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It’s Time for a Vacation

By
Florida Funmeister
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   Officials of the American Automobile Associations say a new study shows that American workers took an average of 17.2 days of vacation last year. According to new research from Project: Time Off that shows a half-day increase from 2016. This marks the highest level for American vacation usage since 2010  when we took an average of 17.5 days off and a more than full-day increase since bottoming out at 16.0 days in 2014.

That being said,  a majority of Americans, an estimated 52 percent, left vacation time unused last year. Moreover, nearly a quarter of Americans have not taken a vacation in more than a year.

The Survey Says

The findings also show Americans are not fulfilling their wanderlust. In fact, 84 percent of Americans say it is important to them to use their time off to travel. Yet workers use less than half of the vacation time they take—just eight days—to travel. It follows that a staggering nine-in-ten (86%) Americans say they have not seen enough of their own country.

“While Americans are now using more vacation time, the benefits aren’t being fully realized because most workers are using less than half of their time off for travel,” said Project: Time Off vice president and report author Katie Denis. “Simple and avoidable barriers to travel end up costing American workers in the long term. When we forego travel, we miss out on defining moments, experiences and memories, and end up costing our economy, too.”

The 52 percent of Americans who left vacation time on the table accumulated 705 million unused days last year, up from 662 million days the year before. The increase in unused days, despite Americans taking more vacation, is attributed to employees earning more time off (23.2 days in 2017, compared to 22.6 in 2016). America’s unused vacation time is a $255 billion missed economic opportunity that has the potential to create 1.9 million jobs.

Barriers to Vacation Time

While Americans rank cost (71%), children (45%), and pets (39%) as the top barriers to travel, these barriers have little impact on actual vacation usage. Respondents who agreed that cost was a top barrier take about the same amount of vacation time as average (53% leave time unused, compared to 52% overall). The same proves out with children (52% to 52%) and pets (54% to 52%).

In fact, it is work-related challenges that continue to have the most influence on Americans’ ability to vacation. Employees who were concerned that taking vacation would make them appear less dedicated or replaceable were dramatically less likely to use all their vacation time (61% leave time unused, compared to 52% overall). This held true for those who felt their workload was too heavy (57% to 52%) and no one else could do their job (56% to 52%).

The Traveler’s Advantage

Americans taking all or most of their vacation days to travel—or mega-travelers—report dramatically higher rates of happiness than those using little to none of their time for travel.

Happiness with…

All or Most

(more than 75%)

Little to None

(less than 25%)

Difference

(% points)
Physical health and well-being

61%

39%

+22
How you spend your paid time off

76%

48%

+18
Your company

59%

46%

+13
Personal relationships

79%

66%

+13
Your job

57%

46%

+11

Further, mega-travelers are getting ahead at work. More than half (52%) of mega-travelers reported receiving a recent promotion compared to Americans who use little to none (44%) of their time to travel. Mega-travelers also report a higher likelihood of receiving a recent raise, bonus, or both than those staying at home (86% to 81%).

Workcation All I Ever Wanted?

The always-on work environment has created a new trend of workcations: traveling somewhere with the intent to work remotely for all or part of the time you are away. This new trend may be just a fad with only 10 percent of Americans haven taken a workcation and a majority (70%) calling the concept unappealing. Millennials will be the driving force if workcations become more mainstream: nearly four-in-ten (39%) Millennials say they find the idea of a workcation appealing, compared to 28 percent of Gen X and 18 percent of Boomers.

Work Perks That Work

This year’s study also found that some workplaces are starting to understand the benefits of a positive vacation culture. The percentage of workers who say their company’s culture encourages vacation jumped five points from 2016. The research found a major split when it came to the happiness of employees at companies with encouraging cultures versus their peers at firms that are discouraging or ambivalent to vacation (72% to 42%). These employees are also much happier with their job (68% to 42%) and how much vacation time they use (77% to 51%).

“Companies are increasingly realizing that an encouraging vacation culture has the power to positively influence the bottom line,” Denis added.

About the Survey

Project: Time Off’s State of American Vacation series provides the most comprehensive annual look at America’s vacation habits. This year, GfK surveyed 4,349 U.S. employees who earn time off with economic analysis by Oxford Economics. See the report for a full methodology.

About Project: Time Off

Project: Time Off has uncovered an alarming trend: over the last 40 years, Americans are taking fewer and fewer vacation days. Those who follow us know we like to vacation.

