Scooter Diaries

It has been 3months and one day since I have left Grand Rapids Michigan. After driving to the lower parts of Florida on a 50cc scooter, I tell my self I never want to drive a car again. I have been in Boston for about two months now, I have ridden in cars with others driving and doing so my fear of big city driving has grown. Cars go winging by you, turning in front of you, you in front of them, traffic signals ignored and there is just about always a car wreck to be seen on every drive.

For a while now I had been watching my aunt's apartment on the south end of Boston she was nice enough to leave me with her car. I had no plans on driving it but only to move it when that day comes for street cleaning, it would suck to explain to my aunt why her car got towed if I did not move it. My plan was to flip a U'ey from the space that she had parked it and turn down this side street that always has parking, plans never go as they are planed.

I enter the car, in my head I had already worked my self up for the worst, because that (insert sarcastic tone here) always helps. start the car put the seat belt on and put it in reverse. As I do this I notice a line of cars forming behind me. The first one puts his turn signal on (he wants my spot). As traffic is coming from the other direction filling up a once cleared road I realize a u turn is not going to work here any more. The man behind me starts laying on his horn only building my anxiety of driving. So I put the car in gear and start driving down the road looking for a good road to turn down. At the first stop light I realize that now is a good time to take off the parking break.

Ok lets pause for a moment for those of you who are not from Boston and have never driven here should know that the roads are not like normal city roads. They are not set up in grid patterns they weave, they wind, intersections are not always 4 way some times they are 5 or 6 way and to travel north you need to go south first and to get to the south end of Boston you need one of those star trek "beam me up things".

So as I am driving I turn down one road that puts me to another one way road that puts me on some windy road. I stop for a moment on the side of the road and think (ok now how do i get back). I pass a few cops and my thoughts start to run, do they know I don't like them, do they know that I am an uninsured driver, do they know this is my first time driving in this city and did they know this is not my car. some how out of the blue I ended up on the street that I started on, going the direction that I wanted to go in the first place.

I see it, the road I want to park down, but wait there off in the distance sparkling like a diamond on the queens crown is one beautiful parking space right across the street from the building I'm in. Let me tell you parallel parking was never so easy as this one. Its as if someone wrote on the road "please leave a spot here for 30 tanker trucks to fit because some retard out of town guy will need this spot... thank you and welcome to Boston."

a view from the roof top

I am writing this chapter with sadness and anger but please know that I still have hope to do this again one day on a bigger and greater level.

Scooter drivers who obey the law beware do not, I repeat do not drive through Hampton FL. Why you may ask? Officer Donaldson badge no.507 is a prick who does not know the law as they are written in the Florida statute from the secretary of state at the end of this I will post a link or copy and past the laws and you tell me if I should have gotten this ticket. Once again scooter drivers and anyone in general stay away from Hampton FL.

Today I was driving north on us301. It is just a normal road way with split sides, not an interstate road I had just left the village limits when I heard the siren of a police car. I pull over into the grass and stop my bike and proceed to give the officer my drivers license and registration upon request. Knowing the laws of FL I knew that I had done nothing wrong so I was ready to get on my way in a few minutes… those minutes turned into about a half an hr and then I knew something was up. The officer told me that it was illegal for me to be driving on this road I asked why and said this is not an interstate road and as far as I knew as long as I stayed at the far right I was in the right. He told me that the shoulder of the road is not for scooters. But officer as far as I see it by the law that I have read it is where I have to drive when I can not reach the speed of the traffic. No he says that is not a shoulder it is an emergency vehicle lane. So the conversation continues in my head because I had several things I dare not say to him like so your emergency vehicles are only 3 feet wide you must have some small dicks riding in them…bastard.

So my ticket was him telling me he let me off easy. $151.00 easy my infraction that he wrote on the ticket was fail to use designated lane driving motor vehicle in emergency lane not lane of travel.  There is a part on the ticket that tells me the state statute that I was in violation of (please follow close this is where it gets bogus) FL state statute 316.089(3) (you can google search this stuff) says this.
(3)  Official traffic control devices may be erected directing specified traffic to use a designated lane or designating those lanes to be used by traffic moving in a particular direction regardless of the center of the roadway; and drivers of vehicles shall obey the directions of every such device.
…. Ok so this is a law that tells people what to do when theirs construction or an accident… none of that happened today. I was driving on the side of the road going as fast as my scooter would allow me to go 29mph. Ok please read the laws for a 50cc or under bike for the state of FL…

If 50 cc or less, these vehicles are not motorcycles by driver license law definition, S. 322.01(25), F.S., so a motorcycle endorsement is not required per S. 322.03(4), F.S.; however, to operate them on streets and roadways, you must be at least 16 years old and hold at least a regular operator (Class E) or “Motorcycle Only” driver license. (Reason: Even though these vehicles are 50 cc or less, they still fall under the driver license law definition of “Motor Vehicle” and a driver license is required to operate a “motor vehicle.”) SS.322.03(1), 322.01(26) and 322.05(1), F.S.

