Few days on the road....Florida's forgotten coast....

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Just rolled in from a much needed road trip . We took ( 4 ) days and rode down to St. Marks , Florida to check out " The Forgotten Coast " .



We stayed two nights at The Shell Island Fish Camp a very cool place out away from eveything.Anyone know why the block's are stacked and not layed in the traditional method ? DAMNIFIKNOW







We took a nice long ride saturday all the way up The Fogotten Coast through Carrabelle,St.George,Apalachicola. The St.Marks lighthouse is a beautiful ride out into the swamps that end at The Gulf Of Mexico.









Hooked up with my friend Rick ( Flask ) and some of the Florida Valkyrie riders. Got to meet Rick's brother Mike and Eddie ( Tropic traveler ) for the first time.





I paid close attention hoping to see a Gator it was pretty cold sunday morning for Florida this time of year it was 35 when Paul and I came out of the motel and hit the road .



After a nice 25 cents a piece raw oyster lunch in Carrabella Paul and I went on up The Costal Highway through Apalachicola.





I'm not sure but I'm guessing this has been here since Hurricane Dennis in 2005 that hit this area very hard.



Picture's below does'nt do justice to just how many oyster shells was piled up at this place in Apalachicola.





Paul and I got back in late sunday night after a all day ride up the coast and back.



On the way back home we zigged and zagged our way back up through the panhandle of Florida and into Georgia all on backroads. Came into the small town of Greenville, Fl and saw it was the hometown of Ray Charles.



Paul and his buddy Ray.Paul said " When I was in the Army in 1960 Ray was BIG at that time".



After making our way into Georgia we rode through Irwinsville site of the President Jefferson Davis Memorial. This is where the yankees captured him after The War of Northern Aggression. The yankee's fired on each other at this site killing each other in the progress.It was closed but I jumped the gate and took some photo's anyway.







The Blood Stained Banner fly's high over the Memorial .



This was a great ride and one I'll always remember the weather was cool but not that bad and my rain gear never left my saddlebag and that's always a plus.

" The Money Shot " taken at Alligator Point over-looking The Gulf Of Mexico.

[..]

That lighthouse is cool. One of my favorites.

Ddi you zoom thru the pine forest?

[Kaiser]

As always, your report was an enjoyable read.  Sorry I couldn't meet up (had to work more this past weekend then I was initially told).  

Thanks for posting yet another great ride report and I'm glad you made it safely back home.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

That lighthouse is cool. One of my favorites.

Ddi you zoom thru the pine forest?

Yes we did    Thanks again Paul for hookin' me up with the information we really enjoyed this ride 

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

As always, your report was an enjoyable read.  Sorry I couldn't meet up (had to work more this past weekend then I was initially told).  

Thanks for posting yet another great ride report and I'm glad you made it safely back home.

The only way we could have hooked up was for you to come to St.Marks ....Only so much time in a day 

[boss hoss bill]

Joe

As always a great ride report. 

People often don't realize what a diverse state Florida is, big cattle production until this day and a big equine industry as well.

My sister in law is a reporter and did a story and rode a horse on the "Cracker Trail" which recreated the cattle drives where the cowboys "cracked their whips" and thus is where the derivation of the word "Cracker!" comes from.

I lived for almost 40 years in Miami (escaped in 2004!), a world of difference from the rural areas where you were.

Your Interstate looks as good as it always does, enjoyed the pictures and narrative. 

[98 T]

Joe,

Great shots... great report.  Thanks for posting.     Feels like I was there too!

Loth

[hubcapsc]

I hope someone knows why they stacked those blocks so weird...

-Mike

[czuch]

Great report. I have a brother that lives in J'ville and really gotta go see him.
Favorite trivia; Who was the only American President who had a stamp while still alive, Jeff Davis.
Obama is actually #45, because Davis was an American. That gets em going.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

I hope someone knows why they stacked those blocks so weird...

-Mike

With this being Hurricane country one would think that it would make the walls weak stackin' them on top of each other    I ask the owner and he said it was built in 1982 and he never noticed that until I pointed it out  ???  He said Hurricane Dennis came through in 2005 and brutally bounded this place with storm surge water almost up to the windows.

[..]

Fewer blocks to achieve a given height? Saves a few $$$

Did you wonder why they had 2 identical prints on the wall of each room?

Did you see any otters in the river by the fish cleaning/gazebo thing?

Lat time we were there a very motley group was also staying there. They were from Jacksonville and the surrounding Jacksonville area.

They had a good fire going. I'd had a few beers. The night air was cool. Most of the group were women below the age of 40. I moseyed over to dazzle them with my best English accent. None of the group I was with accompanied me.

After a couple more beers one of them asked me if I wanted to go inside for something to eat. By this time I'd noticed that the males accompanying the group; 3 or 4; were all in the late teens, early twenties and quickly deferred to the only elder male in the group whenever he spoke. My slightly befuddled brain realized that this was a yearly company outing with the older guy being the "owner" and the women his "employees".

I never did go inside for "something to eat".  

[..]

Mixing metaphors.

