Christmas Roadtrip, Day 3... A Reunion

Saturday, December 19, 2020

      The day began just as you’d expect, cup of coffee in hand, bundled up and waiting for the sunrise over the beach.  While not as cold as the previous day, the wind had definitely stiffened.  It made for a chilly morning, but in the end well worth it.

     After breakfast. It was back out to the beach to hassle the birds for a while.

   

      I knew my high school friend John lives in the area, and we agreed to try and meet up.  He had about an hour and a half, so we had lunch at a local place called Down Under. To get there, you have to take a dirt road underneath the Thomas J. Shave, Jr. Bridge. More on the bridge in a bit.

      John and I played drums together in band for four years.  I went off to direct live TV.  John went off to fly.  He's been a pilot with Delta Airlines for over twenty years.  Over lunch I asked if he had ever seen a UFO.  

      On his very first training flight with Delta, he was flying a redeye.  Suddenly there's a bright streak of light.  The light makes a ninety degree turn and heads back the other way.  It did this a couple of times.  It turned out to be a rare night landing of a space shuttle.  They were zigzagging back and forth to bleed off some speed.

      He had to go, but we got our server to do the thing...

      John drove home.  I went to the car for my camera.  From the parking lot, you also get a great view of the railroad swing bridge.  It was built in 1920 and still swings closed for trains.  

      As for the Thomas J. Shave, Jr. Bridge, it was completed in 1978 and named after a well known and liked attorney and judge who had lived on the island.  The judge passed away in 1977 and Florida State Senate named the new bridge in his honor.  

      Later in the afternoon, I started thinking about a place for sunset.  On the far north end of Amelia Island is a small state park with beach access.  It seemed perfect.  I paid my parking fee and started walking.

      The previous day, I had driven by a sign for the First Love Brewery  Nice enough place with a decent selection and menu.  Perhaps I was just tired.  But, it was a one and done.