Still Feeding Nebo: The may trip final chapter pg 122, Dec. 31

[TyRy]

I had a death grip on the wheel, trying to "feel" my way through this thing using a "bat's" sonar.

It was that dark.

Shall we sing?

"Inside of Old Smokey,
I can't see a thing,"
"And soon we'll be wearing,
The nice scene-r- y."

"We'll crash in the tunnel,
We'll total the car"
"And soon they'll be pouring,
Our guts in a jar."

Somehow I know I'm going to be singing this all day.

Reading it while DH was getting ready for work he heard me cracking up and came to see what was sooooo funnt - my response "NEBO!" Great as usual.

 

[kthom]

Read your last report and loved it. Side saddle??? I'm in!!!!

 

[lexmelinda]

"I NEED DRUGS!"

"Geez! You scared me."

I would think Diane would be used to this by now!

Going by Lexington, we saw a strange woman standing by 75, holding up a sign.

"Disney or Bust."

Diane pointed her out and waved.

You didn't even slow down!

Speed: 70
Fuel: 3 quarters
Tach: 3200 rpm
Temp: 150
Ceiling: Unlimited
Track: Fast
Pulse: 83
Par: 4

Heh, heh. Good one bu don't look down! OK?

Still have the road to myself though, pretty much.
But.
My back is killing me, it's bright sunny out, and it's raining.
And curvy.
I said "What? Do I have to juggle too?"

The passenger's seat is definitely the way to go through the mountain corridor on I-40 because it is SO beautiful although I have driven several times with just me and the kids. I'm always on the look out for a falling rock the size of a school bus.

"Inside of Old Smokey,
I can't see a thing,"
"And soon we'll be wearing,
The nice scene-r- y."

"We'll crash in the tunnel,
We'll total the car"
"And soon they'll be pouring,
Our guts in a jar."

HILARIOUS! I can't believe I forgot to warn you about the tunnels!!! Even I can't see when I go from sunlight to darkness in the tunnels. The kids love 'em! DS spends half the trip yelling "where's the tunnel!!!"

About ten miles or so down the road, my heart dropped.

"Vehicles, turn on your headlights."

I could see this coming when you mentioned the first tunnel. Glad this one was lit a little better.

I'm glad I know you guys are already back and safe. Geez! Diane...consider driving next time. Steve is scaring me!

 

[tiggerbell]

Oh, good Lord! You went to a Waffle House and didn't get waffles???

 

[Heluvsme]

OK Steve--Nebo--Sharkbait----I'm in!!! A little late, but here none the less! I am loving it so far!!

Can't wait to read the rest!

 

[luvhockey]

Love the song Nebo. I was actually wondering if you knew about the tunnels. Anxiously awaiting the part about robbing the drug store. I figure you needed to at some point. Thursday is so far away and this is such a long trip can't we have "It must be Monday/Thursday"?
Please, pretty please.
Angela

 

[anabelle]

"3 useless Darvocets. "

I take 1 Darvocet and I'm out for 2 days and emailing strange notes to family members!

After a C-section my OB prescribed 2 Darvocets every 4 hours or so. I told the nurse to give me 1/2 of one. She laughed and said "that won't do anything"
After that, I couldn't lift my head or feel my skin. All I could do is lay there in the hospital bed drooling because I couldn't move my mouth to keep the drool in. The nurse came in and asked "don't take many drugs do you, hun?"

 

[McDisney]

Sorry, Whatever I saw of the mountains came from the view out the windshield.
I didn't DARE turn my head. She's marvelling at the sights, and nervous at the same time. It's not like you are driving so close to the edge, but close enough. And the road gets extremely curvy.

:

Omigosh! We lived in Colorado for a short time, while there we (okay I) decided we should go on one of the trails in the mountains..... took a wrong turn and ended up on another "trail", on my side of our Cherekee was a wall of rock (I may have scraped the mirror a couple times), on her side was..... air (and a breathtaking view- if she was able to breathe).
Wife just kept saying "Iwannagohome, weregonnadieifwedon'tgetoffthiscliff!"

Needless to say I'm not allowed to "point the car" anymore

Great stuff so far, had tears in my eyes

 

[mikamah]

OMG, the tunnel song is too funny. It's amazing you are still on this earth. Can't wait til monday!!

