Day 045 – Treehouse Hostel, GA > Kingsland, GA

I woke up early this morning and walked down to the lake and laid down on the swinging bench by the shore and watched the stars. I am pretty sure I saw the ISS orbit overhead or some other really bright satellite. As I was walking back I couldn’t resist stopping by the outdoor bath (pic) for a soak. After removing the resident frog from the drain I filled it up and sat back and watched the sky begin to lighten. I’m starting to really get into this outdoor naked thing. The warm water of course helps.

I went back to bed for a few hours before getting up to the full light of the day. It really is remarkable to walk out the door of a cabin into a sunlit forest full of the thump of dragon fly wings, singing birds, ducks coos, chickens foraging for food and wrestling of palm fronds in the wind. I really didn’t want to leave, but felt if I stayed any longer I may not ever leave. The process of separating began with coffee (everything pretty much begins with coffee for me). I bought a bunch of cheese from Winn-Dixie the night before so I made a cheese plate for breakfast and shared it all around. Cat gave me some mango in exchange!

After getting packed up I got a haircut from Jeff, the staff labyrinth and toilet tender amongst other things. He is skilled with the clippers and did a style I’ve never tried before – short hair on top tapered to the back with shaved sides. Works for me. Thanks Jeff. My goodbyes said it was time to head out towards the Walkabout Campground near Kingsland.

I stopped in Woodbine to get a water and a beer and as soon as I pulled my bike up a guy game up to me and said, “I just got out of jail can I use your phone to call my girlfriend?” Spending the last 11 years in New York this request made me put my guard up, but I thought for a minute that a guy holding a manilla file folder in front of a store having just passed the county jail he might actually be in need of a free phone. After getting my drinks I handed him my phone ready to give chase if I misread the situation. After 30 seconds he handed it back to me having made contact with his girlfriend. We chatted for a few minutes before she got there. He was in for 9 months for receiving stollen property. He said it could have been 20 and 5, which means 20 years in jail and 5 on probation. Yikes! I didn’t probe too much, but asked what his plans where and he said, “get a job,” just as his girlfriend pulled up.

As I sat there on the edge of the window sill sweating profusely and alternately drinking the beer and water they kissed and embraced right in front of me. It was touching, he said you’ve been smoking, she said she was nervous then his two kids spilled out of the car yelling daddy, daddy as he embraced them. I’d like to think that he had learned whatever he had to learn in jail and was going to make good on getting a job and being with his family.  I wished him good luck and he paused and turned to look me straight in the eye and thanked me for the sentiment. It’s not everyday you get to see a person re-enter life after prison and I’m sure it will be a challenge.

I got to the Walkabout Campground about an hour later and met Gene. He if friends with the owner of the campsite and has negotiated a nice $10 rate for cyclists. Since it looked like it was going to rain Gene suggested I set up my tent on the cement patio that is covered. We chatted for a bit before I took off to get dinner at a restaurant across I-95.

The place didn’t look like much on the outside so I expected more of a roadhouse bar, but upon entering was happily surprised to see it was decorated in an Italian motife and bright and cheerful. There was only one other family dining so I had the bar to myself and ordered a beer and blackened chicken tortellini. Carbs, carbs, carbs.

I met a submariner that handles policing for the Kings Bay Submarine Base next to Saint Marys, GA. He told me that Laski surgery resulted in female officers serving on subs. Because so many male officers were getting the surgery and could physically qualify to be pilots there was a shortage in the officers pool to serve on subs. He said that having female officers serve has results in higher performance by crews. How interesting. Enlisted women are scheduled to start serving in 2016. All women have to get pregnancy test before coming aboard because of lengthy deployment underwater – often 3+ months at a time.

His wife really cracked me up. She is a nurse, hates dealing with anything oral – mucus, sputum, etc. and often throws up while working, but gets the job done. She has no problem dealing with the ass end of people and tries trading top for bottom duties when can. You had to be there to fully enjoy her explanation – more hilarious than discussing 🙂 I wish I would have gotten their names and a picture.

I also got to taking to Sara who was sitting next to me. She got engaged to Tom, sitting next to her a few days ago and she showed me her beautiful ring. She lived in Jacksonville so I was curious how they met in this bar. Apparently, Sara came up to the bar a year ago to see her brother Dave, who owns it. She saw him sitting at a bar stool with his back to the door and decided to give him a sisterly greeting. So she stealthily snuck up behind him and wrapped her arms around him in a bear hug and let out a pig squeal right into his ear. The man on the stool turned around and Sara was shocked to discover it was her not her brother Dave, but a customer named Tom that she didn’t know. Mortified she slunk over to the other side of the bar and tried to live down her shame and was pleasantly surprised that Tom wanted to talk with her. I can see why – she is a very dynamic lady and the rest is history. I wonder if I could get away with that type of move on a pretty girl in the bar? I guess it depends on how sincere I come off and who owns it.

Back at the campground it was laundry and midnight skinny dipping in the pool (I had it to myself). I’m liking the nude swimming thing.