Start your engines and head to NASCAR, Feb. 20, 2012

Today my engine got started. I had decided to do a ridealong with one of the NASCAR drivers with the Richard Petty Driving Experience.

Elaine was going to ride, too, and Verlie went with us to take photos. (She'd done the ride before.)

The tram takes you to the infield where we would do the ridealongs.

We got to the track, got on the tram and headed for the infield. Oh yeah, you could hear the cars running around the track, and as we got even closer the whining just got louder and louder.

The infield, where the pits are usually located and the cars are ready for us.

Getting ready to start preparations to ride.

Get your ticket, stand in line. But it wasn't a long one. Then, to the inner piece where we got our jump suits, and suited up. The next piece of equipment was a helmet liner, and then the helmet. Suited up we were getting into the mood and we were ready to ride.

Suiting up.

Nearly ready.

Helmetted up and ready to ride.

Elaine wanted to ride in Number 18, the M&M car that Kyle Busch drives. I wanted to ride the Number 24 car, Jeff Gordon's, because Verlie likes him.  There are two lines formed, and each one goes to one of the cars that's lined up. Usually there were three cars at a time.

When it was our turn, Elaine was first and she got the Number 18. Number 18 is the M&M car. It's bright yellow with lots of other colors, and probably the flashiest car on the track. I really do like the paint scheme although I'm not exactly enthralled with the driver. Elaine was in heaven. It was the one she wanted, and she was looking good.

Elaine and Number 18.

Number 24 and me.

I was in the next group and the Number 24 was the one I was slated for. It's a beautiful candy red with bright green numbers, and the easiest one to spot in a pack on the track. Oh yeah. Off I went heading for my car.

Before getting into the vehicle you are put into a HANS device, which is head and neck support safety equipment.

Dummy! I tried to get in head first. I knew better, and came out again. The track man told me he'd tell me how to get in. I got in properly then, and settled into my shotgun seat. They strapped me into the harness, and attached the helmet so my head wouldn't be flopping around. My driver, Peter, started the engine, put the car into gear, and we were off, flying around the track.

We slowed in the corners, sped up in the straightaways, rode next to the wall, and down toward the center. Slow down, speed up, and we raced around the track. Three laps, and it was over, over way too soon. I was so excited all I could do was sit and enjoy the ride.

On the track.

Driver Peter, Number 24 car, and me.

Elaine and I had a ball, and came out to get out of our gear and head off to where you can review your video.

My video did not turn out, so I was offered a reride. Did I want it? What do you think? Of course!!

This time I got car Number 20, Joey Logano, a beautiful orange vehicle. When I got in, properly the first time, I asked my driver how fast we'd be going. He told me 160 to 165 mph. All I said was, “Faster is better.” And he obliged. Weeeeee. Pure … adrenaline!!!

Getting into Number 20.

I know we went faster than my first ride, and I was in heaven. It was over all too soon, and I was out of the car, out of my helmet and jump suit and back for my video. This was a good one.

Crossing the finish line.

Success.  And then it was over.

Verlie and Elaine at Victory Lane.

Verlie had taken some great photos and Elaine and I were still in the clouds. The rest of our afternoon was mundane, a little shopping and home to the rest of the crew. What an exciting day.

And what were the boys doing?

Napping?  Maybe.  He said he was a safety watch or something while the guys were all building a smoker.
(Photo courtesy of James.)

Start your engines and head to NASCAR, Feb. 19, 2012

Lazy day. Checked into tickets for Universal Studios, decided when to go, and I called about doing a ridealong on the track. We'll see.

Verlie and I finally left the house and went over to the Ponce de Leon Inlet Light Station. I wanted to climb up into the lighthouse, all 203 steps.  The lighthouse was build in 1887 and still has all of the original keepers' dwellings and outbuildings.

The Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in Florida.

