Live'n on Tulsa Time

Hello everyone. What, ok...so it's been a couple (of years) since I posted. Since then I left my sweet job in Florida and moved to Tulsa. Although my previous job was great, I'm really starting to like the new one. Maybe it's because I can wear what I want to work and I work from home? Yeah, that's it.

So Tulsa?!?!? Yeah, who woulda thunk it as my friend Rudy says. Actually, Tulsa is really nice place. But I won't tell you that, I don't want my secret to get out. With some of the best paved biking/walking trails I've ever seen, it just screams, "get out there" which I try to do at least three times a week. That is if it's not 105 degrees outside with a heat index of 115. Ouch! But now that fall is on the way, things are cooling off a bit so I'm able to get out there more.

That's about it for now, just a quick update on where I am. Hey, if you want to know more than just ask...ok?

Try'n to Reason with the Hurricane Season

Note to readers: The damage that hurricanes produce is devastating. Not only do these storms take a toll on local economies, real estate, etc., they kill! And that's the bottom line. The below is just my personal view on the situation "surrounding" hurricane season in S. Florida.

I haven't posted anything since June. After the flurry I had in April with 8 posts (new blogger syndrom), with 1 post in May and 1 post in June, blogging went to the wayside. Probably because I haven't been anywhere. I've been stuck in S. Florida. Ewwww! I really need to get out more. We were pondering a trip to O town but then came the onslaught of one tropical storm/hurricane after the other. Try'n to reason with the hurricane season is something that everyone in S. Florida goes through each year. Me personally, I don't buy in to all the hype.

I'm talking about our famous "run or you'll die" newscasts by Channel 10 and Channel 7. They really lay it on folks down here. One even hired the former Director of the National Hurricane Center (NHC) to instill fear in folks. It seems the media can't wait for hurricane season when storms start forming off the coast of Africa to analyze, summarize, and even attempt to humanize these "going no where" systems. Of course all that this does is stir everyone up. It seems if folks aren't glued to a television then they're glued to their computer looking at their favorite hurricane tracking site(s).

I personally look at two, NOAA's National Hurricane Center and Skeetobite. Why two you ask? Well the NHC site shows us if we're in the "cone of death" as I like to call it, and Skeetobite has just a line of where the storm is going. Of course both show computer models etc and all the info is there. Some swear by other sites because "this guy is really good" or this one "has the best info"...blah, blah, blah. If you want to read a 5000 word essay on where and when the storm will hit then help yourself. Show me the graphic and timeline and that's all I really need to know. After all, why should I put myself through all the torture that others do?

When I lived in Key West for 91/2 years, there would be a storm 5 days out and the "bubba's" would throw everyone out of the Keys. I call it premature evacuation. The thing about the Keys, there is one road in and one road out. So naturally they want to be prepared and the best way to do that is to toss everyone who is not a resident out of the Keys. Basically doing the opposite of what happens up here. It kills the industry down there. Well, the industry use to be fishing, but now it's tourism...another blog at another time.

It seems now that things are settling down out there. No storms to report (according to the NHC). However, we still have 72 days and 12 hours at the time of this posting, plenty of time for another round of the southern Caribbean spawned storms and more opportunity to induce fear into the lives of folks in S. Florida.

Hey...I gotta go watch the news!

The Governator turns back time to The Terminator

Ok, I'm not one to blog about politics and said practices in politics, but when I read this earlier I felt compelled to share.

It seems Arnie is trying to pull CA politicians together on a budget by threatening to roll back pay of state workers who are on an hourly salary back to Federal minimum wage.

Ouch! He just Terminates me!

I've Been to Mecca...well sort of

One would think that to get to Mecca, Islam's holiest city, you'd have to travel quite a bit from south Florida. Probably something like at least 2 or 3 days by air, vehicle and foot. Well it only took me 7 hours and a night in St. Augustine. I didn't know I'd find Mecca, but I did.

My wife Laura and I were headed north to the deep south (funny how that works when you live in south Florida) to the lovely city of Savannah a couple of weeks ago to watch her nephew, Jackson, play ball. While there we had the opportunity to visit the Bonaventure Cemetery. The history alone at Bonaventure is enough to keep you there for a good 2 hours or more but my favorite thing is the peacefulness you find out there in the middle of nowhere. With the overhanging trees and the Spanish moss you can't help but feel you've stepped back in time. Nothing says "South" more than that!

