Leaving town...

Leaving the small NC coastal town wasn't difficult once I decided. The decision came the morning after I realized that it actually got cold on the coast. The first chilly autumn night was the big motivator. I had a small ceramic heater which ran on house current. The trailer was wires so that a heavy duty extension cord got me powered up.

The point was that I could pull the plug and be gone in an hour. I could if I had made all my plans in advance. I began prowling the internet trying to find the best next town. I was looking for a place to winter just like the circus folks did. My first step was to find town that looked good on the maps.

I spent two days looking for places until I found St. Marys Ga. It was a tourist town for sure. Well that is how it looked on line. The temperature seemed to be in line with my desires. Highs in he 90s in the summer and about 40's for lows in the winter. It seemed like a good place to spend the winter.

I made my decision on a Friday night in October. On Saturday I took my last ride to the beach. I stopped on the pier to say goodbye. Since I brought the extra batteries, I didn't need to stay. It was a bit of a sad trip. I really loved that rundown old pier.

Sunday I said goodbye to the new women in my life. Laura seemed almost relieved. I think we both were far to independent to maintain any kind of relationship. Mary Barker was a different story. She actually cried as if she were losing a lover. Maybe she was losing her image of a lover. Either way I gave her the news and then went home to spend my last night.

First thing Monday morning I drove to the next largest town. "Hey there do you have a one way truck rental with a trailer hitch." I asked it of the middle-aged over weight woman behind the Ryder truck rental counter.

"Sure where you want to drop it?"

"Somewhere in Jacksonville Florida."

"How big do you need?"

"The smallest thing you have with a trailer hitch. I'm gonna be hauling an eighteen foot travel trailer."

I left with my bike in the back of the small van. It was only slightly larger than a cargo van you see plumbers driving. Once I arrived at the park with my rental, it was just a matter of unplugging the electric cord to be ready to go.

I stopped by the office to settle my bill on the way out of the park. As I drove through the gate for the final time, I was tempted to stop for a last look, but instead I turned the radio up louder and drove away.