Thursday, March 10, Day 6, Stonecrest, 125 miles – total to Their house 1,600 miles

Breakfast was made at home. Mary Ann put together a delicious egg bake, with crescent rolls for the bottom, diced ham, shredded cheese and whipped eggs. Along with cheesy potatoes. We took a leisurely morning, some playing crossword and Sudoku and someone writing his blog. Well it was time for a liquid refreshment, some had orange juice and one tomato (Bloody Mary mix), this is b4 noon.

We decided it was time to go to the Don Garlit’s Drag Racing museum,

along with his hot rod classic car museum. But you know what time it is, lunch time. Right alongside to the museums is a Cracker Barrel restaurant. Steve and Mary Ann had a sliced turkey sandwich; Shirleen a cabbage meatball vegetable soup; me the regular – fried catfish, coleslaw and macaroni and cheese.

Bricks with racers names engraved line the sidewalk going to the museum. Not sure the significance of it. There were many

30’s Fords, four door sedans, 2 door posts, cabriolet’s and convertibles. Intermixed where Chevy’s,

Dodges, Willy's and odd cars.

There was even an engine room, 8,000 HP hemi, carburetors, log manifolds, Weber fuel injector’s; a motor head like me enjoys seeing these pieces of history’s big iron. It also had old gas pumps with the Standard Oil white and red crown, signs for motor oils, even an old Wolf’s head oil can. In the back corner you could hear someone talking, sounded like an interview; we struck it,

Don Garlit’s was being interviewed for some TV crew. We heard him mention that some mornings he pinches himself just to see if his life had been real and he was not dreaming. They mentioned it had run an hour. We went into the next building, it housed many dragsters; his and other.

Us Quite a few of his Swamp Rats, funny car and first (engine in front of driver with only carburetion), second (front engine blown) and third generation (blown rear driven engine) rails. It not only showed his race memories; but his personal mementoes – Eagle Scout award received when he was 14 in 1947; meritorious achievement medal from the president.

Our next activities where to be in Gainsville at the butterfly and arboretum at University of Florida. That idea was scrapped. The traffic on I-75 was at a standstill. We heard there was a truck hauling a backhoe that hit an overpass. We decided that doing a back road travel would make it to late. On the way back I took a cat nap to rest up for tonight.

Now the evening event! We are trying a new restaurant – Tarverna Red - Italian flavor. www.tavernared.com. We were seated in a corner next to the bar, thought this was a bad place but turned out to be one of the best spots as there was and is every night live singing. Wine is two for one and some attractively priced meal – 15 different ones for $10. Mary Ann had a flatbread – Margarita style, mozzarella, basil and red sauce, the colors of the Italian flag for which the flatbread is designed around. Shirleen a corn meal breaded fish and home made French fries, Steve a naked chicken breast, of which we all shared in on, and fettuccini noodles. I had a veal chop bone-in, well prepared, charred and caramelized, juicy – full flavored with jasmine rice and peas. I almost forgot, I had a Cajun soup, spicy, hamburger, chicken, sausage, shrimp, cabbage, corn in a flavorful tomato sauce.

Dancing.  Now for the rest of the story. The singer came on for a couple hours. She had a fine voice singing romantic to upbeat songs.

Steve and Mary Ann danced a couple of dances but were outdone by a 70 year old guy who danced an energetic limbo, slithering up and down like a live python snake. Ah, to be old again. Headed back to home for a cool down period and a restful night. jerr