Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvanio

I went to visit John Gillette. He’s an old friend from the Miami Beach days. We made lots of short films together. He moved back to Pittsburgh and opened up a BBQ restaurant called Chief’s Smoking BBQ. I took a flight north for a little R&R.

big transition

I left Miami perhaps for good. I moved back there in October of 2018 after 2 years in Madagascar. Now it’s October 2020 and I feel it’s time to move on to somewhere else. Right now I’m visiting my brother in San Antonio but soon I’ll go to Tucson then to Sacramento to visit my younger brothers and my father. After that who knows. Perhaps to Brazil, or to Spain, if the European Union is open to tourists. 

This is a big transition time in my life. And it’s not the first time. 

Last Fandango

My last week in Miami I rented a car and Richard and I drove to Everglades City in the southern coast of Florida. There were lots of fishermen there and maybe hunters because they dressed like hunters, camuflage. Very green and full of insects and alligators and snakes.

Rolling Stone

The next few months look good. Gio moved to North Beach. Richard, Neal, and Stazio still live in North Beach. We filmed lots of films together. I will miss them all. 

In Sept 15, 2020, we moved out of our apartment in Design Place, Little Haiti. I threw out a lot of stuff ‘cause I’m hitting the road. Throwing out this stuff, I’m throwing out memories, the past, and dreams never fulfilled. It’s depressing and liberating. I’m being born again, like I’ve been born many times. A new place to live. Travel. Rolling Stone. Will it ever stop? 

rich and famous

I’ve discovered the music of Sixto Rodriguez. It speaks to me. In the 60’s he was unknown in the United States mainstream and then become hugely popular in South Africa. But he didn’t know, and lived a life like a hermit in Detroit where he’s from. Someone from South Africa investigated his death and found him alive, so he went back on tour and has been rich and famous ever since. 

Conclusion

Being a rolling stone requires deep transitions and perhaps, I’ll be rich and famous. 

Big Time, Kinda

I just filmed an interview of a rapper for the quasi-famous Youtube channel: VladTV. We prepared hard but still a few mistakes were made. I left a camera on while we were setting up the shot. And when it was time to actually shot the talent. The battery was dead. Man, I was pissed. But we did get one good camera with audio, so for that I’m happy. Hotboii is an up and coming rapper from Orlando. Who knows? He might blow up. 

Family Update

The next few months look good. Gio is moving to North Beach, where we both lived at one time. He says I can stay with him so I’m thinking about a week. Then visit family in Texas, Arizona, and California. My younger brother Travis has a new son so I really want to visit my new nephew. His name is Owen Louis Haynes. We have the same middle names. I’m honored, but maybe the middle name is a knod to our father Paul Louis Labbé, we have the same name. 

New Beginnings

Me and Gio are moving out of our apartment in Design Place. I’m having to throw out a lot of stuff ‘cause I’m hitting the road soon. It must be mentioned that throwing out this stuff, I’m throwing out memories, the past, and dreams never fulfilled. It’s depressing and liberating. I’m being born again, like I’ve been born many times. A new place to live. Travel. Rolling Stone. Will it ever stop? 

Sugar Man

I’ve discovered the music of Sixto Rodriguez. It speaks to me. His biography is incredible. He was unknown in the United States mainstream and then become hugely poplular in South Africa. But he didn’t know about that and lived a life like a hermit in Detroit where he’s from. 

Miami Matters

Miami is great. Great weather. Hot and muggy. Makes jogging and biking at night very pleasing. I just got back from biking from Richard’s apartment to mine. We walked to the beach because there was a full moon party. Not many people there, because of the Coronavirus. It reminded me of how it was like 8 or 10 years ago. It was always intimate, before. People dancing with fire. Families, even. But in the last few years the amount of revelers has swelled. Perhaps thousands of people there. Lot’s of vendors, too. People are setting up tables on the sand to sell their artesania. It becomes like a little outdoor bazaar. And nobody dancing with fire. It’s outlawed. The Coronavirus has thinned the herd of Full Moon party people. Most of them phoneys, fakers, players, and flunkys. Now it’s back to the originators. 

Peace Corps Again?

I applied for Peace Corps Response. It would be a year gig in Costa Rica working teaching/advising on digital communications with young folks. Adolescents it appears.

