day #1 and 2 - 2016!!!

Is this year #13? or #14? I don't know.  It has been quite a few!

Wildness at MCO, waiting for the shuttle away from the terminal there was a monster mass of people like I've never seen in over 20 flights.  Then I quickly saw why.

One of the two was working and about 200 people were fighting for it.  I hope they get that fixed soon.  The flyer kind of makes it look like they are actually upgrading perhaps to a newer, better train.  Though like most things, it seemed like the old one was good enough for me.

I was trying to demonstrate that the luggage tag was really strong and would not rip.  I tried to show this by seeing if I could lift the luggage by the tag.  But doing it with my left hand while sitting is not very easy.  Maybe my sleeping Brazillian friend could have done it?

Arrived late, but it was worth it, tickets were cheap.  Got in about 815pm and immediately had some IPAs and grub down at the bar and blew nearly $90 in about 30 min.  Ouch.

Today went down to Publix and bought a shit ton of groceries.  Made an awesome sandwich with chicken breast I smashed with a sauce pan, kale, cheese, tomato, bacon.  All on toast, then cooked in the pan, patty melt style (which reminds me, definately need to make patty melts this week).

Went for a beer run as the bar is so damn expensive.  Went to CVS first to try and snag a 12 pack of Stella.  Knew it would be expensive, grabbed Jen's CVS card thinking that would help.  But no sale and the wildest price I've ever seen!

Figured there was no way that it would be that expensive everywhere, so I went another two miles down to I-Drive Liquors which I have seen from the bus so many times but never went in.  Things were not much better down there.

So I scooped that plus a 6 pack of a new CCB brew for a total of about $40 (for 18 beers).  Ouch yet again.

So already done about 8 miles between those two runs today.  No problems with the bike, installed my new 2-piece stem that I've been holding for months, just got done retaping the handlebars.  I have some spare brake pads I'd like to put on but I assumed they used a hex key and they have a nut so I need an adjustable wrench which I do not have.  The old pads aren't that beat, I don't NEED to change them but I'd sure like to.  Going to see if I can get maintenance to borrow me a wrench for 5 minutes - the new pads do use a hex key.

trip completed: bus pass/ron jon/post office

Took about 4 hours. Got back, laid on the couch and finished reading 'Imperial Bedrooms' on my Kindle. Very disturbing, I feel like I was on the verge of totally losing track of things for so long but then it ended and I guess I do understand.

On my way back while I was waiting for link 42, a middle aged woman who was attractive enough approached me with a question about bus routes. I knew most of what she was looking for ironically and then admitted I was not even from the area. She was from Calgary, we had a pleasant conversation until she got on link 8 (she had come in on the I-bus trolley), rolling the dice that it would take her the right way/distance on I-drive to her hotel.

Monday's Beginning

Slept like a rock floating on a feathery cloud, sinking deep within in. Bizarre dreams fleeted through my mind and I rose at 8am.

First priority is to go get a bus pass. I can take the 111 bus which I took here from the airport back to OBT and Sand Lake Rd., a convenient stop near the Florida Mall which is also near one of many Ace Paycheck Cash stores. Once I cop the pass, I can take the 42 bus west on Sand Lake road and get off on I-Drive to stop at Ron Jons to buy some postcards and souvenirs. I can take that same bus continuing on all the way back to Central Florida Parkway and Westwood and walk back.

They just called to throw away another $100 on the 9th sales presentation I've sat through. Will knock that out tomorrow at 8am.

Still trying to decide when and how long to rent a bike for. I'll be getting it from this place but I don't want to spend upwards of $100 on it. So I don't think I'll go today but I'm still unsure.

It would be nice to have the bike today just to run to Publix but I'll probably bite the bullet and just walk.

Leaving now for the above outlined journey. Should take a few hours. Video forthcoming.

ride that bus

A mist, just droplets pass between openings in the canopy at the taxi stand, they spritz my face and remind me of Florida.  This turns quickly to a gushing storm, those openings give way from a mist to a barrage.  I do not avoid it, rather, I relish it.  My body is tired and sore.

As I exited the aircraft after the short 40 minute flight I walked speedily towards the baggage claim.  Surprisingly found my Lynx bus route 111 and was assured that I was on the right track.  I am typing this on that bus right now.  Only 2 other passengers accompany me.  One is a light skinned African American man wearing an Enyce shirt, far too old for the style.  Cheap silver chains dangle down his frail chest and music of some sort fills his ears, pumped in by tiny buds.  The other is more solemn, also black, arms folded.  The driver has the demeanor and face of someone that enjoys his line of work, in an environment such as this and with so few passengers.  He sipped a bottle of green iced tea as we waited to depart. 

Palm trees dot the landscape as we exit at #1B onto a highway who's name I have forgotten or perhaps never knew.  The route creator on the Lynx website said approximately 38 minutes to my end point.  I am typing on a moving bus, the sky is darkened even at 1:33pm and clouds hang heavy.  Rain expected everyday this week.  I cannot wait to eat, and rest.  I could use a drink.

Tomorrows order of business will be to get a 7 day Lynx pass and possible rent a bike, though I may leave that for Tuesday.  But that comes later, plenty of Sunday left to be enjoyed.  I feel relaxed and relieved that my air travel is done for the next span of days.  This bus, I can handle.  Quite the contrast from the stark portrait we know as the CTA.  Patterned with their trademarked Paw print the seats bear a nearly tie die color scheme.  Fitting.

The 2nd gentleman just spoke to me: he exclaimed quietly at something he saw, I turned to view it myself.  A cab wiped out on the shoulder, seems to have crushed into the shoulder's wall.  He seems to have a Jamaican accent.  West Indies or the like.  I also now notice a third passenger, quiet also in the back of the bus.