To reverse this trend, we aim to prove that vacation travel is valuable and necessary for strengthening personal relationships, inspiring creative thinking, improving professional performance, and promoting better health.

A Visit to Sugar Sand – Florida’s Newest Distillery

By
Florida Funmeister
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  It’s been a year in the making, now Sugar Sand Distillery is making product and is open for business and we had an opportunity to take the first tour through the newest distillery in the Sunshine State

The brainchild of Don Davies and Jessica Giffin, it is located on Henscratch Road, it is just north of Lake Placid and just south of Henscratch Farms and Winery.  Like the winery, it’s an agri-tourism operation featuring a five acre patch of sugar cane with a distillery just next door. When fully up to speed, they will be the only such operation in North America that grows their own cane, squeezes and processes it on site.

  Currently, while the cane grows in the field, the operation is using imported cane from Clewiston to make a full array of vodka, rum, white whiskey and moonshine.
 The product comes in 250 gallon batches made in a custom-constructed Confederate Stills of America still.

Don Davies explains the process


 “The vodka actually goes through 21 steps,” Davies said as he ushered our tour of ten interested individuals through the first of a day-full of tours through the brand new facility.
  In fact, the vodka is rated at about 190 proof.  They already have run through their first batch of rum and other products still are in the process.
 The 10-acre property actually began as a boutique orange grove which succumbed to the ravages of the citrus disease known as “greening.” Davies said they considered a number of crops including blueberries and even pomegranates but settled on the idea of sugar cane.

  Unlike the commercially grown cane to the south, this field is planted much closer together as it is cared for by hand and not by machine. The varietal also is a sandland cane that they hope will do well in the local soil.
The planting method has given them a total of about 15 miles of cane.

There’s no question about the quality of their products. The Sugar Sand vodka and rum already have proved to be a hit. They sold out of their stock in their first tours in early April and continue to hustle to keep up with demand.

The tasting room is a busy place


 The distillery is open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays with special tours by appointment. Tours are $7.50 per person – which is mitigated with a $5 off coupon for purchases of product.
 They can be found on the web at http://sugarsanddistillery.com/ on Facebook at Sugar Sand Distillery LLC or by phone at (863) 449-0470.

  For us it was well worth the trip and a real thrill to see a fledgling operation getting off the ground. By the way, we got some rum – which I thought was the best. The vodka also was good, but I am waiting for the moonshine.
  They say they hope to begin to sell aged spirits – but that may be difficult if sales continue at the current clip.

Easter Sunrise in Florida

By
Florida Funmeister
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  When it comes to Easter, we love a good sunrise service. We have attended the Bok Tower event and gone to a small service at Lake Clinch in Frostproof but this year as a treat to the Missus we drove to the east coast and watched the sun come up Easter Morning over the Atlantic.
  It took a while, but Travel Wife found the perfect one. It was staged by a small church – the Beachside Baptist in New Smyrna Beach. The plan was to attend the morning service on the beach, head over to the church for breakfast, then Sunday school class and the Easter morning worship  services.
  In surveying the accommodations in New Smyrna Beach, we found something that has become a pattern of sorts. The hotels either were very pricey or very cheap. There was nothing in that “sweet spot” we always try to hit.
  However, just a few miles up the road in Ormond Beach, there was a lovely little Baymont we had stayed at previously. It provided good accommodations that fit our price point. That included a great room with a king sized bed, all the amenities and a nice breakfast.
  We were able to make the trip from the Ormond Beach to New Smyrna in about 20 minutes. It was an easy ride with light traffic in the pre-dawn hours of Easter Sunday. and we arrived at Marianne Clancy Park just at the onset of the service.

Easter Morning on the beach


  Although it was overcast and blustery, a great crowd had gathered on the beach and along the wooden walkways. The Rev. Don Shobert was giving a sermon and a small group of teens and young adults equipped with guitars provided the music.
  The crashing waves and sailing birds made for the perfect backdrop for the Easter message.
  Following the ceremony, we adjourned to the church where we were greeted by a bustle of activity as members prepared breakfast. There was a full compliment of bacon, eggs, biscuits and fruit with a choice of coffee and orange juice. The fellowship was as good as the food as we prepared for a Sunday school class that included all the adult classes for that day. It was a combined group of adults, with a spirited discussion about the lesson and was followed by an equally moving Easter morning worship service.