The Lease

Life continues. Our lease is almost up and I’m looking forward to the next chapter in my life. First visit family then to a foreign country, perhaps Mexico. It’s close, they allow visitors, and I do like it, even though I have to fight off a few muggers from time to time. I’m thinking of holing up in Hermosillo, just south of Tucson, Arizona, to save some bones before Spain opens up.  

Carpe Diem?

Life here in Miami has been boring, but mostly that’s my fault. I’m not being adventurous. I could be a lot more active. But I know I’m leaving so I’m just waiting to move on. Not investing in the present expecting the future to give me what I want. But this is a vicious cycle. Because once I’m in the next chapter then I mentally ‘check out’ and wait for the following chapter. I have to live in the present someday. 

Unemployed

Still not working so not trying to spend money too much. Been chillin. Pool side afternoonin’. Lazy days. Poolside. Beach excursions. Studying Adobe After Effects so as to get a job as a video editor.

Mexico Trip Done
I just returned from Mexico where I was for 2 weeks. I’ve experienced not only the good but also the bad of Mexico, so I’m closer to knowing it’s true character than someone who has only been there for a short vacation.
This time, I arrived in Mexico City and stayed at some Airbnb’s. Mexico City is in the mountains, 7,500 feet above sea level. Temperature: 50’s at night and in the 70’s in the day. I flew my drone over Mexico City and edited a few videos for Youtube.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Fighting off Muggers
Then I took a five hour bus ride north of the capital to a Colonial town called Guanajuato. While there amongst all the fun I was accosted by two drunk men in the street. As I walked down a cobble stone street they ran up on me and I immediately step away from them but almost got run over by a car. Eventually, I got away and all they got from me were my cheap sunglasses and my headphones. It could have been worse so I’m happy.

Magical La Condesa
I returned to Mexico City and stayed the last 4 days in a part of town called “La Condesa” It’s a well-to-do neighborhood near the center of the city. Lots of trees, parks, and shade. Lot’s of people walking their dogs, jogging and out and about getting exercise. Plus, there’s tons of picturesque sidewalk cafés and restaurants. La Condesa knocked my socks off. Oh, and various live music performers in the park. I could be very happy living there.
Now I’m back in Miami, the weather is hot and humid. Back in the tropics.

Thoughts on The Bike Trip

It’s been about a month since I’ve returned to Miami. It was a fantastic experience. I miss those days on the road. Living in my apartment in Miami is killing me. I’m so tired of seeing the same surroundings. Not working still, but I make do.

Speaking of biking, biking long distance is something almost anyone can do even if you are elderly or in some way out of shape. On my way to Chicago from Miami back in 2007, I met a bicyclist who had started from the beach in California and ridden all the way to Florida. He said that he was going to dip his front wheel in the Atlantic ocean ain St. Augustine because he had done that in California. He was 77 years old…..Rode across the United States for the love of glory!

Future Plans

After my lease is up in September I’m thinking of riding my bike around the Iberian Peninsula, through Spain, Portugal and Andorra and filming it of course. Riding is a lifestyle that suits me. And it keeps me from indulging to much in chemicals.

Below is the video from the last day of the ride.

Mexico Trip

Since I have free time on my hands I decided to fly to Mexico and visit friends and also simply to get back to my dear Mexico. I had traveled frequently in Mexico back in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. In this trip I visited a friend, Maru, in Mexico City. It was the first time we’d seen each other face to face after being friends on Facebook for 12 years.

Guanajuato

Then I went to Guanajuato. I magical colonial town in the mountains. It looks like it comes out of Lord of The Rings. I’m staying with an old friend, Armando. We met back in 2001 or 2002 when I flew down to Mexico City to help Agustin film a short film called “Carne de Dios No Es Para Los Gringos” We remained friends every since then. Armando’s a musician and a traveler, too. And he lived in France and England for awhile.

Bicycle Journey Over

I just returned to Miami after being on the road for 34 days. It was a long trip, longer than expected. My plan was just to got to Daytona Beach, but once I reached it the option of continuing around the state of Florida was preferable to going back to Miami. Back in Miami during the Corona Virus Shutdown I wasn’t exercising and I was drinking and smoking more than I wanted to. I have a roommate and we have friends over for little parties and it’s difficult to avoid these situations. Yet, when I’m riding on the road I don’t drink or smoke. I’m by myself so I can do exactly what I want. It’s hard to be alone in the Coronavirus era.

The Skinny:

What stood out in this journey: Exposure to the elements, sleeping outside, and the many hours exercising lightly. I say lightly because it’s not like crossfit, biking doesn’t make you breath hard or your muscles burn very much. But bear in mind, long distance bikeriding does take a toll on the body.

