2008=60 TOUR
MOTOR SCOOTER DIARIES
DAY 2
The plan for today was wait around till 7 am when the coffee shop opened, but I was ready at 6:50 and
me and “scoot” headed north on US-19 for Georgia. It had rained over night and the road was damp and
producing a light fog that made for a great sunrise. Reached downtown Thomasville, Ga. about 7:30
and began to look for eggs and grits, but none where available. I did find a nice junk and coffee shop.
Got coffee and a bagel and sat down at “the table”. You have to be from the rural south or maybe the
north also, to understand “the table”. It is only for the long time locals, usually at least second
generation, but the owner invited me as these where just local lawyers and a radio person. We had
some discussion about the Vespa and things went back to local interest. Of course that included Hilary
bashing and how worthless the ethnic workers at town hall where and where they where keeping they
their 357 magnum pistols in their trucks.
Downtown Thomasville has been redone and every building looks great, even though half of them are
empty. Their claim to fame is their 327 year old tree.
Leaving town I took a wrong turn and thought about just working it out ahead, but whipped a U and
got back on course. Today would be just about all 2 lane back roads, GA-3,37,41 and these where great
until between Meigs and Pehlam I ran into a road block. I figured the boys at the coffee shop had
called ahead that there was a fat liberal lose on the back roads. Actually it was just a license check by
Officers Miller and Jones. We visited awhile, with questions about my sanity on the Vespa. They have
been restricted on their gas usage by the state but are required to write the same number tickets. So,
unfortunately, they are having to do it on the back roads. Nice guys and a great visit.
Wheeled in to Camilla, Ga and stopped at a very nice coffee shop. I called it an Oasis. I always find
these interesting as I almost got into this business a few years back. The owner was very interesting
and had a wonderful place. They have started roasting their own beans and selling them on the
INTERNET and that is the larger part of their business. Two billboard signs on US-19 she says brings
in lots of business. I found the INTERNET and billboard an interesting mix.
On down the road I stopped to watch a tower constructed. They had put this whole thing up piece by
piece in one morning. All 4 workers where from the same town in Mexico and they had 4 more towers
in line to assemble at various sites down the road Like everyone else on this trip they where glad to
stop and talk, even the guys up the tower.
There are lots of large homes in southern Georgia in the small towns that I traveled through. The
further north I rode, the poorer the land and the people looked. For you realtors this brings great
opportunities for “flip that mansion”. You have to have a dog to ride in truck though. I took the dog
picture while dodging the trash falling out at 50 mph.
Today was abbreviated when I ran to Officer Vicky the cop in Richland, Ga and was arrested for going
to fast. Of course in this town, things are so slow they may consider walking to fast. Fortunately, I
have connections in this town and they threatened to make the police department, all 4 of them, ride
Vespas if they did not let me go. I quickly ran in city hall and thanked Shela and my niece Wanda for
bailing me out. They said it was only a scare tactic as they don't even have a jail.
This afternoon was all good old south with lots of food and good neighbors. It brought up some
interesting things. Nobody “lives” anywhere; they “stay”, as in “I stay up in Shellman”. Next these
people will travel for a buffet. We rode about 30 miles to Shellman, a small town I had come through
earlier, for a seafood buffet. What started as a nice dinner out with my niece turned into a nice dinner
out with 10 other new friends. When I came through Shellman there where not 10 cars in the very little
town. For the buffet, there must have been 50 if you count all the motorcycles. Of course, everything
including the lettuce was fried.
Another great day with great weather.