Is a license required to operate GoPeds, motorized scooters/skateboards, go-carts or other small engine vehicles?

These vehicles are not designed for operation on public roads. If they are operated on public roads, law enforcement officers can ask to see a valid driver license because these vehicles are “Motor Vehicles” under driver license law. S.322.01(26), F.S. A driver license is required to operate motor vehicles. S. 322.03, F.S.

Are you required to wear a helmet & eye protection to ride motorcycles? How about mopeds and scooters?

   1. Motorcycles: Those 21 years old and older can ride without a helmet if they carry proof of Personal Injury Protection or proof of health insurance, (such as an employee health insurance card.) The coverage amount must be at least $10,000 to pay for treatment of injuries that may result from a crash. Those under 21 years old must wear a Department approved motorcycle helmet without exception. S. 316.211(1)&(2), F.S.

   2. Mopeds/Scooters: If a motor vehicle is 50 cc or less, 2 brake horsepower or less, and can not exceed more than 30 mph on level ground, no helmet is required for the operator. The operator must be at least 16 years old and hold at least a regular operator driver license (Class E) or “Motorcycle Only” license.) Passengers under 16 must wear a helmet.

   3. Eye Protection: All persons who operate motorcycles (motorcycle = 51cc or more) must wear eye protection.

Most scooters can travel up to 40 MPH and exceed 2 bhp, so I would assume that the helmet requirements for motorcycles apply, but I am not a lawyer.

Is insurance required for motorcycles?

Insurance is not required to register motorcycles as with four-wheel motor vehicles (S. 627.733, F.S.). HOWEVER, if a motorcycle operator is charged in a crash with injuries, then the owner or owner/operator is financially responsible for bodily injuries and property damage to others. If no liability coverage was in effect, then bodily injury/property damage liability insurance must be purchased and kept for three years to avoid Financial Responsibility (license and tag/registration) suspension or to reinstate license, tag/registration after suspension. Chapter 324, F.S.

The law is unclear as to whether this applies to scooters under 50cc; assume that it does.

What are the requirements for obtaining a temporary motorcycle instruction permit, a motorcycle endorsement or a motorcycle only license?

Note: this applies to scooters over 50cc, such as the Vino 150 or Vespa ET-4.

According to S. 322.03 (4), F.S., “A person may not operate a motorcycle unless he or she holds a driver’s license that authorizes such operation, subject to the appropriate restrictions and endorsements.”

In other words, you cannot legally operate a motorcycle on Florida’s roadways without a “Motorcycle Also” endorsement added to your regular driver license. Prior to obtaining the endorsement, you may operate your motorcycle without passengers with a temporary motorcycle permit if you are 21 years old or older. Your regular driver license will not serve as the permit. You must pass the motorcycle written test at any driver licenses office in order to obtain the temporary motorcycle permit. The permit is valid for 60 days, will be restricted to “No Passengers”, may be issued a maximum of five times and is to be carried with your regular license.

There are basically three ways for individuals holding a Florida driver license to obtain a motorcycle endorsement. These methods are as follows:

   1. Complete a Florida Rider Training Program (FRTP) basic motorcycle safety course and present the completion card to any driver license office in order to receive the motorcycle endorsement without any further testing. Visit the FRTP web page for information regarding motorcycle safety courses in Florida. If you are under 21 years old, you are required to take a FRTP course prior to obtaining a motorcycle endorsement or a motorcycle only license.

   2. Take a motorcycle to an appropriate driver license office and pass a knowledge test and an on-cycle skill test. The motorcycle endorsement will be issued upon passing both evaluations. Go to other Driver License Information for more information, including contact information for driver license offices.