Biking in the fabulous state of Florida you are in a hot and humid environment from waking until sleep, and also when you wake up in the middle of the night. For example  in the Everglades its was 80 degrees with 100% humidity. Naturally you get used to it. Oh, and being under the sun all day is not normal. Lot’s of sunblock so I never got a burn. You drink lots of liquid. My favorite was the Gadorade from the fountain machines at 7-Eleven, Race Trac, or Wawa. You live with mother nature, no barriers, no air conditioning, you live by the sun’s schedule, like I did in Madagascar.

Camping

Sleeping outside is wonderful. The sounds of the insects, the wind and other unknown things. Yet periodically I would think I heard a human approaching, but it’s not humans because it’s impossible for a human to approach my tent without making a racket. It’s a thick forest and dark. No moves without being heard.

Mosquitos and gnats can be avoided by finding refuge in the tent, but once you’re inside the tent, there’s no leaving the tent doors open for a breeze. Being in the tent was something I did for the least amount of hours as possible. And because I always camped where I wasn’t technically allowed, I would get up at the break of dawn to break camp before anyone saw me.

I learned this lesson the hard way….years ago I was camping in Palm Beach on a bike ride from Miami to Chicago. It was an empty lot and my friend and I set up camp after sunfall, and we slept in until 8am. That’s when cops awoke us, searched our stuff and gave us tickets. Lesson learned. You can camp almost anywhere if you get in at night and leave before light.
Everynight when it got dark I had to look for a camping spot weither in the country or the city. The city was interesting. Sometimes empty lots really close to buildings but obscured by trees or bushes were good away from traffic, human or vehicular.

My Friends Along The Route

Visiting friends was a motive for this ride. I passed by Sam’s apartment in Lauderdale-by-The Sea. We just conversed on the street. He wore his mask. He was taking this CoronaVirus seriously.
5 days later and a couple hundred miles north, I visited Jess and Billy in Daytona Beach. Two friends who lived near me in Miami Beach years ago. Sam lived in the same neighborhood, too.

In St. Petersburg I visited Oppie and Thu. All of us, including Sam, Jess, and Billy lived in the same neighborhood in Miami Beach, called North Beach, or Nobe for short. We filmed short films and comedy sketches and used Nobe for the backdrop.

East Coast

The East Coast of Florida was my favorite part. Lot’s of beaches and showers and public bathrooms and always a store nearby. It was dryer and had less mosquitos, gnats, and other bugs than the West Coast, and the roads were more developed and went many places. The intercoastal highway and barrier islands were pretty and ran up the whole coast almost unbroken. A developed and efficient island world.

Interior

The Florida Interior: The interior of the state was relaxing, pretty. Lot of farms and forest. Unfortunately no beaches, therefore no public showers. I did’t spend my time here.

West Coast

Now the West Coast is different. Up north it’s pretty marshy, almost no beaches, and swampy with lots of insects. Not many roads, less developed. A Florida Wild West. But entering the Tampa Bay Area things change. It becomes more cosmopolitan, but yet a mix of hokey, a dash of Redneck, and a sea faring people culture. South of Tampa, Sarasota, Manasota, Naples, it was swampy with barrier island beaches. And lots of gnats. Here the humans of carved out a comfortable civilization. Air Conditioning and Florida Rooms required.

The South Swamps Bitch

My path across the state started with cruising the I-75, no bicycles allowed from Naples to Fort Lauderdale over an expanse of jungle, swamp, and everglades. I got stopped by the cops 2 times leading to kicked down to the highway 41 in the heart of Big Cypress Park, a swamp with tall trees. Under the sun with the wildlife, it was hell. I couldn’t excape the heat, humidity, and the bugs. These flys would hunt you down, wouldn’t leave you, followed you if you fled, and bite you over and over. One thing is to visit this savage part of south Florida in a car, but to do it exposed to the elements all the time is like communing with our ancestors. The hunter and gather ones. And who wants to do that in the swamp environment? Thankfully Miami was close by.

Home

Back in Miami. Feeling great with my own room and comforts. My own bathroom that I can use whenever I want. I miss being on the road, though. Work may be starting soon and the gym is back open. I got 2 more months on the apartment lease. I’m leaving to go somewhere. But I don’t know where yet. Overseas is what I want. Go back to a Spanish Speaking Country. Go back to familiarity.