Easter breakfast

Had that been all we did – it would have been well worth the trip.  But no such journey is complete without a couple of forays into the local cuisine and points of interest.
  In a previous trip, we had discovered a great little restaurant in Ormond Beach called DB Pickles. Although it looks like a chain, it is a one-off and has everything a diner needs. The restaurant has a full menu, from sandwiches to appetizers to lunch and dinner entrees.
  Most interesting is that instead of a salad bar, they have a pickle bar. There are full sized dills, garlic-infused pickles, pickle pasta and pickle relish and more.  Speaking of a bar, they have a full service bar inside as well as an extensive bakery.
  At New Smyrna Beach, we had the opportunity to go to Norwood’s Eatery, Treehouse & Bar. This came highly recommended to us and did not disappoint.
 We decided to eat at the bar facility, which is on the second floor.  Not only does it give a great view, children under 11 years of age are not permitted, so it was a sedate setting. Tree limbs grew within easy reach and there was an assortment of light fixtures above our head designed to give ambient light.
  I had the Treehouse Burger, which comes with bacon that is cured in their own on site smokehouse.My wife had Mac & Cheese – which also was liberally sprinkled with their bacon. Possibly the best part were the truffle fries, made with truffle oil, truffle salt and Parmesan cheese -then sprinkled with parsley.
 This is a must-stop when in the area.

Norwood’s


 We also visited the New Smyrna Beach farmer’s market – which was a respectable little gathering. Visitors were treated to a string of live music featuring everything from a solo guitarist to a steel drum duo.
  There was a wide array of booths from raw honey varieties to clothing, art prints, fresh produce, goat and alpaca products, old-time natural remedies and even a bake sale by the local 4-H.
 Just down the street was the New Smyrna Beach Historical Society. They had a wide array of displays, featuring renderings and artifacts from pre-history, to the Spanish and Territorial eras. That gave way to more modern history within the state of Florida.
   Sadly, they allowed no pictures inside, saying the flash could damage some of the paper and fabric in their displays.
  All in all, we can say that the Ormond Beach and New Smyrna Beach areas were a lot of fun and didn’t break the bank. We didn’t have a chance to do everything we wanted, so we’ll be back to this fun and interesting stretch of Florida’s east coast.

A Race Fan’s Dream

By
Florida Funmeister
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Lots of fans turn out for the Sebring 12 Hours

We have just spent the most incredible three weeks of racing in Florida. It all happens in beautiful little Highlands County where there was a myriad of events from local displays and parties to a transport parade through the city of Sebring.
  Race Month – as they call it – actually begins with an event at the Sebring International Raceway staged by the Sports Car Vintage Racing Association, better known as the SVRA.  This year, better than 300 cars lined the concrete and grass sections of the paddock at the historic track. Some dated back before-WWII, while others were fairly modern vehicles – racing as few as ten years ago.

Our view from the famous Sebring Hairpin Turn


  However, the race weekend was not all vintage and historic vehicles, fans also had an opportunity to see wheel-to-wheel competition from the both the International GT Series and Trans Am Series.
  This 3.74 mile road course was cobbled out of access roads and runways from Hendricks Field, a WWII bomber training facility. It since has become a bastion for endurance racing in North America.
  The Sebring Vintage Classic was a three day event and served as the opener for us.
  On the second week in March, those interested in racing look about 10 miles up the road to the sleepy little hamlet of Avon Park. That is the cradle of lawn mower racing in the United States.
  Yes, they take the blades off lawn mowers, soup them up and take them racing. The Avon Park MowerPlex – as it’s known – hosts events on the second Saturday night of each month. But in March, it’s time for the Snowbird Nationals.

Heat races in the afternoon provided fun in the sun.

This year, nearly 100 mowers and drivers converged on the little facility located on the northwest corner of the Avon Park airport to race for trophies and glory. One driver flew all the way from England to vacation in Florida and compete at the track.
   Finally, the third week of March in Highlands County can mean only one thing – The Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring Presented by Advance Auto Parts.
  This was the 66th running of the sports car endurance classic and the town really put on the dog for the event.
  First, the Sebring Historical Society put on a massive display of race memorabilia including posters, programs, trophies, credentials and photographs. They featured a working slot car track in the shape of the Sebring Raceway as well as an actual race car that had competed at one time on the track.
  Just before the Sebring track gates opened, fans gathered in the downtown area for a transporter parade. Decorated semi tractor-trailer rigs made their way through town then out to the track to set up for the big race.
  After the parade, there was a downtown party featuring food, music and appearances by some of the event drivers who answered questions and signed autographs.
  On the Friday of race week, historic cars came downtown and parked around the traffic Circle in a reprise of the 1950s and 60s when the cars used to come downtown for their technical inspection.
  The pageantry at the track has to be seen to be believed. Tens of thousands of fans camp on the grounds of the 330 acre raceway to watch America’s oldest and most venerated sports car endurance race.