After exploring Bonaventure for a good while I found myself at Meca. Like I said earlier, I would have never thought it but there it was, before my very eyes. Ok, so it was a head stone that said "Meca" on it, but I did think, "who woulda thunk it?" Sure, probably only me but that's my twisted sense of humor.

We had a GREAT time in Savannah and thoroughly enjoyed spending two of our three nights and one very warm day in Savannah's Historic Grayson Stadium, eating boiled peanuts, and watching America's favorite past time. Now the funny thing about minor league ball are team names. Take Savannah for instance, they're the "Sand Knats" ...yes, the Sand Knats. Other teams have wacky names such as the "Nuts", "Mud Hens", "Tourists", "Muck Dogs", and lets not forget about the "The Iron Pigs" just to name a few.

I don't know about you, but spending a few days watching baseball seemed like being in Mecca to me. After two nights of near perfect weather and one sweltering day in the sun, I was ready to call my boss and ask for another few days off to follow the team back to Augusta for two more games. Heck, I was ready to do it for the next month. There's something to be said about being there. Sure it's A ball but those kids got gumption! I think because they haven't been to "the show" which gives them more drive then those in "the show".

Speaking of "the show", we're thinking (Laura is knowing) that in a couple of years Jackson will be there. As they say, when you're good, you're good. Jackson played short season last year with the Salem Keizer Volcano's after being drafted number 43 in the supplemental draft in 2007 by San Francisco. Now with the Augusta Greenjackets, he's rated the best defensive catcher in the league. What that means is that he's thrown out/gotten out more runners from behind the plate than any other catcher. In the game it's called "gunning someone down" (I know, but that's what they call it) and Jackson's the best when it comes to that. Listening to the game last night, a player from the Asheville Tourists, known as the best base stealer in the league, tried to steal 2nd against Jackson. Guess who won? :-)

Back on Savannah, if you ever get the chance, take the drive. It's a lovely place steeped in history and full of charm. Enjoy a day walking Bull Street and relaxing in many of Savannah's squares. Be sure to make Forsyth Square for a picture in front of the fountain, which is a treat in itself. And if you're there during the summer, make your way out to Grayson Stadium, order up a cup of peanuts and enjoy.

My Days with Granny!

First of all, my co-worker and fellow blogger APGG, has asked me when I'm going to post again. Ok, I admit I’m not a daily blogger. I do like to think about what I’m going to blog about and if it’s “blog worthy”. He's actually the one that said...you should blog about that...so here goes.

I owe my days with Granny to my former bandmate, David “Lonesome Dave” Lutz. A smoke’n guitar player not to mention one of the better singer/songwriters that I know. So I’ll dedicate this one to you Dave. Thanks for all the good times, your patience with me back when, the memories of cruisn'n down the road, solving (or attempting to solve) all the problems of the world while passing the miles in Granny and most of all for your friendship.

Moving to Montana
Back in 1990 when things were really falling apart for me here in Florida, I got a call from a friend of mine who had packed up and headed west to Montana. He was in a band that was getting ready to go on tour in Canada and needed someone to do his lighting design/direction for him. Of course I jumped on the chance leaving everyone I knew behind on the other side of the burning bridge (yeah, that’s another story).

So I packed up and went west, well North West, to Kalispell, Montana. Now coming from a place like Tampa, Florida and going to a place like Kalispell is a HUGE change within itself. I didn’t know what to expect. I just know that when I got there it was a lot cooler than where I had come from. Yeah…cool…like colder but also like cool! After all, I was in the Flathead Valley with mountains on two sides of me and 40 minutes from Glacier National Park…wow! My Montana days…again, another story for another time.

Canada
After being in Kalispell for a couple of weeks we packed up the cars and the trailer which was hooked to a long, sleek sided-rounded top, scream’n girl named Granny…a.k.a. a 1960 Pontiac Bonneville hearse. Yeah…a hearse! Hey, sure you may laugh but what a ride this beast was. Big and brown and it was like 20 feet long (well it seemed that long) with enough leg room to stretch out comfortably (no pun intended) and hold a boat load of band gear, suitcases, stash cases (yes, we had those back then) and instruments.

I won’t go into all the details of the actual establishments we played in, but here’s a brief rundown of where we played and not in any order, only because I can’t remember that far back.. Fernie, British Columbia for a week, Calgary, Alberta for a week (at the Calgary Stampede), a week at a rundown hotel bar in Calgary (can you say S C A R Y? Well it was!). Other small towns in Alberta such as Pincher Creek (twice), Brooks where there happened to be no A/C and the largest slaughter house in North America , Drumheller (Land of the Dinosaurs), way up to Fort McMurray, which is like 3 hours south of the Yukon, Edmonton for a week, Banff for a week (one of the prettiest places to play in Canada) and the only place we managed to get fired for not being loud enough…but got hired across the street with better accommodations and then finally, I believe it was back to Kalispell. All of that took a good couple of months…kind of a blur if ya know what I mean.