Zipping thru the pine forest at the right warp factor feels like riding a Stormtrooper speeder bike on Endor:D

[ThreeAces97]

I have seen the stack bond done before on reatining walls, but never a house or garage.   I would have to believe that the buider of this house was not held to any Building codes at the time of construction.   This method is considerably less time consuming when it comes to openings for windows an doors to laid.  I did find this web link ( http://www.ce.udel.edu/courses/CIEG407/TEK%2014-06.pdf )  that explained some of this in greater detail.   I had to laugh that the homeowner never noticed it before.   Was his last name Hemingway?
Great pic's and report.  Thanks.

[hotglue #43]

Thanks for the report!!!! and pics!!!!!!
  I remember going to the bay, here in Texas, and seeing mountains of oyster shells.  Several places processed the oysters and sold the shells by the dump truck load..... that is how we built roads...  no rock here, rock had to be hauled several hundred miles to get here.. so the roads were all oyster shell...

[BamaDrifter64]

Joe,

Great ride report, thanks for posting it and the pics.  Appalachicola is one of my favorite areas.  We go to Port St. Joe alot which is just down the road.  Makes me want to take a road trip BAD!!!  

As far as the blocks go, if they were trying to "hurricane-proof" the rooms, could they have been stacked that way so easier to install rebar and concrete inside them?  Just a thought... ???

Dave

[R J]

Can't tell you why, but my ex son-in-law was a mason and he put this type of pattern on his shed in the back.   Oh, it was over a finished outer wall of siding.   He stuck re-rod all the way to the bottom in the blocks and then filled the holes with concrete.    Between the finished wall and his cement blocks he poured in foam.    It was a 20X20 shed, took very little to heat it, I do remember that..  Said it was stronger and that it took  less time to do.

So what ever that means, I'm lost.    I was always taught to stager them back when I was helping my step-dad.

[donaldcc]

 
  Great ride Joe! Makes me envious.  I spent a lot of time along the Gulf Coast of Fl growing up and it looks like you saw some great places.  Can't beat those oyster prices.  Sunsets always look nice there.

  How many miles did you travel? No mechanical problems with your group?

  Thanks for the report.

[hubcapsc]

I have seen the stack bond done before on reatining walls, but never a house or garage.   I would have to believe that the buider of this house was not held to any Building codes at the time of construction.   This method is considerably less time consuming when it comes to openings for windows an doors to laid.  I did find this web link ( http://www.ce.udel.edu/courses/CIEG407/TEK%2014-06.pdf )  that explained some of this in greater detail.   I had to laugh that the homeowner never noticed it before.   Was his last name Hemingway?
Great pic's and report.  Thanks.

that's my guess too 

Laying brick is an art, there's a lot of different ways to arrange them, lining all the joints up
like that seems like the weakest way to do it...

I learned about "Flemish Bond" when I visited Drayton Hall, a really cool South Carolina house
down on the Ashley River in Charleston...





-Mike

[eric in md]

   great report joe ..

[HayHauler]

Great ride report Joe.  Glad y'all had a good time and made it back to "the great state of Tennessee" safely.  Man, sounds like a good trip you had...

Hay 
Jimmyt

[Michael K (Az.)]

Nice!! Always good stuff, Joe!!

[Jabba]

That's called "stack bond" and is indeed the weakest way to lay it.  It's done purely for aesthetic reasons.  (That means it makes it look pretty)

I cheated and asked my boss who's an Architect.

Jabba

[ricoman]

That's called "stack bond" and is indeed the weakest way to lay it.  It's done purely for aesthetic reasons.  (That means it makes it look pretty)

I cheated and asked my boss who's an Architect.

Jabba

In this part of FL, that block is known as "ocala block". It, as Jabba says, is stacked that way purely for aesthetics.
No longer used, but conventional concrete block is still the mainstay of residential construction around here and is covered with a "cementicious coating" (sp?)- Can't be called stucco unless it meets certain criteria for thickness.

[BF]

Thanks for the report!!!! and pics!!!!!!
  I remember going to the bay, here in Texas, and seeing mountains of oyster shells.  Several places processed the oysters and sold the shells by the dump truck load..... that is how we built roads...  no rock here, rock had to be hauled several hundred miles to get here.. so the roads were all oyster shell...

Ditto.  

I remember virtual mountains of oystser shells around here also.  There's a place down on Boggy Bayou we used to call as kids the oyster pile were they'd bring them in and store them for use.  They used to use them to pave the roads around here too.  

I work on an Air Force base and we have an unpaved area that we use for the storage of large items, exhaust duct and such.  We call that area the shell yard because it used to be paved over with oyster shells.  The oyster shells deterioate over time and the "shell yard" occasionally needed to have a freash coat of oyster shells layed down to keep the ground stable.  Around '95 or so, the Base enviornment folks came around and said that we can't use oyster shells anymore because.......are you ready for this?........because the salts from the oyster shells would leach back into the bay.........FROM WHERE THEY CAME FROM.  

[MrArn]

Thanks for the report-$.25 oysters is just not something you find out here in the desert.