 

[Backstage_Gal]

Just telling you I am here and reading, I needed this. Frigging work week here! Thanks for the update, it made me cheer up! Glad to know you made it back alive, since you are posting!
Sidenote: I have deductive reasoning skills at times!

 

[jcc0621]

Uuuummmmmm, litle tip for the next time if you use this route get off I-95 in Jacksonville and take 295 south back to to I-95. Knocks about 45 mintues off the trip. Not becasue it's less miles, but there is a heck of alot less traffic. Just my little public service message for the day.

And special thanks, becasue now I have THAT song stuck in my head

Janet

 

[nebo]

Boy, how would you like to be a cast member doing check-ins the next couple of months. I know from experience that Disney did not send out any mail telling peeps that made ressies that they are now non-smoking. I wonder how many called in with the Mickey flu yesterday?

Speaking of which, if anyone has any info or knows of maps showing the designated smoking areas at the resorts, I'd appreciate it. In particular, Riverside.

I also want to welcome a few newcomers here; Lovebuzzandwoody, Kthom, Heluvsme and Anabelle. Glad you're enjoying this so far. Don't worry, we'll fix that. OH, and Anabelle? That line under your name? I can't remember how many times I used that in my first two reports. "Did I say that out loud?"


From Melinda: You didn't even slow down!

I can't believe how many people didn't recognize you, Even Winkers.

Omigosh! We lived in Colorado for a short time, while there we (okay I) decided we should go on one of the trails in the mountains..... took a wrong turn and ended up on another "trail", on my side of our Cherekee was a wall of rock (I may have scraped the mirror a couple times), on her side was..... air (and a breathtaking view- if she was able to breathe).
Wife just kept saying "Iwannagohome, weregonnadieifwedon'tgetoffthiscliff!"

Needless to say I'm not allowed to "point the car" anymore

Great stuff so far, had tears in my eyes

In '75 I once drove up to Mt. Evans, a tad higher than Pikes Peak, but not as civilized. It almost gave me a heartattack. And that was when I was young and fearless. Thanks for reading, Shawn.

Love the song Nebo. I was actually wondering if you knew about the tunnels. Anxiously awaiting the part about robbing the drug store. I figure you needed to at some point. Thursday is so far away and this is such a long trip can't we have "It must be Monday/Thursday"?
Please, pretty please.
Angela

Yes Angela, I am going to try to get chapters out faster this time, or I'll be here till Pirates of the Caribbean 5 opens up.

Oh, good Lord! You went to a Waffle House and didn't get waffles???

Yes Jaime, no waffles. Everytime you try to spread the butter, it keeps falling into all the little holes.

Now that's funny, not that I would laugh at your impending doom by running into the wall of a dark tunnel, but the song is hilarious!

YES you would! You'd laugh in a heartbeat. Think I'll become a Cornhusker fan.

Uuuummmmmm, litle tip for the next time if you use this route get off I-95 in Jacksonville and take 295 south back to to I-95. Knocks about 45 mintues off the trip. Not becasue it's less miles, but there is a heck of alot less traffic. Just my little public service message for the day.

And special thanks, becasue now I have THAT song stuck in my head

Janet

That's exactly what we'd do if we go that way again, which we might.
Thanks, Janet.,

Kay7979:
I'm sorry to hear about Tornado. I hope the kitty is doing better.

Tracy, Kathy, Marita, Marie, Winkers, glad you liked the song and thanks for contributing. And those I haven't mentioned but am too afraid to back the page up and look cuz I think this will all "go away".

Oh, and Missmun52? Are you sure you don't want to be an Aussie? It would make things easier.

Well, back to work uploading pics. New chapter possibly later today, definately tomorrow.

 

[Backstage_Gal]

I would like to request today pretty please???

I'll check to see if I can find smoking areas for you.

 

[Marion]

Yes Jaime, no waffles. Everytime you try to spread the butter, it keeps falling into all the little holes.

Syrup traps!

 

[nebo]

I may have missed another newcomer here, Friendlyfrog. Salutations.
Never want to tick off a friendly frog. They get mean.

I'm sitting here eating Salsbury Steak as I'm doing this.
What part of the cow does Salsbury Steak come from? Just wondering.

So, let's review.
It's early sat afternoon, pulling into St. Auggie to a Comfort Inn.