Ride’n shotgun in Granny, on that long road with the Canadian plains slip’n past my window, I was exposed to more music and conversations about music than I ever had been. Ok, I’ll confess that some of the best music was Dave’s originals. He’d probably shrug that off with a laugh but he WAS the singer/songwriter of the group and still in my book has what it takes. But I digress…so back to the story.

Now somewhere in between one or our gigs, one of the band members decided to fly home and back, only to find out that we were in Canada illegally. So, from Calgary, 3 or 4 of us had to travel back down to the Border and do a “turn around the flag pole” as they say. It seems, at that time, you could only be in Canada (as a tourist) for a few weeks. We didn’t have any kind of temporary work visa’s and needed one if we wanted to remain. I guess you could say we were in Canada illegally. Ok, we WERE in Canada illegally. Needless to say when we got to the border it was a real hassle and it took us a good two or three hours to be processed around the pole and back into Canada.

Cruising throughout Canada in a 1960 Pontiac Bonneville hearse draws some attention, to say the least. It was a great time in my life and I will always remember being in a band, making music for money and not having to worry about anything. Dave, Granny and I saw many great adventures on the road and not only in Canada. She made several trips over to Washington State traversing Lookout Pass and the 4th of July Pass several times with me right there with her in the passenger seat all along.

The Demise of Granny
I recall this time very clearly so here goes. We were on our way back to Kalispell from a few weeks in Moses Lake, WA. There we were, just cruise’n home to see our loved ones after being gone for 4 weeks, feeling good (yeah, at the time I was feel’n reeeeeaaal good). We were just east of Spokane, Washington and all of a sudden Granny starts to fish tail back and forth and the left rear end drops and drags the axle for a good 75 yards or so while my band mate Dave struggled (really struggled) to bring her to the side of the road. He get’s her over, I jump out (barefoot mind you) and the left rear tire has collapsed and folded inward underneath, and, the tire was on fire…which happened to be right next to the fuel tank.

Things Get Interesting
As our drummer had decided to go over to the Seattle area to visit with his brother and was going to fly back to Kalispell, our other band mate (Billy Angel) was driving the other band car (Gladys) and pulled over about 50 yards behind us. I decided to run down the highway to tell him the tire is on fire. While running barefoot I step on a very hot shard of metal that had sheared off from Granny and managed to burn the bottom of my foot. OUCH! Billy starts flagging down folks in search of a fire extinguisher in which he gets two people to pull over who have those tiny extinguishers they sell you…HA! They last about 15 seconds and then fizzle out. So after literally ripping and tossing all the gear out of the back and sides of Granny and shoveling dirt on the tire with the cymbal bag cover, and finally getting a trucker to pull over with a real fire extinguisher, we finally get the fire out. Not only would have we lost everything in the back of the hearse, but we had the trailer hitched up full of the rest of our gear, which all would have gone up in smoke as well.

Needless to say, that was pretty much the end of Granny. With the rear end gone, the left rear ball joint gone, basically a broken axle and, burned on one side, she was shipped off to the storage yard. Granny sat there for several months until purchased by someone out of Moses Lake who restored her to a big black shining beauty. We never saw Granny after that day she burned. It was hard to say goodbye, especially for Dave who loved the old girl. But, nothing that a turbo charged used Hertz/Penske cargo van couldn’t replace with a pull out ramp…oh yeah!

But, the story doesn’t end there. One may ask, how did you get all that gear and the trailer back from outside of Spokane, over two mountain passes, and finally back to Kalispell? Well it just so happens my close friend was at a water ski tournament just down the road (funny how that worked out eh?). I hitched a ride to the tournament and convinced him into coming over, throwing the gear from the hearse in the back of his truck and hitching up the trailer and towing it back. I tell ya, the other two guys were NOT happy with me as I was at the lake, sip’n on a few cold ones while they waited in the hot sun for 3 hours. But they found it in there hearts to forgive me since I DID secure the ride home.