Lots of fans turn out for the
Sebring 12 Hours


   Of course, there are many support races to see during that time, and two midways where fans can indulge themselves by driving racing simulators and looking at all manner of racing memorabilia ranging from fine art to the standard hats, T-shirts, pins and posters.
  One of the greatest things is the access to the cars. In many cases, fans in the paddock area can walk right up to the garage areas and watch the mechanics work on the racers as they get ready for the 12 Hour grind.
  People watching also is a great sport for those who may be unimpressed by the level of cars and competition. Fans in the so-called “Green Park” area are some of the most colorful individuals around.
 There’s F-Troop, who builds a stage in the middle of the area each year, there’s a big circus tent erected aptly named “Hank & Sheila’s Big Freaking Tent, there’s even a reconverted parade float called “LaBomba,” which cruises the grounds almost continuously during Race Week.
 If you are a race fan – and even if you are not – March in Highlands County is the place to be. From vintage cars and lawn mowers, to some of the most advanced and exciting race cars on the planet, there is plenty to see and do – but it does not stop there. In addition to club and other events on selected weekends,  there are drag races on a number of Thursday evenings at the track. More on those later.

Enjoying A Day at the South Florida Garlic Festival

By
Florida Funmeister
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   If you like garlic, we have discovered the annual South Florida Garlic Festival. As food-oriented festivals go we think it’s as inventive as any and better than most.   We took a Saturday out of the three day festival to see the sights and enjoy the cuisine.

Those who follow us know we like the fun and funky – this was both.

For us,  the most impressive feature by far was the NBG – Nothing But Garlic – food court. We counted no fewer than 28 different dishes prepared on-site with as many different incarnations of garlic offered to a hungry crowd.

There was Lots & LOTS of Garlic

   There were the traditional offerings such as roasted garlic, garlic bread, garlic chicken and the like. But then, we had other options ranging from garlic conc fritters, to garlic BBQ pulled pork, garlic waffles, garlic baja fish tacos even garlic ice cream.

  It looked to us that each of the vendors had spent no small amount of time putting as much garlic in their respective dishes as they thought they could get away with. The booths were gathered in a long, cafeteria-style line. Each of their offerings was prominently displayed on an elevated, festival-themed yellow-on-purple sign.
  I ordered the garlic spinach & artichoke stuffed portabello mushroom cap. My wife selected the garlic chicken dippers with garlic-infused maple mustard sauce. Both were very tasty, very garlicy and were extremely generous portions.
   The only downside was that her sauce leaked out of the paper holder. We had to go back and get more.

  Finding drinks to suit our taste also was a bit of a challenge. The official soft drink vendor for the garlic festival offered neither ginger ale nor root beer. My wife finally cajoled one of the bartenders at a “liquor bar” to make her a mixed drink, sans alcohol.

The cranberry/ginger ale spritz was not too sweet  and paired very well with the garlic.
  For dessert I had the garlic ice cream. Although it was a bit lame in terms of garlic content – how could you not? I thought the vendors were inventive and used the opportunity to capitalize on the day with something unique and fun.

Cooking Garlic

  In Garlic Stadium, Chef on Chef competitions were the order of the day.  In between, they featured demonstrations on garlic pairings and other information. Outside the tent there were photo op cardboard cut-outs where guests could appear to be dressed as the King of Garlic – without putting on the costume.

  This was a celebration festival and not a harvest festival – so there was not much actual fresh garlic for sale. The Pennsylvania-based Conover Farms was there with some great organic black garlic and a few other varietals, but that was about it.

There were a few spice booths with some dried garlic products, some garlic barbecue sauces and an exhibit of garlic preservation equipment and one with preparation tools.

Standby for More

This was our first time at the South Florida Garlic Festival. As we understand it, the event had outgrown its original grounds in Delray Beach and moved up to John Prince Park in Lake Worth.

  It appears the festival now is positioning itself for significant growth.