The day was cloudy and rather windy, but still pleasant enough. We got our tickets to go up and started into the tower and made the first segment, about 23 steps. It's a lovely winding staircase, with landings about every 22 or 23 steps. It's beautiful and well kept.

The entrance to the lighthouse and the stairway to the top.

The climb on a stairway that winds round and round.

The stairway goes up and up, with the tower and the stairs getting narrower as you climb higher.  The steps at the top are small and very close together so you have to really watch your step on the last section of stairs.

We finally made the top, a bit winded but excited to be there. We stepped out onto the landing at the top and wondered if we'd be blown away like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. The wind was just howling. You could hear it, and feel the lighthouse sway. What a feeling.  But the view in all directions was spectacular.

A view that says it all from the top of the 175-foot tall  lighthouse,.

Girls at the top.

The stay at the top didn't take long as we walked all the way around and then we headed down. You stop on landings to let others go by, and everyone was courteous, friendly and having a good time.

Two towers, the light and the climb.

We wandered around the grounds for a while looking at the types of lighthouse lenses and a couple of anchors they had from old ships. We also saw a military memorial and I like to photograph those and show them to Biker Bill, former Marine. It's my thank you to him and those that have served and are serving. They should never be forgotten, any of them.

This type of bell was used as a fog signal.

Some of the fixed Fresnel lenses used in lighthouses. 

The sacrifices of few ensure the freedom of many.  A grateful community remembers those who serve in the Armed Forces of the United States, during times of war and peace, whose courage and personal sacrifices defend and preserve our freedom.

Stones set into the sidewalk.

This one's for you, Biker Bill.  Semper Fi.

From there we took a drive down Highway 1 and hotel row. We finally got past them all and watched the rollers coming in strong. They were breaking hard over each other and onto the beach. It was beautiful.

Breakers were rolling in and all you could do was watch and be captivated.

And the sun goes down on another fun-filled day.

We finally headed back to the house and we all went to dinner at Aunt Catfish's just down the street. There's a hot and cold salad bar, with all kinds of stuff for salads, one of the best potato salads I've ever eaten, barbecued beans, cornbread, spiced apples and so much more. It was wonderful. I ordered blackened catfish. It was great.

One of the servers, Cousin Tom we called him, sat at our table for a short time near the end of the evening as James and Elaine are friends with the folks there. He talked about a new computer system and new menus, and other things. The most important of all was learning a new term, “auctioning off the food.” That means when a server comes to your table and doesn't know who gets what, they ask who got this, or who got that? Who knew.

Anyway, the food was awesome and the setting beautiful. Best of all, we could walk there in five minutes.

Start your engines and head to NASCAR, Feb. 18, 2012

I slept like a log. The couch cuddled me all night and I had a little dog up on the back all curled up. Molly kept watch over me and whenever I moved she was at the alert position.

The little moptop guard dog, Molly.

This morning I got to see where we are, on the Halifax River that is part of the Intercoastal Waterway. Susie is my spotter. She found me a bird sitting near the water so I grabbed my camera. Nah, need a longer lens, and off I went to get the 300. It appeared to be a blue heron, and absolutely beautiful.

A blue heron just across the street from where we're staying.

He was quite intent on watching the fish in the river, but he never went after one while I was watching. Bad timing on my part.

This bird had eyes only for the fish in the river.  I was of no consequence as I kept creeping
closer and closer to take pictures of him.

Jeff enjoying a cup coffee.

Inside Joe was making biscuits and gravy. It's not my favorite food, but I had a little on a biscuit. It was actually quite yummy and a tradition while everyone is down here for NASCAR.

Our NASCAR chef Joe.

The Daytona 500 practice runs are on the TV. My friends are working to teach me some terminology before we go to the track tonight. Joe bought me my first Daytona NASCAR T-shirt so I'll fit in.

Time to go do something. We drove down to the beach and drove along it for several miles. We needed to walk on it, and experience it first-hand. There were birds everywhere, mostly gulls, but pelicans. We got our feet wet, and I realized that just a few days ago I was on the Pacific Ocean, and now I was at the Atlantic.

