Sorry I have not kept up on this, I’ve been traveling and in the wilderness away from wifi. Enjoy this read and please let me hear from you.
Nov 19–Still staying in my van in the driveway of Bounce and Karen, a wonderful time. Right from the tree in the backyard, I drank a coconut and then eat some of the coconut meat from the inside. Normally I don’t like coconut, but this was so fresh and tasted so different and good.
I helped Bounce to plant a vegetable garden today. Whenever I can, I try and give more than I might receive.
Here is Bounce and Karen:
I found out that the coldest it has ever been here in Key West is 41 degrees, today it is a warm 80, while back where I have been living for the last 28 years is 45 degrees.
I think I like this better.
That’s the thing, so many people hate where they live and the life they live. We all have the control of moving to a location that suits us better or we can change most anything in our life.
I’ve had to change in my life many times, I am enjoying the changes. This change into living in a van and traveling the country has been fantastic for me. The cost is minimal, meeting new people and seeing so many new things is fantastic.
If you need to, make changes in your life. Change your life for the better, remember, time goes on and on and does not stop.
Change is a hard thing,though, most can’t deal with change.
Bounce has a couple people who rent rooms from him who work in the tourist area of the city. Thank you, Stan, for getting me into The Hemingway house.
First, it was off on my bike to where Ernest Hemingway resided. Immediately I noticed all the felines everywhere. Ernest liked cats and had many of them. These are a special breed, most have more than ten toes; funny wide feet. All the cats at the house are descendants of the original cats.
Ernest never attended college and never had formal training in writing. I am hoping I am aiming down this same path of writing skill, but, perhaps not the path he took at the end of his life. How am I doing with my words so far?
All of the grounds have nice gardens throughout, not looking at all like when Ernest lived here, I was told the ground was pretty much clear. He actually only lived in this residence for nine years, 1931-1940, where he penned most of his famous books.
Along with tourists coming through, the grounds are often used as a marriage location. I was looking around the area for someone I could marry, couldn’t find a female who wanted to, oh well.
So, this touring of the house and weddings go on all day
every day, bringing in much money for ??
every day, bringing in much money for ??
Hemingway died in 1961 at the age of 61 after he sent a bullet into his head.
Many of his literary friends were dying–one at a time–so death all around.
He also wasn’t physically well which was mainly caused by his many years of heavy drinking and previous injuries; he suffered from headaches, high blood pressure, weight problems, and ultimately diabetes–not a good thing.
All of the above manifested into an inability to write at times, consequently, this made him unable to complete several works for many years.
His father had committed suicide, which devastated Ernest, who once said, “I’ll probably go the same way.” Also, his sister Ursula, and his brother Leicester, suicide. So, it was all around him.
Such as easy way out of this misery of life, but, then again, I think of all the beauty and pleasure that can be found in life, if you look. I guess it is a matter of always seeing the beauty and seeking pleasure? Or, is the other way a better route?
Not caring if I live or die at this point in life, just breezing through life not knowing where I am going . . .
In the summer of 1961 Ernest bought a house in Ketchum, Idaho, where he was found dead on July the 2nd in this house by a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head.
So good to learn of this man and the life he lead.
Also living with Bounce is Gary, who works is the tour bus industry. So, off I went to learn of Key West of http://www.trolleytours.
First was www.keywestshipwreck.com. Thank you, Gary, for getting me in here, too. I learned much about shipwrecks and how they happened around Key West in the old days. Whoever found a wreck would receive half the take of what was found. This made a number of people quite rich.
There are actual artifacts from the 1985 rediscovery of the wrecked vessel Isaac Allerton, which sank in 1856 on the treacherous Florida Keys reef. – See more at:http://www.keywestshipwreck.
Part of this same shipwreck museum is a bus tour of the city, so, now I was a real tourist. Educated on Key West now, take a look:
Finally, part of the same establishment is keywestaquarium.com. Since 1935 this small aquarium has been entertaining guests. I actually touched a manta ray. Here they are:
Being in the same area where I was all day, in the evening I had to return to Sunset Celebration to watch performers, including a couple jugglers.
Saturday, Bounce and Karen, being Jewish, were off to synagog. I decided to join them here:
The following day I rode about three miles to get here:
I heard there was a group of jugglers who get together on Sunday, but, saw no objects flying around. Nice park, though. 
I didn’t get sick–can you believe it?! Today Bounce and I took his boat out and we went fishing. Often, in the past, my stomach (brain) did not like the up and down of boating and, well, you know. We did catch a number of fishys.
What a nice visit with Bounce and Karen, thank you so much for having me.
Nov 25–After leaving Key West I drove north (well, driving south I would be in the water) and drove back toward the Everglades. You see, as I wrote before, I like wilderness much more than any city. I have been to hundreds of cities all around the world and most all are about the same.