  Organizers seems to be looking to big name entertainment to help build the crowd – some award winning recording artists were booked for evening shows on the main stage such as Hoobastank and Stephen Marley.
   There also were some carnival-style rides for both youngsters and adult thrill seekers in what appeared to be an effort to draw more families to the festival.

But as foodies, we had hoped for more on the garlic side. As we watched the chef competition, it was hard to figure out what they were doing and what they were making. We had hoped there might be more of their recipes available for the general public.
 The health benefits of garlic are legion and we were looking to find out more on that aspect as well. We did have a nice conversation with the folks from Conover Farms, who apparently made the trip all the way from Pittsburgh, Pa. to participate at this year’s festival and were quite well versed on that subject.

Garlic and More

As with most such festivals, there were plenty of booths, offering  clothing and jewelry to storm windows, even tattoos, golf carts and recreational vehicles.
  My single biggest disappointment was not being able to find an event shirt that had the actual event logo on it – those seemed to be reserved for staff and volunteers. Those offered to the public had cute slogans like “EAT-DRINK-REEK” and “I SURVIVED THE GARLIC FESTIVAL” but not a shirt that actually reflected the event per se.

  However, the 20th annual event is coming up next year and we’ll see what the committee has to offer. Our only suggestion is – if they are looking for star power – there is only one queen in the garlic world. That would be the prime promoter of garlic in the kitchen – Rachel Ray.
  If she is not the Grand Marshal of next year’s event, our only question would be….what could they be thinking?

Arts & Crafts Country Fair Makes for a Fun Lake Placid

By
Florida Funmeister
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Rows of booths underneath the oaks at Devane Park

We always are looking for fun places to experience on a weekend, and as it turns out, the Town of Murals, aka Lake Placid was playing host to their 52nd annual Arts & Crafts Country Fair.  More than 100 booths exhibits and displays were there including commercial vendors, public service organizations as well as church and charitable groups.
 That Saturday could not have been better, with partly cloudy skies, mild temperatures and a bit of breeze. Devane Park was packed with all manner of folks browsing the booths, watching the entertainers and feasting on a food court-full of varied and tasty offerings.
 It was real home-town stuff.

Rows of booths underneath the oaks at Devane Park

All of the food offerings were prepared by local church and service organizations. The Lake Placid Athletic Association was serving up Chicago-style Italian beef sandwiches, the Rotarians had spaghetti dinners, Trinity Lutheran Church featured authentic German Bratwurst – with kraut topping if you like.
 The Action Revival Church had Italian Sausage sandwiches – although it appeared most of the work was being done by the women of the church with the pastor in the back providing “quality control, ” by sampling the product.
  When it came to dessert – The Ladies of the Elks had strawberry shortcake (ice cream on request), and nearby the 1st Presbyterian Church had a bake sale stuffed with home made goodies.

Trinity Lutheran was cooking up brauts


 Outside the food court there was plenty to see and do The Humane Society of Highlands County was there adopting dogs and selling Puppy Kisses,  Wrede’s Wildlife was there displaying a couple of their majestic eagles and the RC Critters were on hand with a variety of rescued reptiles.
 The Highlands County Supervisor of Elections Office had a booth with workers diligently signing-up voters. They also helped folks update their registrations and even bolstered their cadre of poll workers. Uncle Sam himself showed up to supervise.

There were commercial vendors from all over the Sunshine State with a myriad of eclectic items. Tim “Clark” Snyder offered artwork made with fossilized shark’s teeth. The Aeromodelers were on hand with radio-controlled model aircraft. From LaBelle came Marchal’s Stained Glass and Gifts and Morningside Childrens Books had tons of titles authored by Keith Lawrence Roman.
 As in most arts and crafts shows, there also were a number of skilled woodworkers, clothing designers, artists and other artisans with items for both indoor and outdoor display.