And I'm a mess.
I've recentlly taken my LAST TWO VIKES!! but they are just now kicking in. A middle eastern man is the checkerinner, the same guy I talked to on the phone when we made our ressies.
A long time ago.

Ground floor?
sure.
Smoking?
sure.

And then Diane called last week to verify.
"OH no, we have no smoking rooms. We have no smoking rooms."

Read that line twice. Funny how the same sentence can have two meanings.

But he told me a smoking room was no problem. When she talked to him on the phone, he almost urged her to cancel. After she told me about the snafu, I went back online to look for others, but rooms were now few and very expensive, so we kept this one.

As we pull in I open the door, and gingerly get out of the car.
Even though this drive was less than half of yesterday's, I'm even worse because it accumulates two days in a row.

I'm doing my best Quasimodo, inching for the lobby and Diane asks how I"m doing.
"Well, my back is shot, my foot is numb, knees are still wobbly and everything is a little blurry from staring at the road for two days. "
"I think my eyes have used up all their "looks" for the rest of the day."

I half-expected to see Bob Villa come walking up with a mic.

"Hello. This is Bob Villa bringing you a new edition of "This Old Spouse."

THis motel is on the west side of the coastal road. I thought that would be no problem, just walk across the street to the beach.
HA! The east side is all condominiums and a HUGE Holiday Inn.
You couldn't even see the ocean, much less the beach.

As I'm crawling back to the car, he's telling here that it's best to just drive two blocks down, make a right down this little street, and you can go right on the beach with your car.

The room is very nice, a small fridge and microwave.
Hey Disney! Hear that? A small microwave would fit perfectly on top of the fridges in the moderates.

We don't unload the whole car, just pretty much bring in what we need.
After I changed into my suit and flip flops , I told her I'm gonna go check out the pool.
For a Comfort Inn, on the main strip, this was a joke it was so small.
Right next to it was a hot tub, not much smaller than the pool. I think it was a hot tub because it had "bubbles" coming up.

I hope the bubbles weren't coming from that one, large guy that.....

Just before 3 we throw a couple of cans of beer and pop in the playmate cooler and went in search of the beach.

It was pretty much where the guy said it would be, and I could tell it was the right street because it had this huge sign that said "BEACH", with an arrow. At the end was a gate with a large, burly man standing next to it.

"This thing four wheel drive?"
me: "All wheel drive."

"I don't know, maybe." " I'm just sick to #$@^ing death of pushing these ^%#$%@'s out of the sand today, it's so soft."

Ok, now I'm worried. I start to pull forward.
"HOLD IT!"
(oh, they know, somebody told them, something I said gave it away)
I can get a guilt complex really easily.

"That's six bucks."

oh

We drove down about a block, and I could see why trucks were getting stuck. You just "sunk" in it, it was so dry. I didn't want to push it so I pulled down closer to the water where it's a little more packed and cars are parked there.
Actually, NO cars. It was all SUV's. I actually felt pretty good about the Santa Fe. I saw Explorers having a harder time than I was.

Or maybe it's the driver.

I am going to break this into two parts right now, so you'll just hang on, coming right back.

 

[nebo]

I was very impessed by the beach, much bigger than I thought it would be.
And harder. At least when you get closer to the water, which was still a ways away. Like putting your towel down on concrete.

Ok, I guess it's time. Meet the Trippers.

My happy wife to be finally out of the car.

Hey, I picked the car. She picked the color.

now they get scarier

When she had first picked up the film, she was sitting on the couch looking at them by herself.
Then I heard her crack up.

"Oh brother. You look ridiculous sucking in your stomach."

"What?" "I never sucked in my stomach." "Your nuts."

"Here, the cellulite, I mean celluloid doesn't lie."

And she hands it to me.
Hmm. Looks like she may have a point there.

"I was just taking a nice , deep breath of that fresh, salty air, that's all."
"Right."

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

We lied there and just kind of looked around in silence for a long time.
It was so loud between the wind and the waves that it wasn't really easy to talk. Two beers , I mean two hours later, I noticed that it seemed to be getting louder. It happens so gradually that it takes awhile to notice.

That's Diane in the center, way out there guys were actually surfing.
I kept looking for Moondoggie.

