3 Different states, 2 Good friends, & One trip I'll never forget.

Thursday October 21, 2010
 8:59am
 Beaufort SC

This particular morning started just like any other.
I got up that morning, went outside to smoke a cigarette, and wake up. It was kinda cool out, and the  sun was shining. You could just tell it was going to be a good day. Even though I had gotten up feeling a little under the weather.
 I went back in the house to get cleaned up and prepare for the day. I knew we were supposed to head into Savannah to pick up the new dishwasher. Well, that and do a few other things.
 I took a nice hot shower, shaved, brushed my teeth, then got my jeans and shirt on. Grabbed my shoes and shades, and I was ready. We left the house and headed out through Beaufort. The day was going to be great. Pick up the dishwasher, bring it back and install it. That was the plan.
 We stopped off at Sonic and grabbed a bite to eat, then set out again for Georgia. We talked, laughed, and enjoyed each other's company, as usual.  The road down to Savannah would get shorter and shorter everytime we got the chance to go. The laughter made the miles roll by really fast.
 We hit Savannah. Pulled into the Sears, park and head in. After finding out that the washer wasn't in yet, we went back out into the store to do a little shopping. I must have looked really 'cute' in the women's shoe department.
 The shopping's done. We headed back out to the truck. After discussing "oxymorons" and how hilarious some of our favorites are, we got back in, and started to plan our next quest.
 "So where to?"
"We're done dude"....she says.
Being an avid bike nut, I asked if there was a Harley dealer nearby. She says there's one out my I-95. So the trip is planned. We headed out. It was like heaven for a guy that's into bikes. This big Harley dealership was situated right beside a "Hooters". That in itself is proof that there IS a God in heaven...lol
 We head inside, and I started looking at the bikes in the showroom, well more like drooling over them. I made a complete round in that showroom telling Renee about the certain models that my family and friends have. Then I saw it. Over in the corner, a metallic blue 'rocket' with silver flames, and a 250 rear. I looked at the bike and couldn't figure out exactly what it was, so I asked a sales guy about it, and we started to chat about what it had. Then he said, 'you know, you CAN sit on it if ya want bro"...so, I did.
 That damn thing was perfect, and Renee informed me that I 'looked good' on it. I hated to get off that damn thing, but I can't afford 17 grand for a used bike right now. Reluctantly, I left..lol
 Now, back in the truck, we pull out and get back to 95. Needing to head north to get back home, there was a quick right turn. We are now heading south. I asked where we were headed, and the answer was questionable. I had no idea.
A few miles away, we exited onto 17, 'ocean highway'. This was great! We start winding through all of these little towns, by vacant farmland, old buildings, and signs.....LOTS OF SIGNS....I learned one thing though...EVERY bridge on that damned road has 4 signs in a sequence BEFORE you cross it...There's the "BRIDGE ICES BEFORE ROAD", then, "WATCH FOR BICYCLES ON BRIDGE", followed by the name of the creek or river that the bridge spans, and finally a yellow and black stiped caution sign.
 The second of the 2 signs kills me.....'WATCH FOR BICYCLES ON BRIDGE'.....LMAO.....WHEW!!...I'm glad that sign was there...I would've NEVER been alert enough to actually steer clear of that bike.....JESUS, GEORGIA!?...Is that really needed?

...We saw "THE SMALLEST CHURCH IN AMERICA"...that was way cool...got some great pics out there.....the headed out from there, and found these 2 really pretty trees about 3 miles from that church. One of them was so close to the roadway that you could've easily touched it from the window of your moving car should you ever want to purposely break you right arm off at 60mph.

The next town at this point is "Woodbine".....We crossed the bridge into the town limits, and the first sign we see says this, and I swear to GOD, this is word for word;

'DEAD PEOPLE'S STUFF FOR SALE'

Then, on top of THAT sign, where the 'open/closed' portion should be, instead of 'closed', they had a sign stating 'SHUT".

