Newberry, because there is really not many options for adventure riding.
Passing through Trenton, Bill spotted the Gilchrist county court house. We circled the block and got a photo in front of the building to make this at least a Courthouse Tour.
Bill hung out for about and hour or so and then headed home.
Passing through Trenton, Bill spotted the Gilchrist county court house. We circled the block and got a photo in front of the building to make this at least a Courthouse Tour.
Bill hung out for about and hour or so and then headed home.
Larry and his brother arrived about and hour after Bill left. I have talked to, but not seen Larry in over a month. We social distanced on the back deck and caught up on life and then walked the property to look at all the brush clearing Kim has done.
As dark settled we all went to our respective abodes and settled in. I got my third meal out of the pizza and salad and called it a day.
The red brick Gilchrist County Courthouse was built in 1933 as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project. The courthouse features an open portico with decorative arches and columns. Greek style lettering of the courthouse name is a prominent feature of the building.
Year Built: 1933
Architectural Style: Greek, Red Brick
As dark settled we all went to our respective abodes and settled in. I got my third meal out of the pizza and salad and called it a day.
 |
| Entering Suwanee |
 |
| lunch on the deck |
Year Built: 1933
Architectural Style: Greek, Red Brick
 |
| Bill warming up before the ride back to Jax |
 |
| Sunseting |
May 8 Friday
Another cool morning. About eight, I walked over to Larry's and we sat on the back deck enjoying banana nut bread and coffee. By nine the temperature was tolerable for riding. I said my goodbyes and headed home. Again a beautiful day for riding. I got fuel in Brooksville and used the bathroom. Fortunately there was no one around to share their germs.
I arrived home around one and since I had no alcohol on this trip I had a few marq's left over from the other night and took a nap.
 |
| The road home |
 |
| Still maintained though the wreck was in 1987 |
 |
| collecting love bugs |