 

The Protests of 2020

There’s been lots of protests here in Miami due to the George Floyd murder. And I’ve been present and with my drone. I’ve made a few videos of the protests. The Miami protests of been peaceful thank goodness. I don’t agree with the majority of the movement but I think we should listen.

The American Spanish Colonial City

I just made it to St Augustine. This town has an old Spanish Fort. Fuckin’ wild. Built in the 1500’s. And a colonial district that is really hip. I like how they conserved the colonial part of town and celebrate it. It reminds me of colonial towns I’ve seen in Mexico. Too bad I’m just passing through and not drinking beer. I’m camped out near train tracks and cars driving down the blvd. It’s noisy. I like it. Rode about 55 miles today. Saw bar and grills back in business after the shutdown.

Marshy Lands North of Jacksonville

Arrived at the most Northwestern part of Florida. It’s always called to me. I camped late, around 8:20, ‘cause I couldn’t find a suitable camping spot. Lot’s of fences next to the road. Private property. I camped on private property before and the cops gave me a ticket. So far I see lot’s of marshland and fishing related businesses. Bait shops, fishing boats, seafood restaurants and bar and grills. Today I rode a lot. Maybe 70 miles. My left hand is still partially numb.
Man, this trip so far has been a blast. Normally after breaking camp, I’m on the road biking at 6:40am. This is a super productive lifestyle. I’m seeing so much of Florida and of life.

Fernandina and Peace Corps Friends

Spent yesterday with an old Peace Corps friend, Jay. Back in Madagascar after training, when I first got to my region, he was the first region mate I met. We hit it off immediately and he’s a good friend. Now here in his hometown, Fernandina, we met up for lunch and drinks and then I spent the night in his apartment with his two roommates. He was so hospitable. His hometown is on the furthest northeast coast of Florida. Just below Georgia. This is a fascinating and beautiful part of Florida. Very pleasantly different than Miami.

Youtube Channel

I’ve been pumping out my daily videos on this trip. 13 so far. It’s like my job since I’m not working. Filming and editing the videos and riding keep me more than busy.

A Story

I was riding on the sidewalk in a Jacksonville suburban neighborhood and I saw on the ground a really nice red iphone. I picked it up. It was an iphone 8, 9, or 10 in good condition. I first thought, “Can I get money out of this? But then I realized that no, I’m too honest, and I would return. I’ve returned wallets before. I start riding a bit but with my eyes and ears on the phone. It rang! I answer. I see the guy but don’t hear anything. So I point the phone’s camera at the nearest street sign and then at a pillar that’s part of a gate to a park, because I’m going to put it on the top of the pillar, so he’ll know where to find it, ‘cause I need to continue riding and I don’t have time to hang around. He understands. We give each other thumbs up and hang up. I linger a little bit because I don’t feel comfortable leaving the phone out here in public. All of a sudden a lady in a car pulls up, “Do you have the phone?” she asks. Yes. I hand it over. She says her son wanted to give me 10 dollars. I say don’t worry about it. I tell her that someone returned my phone before and I’m returning the favor. We shook hands with much jubilation.

Crossed the State

Now I’m on the West Coast of Florida. I’m camped near Horseshoe Beach. There’s lots of mosquitos and gnats here. Earlier I buzzed in to the small gulf fishing town took photos, videos, and flew the drone, then buzzed 3 miles back inland to a cute little public park. Inside my tent I’m safe from all the bugs. I hear strange animal noises that I didn’t hear 50 miles inland, though.

Cedar Key

I went to the gulf coast town of Cedar Key. It’s a little touristy town. The gulf coast is significantly different from the east coast of Florida. Here the water is brown and there’s not much of a beach. There’s no big beach blvd, like Ocean Drive, but Cedar Key had something like it. It was a little road on the water with restaurants, art galleries, and touristy stuff on it. I stopped into a place for a beer to celebrate.

Swampy Town with a Spring

Crystal River is a gem. It’s built in a swampy area but there are springs spilling into the bay so you’re happy to swim in it. While editing at Dunkin Doughnuts, I had difficulty uploading a video to Youtube so I camped late. The spot I found was in the city but hidden from people walking or driving nearby. Safe.Man, I’ve been productive. While on the road I wake up early and work all day:biking, filming, and talking in front of the camera. I love life on the road! And I saw otters today. I never knew they were in Florida. Oppie and Thu are coming up tomorrow, so I’m excited and we’re going to do something fun, for sure. A little detour from biking but my body could use the rest.

