The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

Sunday, April 1, Doug and I enjoyed a wonderful drive from Sarasota to Panama City. Once off I-75 and onto blue highways, there was minimal traffic. We crossed the Sewannee River, hugged the Gulf coast and watched the setting sun. Panhandle towns like Sopchoppy and Carabelle haven't lost their Southern charm since my days at FSU. The day was a very good one.

Then our luck went South. There wasn't a camp site to be found and the rates at dumpy motels, where the spring break crowd dominated, were too high. So, we did what the tough do when the going gets tough - we camped in a Wal-Mart parking lot! Yikes! We actually did. And I must tell you the truth; it wasn't that bad! The employees couldn't have been nicer, even the trash zamboni driver who cruises the parking lot all night seemed sensitive to our presence. Still, there is nothing like shuffling into a 24-hour Wal-Mart in your pajamas to brush your teeth at 4 am. Or watching Doug semi-melt down as we 'made camp.' It is an experience.

Finally, our very early breakfast the next morning should have been our once-a-day meal splurge. Waffle House is open 24/7. They mop their floors at 4:45 am, diners or no. And you can have your hashbrowns smothered, scattered, covered, chunked, diced, peppered, capped, topped, or scattered all the way. Our dining splurge wasn't really good, nor was it actually bad; it was ... well, you know what I mean.