By John Olesky (BJ 1969-1996)
Paula and I used a West Virginia University football game against South Florida as an excuse to enjoy a Sept. 26-Oct. 3 vacation in Florida. And to re-visit former Beacon Journal composing room colleagues (mine) and relatives in Tampa, Orlando and North Palm Beach (Paula’s).
We took advantage of the new Skybus airline’s bargain fares, which start at $10 one way for the first 10 lucky passengers. We paid $74.42 apiece for the round trip between Columbus and Fort Lauderdale.
We visited the “Dimeman,” Dave White, and his wife, Gina, both former BJ employees (retiring 20 years ago), in their Venice home (after 17 years in their Sarasota h
ome). And their poodle, Buddy.For those who weren’t around the BJ till the 1980s, the “Dimeman” requires an explanation. When Dave was the big honcho in Composing, and an editor would complain about something, Dave’s response was, “Here’s a dime, call somebody who cares.” When my late wife Monia and I began vacationing on Siesta Key and Dave would visit, I would hand him a dime, saying, “Call somebody who cares.” I did this every year. Dave has 8 dimes from me.
Dave and Gina moved to Venice from Sarasota three years ago. They have a backyard that faces a golf course on a lake and, sometimes, alligators in the lake.
We also hoped to visit former BJ printer Terry Dray and his wife Cecily, but Terry had a tee time near his Avon Park home when we were available. We left word on former BJ printer Hugh Downing’s voicemail, but he was playing golf near his The Villages home at the time. See a trend?
Paula and I visited Sea Castle, my rental on Siesta Key for years. But no more. The 10-building, 50-rental complex will be demolished in December to make way for a 6-story building with $1 million condos. Also to be torn down are late BJ printer Bill Gorrell’s place, which is just across the Sea Castle parking lot, and the three buildings next to the former Poor Bill’s rentals.
We worked our way to Tampa in time for the WVU Mountaineers’ game with South Florida in Raymond James Stadium. Unfortunately, the No. 5 Mountaineers lost, 21-13, to the Bulls. Tampa traffic was so crazy for this soldout game that South Florida kicked off to West Virginia as we walked to our seats.
Before we headed for the Fort Lauderdale airport and our return to Ohio, we walked Cocoa Beach, visited the Kennedy Space Center and went to Daytona Beach. The wind and waves were so strong that there was no beach in Daytona Beach because the waves were smashing against the concrete wall. This is a beach that normally is wide enough for two cars to drive on it abreast. Not on this day.
Next: Another Skybus flight -- $20 round trips for each of us -- to enjoy Boston and New Hampshire Oct. 28-Nov. 3. Between Mountaineer games, of course.
Click on the headline to see photos.
4 comments:
David and Gina look good, great to see photos of them. I don't think Dave said exactly "Call someone who "cares"." I think it was a little more colorful.
In March (at the end of a cruise) Char and I had a day to visit Sarasota and her college friend, have dinner on Siesta Key at Miguel's, one of our all-time favorite restaurants. We also walked past Gorell's old motel complex on a walk to the beach. Sadly it was all gutted and all that was left were echoes of laughter from Dave and Gina and Pac and Fergy and Murray Powers and the Shoenlebs.
It's great to hear Hugh Downing is still golfing. I hope Florida improves his game. And also Char and I have to thank Hugh for showing us the wonderful world of cruising (8 so far).
John, where do you get skybus info and book and out of what city near akron?
Thanks for sparking the old memories of great times at Siesta Key.
Art and Char
Art:
Just go to
www.skybus.com
and there's information and fare prices for various places and various dates.
Columbus is the nearest airport to us that Skybus uses.
When Skybus opens up another month, it's a mad scramble to get the cheaper fares. Just keep checking the web site. We only go when we can get cheaper fares, because we're flexible on the dates.
And Skybus avoids the larger airports. We flew into Fort Lauderdale although Skybus also has flights to Fort Myers and St. Augustine (that's where we'll land in February). To go to Boston, we land in Plymouth, New Hampshire. To go to California, we land in Burbank and take a rental car one-way to the Los Angeles pier to get aboard the Diamond Princess for our 14-day Hawaii cruise (we hit all 4 islands).
I'm glad you enjoyed my post, and the photos, particularly the Gulf Coast areas.
I also found it sad to see Bill Gorrell's dream demolished behind the fencing, and to know that Sea Castle, our choice from the get-go after my retirement, will be gone Dec. 15 (only permits problems stalled the razing this long). Paula and I have reserved a rental on Point of Rocks Road (those buildings with a place for parking underneath and the rental on the second floor). We won't see the Gulf and the beach from the rental, as we did at Sea Castle, but we'll be 100 feet from that magnificent sand of Crescent Beach.
Dave & Gina mentioned how they enjoyed visits by you and Char.
We'll be on Siesta Key again Feb. 9-23.
I'm glad you and Char are cruising. 8 times already!
John O.
John, Sorry to miss you on your swing through New England. I hope you got out before the renmants of Hurricane Noel descended. Regarding the New Hampshire airport where Skybus flies, I think it's Portsmouth rather than Plymouth. - Ken Krause
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