Start of the Rafting Trip

Oppie and Thu met me in Crystal River and we camped for 3 days in Ichetucknee campground. We went rafting two times and it was a blast. The first river was alongside Ginnie Springs. There were lots of people there partying and having a good time, which surprised me in the era of Coronavirus. But I have to get back to Miami soon because the bar I work at could open up any day now. And I still haven’t received my unemployment benefits. So back on the trip. Oppie and Thu dropped me off nearby where they picked me up.

 

Conclusion:

Live life how you want, even if the government and media tell you to stay home because of the Coronavirus. Change your life up…don’t get caught in a rut. Try life under the rules of the sun and mother nature. You’ll appreciate air conditioning and bathrooms later.

 

Escape from Coronavirus Lockdown

I’m preparing for the bike ride. Got some equipment from Amazon. Now all I need is a bike. This will be a solo mission. I did a long bike trip years ago from Miami to Chicago, so I know what to expect. It’s a completely different lifestyle from the normal “living in a home” life. When you’re on the road, you’re outside 24 hours a day and have to deal with whatever mother nature throws your way. In Florida now it’s hot and humid and sunny. Also you go days without showering so you wake up all hot, sweaty, and sticky. But the silver lining is the unique experiences, great camping spots, and the constant exercise. You will lose weight for sure.

Typical Days

Normal days on quarantine is chill at home, bbq, and drink and smoke…sleep…..to do it all again the next day. But enough of that. I decided to leave and do something adventurous. Going to bike to Daytona Beach. I searched on Craigslist and Offer Up for bikes. I got lucky and found a gem: a German bike and it came with a back bike rack, saddle bags, tools, speedometer, lights in front and back that are powered by the pedals, extra inner tubes, 2 locks, the whole 9. It cost 400 dollars and it was a deal!

The Trip Begins

On my way to Daytona Beach to visit Jess and Billy, old friends from Miami Beach. I’ve been biking for 4 days now.  During the trip, I almost lost my wallet and my drone, but dodged both those bullets. I’m camping where nobody is allowed because of the corona virus, so I got it all to myself. Such virgin beauty. Been filming when I can. Stopping then flying the drone. Charging my electronics and getting enough wi-fi to upload videos is an issue that I have to learn to deal with. Today I went to a public park because I heard they have outlets outside. I saw three guys, maybe homeless, charging their stuff there. I edit the videos bar sitting on the ground, then pack up and go to a public library, sit in front of the building to connect to the wi-fi. Man, not easy.

The Bikeride

Everyday I’ve been waking up at 6 am. Back at home I was sleeping in everyday. But now my sleep cycle is determined by the sun, which is immutable. It’s a difficult lifestyle that forces you to be very productive, so hell yeah.
Last night I got a full 8 hours of sleep. It’s been ages since that has happened. I took a picture of me sitting on the ledge of a tall bridge, like those Instagram photos that lead to death. My feet were danglin’ high above the ground as I kept balance. That’ll be the last time I do that.

Uploading Videos

Today I rolled into Coco Beach, hometown of World Champion surfer, Kelly Slater. It’s beachy and touristy, but dead now because of the corona virus. I search and find a power outlet. It’s on the outside wall of a bar and grill. I sit town next to it which places me at a table in their outdoor eating area. I charge my computer, telephone, drone battery, and extra battery. And edit the 4th episode. Just after I exported the movie a police officer rolls up and tells me I have to leave. I politely say sorry and tell him I’m leaving. Then I bike under the blazing sun over town to the public library. I set up near the front door with my laptop and start the upload. A lady comes out the front door and tells me I have to leave because people still come up to the door to drop off or pick up books. I say I didn’t know and that I’m sorry. She says,”You can still get wifi on the benches up front.” At first she was a little mean but when I immediately said sorry and began leaving, she lightened up.

Reached Destination

I came to Daytona Beach to visit my friends Jess and Billy. It’s awesome here. They let me stay in a room which is next to the pool and the pool is next to the beach. My days are lazy but doing nothing also means I’m recuperating. My left hand is numb from gripping the handle bars for so many hours and my knees feel painful when I squat. But I’m eager to start riding again. The lifestyle on the road is exhilerating. Ride all day and camp at night keeps your mind and body occupied. You can’t be stressed out. And you’re getting exercise. My skinny legs are getting bigger. And when you’re on the road you’re always seeing something new and fresh so your mind is constantly stimulated.

