Not bad. If my math is correct, you hit 22 states in one vacation!
Thanks for taking us along for the ride. I read this thread each day.
Scott
I used the Breadcrumbs feature on the GPS to record my actual route.
.
We most certainly did not take the most direct path on this trip at all.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Thanks guys. It was a blast to have everyone along for the ride.
Everything is great on Daytona Beach now. The clouds went away, the sun came out, the sky turned blue, the love-bugs are gone, the pool is clean, and it is a perfect day.
This is my last day in Daytona Beach, then back to the real world again!
Track fiddler Ya know. I just want to thank you once again Kevin. A National hobby store tour is something that I would really love to do, but I know I never will. In fact I would have never even thought about it until you did it. To see it through your eyes was the next best thing. For you to take the time out to share it all was such a very unselfish act for you to do while you were on vacation. So again, I just want to let you know you are appreciated. It was a lot of fun Track Fiddler
Ya know. I just want to thank you once again Kevin.
A National hobby store tour is something that I would really love to do, but I know I never will. In fact I would have never even thought about it until you did it. To see it through your eyes was the next best thing.
For you to take the time out to share it all was such a very unselfish act for you to do while you were on vacation. So again, I just want to let you know you are appreciated.
It was a lot of fun
Track Fiddler
Here, here! (Or is it "Hear,hear"?)
John
drgwcs Spencer, NC at Little Choo Choo and happened to see this on the tail end of the train sorry the pic isn't better but the Stratford and Gillette appears to have expanded into North Carolina.
THANK YOU for sharing that... it put a HUGE smile on my face.
I loved that shop, and I also loved the museum across the road.
Thank you for the tip on the visit. I try to make excuses to get to North Carolina as much as possible now.
SeeYou190 The five STRATTON AND GILLETTE boxcars in the back were brought along to "donate" to hobby shops for their in-store layouts, but very few of the hobby shops I visited had in-store layouts. I gave away 5 or 6, but I wanted to leave these all across the USA. I have tried to spread the SGRR all across the land. . It was quite an adventure! . . -Kevin .
The five STRATTON AND GILLETTE boxcars in the back were brought along to "donate" to hobby shops for their in-store layouts, but very few of the hobby shops I visited had in-store layouts. I gave away 5 or 6, but I wanted to leave these all across the USA. I have tried to spread the SGRR all across the land.
It was quite an adventure!
Meant to post this earlier- was down in Spencer, NC at Little Choo Choo and happened to see this on the tail end of the train sorry the pic isn't better but the Stratford and Gillette appears to have expanded into North Carolina. I remember letting you know about the shop.
SeeYou190If you ever get to go to Orlando on Vacation
Now there's two words I will never use in the same sentence.
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Day 24:
I decided to extend the hobby shopping by one day... so this should be the last update for this trip. The remaining days will just be lounging in the sunshine (hopefully) on the beach.
The stop for shopping today was Sky Craft Surplus and Parts in Orlando. If you ever get to go to Orlando on Vacation, tjhis shop MUST be on your to-do list. They have everything you need to build the mechanical/electrical portions of the layout at great prices.
I made it to Daytona Beach! It is cloudy and overcast, but that is not the worst of it.
The worst part is the love bugs! I don't know how many other states have these horrid creatures, but there is a serious bloom in progress here in Florida right now. They are disgusting, and they have infested the beach and hotel.
My room is on the tenth floor, and they are all over my balcony. I had no idea love bugs could fly 100 feet in the air.
Of course, there are lots of flying things that are not awful love bugs.
Since I am at the same hotel for four nights, and no need to drive... I get to enjoy some beer on this part of the vacation.
Take care! This has been a blast.
doctorwayneI enjoyed travelling along with you. Hope you have a nice vacation now, from your just-finished vacation.
Thank you. Day one of my Vacation/Vacation has been very good!
JaBearI note that days 19 and 20 involved some pretty big steps, so I can see why a local holiday would be welcome!
Yes, the original plan was to return home on Sunday, but we decided to move up the return date by one day, so that made three days of the return trip brutal.
SeeYou190 . Track fiddler I'm going to join the owls in welcoming you home Kevin. I'm glad you had a safe trip. Thanks for taking the time out sharing your long ride and experiences with us. Now enjoy your vacation from your vacation at Daytona Beach . Thank you! If you look carefully at the pictures of the loot I acquired, you will see an N scale 40 foot undecorated boxcar! . -Kevin .
Track fiddler I'm going to join the owls in welcoming you home Kevin. I'm glad you had a safe trip. Thanks for taking the time out sharing your long ride and experiences with us. Now enjoy your vacation from your vacation at Daytona Beach
Thank you! If you look carefully at the pictures of the loot I acquired, you will see an N scale 40 foot undecorated boxcar!
I had to take a double-take but I saw. SWEET!
Kevin You Da Man!
Did not take it as an insult, just wanted to clarify, I have too many poor quality tools too, I should get rid of a bunch of those.
rrebellNo, I am talking about quality tools like a Shay Miter or a Dremel Stylus (those I only paid $15 a peice for).
I in no way meant to imply something negative. I just was laughing that I end up with duplicates due to my low brain power and disorganized tools. Sorry.
York1 John
I asked my doctor if I gave up delicious food and all alcohol, would I live longer? He said, "No, but it will seem longer."
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
York1 rrebell Well as we are in the hobby long enough, we tend to need less stuff including tools, I even have duplicates of all my really important tools but then I tend to buy these for really deep discounts. I have a lot of duplicates of cheap tools, but not on purpose. I usually can't find something, finally give up looking, and go to the hardware store and buy another one. Then, about two weeks later, I stumble on the original one.
rrebell Well as we are in the hobby long enough, we tend to need less stuff including tools, I even have duplicates of all my really important tools but then I tend to buy these for really deep discounts.
