Been here 17 some-odd years and never subscribed to this group! No idea why!

[A HERETIC I AM]

Well....Hello Floridians!

I know there is one or two other DU'ers who live in Jax, but haven't met any face to face.

Dad bought a house in Miami in the early 60's - we moved down from the DC area a month after Kennedy was shot, went overseas in 'late '65 - and after some travel which included a tour in Alice Springs, NT, came back in '74 where I graduated HS in 1977. Hit the road as an OTR trucker in '87.

I've lived in Miami, Ocala, Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Port Charlotte (specifically Englewood) and now Jacksonville.

So....HOWDY!

[iscooterliberally]

1. Howdy!

You've lived in a lot more areas of FL than I have. For the most part I have only lived in Broward county since August of '74. I did spend a couple of winters in Boston back in 2012-2013. My wife had a job up there that she really wanted so we tried it out. I wasn't making and money and she ended up hating the job, so we came back down. We're in Lighthouse Point now. The funny thing is that I met my wife in Jax Beach. There used to be a Sloppy Joe's there back in the late 90s. I was playing in the band and she picked me up. We've been together ever since.

[A HERETIC I AM]

5. You mean she chased you till you caught her? LOL

Well, cool!

I had no idea they had Sloppy Joe's anywhere other than Duval St., but I see after looking that there are a couple others.

I've been through Boston, but never had the chance to really look around. Kinda hard to get around ANY 'Old Town' section of a city with a tractor trailer!

Well thanks for the welcome!

[iscooterliberally]

9. There used to be quite a few Sloppy Joes that are now gone.

Back in the day there was one in Daytona Beach, right near the intracoastal and International Speedway Blvd. There was one in Coconut Grove that we played at too. We also played the one in Key West which is how we got all those other gigs too. The only one left that I know of is Key West. Yes, you could say that my wife chased me until I caught her. It was one of those things were I just wasn't looking to meet anyone and that's when it happens.

As for downtown Boston, yes that would be tough to drive a tractor trailer through, but it does happen every day. If you happen find yourself near the Green Dragon, try their shepherd's pie. It's really really good! I have no idea where you would park though. I don't think anyone except pedestrians can go down that old street.

[A HERETIC I AM]

10. One of my primary laments about driving such a large vehicle .....

over the years, is that I am limited to where I can eat and what I can do and see because of where I can park a seventy five foot long, thirteen and a half foot high piece of equipment!

I must say however, that my career as a trucker has taken such turns as to allow me to explore numerous cities, including the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, San Francisco, New Orleans, Chicago, Seattle, New York, St. Louis, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Portland, Vancouver, Toronto and many others.

[iscooterliberally]

14. I've never driven a tractor trailer.

The largest truck I ever drove was a straight job with a 26' long box on the back and a lift gate. I remember the clearance being about 13'. Back in those days you only needed a chauffeur's license to drive one. Now I think it's called a class B license. I used to work for a sound company and we used it to haul a very large PA system. Now the largest thing I drive is a minivan with the occasional 5x8 trailer on the back. The only places on your list that I haven't been are Portland & Vancouver. I've been to every state in the US except for Maine, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska & Hawaii. I have also worked in about 18 countries across 3 different continents. I don't have any money to show for it, but it was a lot of fun!

[A HERETIC I AM]

15. Sounds like you had a fascinating life

I think Americans among the least traveled people of all the modern Democracies. Having the experience you had I'm sure gave you insight into the human condition that entirely too many are sorely lacking.

And yeah, "Class B" these days, but it isn't necessary to have one if you are just renting a truck. Of course, most units you might get from UHaul or Penske to do a personal move aren't equipped with air brakes, which I suppose is what the point of the B license is.

I bet your time with the sound company was fun!

[snowybirdie]

2. Howdy

We need more Democrats in Florida.

[A HERETIC I AM]

8. Here I is!!

[lpbk2713]

3. Welcome to the group.

We're not exactly neighbors. I've lived in Lakeland since 1957. But welcome just the same.
Jax is where I took my enlistment oath in 1965.

[A HERETIC I AM]

7. Holy crap! Navy, I presume?

You've got a few years on me, I can tell.

If you know the area, when JAX Naval Air Station is operating a Westbound Downwind Leg, I am right under their turn onto the base leg of that pattern. So...most of the time!!

My dad was a Navy Corpsman in WWII and a Marine Corps Field Medic in Korea, so we have a bit of military in common.

Thanks for the welcome!

[babylonsister]

4. Melbourne representing!

I've only been here coming on 5 years, but don't plan on moving again.

[A HERETIC I AM]

6. I was within 5 or 6 miles of you, 36 hours ago!

I covered for a driver doing a trip out of Palm Bay down to Miami, and drove down 95 to get there, so I was easily within just a few miles of you Sunday night and again Monday morning.

[babylonsister]

11. Darn it, and I live about 2 miles from 95! nt

[Zorro]

12. How'd you like Alice?

I spent a couple of months there for work 25 years or so ago. Remember doing the "Alice shuffle" to swat the flies off my back when walking between buildings.

I've been ping-ponging between living in Florida and California for the past 40 years. Spending this winter north of Tampa outside of Dade City; lived for years in Sarasota, but I like the changes in elevation around the local area, and prefer living a bit further back from the coast.

[A HERETIC I AM]

13. I loved it!

My father worked at Pine Gap and one of the local Aussies who worked security owned a racehorse and it was arranged that I got to look after the horse, feed him, groom him and rode him every day.

Through that man I was able to spend Christmas break one year out on a Cattle Station, about 200 miles northeast of town.

The family was sent home about 3 months before my dad's tour ended and I BEGGED him to let me stay, but it wasn't going to happen.

We traveled a fair amount around the southern end of the NT, I climbed Ayers Rock and visited The Olgas...had a great time!

[radical noodle]

16. Greetings!

I've only been in Florida a few years, and live just south of Ocala. This is a pretty quiet group, but friendly.