Lessons Learned
So is there a lesson in all of this besides when hauling precious cargo and a heavy load, ALWAYS carry a fully charged, industrial size fire extinguisher. Or better yet, a foam unit which can extinguish rubber while burning? Not really, but it was a fun story so I thought I’d share it with you.

Like I said, I have more stories from the road but I’ll save that material for another time and another blog. Like the one time we got to see our band mate in shackles and chains dressed in one of the those nice orange jump suits...

Outta Here to Key West

Ahhh…Key West! Where the green of the Gulf meets the blue of the sea! “Cayo Hueso”, the “Southernmost City”, the “Conch Republic”, although Key West has been called many things, let me set the record straight. Key West isn’t “south Florida”, Key West is “south of normal”. Why is Key West considered a different place than the rest of Florida by locals and tourists alike? Because what you haven’t seen here, you may very well see and/or experience there. After visiting Key West since the mid 1960’s and living there for 9 plus years one thing that Key West still has is the magic! Key West, the last island in a chain of islands, a.k.a. the Florida Keys, is located approximately 195 miles or 3 and ½ hours south of Ft. Lauderdale and just 90 miles from Cuba. At a mere 2x4 miles the island has much to offer for all walks of life.

Accomodations
When visiting Key West it’s always good to know someone who lives on island (or within close proximity). That way you can couch surf for free and save your money for the fun stuff. However, if you don’t know anyone locally then I recommend the following accommodations.

Guest houses are the way to go as they are usually very comparable and less in price as well as more secluded than local hotels. The best way to find a guest house is to contact the Key West Innkeepers. They have access to a number of guest houses and availability. If you’re the type to want something a little more accommodating and have children, the larger hotels would be a better choice. From my experience as an island concierge the Hyatt has the most to offer for families of the larger hotels. Other larger hotels include the Hilton, Pier House, Ocean Key House and on the other side of the island, the Wyndham Casa Marina. Finally, if you are the 4 diamond luxury resort type of person and want a truly special treat, then there is no other place like The Marquesa Hotel. Located on the corner of Simonton and Fleming Streets, The Marquesa is a small luxury hotel which has 27 rooms with two pools. Also the hotel has the Zagat top rated Café Marquesa. If you go, the lower rates apply May through the end of October. In addition I recommend the Poolside Standards or the posh Jr. Suites complete with king bed, sitting areas with private terraces in and around the pool and garden area. For more information visit them online.

Where to Eat
First things first and that would be breakfast. I recommend Ricky’s Blue Heaven at 615 Petronia Street. Just a note, get there early for breakfast as you will wait. I recommend the lobster Benedict (when in season) or pecan pancakes. Camille’s, a local’s favorite is another great place. Originally located on Duval they now own their own location on upper Simonton Street. Just look for the pink building across from First State Bank. Known for their “fun” food and exotic menus, Camille’s offers a wide variety. Both of these restaurants are a great choice for lunch and dinner as well.

For lunch and some of the freshest seafood to be found I suggest the ½ Shell Raw Bar located at the foot of Margaret Street on the historic seaport. This is the only place I eat fresh seafood in Key West. Their Grouper Po Boy’s are great! Also, I personally believe the ½ shell has the best key lime pie on island. And if you love seafood but your spouse can’t stand it, they also have one of the best burgers on the island. If seafood isn’t your dish but barbeque is, then The Meteor Smokehouse located on Southard Street has some of the best Memphis barbeque that I’ve found. I recommend the Memphis baby back ribs and a ½ order of their “island sized” onion rings. Yum! If you want something healthier, then their pulled pork Caesar salad will do just fine. If “people watching” is your thing then Fogarty’s on Duval Street is the place to do it. Located directly across from The Bull, on the corner of Caroline and Duval, Fogarty’s offers and extensive menu at reasonable prices. All of the above I would recommend for lunch and/or dinner as well.

Now it’s on to dinner. One of the best kept secrets is located on Southard just off of Duval Street called “The Café, A Mostly Vegetarian Place”. Offering a mostly vegetarian menu one my favorites is their homemade veggie burger with sweet potato fries and key lime curry sauce, something to experience first hand even if you are a meat lover. Other favorite places to wine and dine in Key West include the aforementioned Café Marquesa, located on the corner of Fleming and Simonton Streets (part of The Marquesa Hotel).This bistro style restaurant is oh so good and comes highly recommended. For seafood fine dining style with a great view of the historic seaport, I recommend A&B Lobster House. A&B has the best Oysters Roc to be found anywhere. An order of those with their Caesar salad served in an Assuage cheese shell makes for a perfectly lite dinner. On the other side of the island you will find Louie’s Backyard. Louie’s features terraced seating overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The atmosphere at Louie’s makes this one of the most sought after dining experiences on island. In addition some other favorites are 915, Alice’s, Michaels, Cafe Med and Antonia’s. Although all of these are great placed to dine, you can only eat so much in a few days.