Uncle Sam helped the Elections Office


 The fair prides itself on locally-produced product, but it seemed this year there had been an incursion of those who had purchased factory-produced items and were then were selling them.
 That being said,  locals were well represented throughout the site. One of the biggest was the tent from Henscratch Farm & Winery. Underneath their tent was shelf after shelf of jams, jellies, ciders, grapeseed oil and yes, wine varieties from their property just north of Lake Placid.
  Entertainment included everything from dancing by The Mountain Dew Cloggers to Celtic music on fiddle, pipe and guitar.
  Outside festival, things were hopping. While the festival grounds were dotted by members of Toby’s Clowns and their alma matter – the American Clown Museum and School across the street also was open for visitors.
  At last count, more than 700 significant pieces of clown memorabilia could be found within the walls there.  On nearly every surface of every wall, there are oils, prints and photographs of clowns. There are paintings by TV and movie comedian Red Skelton –  a famous clown and artist in his own right.  Many original circus posters from famous organizations like the Ringling Brothers are also displayed. Some have been signed or inscribed to Keith Stokes aka “Toby,” the founder of the American Clown Museum and School.
  In downtown Lake Placid, many of the stores and restaurants also were doing a brisk business due to the festival attendees.  A number of visitors took the opportunity to view some of the nearly 50 murals that dot the city – some of them augmented by one-of-a-kind trash containers that have been appropriately fashioned and painted.  In addition, there are 45 bird plaques, over 27 clown cut-outs and a life-sized bronze Florida black bear among other things.
 Is it any wonder it was voted “America’s Most Interesting Town” by the Reader’s Digest?
 When it comes to February, Lake Placid is a true fun zone, and the Lake Placid Arts & Crafts Country Fair is the center of it all.

Center Mass Shooting Range Opens in Okechobee

By
Florida Funmeister
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   So we found a new state of the art shooting range in Okeechobee. It’s called Center Mass Gun Range and is located right downtown. It’s billed as Okeechobee’s Premiere Indoor Live Fire Shooting Range – and we agree. We counted eight Climate Controlled Shooting Lanes and  Shooting Simulators.

  Those who follow us know we like fun places. That said, Center mass shooting range could set a record for most-quickly becoming one of our favorite Florida Fun Travel locations. There seems to be something for just about everybody.

The front door

State of the Art

  Inside we found a 24 lane, climate controlled, live fire range. They feature three shooting ranges with 8 lanes per range. It was easy to see that having three separate ranges allows them a lot of options. We had a choice of  group classes, private lessons or private lane rentals, Owners told us that party rentals, group rentals, and tournaments also were available.

  And they could do it without the need to shut down the whole range.

  We were really impressed to learn that the range backstops are capable of stopping any hand gun or shotgun ammunition. Rifles up to and including 30 caliber are allowed. In fact, the owners say AR15, AR10, AK47 and .308s can be shot there.


  The Center Mass backstops are made with granular rubber which encapsulates the projectile and stops it in it’s tracks. Conventional steel backstops can cause the projectile to smash and expose lead to the air system.

   Using the rubber bullet trap eliminates almost all of the lead exposure from the projectile, while also making the range much more quiet.

  We learned more about shooting range operation that we’d ever known before.

Ease of Operation

  They told us that rapid fire was allowed “as long as you can control your shots.” Their state of the art target retrieval system allows shooters to send their target to any distance up to 25 yards – meaning they may control their individual target on their lane

   One of our favorite parts was the onboard call button. That means we could summon a staff member when assistance is needed. We didn’t have to leave the lane to notify range officers.

  We thought another great feature was a touch screen tablet-driven system installed on each lane tells shooters how much time they have left in an individual session.

   If you like, there also are gun rentals available – including both handguns and long guns.

They have a lounge where you can relax between sessions

 Simulated Shooting

  In addition to live fire opportunities, Center Mass also offers training simulators to provide an extra level of shooting fun and training that standard target shooting can’t provide. There are seven simulation rooms for training for both civilians and law enforcement. Hundreds of interactive multiplayer games are available including; skill builders, zombie shoots, wild west shootouts and hunting scenarios among others.

  There also are individual training sessions, group training sessions and a retail store on site.

  More information is available at their their web site or by calling them at (863) 824-0715

Do You Leave Vacation Time on the Table

By
Florida Funmeister
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High Flying Fun in a Vintage Ford Tri-Motor Airliner

By
Florida Funmeister
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  My wife and I were offered a new and exciting experience – flying on a Ford Tri-Motor airliner.  Naturally, we jumped at the opportunity. It was one of the features during the US Sport Aviation Expo at Sebring Regional Airport.

Dressing for the Occasion

  We decided to dress for the trip. Just as when commercial air travel was in its infancy, we decided to dress retro. My wife wore a two-piece cranberry and black woven suit, She accessorized it with oxford lace up high heel shoes. And topped it with a broad-brimmed hat trimmed with veil and gold trim band and bow.
   I wore a sport coat, vest, dress shoes and Walker hat. We looked quite like passengers out of a time warp. We created no small stir walking down the broad expanse of the tarmac toward the plane.