I saw three more agalators, no, crocogaters, no, aladiles, well, you know. They were just laying in some reeds, how boring. I was about to go and get them active, but decided against it after remembering their teeth.
This was on Thanksgiving, Nov 25. 26 and 27 and I stayed at Mitchell Landing Campground. Being the only one at the campground was kind of pleasant. In fact, for a time I decided to totally disrobe–in this attire I juggled for awhile, read for awhile, collected firewood for awhile. Being so used to wearing clothes, I eventually put them back on.
Nov 27–I went to the Miami area to meet with Jacob Weiss, of playingbyair.com. We had a great lunch together and connected well, I believe we will be able to work together on some projects later. They present very unique material:
Also, I had to connect to the internet, it had been a few days. After a few hours back in the busy city I couldn’t take it anymore and had to drive back to the wild. Much more comfortable for me there. So, I drove to get gas at Costco and, right away, drove twenty miles back to the glades. Stayed the night, then back to civilization.
Nov 28–At a McDonald’s now writing to you. A number of things happened in the last few days. I must say, I have been having a fabulous time.
- Took a full shower outside in the wilderness — using http://www.
summershower.com/ Had this for awhile, first time using it. This was excellent, I got as clean as I ever have in any shower. I put the water holder/heater on top of the van. And, being in the wilderness I was able to be totally naked, you should have seen it! (or, maybe not.) - While out collecting dead wood for the fire I saw a dead animal, just the bones, a big rib cage, but couldn’t tell what it was.
- Went to one campsite and the cost was $12, low, but I am living minimally right now. Normally, the fee for a National Forest Campground is $5 to $10 (I pay half of the with my pass), so to stay at a nice campground is minimal. And, being in the van I can pretty much park and sleep anywhere for free when I am not at a campsite.
- I’ve been seeing a number of alligators. But, they just lay there like they are dead (but, some were swimming.) So, quite boring to watch. Even when I dragged them by the tail, the ten foot ones, too (see me smiling right now?)
- Driving north on Route 29 I saw that they mow both sides of the road, 12 feet wide on both sides, and keep it short. This goes on for miles and miles. This takes so much time to cut and maintain, I cannot believe the waste. Must be something else that can be planted with no maintenance.
- So dark and quiet out in the wilderness–how nice.
- There were mosquitoes around, but not as bad as before. Did you know that the itch a mosquito produces is from a liquid they produce to make their needle go in the skin easier?
- Spent from noon until 2pm gathering firewood, then the rains started, much came down. Fortunately things dried out by the evening; nice fire, big fire.
- The moon was reflecting quite a bit of light tonight (we often forget that the moon produces no light itself.)
- After I passed the smallest Post Office I have ever seen (the building was, perhaps, 7’x7′ by 7 feel tall. I could not believe it.
Still on my way north, heading back to Dave’s. It ends up that he signed up to attend a conference in Miami at the last minute. So, I now have four days to twiddle my thumbs. So, I have five days to spend–where to go, what to do? The Ocala National Forest was calling, and I was listening. To the north I roam . . .
Parked last night in a quiet and dark place off the main road, thinking I was on a small road. Awoken at 1am by a cop, he said I had to move on. I simply said, “What harm am I causing in sleeping here?” He really had no answer. It was next to a closed and run down business. I asked him more rather intellectual questions, including using the words, ridiculous, harassment, stupid, he had no answer. I hate when people do not truly “think” and just do what they “think” is the right thing. The last words I said were, “Boy, you must feel like a fucking fool”, before I drove away. I know that I am protected by the first amendment:
– See more at: http://constitution.findlaw.
Yesterday I had to go to Walmart for some things, I also had to stop by Costco for some food items. The difference in clientele was/is amazing. At Walmart, many are overweight and seem less intelligent. Most at Costco are in good shape and seem to use their mind well. I just found this interesting, compare and see what you discover (then let me know.)
From the palm trees to the pine trees, a nice change.
Off to Ocala, didn’t know what to expect, glad I went. Alexander Springs was my first stop to stay for the night, so nice it was. In fact, I was the only person staying there, how relaxing. There is a lake/springs there with the clearest and nicest water I have seen. So, off come all the clothes and into this nice and warm water. I’m kind of skinny, and I was dipping, after all. I’m like a nudist colony all by myself.
I should have stayed, but wanted to check out another campsite further north, Salt Springs. Such a difference in these two locations. Alexander Springs was $11 a night, Salt was $19. I should have, right away, packed up and returned to Alexander. I had collected much fire wood and just decided to give it a go. Alexander was empty, Salt had 15 big motor homes that I counted near me. Yet, I saw no people. These people probably pay a weekly fee to stay, then they stay in the vehicles the whole time–something they could have simply stayed at their home and done the same thing.
At Salt I could have done my normal routine of nakeditiy, and probably, no one would have even looked or noticed.
I am loving living in the van. Simplicity is such a better life.
Must say, I am content.
January 2, 2016