 We laughed so damned hard, but didn't get a picture of that damn sign. I WILL find it though. Somebody out there on the web has been through there and seen that, and I'd be willing to bet that sign's picture is posted on some 'funny sign' website, or a highway stories blog.

 We talk, laugh, and carry onward. Then there is a bridge so damned narrow that if we'd met someone on it coming the other way, there's a good chance we'd had smacked mirrors. Coming off that bridge, there it was.
'WELCOME TO FLORIDA'

 I had NEVER been to Florida. Until today.
 We moved along after stopping to get picks with that stae sign. Something I'd always wanted to do, but never had. Now I can finally start my collection of roadsign pics with me standing beside them.
  On through Jacksonville now. Great city. Beautiful.
 We hit Atlantic Blvd, and pushed on.
 Crossing some of the nicest bridges I'd seen in a while, we finally hit "Neptune Beach". The area we ended up in was amazing. Bricked walkways, a traffic circle that was also brick, really neat little shops and restaurants, and palm trees. Lots of palms.
 We made it. I'd never been to Florida. Renee knew this. She took me there. I never asked. She wanted to share that experience with me, and prove to me that the world DOES NOT end at the SC line.

 The place was fantasic. We walked out onto the beach. The sand was so fine. The water was blue. The sun was bright. The weather was amazing. The cares were gone. The troubles had vanished. The worries were abandoned. The world was perfect at that time to me.
 Walking down the bricked sidewalk, we took in the sights, the sounds, the atmosphere. There was an 'artwalk' happening, and the artists and vendors were showcasing their best works.

  Dinner was at this little carribean dive on the sidewalk. We sat out on the porch right beside the sidewalk. You could hear the band up the block playing their best Jamaican raggae tunes. We ate, laughed, talked, and really enjoyed that moment. Afterward, we went out for a walk to see more, and I went crazy yet again with the pictures. I like pictures! They capture these moments like a time capsule. Every one a memory frozen in time.

 A little tired at this point, back to the truck we started to head. Back up Atlantic Blvd, and  moving toward I-95. A quick stop at Starbuck's, and we were ready for the trek back to Beaufort. Up the ramp to 95 north, and staying with traffic til we got out of town. The sun is going down at this point, and we were clear of traffic. The cruise gets set at nearly 100mph...lol....and we're talking, laughing, enjoying that hot Starbucks java (Vinte Caramel Macchiato for me please!) and recounting what we've seen.
 Just south of Woodbine Georgia, we hit the first traffic jam. Nobody is moving,and we're right beside a weigh station. After sitting dorment for about 45 minutes, we pull out of traffic, head down the shoulder, and back through the weigh station....turns out it was also fed by hwy17 which was right behind it off the access road. So that was our next move. Get ahead of the accident (truck lost it's load on the highway) and then jump back onto the interstate.

 Well, we did, and after about an hour of diving we hit ANOTHER jam...lol....just outside of Savannah...lol...we waited patiently this time though, and went along with the flow of traffic.
 45 minutes after that jam, we hit Beaufort, and eventually, home. We were both spent, her more than me, as she drove the whole day. What a trooper....she's awesome.

 We come in the house, her to her room, me to mine, we both change, hit the sofa for a bit, and then I downladed the pics off the camera. I then posted them to my facebook page, uploaded the videos fromthe traffic jams, and I am now sitting here writing this blog.
 Today was a great day. I got to see so much. We had a blast. That beach...the water, the sand....it was so majestic to me. I'll never forget that.  Thank you.

 You never cease to surprise me. I have never seen someone that gives so much, yet asks so little. I am so endebted to you. You can not imagine what you've done for me. You practically saved my life. Seriously. I have grown so much since I've been in Beaufort. I see what life can be. I have seen what true friends do for each other. I have been touched...you have got to be the best friend I have ever had, and I'm not saying this because of today, but for what you've done just by being my friend. The advice, your selflessness, the laughter we share....everything. You'll always be part of my family.

 Again...thank you.