Shakey and I had a great time, Tom. Real good trip, and thank you again to you and Lorraine for making us feel at home. Next time I'm leaving even more room for steak.

I didn't set the gizmo when we hit the road on Tues, but we made it as far as Gaffney SC before stopping; then we knocked out about 850 miles on Weds and made it home to CT last night. We bolted for MA and I dropped Shake at home this ayem and then turned back for home, trying to beat a snowstorm. My wife called me in the car around noon, about an hour out from home, and said, "Turn around, it just took me about an hour to go ten miles to get home." So I did, went back and holed up in our place in Mass. Not a snowflake here, and she's got about 8" there and it's still snowing for a while yet.

That ride to Daytona Beach was one for the books, totally unexpected, and a perfect day. Tremendous fun riding "trail" to your "point" and seeing the looks Lorraine got from the ladies and the little girls in cars. I'm sure you both know it all too well, but I've never had a chance to actually see it myself. What a hoot.

For anyone lurking:

There's a place on the Inland Waterway in Daytona Beach called Caribbean Jack's. It's a nice marina/restaurant on the mainland side of the Waterway between Mason and Speedway. Good food, drinks, reasonable prices, nice people. They like motorcycles, special parking. Ballough Road, you'll find it. A 61st AHC gun pilot named Corky Vereen sets up a mini-LZ on the lovely outdoor deck there, every afternoon during Bike Week, for his 61st pals and any and all Vietnam guys who can find the place. Any of you guys anywhere near it should try to get there and check in with Corky; you've got my moneyback guarantee you'll meet some great folks. Scenery ain't bad neither. Corky and I have been corresponding for several years, never met until last week. We had a blast sitting there in the sun, telling lies to one another for a few hours.

Tom, thanks again --

Sporty Bob, standing and typing