This American Summer

• WE JUST BOUGHT A BOX OF GREEN CHILIS #
• In Colorado! 4 hours from the end! #
• Back in Fort Collins! #

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• Went to a drive-in. Saw Hellboy 2. #

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• Marfa was a beautifully strange town. Now heading north to Carlsbad, New Mexico. #

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• Back in Texas. On our way to Marfa to try and see some lights. #

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• We are so full we’re having trouble breathing. Padilla’s Mexican Kitchen poured delicious food into us:) #

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• Finally caught McDonald’s breakfast. Headed to Globe, AZ and NM. #

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• Truly bizarre rock mounds in south central Cali. Just mountains of loose boulders. #

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We next headed south along Florida’s gulf coast to Dade City, north of Tampa. On the way, we stopped for a quick lunch at a Wendy’s in a gas station and David accidentally closed the connective end of our EVDO antenna in the passenger door. As a result, the antenna plug was destroyed by road friction.

Our windows were fogging and gas was running low when we arrived in Dade City at around 10pm. We refueled the car and called our hosts, Pat and Lyn, to get directions to their house. Even with directions though, we missed their driveway, tucked in a thick grove of trees so we had to call again and have Lyn come and lead us to their home.

Pat and Lyn live in a log cabin they built over 20 years ago from trees that Pat bought, felled, and milled in a saw mill he refurbished. The house is beautiful, functional and mortgage-free. Pat and Lyn attribute a lot of their freedom to the lack of a mortgage debt obligation.

That night, we sat in their living room and talked about freedom, responsibility, and world affairs. Pat and Lyn told us about their 6-month honeymoon based on traveling from Munich to Bombay for $50. On their trip, they learned a lot and had some of the most memorable experiences of their lives including Lyn starting a riot in a Pakistani marketplace and being put under hotel arrest. That night we slept soundly and woke refreshed the next morning.

For breakfast, Pat made us delicious waffles with flour that he ground fresh. After breakfast, we toured their property including a bamboo grove, organic garden, and wetlands. Pat also showed us his spearfishing gun; the night before, he had told us stories about going spearfishing with his buddies. We headed back to the house for cookies and iced tea, and Lyn gave us a few books as parting gifts. With that, we reluctantly said farewell and pointed MUO for Miami.

Pat and Lyn

The drive to Sanibel Island was pretty and the destination was as close to an island paradise as you can find with out taking a trip across the ocean. We traveled to the island to meet Tom and his wife Carol. After meeting them at their beautiful home they offered us conversation over lunch. A seafood restaurant among the tropical trees provided fantastic grouper and great atmosphere. We were referred to Tom as someone who would be interesting to talk to. This was an understatement. Tom was one of the founding members of the EPA and personally involved in the removal of the pesticide DDT from the market in America. Carol found a hibiscus flower along with some other plant life and a collection of shells to educate us on the local ecology of the area. Preservation and the environment are subjects that both Carol and Tom keep close to their hearts.

After the meal Tom offered to show us a few things on the island before sending us on our way to Miami. The fist stop was the island’s water treatment plant that provides the entire community with fresh drinking water. Due to the sensitive nature of the plant we were not allowed to bring any recording gear with us but the tour was informative to say the least. The plant uses reverse osmosis to purify the water so it is safe to drink. The reverse osmosis “trains” and the pumps that move the water to every home on the island were impressive in not only physical size but also quantity of water they can process.

The next stop was J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge protects 5200 acres of mangrove swamp and plays home to migratory bird populations, alligators, and manatees. Tom is a member of the Ding Darling Wildlife Society and helps out at the nature center on the island. Because he formerly worked for the EPA, Tom has extensive experience with environmental protection and wildlife control. Tom also works as the Mosquito Control Commissioner of Lee County and oversees a fleet of equipment to keep the local mosquito population under control. Without mindful mosquito control, Sanibel Island would be “unbearable” according to Tom.

Before wishing us luck on our journey and sending us on our way, Tom took us to the local first run movie theater. During his time at the EPA he had done more than just protect the environment — Tom also helped run the educational outreach theater at the EPA. It was here that he learned how to run a movie theater projector and use related equipment. When he moved to Sanibel Island, the woman in-charge of the local theater learned he knew how to operate a projector and called him when she was in desperate need of help. From that moment on he was a projectionist yet again. Tom gave us a tour of the projection booth at Sanibel’s theater and showed us the huge platters of film, the projector, and the little spools of film that make up the trailers you see before a movie.

With knowledge of the EPA, wildlife refuges, and movie theaters we were on our way to Miami. The drive was nice but by the time we arrived, the sun was setting. David had arranged to meet a photographer and journalist named Carlos Miller in the city. We were to rendezvous in the city and then drive to one of his favorite picture taking spots.

Miami’s night skyline

Acosta Bridge

Carlos began to tell us his story. During the course of writing a news article, he witnessed police officers arresting someone on the street. Like a good reporter he began to take pictures of the incident. When the officers asked him to stop he continued to exercise his right to take pictures of a public location. After taking pictures of the police officers, he was arrested and even when we talked to him, he was still fighting the charges against him. His story can be found at carlosmiller.com and he’s featured in this video episode.

After the sun had set and all the pictures had been taken, Carlos offered to take us to the oldest bar in Miami, Tobacco Road. At the bar, we had excellent beer and burgers and Carlos regaled us with tales of traveling Europe. An hour or so after we arrived, Poppa E began setting up his gear for a live set. As we drank and ate and listened to Carlos’ stories about Ireland, Poppa E played the blues. After a few drinks, it was getting late and we needed to get to our host’s home. Before we left, we got Carlos to tell his story for the camera.

Thank you to Pat and Lyn for your wonderful hospitality and kindness, and best of luck with the organic farm. Thank you Tom for the enlightening tour of beautiful Sanibel Island, the water treatment plant, and the movie theater. Thank you Carol for the beautiful seashells and the flower - it looked beautiful in Danbee’s hair. Thank you Carlos for showing us a grand time in Miami, and for sharing your story with us on video; best of luck with your case!