   3. Visit a Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles approved third-party motorcycle tester and pass the exact same tests required at the driver license offices. The customer provides his or her own motorcycle, or many of the third-party testers will loan/rent a small motorcycle to the customer for use during the on-cycle skill evaluation. Many of the FRTP course sponsors are third-party motorcycle testers. FRTP course sponsor contact information is available on the FRTP web page if you wish to inquire about the third-party testing option.

Highway rules (not found on the web site):

    * Interstate highways cannot be used by human-powered vehicles or vehicles under 5 bhp (which means most 50cc scooters), and you must be able to maintain at least 40 MPH on an interstate to avoid a moving violation.

    * If riding at less than the normal speed of traffic, you must ride as close to the right edge of the roadway or curb as possible except when making a left turn or the conditions do not allow you to do so; you are not allowed to use a bike or pedestrian lane. Otherwise you are bound to the same “rules of the road” as cars or full-size motorcycles.

    * Persons under 16 may not operate a motorcycle or moped/scooter over 150cc or rent any motorcycle or moped.

    * You cannot ride between traffic lanes (some states, i.e., California, allow this. Florida does not).


Ok sorry that was so long but it is good to be informed.
The officer told me that I was not allowed to be on that road so this means I can not drive my bike off of that road unless I want another ticket. I was stopped right in front of a dealership or dealershark.  I sold my bike for a price that made me so sad and I wont tell you because I feel sick about it. But I must say I was lucky to be around the company that I had. In the lot was a auto detailing company called Randy’s Auto Detailing I can truly say that I respect and appreciate those guys very much they were kind enough to give me a ride into Gainesville next to the bus station. Randy told me that if I needed a ride tomorrow he would make sure I got one. So Randy thank you very much you went above every expectation  I had for a random person I met on the side of the road, your kindness can change the world. Oh and thanks for the orange drink.

Tomorrow I will be trying to get on a train to Boston I hope it works out and if anyone would like to write to officer Donaldson badge NO 507 ID NO H507 of the Hampton FL Police Department to let him know his facts please do so.

Grace and Peace,
Christopher

Today was a long hot day. Temps that reached 100 F according to the local signs that tell temp and time. I reached a crummy motel in Ocala FL around 5pm today exhausted by the heat and very dehydrated the room started spinning before I called my sister on the phone. She advised me to take a bath but when I went into the bathroom I noticed that no bath tub was to bee seen, shower time. So yes with a nice name like the silver princess motel I knew that I would feel like royalty… note sarcasm. But yes I am happy to have a bed to sleep in and a place to use the internet.

On my drive today I passed some hitchhikers sitting outside of a local evil empire (walmart) so I turned around for a few minutes and talked to them for a while they were working their way up to try to get back to Tennessee. I told them what I was doing and how I was headed out to Boston. They had been sitting there for a while and told me that they had already walked 30 miles today. Now my experience with hitchhikers that I pass on the road is that they will soon pass me in the back of some ones pickup truck, I let them know that they will soon pass me and they will probably make it to there destination before I make it to mine. This is one of the many things that has given me just a little more faith in humanity. There are some people out there that do care for others still. So I left for the road again and told them good luck and ill be looking for them a few miles down the road and sure enough 10 miles down the road underneath a freeway overpass were my two new friends, waving like crazy people at me as I passed them again. That made me happy today. I hope they make it to where they need to be and quickly.

So after the room stopped spinning and the AC started to cool me down I wiped my face of all the road dirt that I had accumulated from all the trucks passing me kicking up dirt and I have to say wow. I was one dirty guy today, when I took my safety glasses off you could see the clean versus dirty skin it was kind of funny. I hope for cooler weather tomorrow I will be trying to make it to Savannah GA.

Grace and Peace,
Christopher

that is what gets on you after 8 hrs on the road

Yesterday I got to hang out with Jesse almost for the whole day she took me to the everglades and then to a jazz club in downtown Miami. It was probably the most fun I have had while camping out in south Florida. Gators, vultures, turtles and catfish that crossed the road. Its true up until that point I never knew that catfish jumped from pond to pond via flopping across roadways. The Jazz club in Miami was amazing but proved to me how expensive Miami can be.