I have a lot of duplicates of cheap tools, but not on purpose. I usually can't find something, finally give up looking, and go to the hardware store and buy another one. Then, about two weeks later, I stumble on the original one.
Like everybody else here, I enjoyed travelling along with you. Hope you have a nice vacation now, from your just-finished vacation.
SeeYou190...To me, that means 1,561 miles were well spend wandering around off of the Interstates and finding really cool things to report about....
Either that, or the rental company's fiddlin' with the odometers.
Wayne
Day 23:
All unpacked, laundry is done, and we are packed for Daytona Beach!
According to Mapquest, the total mileage for the trip was supposed to be 8,110 miles.
According to the odometer on the rental car, we traveled 9,671 miles!
To me, that means 1,561 miles were well spend wandering around off of the Interstates and finding really cool things to report about.
Thank you for following along.
rrebellWell as we are in the hobby long enough, we tend to need less stuff
Yes, and true. I definitely do not need very much more stuff. Sometimes it is hard to find something to buy.
York1What a neat idea! I had never thought of that.
There are at least two dozen hobby shops with STRATTON AND GILLETTE freight cars, another 30-50 given away to model railroaders of noteworthy status, 10-15 given away to members of this forum, and one in a museum.
Still, as far as I know, none have been included in any printed article. Three of the people who have them have had layouts featured in Great Model Railroads.
When GMR did the report on Scale Rails of Southest Florida, there were no SGRR freight cars featured at all. That was a crime. I am a founding member of that club, and they have a fleet of my equipment. Just one SGRR freight car in a picture... is that too much to ask?
HarrisonIs that a muscovy duck?
Yes it is. Here in Cape Coral they have the same status as a pidgeon or a rat. It is illegal to feed them.
SPSOT fanWell the haul is quite small.
It really felt like I was buying a lot more. When I unpacked everything it was really a disappointment. I added up the reciepts, and I spent $200.00 less on hobbies than was budgeted!
I did not spend all the hobby money and I left Las Vegas with a gain. How weird is all that?
Track fiddlerI'm going to join the owls in welcoming you home Kevin. I'm glad you had a safe trip. Thanks for taking the time out sharing your long ride and experiences with us. Now enjoy your vacation from your vacation at Daytona Beach
I'm going to join the owls in welcoming you home Kevin. I'm glad you had a safe trip. Thanks for taking the time out sharing your long ride and experiences with us.
Now enjoy your vacation from your vacation at Daytona Beach. Winder down slow. Easy on the and the
TF
SeeYou190
Well the haul is quite small. I’ve come home with like 10 time that much stuff on trips to PF&S (the place you visited)! You did seem to regrettable miss a few shops. Still is a nice looking load!
I see you’ve got an AM models garage kit. I love those kits, I built one last year. I need to do another which I put a bit more detail and effort into!
It’s pretty cool to see the Stratton and Gillette is spreading across the country!
Regards, Isaac
I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!
Is that a muscovy duck? My MRR friend has some of those, I kinda like them. Have fun with your new toys.
Harrison
Homeschooler living In upstate NY a.k.a Northern NY.
Modeling the D&H in 1978.
Route of the famous "Montreal Limited"
My YouTube
SeeYou190The five STRATTON AND GILLETTE boxcars in the back were brought along to "donate" to hobby shops for their in-store layouts, but very few of the hobby shops I visited had in-store layouts. I gave away 5 or 6, but I wanted to leave these all across the USA. I have tried to spread the SGRR all across the land.
What a neat idea! I had never thought of that.
Well as we are in the hobby long enough, we tend to need less stuff including tools, I even have duplicates of all my really important tools but then I tend to buy these for really deep discounts.
SouthgateYou gonna share the new toys that you haven't already?
The haul is not as impressive as I thought it would be. Once it was all unpacked, I became a little disappointed in myself. I have bought more than this in a single trip to Gulf Coast Model Railroading before.
The only items missing from the picture are what I bought from Ready To Roll in Miami. I left that package at my daughter's house by mistake, and she needs to send them back to me.
The burrowing owls are out this morning and welcoming me back home.
Welcome home, even if from the other end of the continent! Thanks for taking us along for the ride. I've enjoyed the scenery, birds, trains, and yes, even the food. I even learned a few things from the shared experience. And now we all definitely have a friendly face to associate to Kevin or "See You 190".
I'm just not a huge fan of traveling myself. I've even said that I wouldn't mind going more places if it didn't involve travel. So this kinda helped do that.
You gonna share the new toys that you haven't already?
Dan
Day 22:
I made it back home! We are safe, and the trip was a remarkable success. What a great time.
We crossed into Florida at about 1:00 in the afternoon. I have to say, the "Welcome Center" in Florida on Interstate 75 is the best I have seen anywhere. We really do it up right for our guests here.
There is a new "Selfie Set" in the Welcome Center where I snapped this quick picture.
And... I just love the sight of these magnificent trees welcoming me back home.
The last hobby shop stop on this tour was Rob's Hobby World in Ocala, Florida.
We have some beautiful birds here in Florida.
We have some very creepy looking birds too.
I am going to sort my stuff tomorrow and figure out haw many treasures I acquired.
JaBearAnother vacation by Bear, on Flickr
All my life I have heard people say they need a vacation to recover from their vacation.
I decided to do it! I love the Bear Toon!
SeeYou190I am back at home... for ONE DAY! . Then off to vacation on Daytona Beach!