When we were back by our towels, I looked and saw a kid go by on a skateboard like he had a jetpack on. I couldn't believe it, he had to be doing about 35 miles an hour, I though it was a motorized skateboard on the hard packed sand down by the water.
Then another kid flew by.This time I saw the line from his back going up and it was a KITE! pulling him. It was that windy. I had to admit, I don't skateboard but that looked like fun.

Soon we figured we had enough sun for the first day and headed back to the entrance where this little building called THE Beachcomber was sitting.

Big mistake.

"OH honey, let's go in and check it out, just for one, ok?"
"I checked it out already, nothing special."
"When did you do that?"
"WHile you were changing."

"C'mon, park over there."

Over there turned out to be knee deep white fluffy sand. It was like trudging through a snow drift.

goodnight kids, gotta go meet her for karaoke.
Yes, you heard right. As you can tell by the photos I have no pride. bye

 

[Backstage_Gal]

I was very impessed by the beach, much bigger than I thought it would be.
And harder. At least when you get closer to the water, which was still a ways away. Like putting your towel down on concrete.

Ok, I guess it's time. Meet the Trippers.

My happy wife to be finally out of the car.

Hey, I picked the car. She picked the color.

now they get scarier

When she had first picked up the film, she was sitting on the couch looking at them by herself.
Then I heard her crack up.

"Oh brother. You look ridiculous sucking in your stomach."

"What?" "I never sucked in my stomach." "Your nuts."

"Here, the cellulite, I mean celluloid doesn't lie."

And she hands it to me.
Hmm. Looks like she may have a point there.

"I was just taking a nice , deep breath of that fresh, salty air, that's all."
"Right."

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

We lied there and just kind of looked around in silence for a long time.
It was so loud between the wind and the waves that it wasn't really easy to talk. Two beers , I mean two hours later, I noticed that it seemed to be getting louder. It happens so gradually that it takes awhile to notice.

That's Diane in the center, way out there guys were actually surfing.
I kept looking for Moondoggie.

When we were back by our towels, I looked and saw a kid go by on a skateboard like he had a jetpack on. I couldn't believe it, he had to be doing about 35 miles an hour, I though it was a motorized skateboard on the hard packed sand down by the water.
Then another kid flew by.This time I saw the line from his back going up and it was a KITE! pulling him. It was that windy. I had to admit, I don't skateboard but that looked like fun.

Soon we figured we had enough sun for the first day and headed back to the entrance where this little building called THE Beachcomber was sitting.

Big mistake.

"OH honey, let's go in and check it out, just for one, ok?"
"I checked it out already, nothing special."
"When did you do that?"
"WHile you were changing."

"C'mon, park over there."

Over there turned out to be knee deep white fluffy sand. It was like trudging through a snow drift.

goodnight kids, gotta go meet her for karaoke.
Yes, you heard right. As you can tell by the photos I have no pride. bye

Nebo, don't tell us you got stuck in the sand before hitting Disney even!

And Hubba, Hubba!!!

 

[jcc0621]

Great update. Didn't know that you could drive on the beach in St. Augustine. Good information to store away for later.....

Since you didn't see moondoggie, did you at least get to see Gidget?

 

[Suzflee]

Catching up after being away...

Lexmelinda - Why didn't you chase him down? I can't believe you just let him cruise past you like that!

BG - nice catch - missed that one...Happy to be???

Nebo, I had to go back to Feeding Nebo to compare pictures and you have definitely lost your tan...but added more of the moustache? Still looking like the Disney lover you are!

Diane - great color, perfect choice! Did they offer to give you surfing lessons?

"It was so loud between the wind and the waves that it wasn't really easy to talk. Two beers , I mean two hours later, I noticed that it seemed to be getting louder. It happens so gradually that it takes awhile to notice."

I was expecting the tide to be at your wheels. Nephew drove on the beach in St. Augustine and got stuck, we've gotten stuck in the Outer Banks so we know what a pain that is! And walking in that stuff had to be tough on the back!

Thanks for the many posts!

 

[lexmelinda]

Ummm....Steve?

I think you're mixed up. Those pictures appear to be from your February 1994 trip to the beach.

Which explains the mustache. Heh, heh.

And you already look tan-ish?!? Are you using a bronzer?

Anyway, great pictures and don't worry about sucking in your stomach. Everybody does that. Or so I hear.