For those of you just joining the series, back in 2008 my friend Diana and I celebrated our retirements by taking a 65 day road trip. The plan was to take secondary roads only from Michigan to Florida and back. It didn't take long to realize there were three personalities in the car!
There was Diana, myself, and Gertie GPS!
Here we were in Dundee, Florida. We wanted to find a unique restaurant. Asking the hotel front desk, his answer was "Cherry Pocket Fish Camp"! I thought that was a rather interesting name for a restaurant, but believe he knew what he was talking about.
So- off we go, with Gertie GPS programed to take us to our destination! We didn't go very far before Gertie had us turning down a one lane road. The road turned in to a dirt lane meandering through orange groves!
When I say groves, I'm talking orange trees - dense groves on both sides! the lane was a bumpy dirt road that had pot holes and tree roots! Oh no! Did Gertie do it again?? She's got us on someone's property!
My imagination was working overtime! I could see the news paper article now! "Two retired women shot on sight by grove owner for trespassing. Women blame a phantom person named Gertie"!
Diana said that if we ended up in a swamp, Gertie was going to be fed to the alligators!
Finally we came to a clearing. There in front of us looked like a Rv and Trailer community! And in the middle of all that was a rather rundown looking building with the sign letting us know we had arrived at our destination!
Diana and I looked at each other, wondering what we just got ourselves into! Of course, Gertie would be to blame if we ended up in dire straights.
Entering the building we were greeted with all sorts of fun signs and memorabilia. I suddenly felt really over dressed. Instead of a sundress I should be in blue jeans, a t-shirt, and a straw hat! Even a corn cob pipe would seem to be appropriate!
We were greeted by the hostess with a "Howdy! Bet you girls are "Northerners"! I didn't even ask how she knew! But she was friendly, as was the wait staff. The inside was as rustic as the outside, but everything was clean and cozy.
The menu was fantastic! Seafood, steaks, munchies of all sorts, and a list a mile long of beers and wines. Of course, Diana and I went for the seafood.
I meant to take a picture of the dessert- the most delicious Key Lime pie I had ever eaten! I dove into the dessert and thought about the picture too late!
Diana and I both decided that this "culinary adventure" was both interesting and delicious! We definitely would do it again, given the opportunity!
Our trip back to our hotel was yet another adventure, since now it was dark. As hard as Diana tried to get Gertie to choose a different route, we again ended up on a single lane, bumpy dirt road, this time winding though groves in what seemed to be figure 8's! The only light was from our car- so it was difficult to avoid the potholes and bumps and lumps in the road.
At one point we stopped, as there were a few critters crossing the road. Not sure if some of our bumps were in fact wild life- we hoped not!
We arrived back to our hotel with full tummies and a fun story about meandering through orange groves with Gertie at the navigation helm.
Until next time, dear readers.
Life Is Indeed An Adventure! And Orange Groves And Fish Camps Made The Adventure Fun!!
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