2/8/10--Into Redneck Country

Well, yesterday was pretty dull, travelling from Fort Myers to Homossassa Springs (because Norman recommended it) to Lake Mary for the evening before dropping off Peg at the airport this morning. Except for Homossassa Springs. It's a wildlife area with them airboat rides that look like a lot of fun. But we didn't have enough time to do anything but visit this 19th Century sugar mill. See the above pics. But definitely someplace to spend some more time.

Today I am on my own and ended up in Tallahassee at La Quinta again, mostly because my experience with the two other dog friendly motels didn't go so well. The Days Inn in Perry got these horrible reviews re cleanliness and cockroaches, etc. All the days Inn's I've considered fare very poorly in the internet reviews. I guess it is a chain in decline.

But the Chaparral Inn takes the cake. $40, met that criteria. I call and get this female montone "Yessssss?" "Is this the Chaparral Inn?" "Yesssss" "Can I book a room tonight?" "$45." "I also have a dog." "That's an extra 10." "Okay." A pause, then "Okay, goodbye." Click. She hung up on me! I guess I was just supposed to show up.

So I decided to push on to civilization. Tallahassee, a college town. A very pretty country drive thru small towns and rolling acres of orange groves and horse farms and not many cars. But I've got to tell you. Norman said when I got into SW Georgia I would find a real redneck, rightwing area and should watch what I say. Well, you don't have to wait for Georgia. Northern interior Florida will do just fine.

And I got back to my AM radio thing. I was really bummed out because every station was either right wing talk or right wing evangelical christian radio. Until I found one station that had this guy called Mike Smerconish. He's out of Phillie. And he's a Republican, so that's how he get's on in the south. But he voted for Obama and he's moderate. Hey, moderate's okay after what I've been putting up with.

This area of Florida for retirement. Not a keeper.