The Plane

  The Tri-Motor we flew was built in 1928.  Nicknamed “The Tin Goose,” only 199 of the metal aircraft were made during its years of manufacture.
  Over its history, The Tin Goose made its way from the United State to South America then back again. While out of the country, it apparently had been stripped of its corrugated metal sides and replaced with smooth metal. At that time the aircraft may have been used for cargo transport, as the seats of the craft were easily removable.
  However, by the time it arrived at the Sebring for exhibition at the Aviation Expo, this particular Ford Tri-Motor had been re-furbished. We saw the glory that it was when it first rolled off the assembly line.
     The plane’s exterior was fascinating for us. It had “City of Wichita” emblazoned on one side of the cockpit and “City of Port Clinton” on the other, “Ford Tri-Motor” was painted on the tail. That was done in the old Ford Motor Company Script.
   Inside, ornate, wood paneling dominated the cabin. It had small reading lights above each seat. There were no overhead luggage compartments.   We even found a lavatory in the back of the plane. The commode was separated from the door by a canvas curtain.
   The passenger seats were close together. We didn’t have much leg room – by today’s standards. The aisle between was also tight and difficult to navigate. It was easy to see that people in the 1930s were much smaller.

Pre-Flight Instruction

   Sadly, a stewardess did not entertain us with our pre-flight instructions aboard the plane. Instead, we sat outside in folding chairs, There, a pilot in training dispensed all the needed safety information. He told us that in case of emergency, there were three separate doors that could be used for exits, flotation devices were located under each seat and we were to remain seated and buckled-up the entire ride.
   So we did.

   The plane’s owners encouraged us to sit in the front two seats. They called it “first class.”   Dutifully we parked ourselves right behind the cockpit.
   It was a thrill when everybody was buckled in. It was then those three mighty Pratt & Whitney engines fired up in turn, ready to carry its cargo of ten into the wild blue yonder.

Flying the Ford Tri-Motor

  One really did get the feel of a Greyhound bus as the Tri-Motor lumbered out onto the runway for takeoff.  The engines then began to roar as we headed down the concrete expanse and lifted gently into the sky.
  The Tri-Motor was not the most sophisticated aircraft ever built. The steering cables were fully exposed and vibrated as we flew over acres of orange groves, pastureland and lakes.
  Sitting where we were, it was easy to see the pilot and co-pilot working the controls. It seemed they were constantly sawing the varnished wooden steering wheels. They continualy worked the flaps using foot pedals and hand levers. We watched them always adjusting things to keep the flight smooth and level.
  Our tour took us east over Sebring.  We looked down on the Historic Circle, circumnavigated Lake Jackson and took a ride out over scenic Lorida. Then headed back to the airport. In all, it took about 20 minutes – although it seemed much less.
  We learned several valuable lessons flying the Ford Tri-Motor. Our main proviso is that we would not sit so close to the engines next time, as the insulation on the plane did not stop much of the engine noise. That being said, it was well worth the price and we would recommend such a trip should one come to your neighborhood.
  It was so much fun, we still use the photo in our About Us page.

Scenes from the Sarasota Farmers’ Market

By
Florida Funmeister
-
0

We would like to take this opportunity to share some scenes from the Sarasota Farmers’ Market.

One of our favorite outdoor shopping experiences has been this exposition in Sarasota. It has been a great source of entertainment and goodies to take home. In fact, we have written about it in the past. This time, however, we thought we’d let you see what we see.

I took a few minutes to shoot some video. This is our way of letting you take a virtual tour. Oh sure – you’ll miss the aromas. But, you’ll be able to get a taste of the sights and sounds.

There’s live music with street performers. We had the opportunity to see and discuss everything from organic food to pet supplies. In fact, talking with the vendors has been about as much fun as seeing the wares they purvey.

In addition to the market itself, there’s a wide array of brick and mortar shoppes and businesses that were just begging us to come in and explore. It is an all-encompassing experience that can cause the morning hours to fly.

As we have written in the past, this is a great place. We have gone atop of the Java Dawg bus and watched the people. There also are great sampling opportunities.

We hope you enjoy this video presentation of the Sarasota Farmers’ Market as much as we enjoyed making it. But let us tell you, this is a living display. Each time we have visited there have been new and fun things to see. Different musicians dot the street, there are new vendors and new stock from some of the old staples.

So while you enjoy our video of this wonderful little place, realize that your experience may be just a bit different – and even a bit better.

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