[Reb]

Glad you and Wimp made it in safe Joe, great ride report

[thumper]

Great report Joe.  Looks like you and Wimp had a great time.

Thanks for calling the other night...it was good to hear from you guys.

Ride safe.

[Grumpy]

I hope someone knows why they stacked those blocks so weird...

-Mike

With this being Hurricane country one would think that it would make the walls weak stackin' them on top of each other    I ask the owner and he said it was built in 1982 and he never noticed that until I pointed it out  ???  He said Hurricane Dennis came through in 2005 and brutally bounded this place with storm surge water almost up to the windows.

I have seen that before in a couple other places, the idea was to stack them straight so all the openings lined up, add re-bar and then fill them with concrete. Actually makes a strong wall.

[Flask]

Always great meeting up with you and Wimp. Wish I could of stayed into the evening and had a few at the stacked block motel !!!
Next year plan on coming on down and staying at the home front - Nice little apartment in the garage just waiting on you.



Peace my friend - Until next time 

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Always great meeting up with you and Wimp. Wish I could of stayed into the evening and had a few at the stacked block motel !!!
Next year plan on coming on down and staying at the home front - Nice little apartment in the garage just waiting on you.



Peace my friend - Until next time 

Thanks for riding up and joining us Rick    I always enjoy the company we rode close to 225 miles that day and it was well after dark when we got back to The Shell Island Fish Camp....Thanks for the kind offer to keep us up on the next trip 

[NCGhostrider]

Another destination to add to my list!!!  Thanks for the report!!!

Craig
NCghostrider
99 I/S

[Karen]

Thanks for sharing, the Ray Charles stuff was a wonderful surprise. I first heard him on night radio in Detroit, coming long distance from "Randy's Record Mart" (don't remember the station) doing "Lonely Avenue", absolutely electrifying!

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

Thanks for the report Joe. Been busy packing the homestead up and moved last weekend to the new digs in KY. Will take weeks to get everything unpacked and in place. 

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Thanks for the report Joe. Been busy packing the homestead up and moved last weekend to the new digs in KY. Will take weeks to get everything unpacked and in place.  

You've crossed my mind several times Dave I was wonderin' how that move was going. Let me know when you can ride we can hook up somewhere  

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

  Great ride Joe! Makes me envious.  I spent a lot of time along the Gulf Coast of Fl growing up and it looks like you saw some great places.  Can't beat those oyster prices.   Sunsets always look nice there.

  How many miles did you travel? No mechanical problems with your group?

  Thanks for the report.

We did around 1,300 miles on the trip with almost all the return trip on backroads and the Fat Girl's ran like new ones    My Interstate is a sweet runnin' machine  

[BigAl]

Only Joe would put Ray Charles and Jefferson Davis in the same post.

Cool

Pics are even better.

Wow at the oyster shells.

Wimp is a good riding buddy ain't he.

I like him as he is really a standup guy.

Did Flask have anymore of the apple pie in a jar?

AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL by Ray Charles	powered by Aeva

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Only Joe would put Ray Charles and Jefferson Davis in the same post.

Cool

Pics are even better.

Wow at the oyster shells.

Wimp is a good riding buddy ain't he.

I like him as he is really a standup guy.

Did Flask have anymore of the apple pie in a jar?

AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL by Ray Charles

Yes sir Paul (Wimp ) is a good one I'm very proud to call him my friend.One of the best things I like about ridin' with him is he will commit to a ride and you can take him for his word that he will be there rain or shine .

[JimmyG]

Man, that was a great report and great pictures. My wife and I discovered that area,(in a car), and even stayed in Mexico Beach for a week, it was nice.  We drove down the forgotten coast and loved it. I'd like to do that on a bike next time.
I am in the process of preparing a stacked block home starting spring.  I will lay the first course level with mud, then stack the next 5 courses in a stagger configuration like you should, mud the 6th course , stack the next courses to top.  Rebar and fill block cells, bond beam, etc,etc, using empirical rules to fulfill strength and code requirements. The inside and outside block structure is then overlayed with SBC,(stranded bond cement), kind of like a plaster job. SBC bonds it all together, waterproofs it, gives it any texture you want, and is stronger than the old fashioned mud jointed way.  It's a tested practice and proven, even though I know I will get negative feedback from block masons on this one sorry about that. Ever notice how block structures crack in the mortar seams?????  My house will be a south faced bermed home with big windows.    NOW you know how an out of work, poor boy will be able to buy a Valkyrie on the heat and cooling bills alone.   Hey, once again, great report and great pictures, what do you expect from a Volunteer.......

[hubcapsc]

I read a bunch about Surface Bonded Block in Fine Homebuilding 15 years ago or so...
I remember them using special block that fit more precisely than block meant to be
used with mortar...

I like the sandbox, where we can talk about Wimp and mortar and Florida all in
the same thread 

-Mike

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Great report Joe.  Looks like you and Wimp had a great time.

Thanks for calling the other night...it was good to hear from you guys.

Ride safe.

Still plan on rollin' down your way sometime in the near future  Paul....Take care