Today I started my drive north trying to get out of Florida before it sinks into the ocean. I no longer have the leisure of a GPS because eventually every expensive piece of electronic equipment needs to die so that the elitist companies like apple and tom-tom can find a way to continue to get your money. My thoughts on this are that when it dies it dies. Stop living in the need to have everything consumer market.  You may ask your self how in the world did we get around with out a GPS in 1993, well kids its called a map, or the sun as a compass. What in the world did we do before we were able to download movies on our $3,000 apple notebook… oh yeah read a book, but now today we download our books too. Technology has made us needy and lazy, It actually upsets me. Well with that long rant all I wanted to say is that because I had no GPS I went on an extra long adventure. Today I missed my turn and I just kept going, when I had realized that I should have turned a while back I pulled over and got out a MAP. You know one of those things that only confused us with how to fold it back up, maps never ran out of battery power, maps never broke and they only cost around five dollars and when you read them you can talk in an accent if you want.

So now I sit here on a bed in a hotel room awaiting the redwings game. This is some of the fist TV I have watched in around a month now. It feels good mostly because I have read a lot more then I would have normally.

Tomorrow im going to try to drive all day long to get out of Florida and get just a little closer to Boston.

Grace and Peace,
Christopher


ummm ok

catfish cross the road

Turtle Turtle

the everglades are beautiful

reflection off the pond

big gator

me&jesse@theglades

Gator

Gator

the vultures eat your windshield wipers 

black panther Xing

I have decided to leave Miami for the time being and take my scooter out east to Boston MA.  So this being my last day here in town I am going to head out and see the everglades with Jesse. Who knows I might even wrestle a gator but I think that at the most ill be swatting mosquitoes off my face. Later tonight ill be going to a jazz club. I might even do laundry for the first time since I have left Michigan. Well I just wanted to give you all a heads up to let you know that I’ll be on the road again tomorrow morning until probably nightfall. I have faith in my little bike so and even more faith in my own feet if needed.

I think I will be back here again.

Grace and Peace,
Christopher

It has been almost a week from my last update due to my lack of internet along with the uncomfortable heat that has caused me to be unable to find a comfortable location to write. So please bare with me this blog post may be a long one but then again it may never get posted with the internet luck I have been having.

Lets start from the start and end at the end. Florida has been full of my best times and my worst times on the road and at camp grounds. On the first of May I was driving down US27 on my way to Okeechobee FL. As it is with most roads in Florida I am forced to drive my 30mph scooter on the shoulder. This stretch of road proved to be a little more unclean than most of the roads I have driven on. So hearing sounds come from my tires was a normal thing as I kicked up loose gravel and debris, I do however remembering hearing a louder then normal sound come from my tire about 3 miles away from my normal gas station fill up… I pull into the BP station off of US27 put $1.89  into my tank, topping her off to the brim, I go into the station pay, come out, gaze upon the beauty that is my scooter,  notice that my back tire is sitting a little flat and there before me was some strange object protruding out of my tire. Sad but not shattered by what has just happened I push my bike to the back of the BP popped the kickstand and broke out my surgical tools.

“Nurse, forceps” I call out as I pull my pliers out of my luggage. The sweet is beading up on my forehead not wanting to loose this patient I dive in. First pulling, then twisting at this strange object. With out the proper X-rays I had no idea how big this object was, but just when all hope was lost I twisted and turned and pop then sssspppppphhhhh the air came leaking out and like the Dutch boy on the dyke I put my finger in the hole. It was an Allen wrench! Then I grab my patch kit and plug up the hole…THE DAY IS SAVED. Grabbing my tire pump that the employees at DICKS said would work for me I try and try to pump my tire up but it was just not the right fit. So I noticed that their was a air hose at the front of the BP. Rolling my bike over to the air hose I put my kick stand back down and as I do this… The patient goes into critical condition (the tire falls off the rim.) knowing that anything and every thing I can do is now out of my hands I take off my surgical mask and fall down in the corner hands on my head, head between my knees ( aka sit on the curb.)

After 10 min or so I walk into an Auto Zone next to the BP asking if they knew of a motorcycle shop around that can remount my tire. They said the closest one was about 2 miles down the road, knowing that it would be just to far to push they nicely offered to put my bike into the back of a pick up truck and give me a ride down there. Probably some of the nicest guys I have ran into that live in Florida (not saying that EVERYONE in Florida are jerks but just are not country nice.)

The old man had quoted me on the phone that it would be $65/hr but after only a few minutes of work they managed to put the tire on the bike properly fill it up with air and before I left we swapped stories of the road and in great generosity he only charged me $10 for the whole job. Now then the day was saved.

I reached Okeechobee around 7pm. I purchased my self a cabin to make up for the long day on the road went to use the internet but it never let me sign on. Once again I was left with out my comfort blanket of modern technology.  I did however get a good night sleep after watching several episodes of the Office that I have downloaded onto my computer.