Sue and Jeff at the beach.

Joe and Verlie



Elaine, Verlie, Susie and me getting our toes wet and in the sand on the Atlantic.

There was a guy on the beach with a parachute thing, and what looked like the fan of an airboat, so I went up and asked him what he was doing. He's a powered paraglider. No mountains nearby so he doesn't do the gliding thing; he has a power source. So we watched him take off, and it looked like fun as he powered off down the beach.

Suiting up, with his little motor and propeller like an airboat on his back.

Taking off into the wild blue yonder.

We then stopped by the Ponce Inlet lighthouse, which is beautiful. We just went in the gift shop and intend to come back to climb it later this week. There are 203 steps to the top. More about this later when we climb it, or maybe it will be just me.

The lighthouse and me.

We needed sustenance, so off we went to a little restaurant just down the street from the lighthouse. There were pelicans all over so, of course, I was busy doing the photo thing. There was also a little squirrel who was quite persistent about getting handouts from folks.

The pelican eye.

Multiple pelicans.  They are so fun to watch.



Lots of pelicans and fun to watch.

Then it was time to come home and change and head to the racetrack, the Daytona International Speedway. We drove in, parked and walked across the parking lot to the entrance, and there was a feeling of excitement and anticipation that took me over. This was the first time to the speedway for me, and I wasn't expecting to be all that enthused. I'd made this trip to go to Universal Studios and do a race because I was here. The second I heard the cars going around the track inside doing practice runs, I was filled with excitement. I wanted in so I could go see what this race thing was all about.

Sue, Verlie, Joe and me at the entrance to the track.

The track is 2-1/2 miles tri-oval track with 36 degree banking in the corners. 

Inside we found seats and started watching. The race going on was not the main event, but was exciting … the noise, the smells of rubber and exhaust. Who would have thought this would be fun? But it was.

The first cars I saw as I stood next to the track.  I could feel the wind as the cars went screaming by.

Looking over the track.

Coming round the end of the track during the first race.

The main event was the Budweiser Shoot Out, which is a race for the top drivers, but is not a points race. It's one winner take all, money and a trophy.

Verlie, me and Sue in our seats, looking all offical with headsets.

But before the Shoot Out there was an intermission with a concert by Little Big Town, which was great. And best of all, the Budweiser Clydesdales were there. They came around the track, with the wagon, the wagon drivers and the dog, Brewer. What a sight they were, with one at the front just a prancing and dancing.

The Clydesdales of Budwieser.

The Shoot Out is not your ordinary, typical race, and this one had some of everything. It's a 75-lap race, divided into 25 and 50 lap segments. There were high speeds of nearly 200 mph, bump drafting which is bumper-to-bumper drafting and they're actually touching each other, sometimes there's a train of five or seven cars running single file, double file or even three wide, smoke, sparks, dents, wrecks and a photofinish by a bumper. Wow! For my first time at the races, it was incredibly exciting.

The cars in the Bud Shoot Out coming round the turn.

Sparks flying (lifted from the replay).

It takes only seconds to change tires or gas these cars.

The big wreck of the evening was Jeff Gordon, Number 24, in the final laps.  (This was a 75-lap race.)  We saw it all, but this photo was lifted from the replay.  Luckily there were no injuries although there didn't appear to be much left of this vehicle.

According to my panel of NASCAR experts that I have on staff, they think the car that won may have started in the wrong place in the pack. That would be Kyle Busch, Number 18, the M&M car. He was in the right place at the wrong time for three wrecks, and came through basically unscathed and won the race by a bumper. The guy is a helluva a driver, and whether you like him or not, you have to give him credit. He has not only skill but the luck of the Irish and every other kind of luck. And also according to my panel, I should only type one thing about NASCAR, “F _ _ _ _ _ G AWESOME!!!