I was able to fit my bicycle, skis & boots, backpack, camping gear and day-to-day items aboard the RV. Previously, I had stored Irish Rover in Pennsylvania for the winter with all my sailing gear, except for some odds & ends and the Portland Pudgy. The Pudgy was the only item in storage that had more than a few hundred dollars value, so I sold it. The balance of my gear (sewing machine, old computer, books, clothing, galley ware, etc.) I took to a local charity in Titusville, FL and they accepted all but some pictures and old paperwork that only had value to me as items to spark memories of my life. I took photos of the items important to me, then tossed them into recycling. It was a wrenching experience to eliminate so many tangible memory-sparkers but it has also lightened my load and granted me a feeling of freedom that I haven't felt since singlehanding Kelly IV around the Canadian Maritimes.
As my plans also included meeting my college roomate at the Orlando Airport for our week of camping in North Carolina, I had firm commitments to drive to Florida come hell or hurricane. Of course, Murphy's Law dictates that since I didn't drive to hell, I would certainly drive into a hurricane. Irma, by name.
As I drive south, everyone else seems to be evacuating northbound! |
These photos are examples of the damage around the neighborhood where I rode out Irma. Ugly but minimal, compared to the devastation in other areas like the Florida coast and Caribbean.
I stopped in a rest area off I-95 and felt lucky to capture this racoon on camera! |
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