THE DRIVE THE CAMP THE JOB HUNT AND MY LAST DAYS WITH THE GATORS (for now) 

Leaving Okeechobee for what I hoped to be my last day on the road. I finally got to see a gator and a few blocks down from that I got to see an iguana, both of them being larger then I would ever have expected to see. That same day I watched storm after storm blow by miles and miles ahead of me. But all at once on got to me and even though it only lasted for a good 5 minutes I was soaked but quickly dried up from the hot, hot air. I am currently staying at this camp ground in south Miami. It would be a lot nicer if they would open the pool during the week and if it did not rain every day last night just I returned to my tent to find a lake Michigan came down to see me and everything that I had dried out that day had soaked up more water then a sham wow. Having no quarters in my pocket for the dryers I was forced to use TP from the bathroom to soak up the lake in my tent and then sleep on  a wet pillow and sleeping bag… strangely I slept very well. I am only allowed to stay at this camp ground until Tuesday morning and then I must figure out something to do. I was not able to get a place to live like I thought I would have. So now I have not much more options left. Its kind of sad because I had just interviewed for an assistant manager job and have been told that they would like to hire me but first I must meet with the district manager… now im going to have to turn down a job that would have gave me insurance and a lot of money. So yes I am very upset about that. 

I made it to a Marlins game last night it was fun. it was like going to a minor league game on a major league level. There was probably about 2,000 people their and a lot of free giveaways. It was my first national league game the giants vs. the marlins 2-1 giants.

Well now I am off to search the internet for A: a way to stay here  B: a way to get out of here

Grace and Peace,
Christopher

PS my camera has acquired some condensation  so until further notice no photos.  Also my scooter is making a lot of funny noise… oh well.

It has been an interesting day so far. You know, I would have thought that I would have seen a gator by now (nope)… I have seen dead armadillos, snakes and your other general road kill I Is it possible to get a sun burn on top of a sun burn? I ask my self this as I pull away from the campsite this morning all coated up in SPF50. I now have the answers and it is a big YES, yes you can.  But yet I laugh in the face of danger even when I am faced with the blistering hot sun, spiders that resemble scorpions, possible mountain lions, rain and getting run off the road from the force of the wind of a rather large truck. None of this can faze because I am on the road, in the wilderness and living my life as it should be lived. Seeking out a great journey loving nature loving my fellow man weather he/she be a total jerk on the road or not I am going to love them. This is my world and these words are my foot prints. So their is no danger  that can stop me… hell im moving to hurricane alley.

My GPS has bit the dust now I must go old school on the roads ass (yup I said it)… Its map time I only have 2 -4 days  left till I reach where I think I want to be, so I think I can work a map that far. Tomorrow I will hate my self because I will be wearing a long sleeve shirt and pants due to the sun and my blistered sun burnt arms and legs, the sun screen is just not helping like it should. My pasty white Michigan body has not yet adjusted to the hot Florida sun. 

Well I hope to reach lake Okeechobee tomorrow it will be about a 200 mile drive and for all you folks following at home that’s about 8hrs on a 50cc scooter and also one big ouch ouch in the butt butt (yup I said that too)

Grace and Peace,
Christopher

ps an update about the cop that pulled me over in GA... I checked the moped laws as they state in GA you do not need to register or even have tags if you have a bike 50cc or under... so the fact that he pulled me over for "not being able to see the tags" was a bunch of BS

reaching the boarder

my last day in GA


WTF

Not a gator... but hey it looks cool.

Sun Burn

No internet available last night so sorry for the lack of stories, well it was Georgia so there was not much anyway. Last night however I did pull into town and some cop stopped me for what he said was he just did not see my tags. I just think he wanted to find a reason to give me a ticket for being in his town. The camp ground was great and yeah my only complaint was that the internet signal did not reach my tent.

Today I feel, kinda sucks. Only because its just one of those days when I feel tired and things are just not going right. I need to come into the camp office to use my computer for a few reasons the internet does not reach my sight and its way hot outside along with the fact that theirs red ants crawling all over the ground by my tent and  judging by the bites on my legs they have already gotten to me. I want a shower bad right now but the shower rooms are so dirty and they stink so bad.  I want to use the pool but judging by everything else I just don’t want to give it a chance. The camp store has no food oh and no bug spray (to kill ants.) I once again did not apply enough sun block (even though I applied it three times.) My skin is on fire.
Why the hell are hotels so damn expensive!