Conclusion:

Lone solitary activities can be beneficial to the mind, soul and body.

Visiting Kelly
So many people staying indoors and not taking advantage of this world and time off, therefore, I’m flying to San Antonio today. A close friend told me that he wasn’t happy that I was making the trip. I tried to reason with him to essentially rationalize the low probability of getting it while visiting my brother, plus the fact that we can’t hide in our homes, and that we have to go out someday. The point is that I tried to convince him to my belief. He then cut me off and said, “I knew this was going to happen. I shouldn’t have brought it up.” I knew that I had lost him. Perhaps lost the conversation, too. In retrospect and I should’ve just listened to him and acknowledged what he said. I didn’t have to reason with him or change his mind.

Lesson Learned
Well, back to the conversation. I simply shut up. I figured stop digging myself a hole. Lesson learned. I felt strange and uncomfortable after the conversation, but this is how I feel when I ruffles feathers, that’s why I try to not rock the boat. Just be agreeable and fly under the radar. But you know what? Successful men in business an socially and men able to reach their goals are not always agreeable men, but men who speak up, voice their opinions, and ruffle feathers.

Great Trip in Texas
I’ve been at my brother’s for a week and it’s been wonderful. Working around his property everyday, and doing some drone flying. Not smoking. I’ve decided to stay a little longer, though. I’m glad I did. We built a fire pit.

Future Plans
I’m think of riding my bike north to Daytona Beach. It would be a 300 mile ride. So if I do 30 miles the first day then increase each day it would be about a week to get up there. I did this route in 2007 and it took me about 6 days to get to Orlando. Eventually I rode all the way to Chicago. This is kinda a big deal. When you ride all day from sun up to sun down, your body changes and you change, too. Staying here at home is not healthy for me. We’re always having a BBQ or having friends over and I’m drinking and smoking a lot. And not having that much fun. Gotta take advantage of this free time.

Conclusion

Find out what the majority is doing, then do the opposite.

Good Morning Covid-19

Well, the latest big news is the Coronavirus. This is like nothing we’ve seen before. We’ve seen diseases come and go, but we haven’t seen this type of reaction. Bar and restaurants are closed. Beaches, hotels, stores are deserted. I’m outa a job. Filed for unemployment. Don’t know what’s next.

The Short Film

When it began, the Big Quarantine, I was in St. Petersburg visiting, Oppi, an ol’ friend, and his girlfriend Thu. They live together in an apt on the water. I had so much fun up there. I went there mainly to film his cat for the short film “La Petit Sink”, which is a parody on old French black and white films. His cat is Bellini and really likes humans. He slept next to me every night I was there.

Fishing!

But let me tell you that more fun than that was the fishing. So we took his raft out and tied up under a bridge where the bay meets the open ocean, at famous John’s Pass. The fish were biting and we caught a bunch of fish, 15, but threw them all back. And then a bunch of dolphins were all around our raft. They never left!, because there was so much fish. Oppie had a fish on and we thought, “Oh, another fish.” and Thu and I continued talking. More than once Oppie said, “No really, I got a fish.” From the way he was struggling I could tell it was a big fish. Then suddenly, “I see it!” Thu screamed. She said it was big and dark and round. Oppie continued reeling it in under duress. Then his line broke. I turned around and saw that a few boats were parked behind us and many people with cameras. They all let out a groan in unison. We groaned too. We caught 15 fish that day and threw them all back. All back?! What were we thinking! We should’ve kept at least one.

It’s 5 o’clock somewhere

The next day we went to a bayside park (more like a nature area next to the road) that’s known as The Redneck Riviera. Each person or persons had a spot to back their car up to the water and chill. We dropped acid and rafted. We saw a dolphin and a hug manatee pass right under us. It was almost as big as our raft and moving slow. We would have never known it was passing if I hadn’t barely seen it. And we caught a catfish. The acid at first gave us an upset stomach, then it turned into a relaxing body high. We were laughing hysterically talking about life. I haven’t laughed that hard since I was getting stoned with fellow teachers in Harbin, China.

Conclusion

Now I’m back in Miami. Spending a lot of time at the apartment and going out everyday to fly the drone. And we’ve been bbq-ing and drinking at night.
We don’t know how long it’ll last. I’m thinking of taking a road trip somewhere. People are nervous. I, on the other hand, think everything will be fine. You can only run away from a mother nature for so long.

Droning at John’s Pass