What to Do
Booking a snorkel trip out to the reef or the back country is highly recommended. If you can do without the frills of the larger catamarans, I suggest Captains Corner dive shop. Thier dive boat “Sea Eagle” get’s you out to the reef and visits two locations to snorkel. Captains Corner also offers the most affordable “resort course” on the island. For $100 you can learn the basics of diving and be out to the reef before noon. If sailing to the reef with music and ice cold libations beer (afterwards) is your thing, then the “Floridays” is the way to go, . This 60ft. sailing vessel is the perfect boat to get away from it all on. With a capacity of approximately 22 people, enjoy a leisurely sail out to the reef and back. Although a bit more costly than other means of transportation out to the reef, it’s much better than being on a catamaran with 100 other people that you hardly know.

Another great way to get out on the water is with Danger Charters. Danger offers a combination snorkel/kayak trip to the Florida Keys National Wildlife Sanctuary, aka the “back country”. Out of all the trips that I have been on this is one of my favorites. With one of the most attentive crews Danger at 60’ LOA and Dangers’ Prize at 65’ LOA offer either a ½ day or full day trip. In addition, their Wind and Wine Sunset sail is the best evening trip on island…or in this case, off island.

Finally, the one “off island” trip I would recommend is to the Dry Tortugas and Ft. Jefferson National Park. Located 70 miles west of Key West there are two ways to get there. By boat I recommend the Yankee Freedom. A large catamaran with air conditioning which offers breakfast, lunch and snorkel gear all included in the price of your ticket. Although the boat cost less, Seaplanes of Key West are not that much more and you’re there in 45 minutes instead of 2 hours and 45 minutes. Also the trip via seaplane affords the opportunity to spend the rest of your day in Key West and not on your way back. Regardless of how you arrive, Ft. Jefferson is truly a site to see. Bring your snorkeling gear or use gear provided. First snorkel the mote wall surrounding Ft. Jefferson and be sure to check out the pilings on either side. Rarely explored by visitors, I’ve seen green sea turtles in and around the pilings. After spending time in the water enjoy your lunch and then relax on the beach. Before leaving be sure explore the historic civil war fort. Either way, this trip is well worth the expense and if you have the time, take it.

A Day at the Beach
If you’re not out on the water or in a bar then a day at the beach may be just the thing. Although Key West is not known for it’s beaches, Fort Zachary Taylor State Park has the best swimming beach on the island (when the wind is out of the north) Be sure to bring your snorkel gear. Just 40 minutes north of Key West is Bahia Honda State Park. Bahia Honda’s Sandspur beach was rated the best beach in the Continental US by Conde Nast Traveler. For more info visit their website.

Exploring Key West
If the beach isn’t for you then are plenty of other sites to keep you occupied such as the the Ernest Hemmingway Home and Museum, The Key West Butterfly Conservatorium, The Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, The Southernmost Point in the United States, The Harry S Truman Little White House and the Key West Lighthouse. In addition, the best way to get a quick overview of the island is the Conch Tour Train or the Old Town Trolley. Last but not least, the must see and do is Mallory Square for one of Key West’s world famous sunsets. If the crowd at Mallory Square is not your thing you can always catch a peaceful sunset at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park or at The Top located at the Crown Plaza La Concha while listening to acoustic music.

Night Life
Lower Duval Street is the Mecca for door to door entertainment in Key West. Bar’s like the Hogs’ Breath Saloon, Capt. Tony’s Saloon, Sloppy Joe’s, The Bull & Whistle Complex, and Irish Kevin’s just to name a few, can keep the party going for hours on end. However, it’s not the only place to find great live music while visiting. The Schooner Wharf on the historic seaport offers live entertainment in the afternoon and evenings. Vergilio’s on Applerouth Lane offers a variety of music throughout the week including jazz. And last but not least and voted one of the best bars in America as well as the most eclectic places to visit on island is the Green Parrot. This open air bar features some of the best acts touring throughout the south.

So, now that you have the info on where to stay, what to eat and what to do, put in your leave slip and take three to four days to do it all in. Not only does this afford one the opportunity to become part of the magic known as Key West, it all can’t possibly be done in one weekend.