Daytona - Part 1

If you found it impossible to schedule an MRI this past week, the reason might have been that the Who’s Who of Imagining Techs were in Daytona, Florida upgrading their certifications, know how and driving skills at the International Speedway. I couldn’t help but think of Dale Earnhardt as I drove past the famous raceway. I’m not a huge auto racing fan. Nevertheless, I can tell you where I was when I heard the news that Number 3 went into the wall.


I’m not an MRI tech either, but Robin is and she had been in Daytona since Sunday. Conference over on Wednesday at noon, I drove to the east coast and found the streets empty. If this was a town out west, sagebrush would have tumbled down the middle of Main Street. Life guards were all but sleep in their chairs as they watch a handful of tourist frolic in the warm waters of the Atlantic. God, how I miss the ocean.

I took a scenic route over on State Highway 50, cutting through the heart of Florida. Once I got to Clermont I thought I died and went to Heaven. As much as I love the oceans, I love the mountains and Florida doesn’t have any. In Clermont the earth rose to a staggering height so much so I could see the skyline of Orlando in the distance. I bet you can see Disney’s nightly fireworks in the town.

The highest place in Florida is — Britton Hill in Lakewood in Walton County, located in the Panhandle — is a mere 345 feet. Of the highest points in the 50 states, it is the lowest.

Robin tried to sneak up on me as I waited for her in the lobby of the Hilton. Nice hotel, of course, but subject to the city’s ability to maintain their water supply systems. Reminded of the fancy hotels I stayed at in Bangkok and Singapore where the water wasn’t potable. In the morning a notice had been slid under the door that the water wasn’t safe to drink. Suddenly, the $3.00 bottles of water staged in the rooms were complimentary! It was Aquafina. Where do you think that comes from? The tap.

Some things we did:

Walked on the beach and Robin got blisters. Stopped in at Starbuck’s for coffee and to ice the feet down. Then took off for the Ponce Inlet Light Station Got there right at closing, but we managed to buy a couple of t-shirts. Buy now, we were famished. Thought we would eat some fish, but not the one we found floating in the drink. Instead, we went to Aunt Catfish's. I had garlic scallops. Robin had shrimp, salmon and Dijon scallops. .

We debated the weight of the catfish and decided that if this fish did weight 435 pounds,
catfish could feed a lot of starving people. World hungry demolished. Maybe we had too many margaritas.

Cool beanereno, Jen. We were thinking of you.