Ok im done bitching tomorrow will be better even if I have to drive 8hrs to get somewhere. I hope I get rest tonight and I hope that the ants leave me alone.

Grace and Peace x10,
Christopher

ps
I made it to Florida

I am done with Atlanta. Just driving through it was enough for me to say that this is a city I will never want anything to do with. So without going into to much detail im just going to generalize a whole city and say “dicks”… OK now that’s over with, thanks to my sister I am staying in a cabin tonight. The weather was calling for rain all day but just like in Michigan the weather man is never right.  So thanks to our inaccurate weather I got to work on my farmers tan during my scoot trip from Cartersville GA to Forsyth GA (148ish miles about  5-6hrs)

One thing I am starting to notice from the random talks at gas stations and stop lights is that it’s the old timers that are the ones who are the most interested in what I am doing. Its kind of cool in a way, to be able to talk to people that have lived their whole lives and just listen to some of their stories.

Tomorrow ill be heading off to Cordele GA I guess we will see what the road has to offer along the way… today was a bit boring but I guess every day can’t be filled with flipping sunshine, lolly pops and rainbows (ehhh that’s so dumb ill keep it.)

Oh by the way they sell boiled peanuts at gas stations (what the hell) I guess its extremely popular down here they had regular and hot n' spicy… I passed on that one.

Grace and Peace,
Christopher


the view from my camp ground last night


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Springs_State_Park


I fed ducks out side of my cabin tonight because im just that cool. oh by the way they will eat chicken but not raisins.

TOM WAITS “RAIN DOGS”

"Inside a broken clock
Splashing the wine
With all the Rain Dogs
Taxi, we'd rather walk.
Huddle a doorway with the Rain Dogs
For i am a Rain Dog, too.

Oh, how we danced and we swallowed the night
For it was all ripe for dreamin
Oh, how we danced away
All of the lights
We've always been out of our minds.

The Rum pours strong and thin
Beat out the dustman
With the Rain Dogs
Aboard a shipwreck train
Give my umbrella to the Rain Dogs
For I am a Rain Dog, too.

Oh, how we danced with the
Rose of Tralee
Her long hair black as a raven
Oh, how we danced and you
Whispered to me
You'll never be going back home,
You'll never be going back home."

This song was stuck in my head today playing on repeat for my entire drive, as the rain was crashing down all around me.
    Georgia is a hard drive so far. Their are so many reasons in today alone why you should not drive a 50cc scooter through the Appalachian mountains… lets list them off, first going up you are lucky if the bike can reach 15mph.  The clouds that you see in the distance on top of a mountain are just giant non visible patches of fog.  It rains a lot and I mean a lot. You come across at least one “good ol boy” in his pickup truck that wants to yell or honk at you per trip. Scooter by law must drive on the far right of the road, just past that point is a good 200 ft drop off (but a great view.)
    Well now that I have made you worry about me just a little bit more let me tell you about my night last that I had in my tent, on top of Look Out Mountain at the always convenient but not always wonderful KOA camp grounds.  After a some what wet drive I was given my lot spot to set up my tent. As I drive to it I noticed that there is no grass and I get to set up in nice mountain mud/rock. Sleep will be fun I thought to my self. I check the weather report and it did not look promising.  As I huddle in my tent putting my self on top of my sleeping bag due to the heat it starts to rain. I love the sound of rain it helps me sleep so off to sleep I went, dreaming of a bunch of nice things. Perhaps an hr or two pass when im woken up by my bare feet in a puddle of water. Halleluiah I say to my self in a very sarcastic voice, my tent leaks and their is a river in my home…eff. So as I sat on top of my sleeping bag watching everything around me get wet I notice a shadow of what looked to be a rather large cat walking around out side my tent.  The thought of a mountain lion or black panther scared me shitless I sat in one spot not moving for over an hr. I watched the shadow step up onto the shadow of my picnic table about 20 feet from my tent and then step down and walk away, It took up ¾ of the picnic table yes, yes that cat was not a house cat. Morning came and the rain let up a little for me to start packing up my stuff and when I finished I drove and drove hard into the rain.
    Now I sit at a much more pleasant KOA with a belly full of potatoes, beef, fried okra and green beans. I think im going to go buy another soda before the camp store closes.

Grace and Peace,
Christopher
Look Out Mountain

Cartersville Georgia