OUTLET MALLS, FORD’S GARAGE, WE ARRIVED IN ST. AUGUSTINE, FL!

 ST. AUGUSTINE, OUTLET MALLS, FORD’S GARAGE!
Tuesday, January 16, 2024
Fairfield by Marriott
St. Augustine, FL
48F

 Another eight hour drive takes a long time. TK drives competently, with agility, down the highway as we put another gazillion miles on his GMC Sierra.  I have one job as a passenger in the truck, to pay attention in big city traffic, to record the receipts when we buy gas, and stay relatively quiet and not emote as he drives. Well, that is about three jobs.

How can I do all that when I have Internet, my iPad, Words With Friends to play, Mah Jongg, emails to write, Facebook, crossword puzzles, USA Today to read, and a book by Jeffrey Deaver?  I also was reading my friend Ann’s blog about her 2011 trip to Italy (https://annsilverthorn.com/index.php/634/were-off-to-italy/). I think that I do a fairly good job of paying attention to the traffic near big cities. That’s probably about it.  At least the traffic around Charlotte, NC, was not too bad this trip.

Fairfield Inn at Elkin, NC this morning,
Beautifully decorated for Valentine's Day

We started the day leaving the hotel at 8:15 a.m., 14F, dry roads, and a long way to go.  TK even saw some boars eating grass outside the fence along the highway. The miles accumulated, and before I knew it (4 p.m.), we were at Buc-ees in St. Augustine. I think Buc-ees (pronounced Bucky’s) is a destination gas station. It is the largest gas station I have ever seen and there are more of them in Florida. 

Welcome to Florida!

This Visitor Center serves orange or grapefruit

 juice to travelers!

240 Gas Pumps at Buc-ees

TK did get gas here

Inside Buc-ees

TK in Buc-ees

TK ready to party!

How many gas stations have you visited with 240 gas pumps? The store was huge, with cooks preparing really yummy smelling fresh barbecue, a bakery, Mexican food, homemade fudge, a wall with packages of jerky, so many kinds I cannot even imagine, and MORE.

Dear Readers, if you haven’t figured this out before, we are still impressionable despite our age! Buc-ees was a big WOW. I don’t think I have ever said that about a gas station before.

After spending too much time gawking at everything Buc-ees had to offer, we headed to the Premium Outlet Mall, you know the one with Chicos, Tommy Bahama, and Travel Pro.  TK found a few things at TB and I made a big score at Travel Pro. As you may not know, we are filling our basement with luggage. Heaven knows we need more. I haven’t counted recently, but we probably have at least 20 pieces of luggage in all sizes. When is enough enough?

At 5:30 p.m. there was an important Erie County Veterans Memorial Park meeting that I could not attend, but the committee called me, and I was able to take part—it was an important meeting. 

After that, TK and I dashed off to Ford’s Garage for dinner. Again, it appears that a man with a last name of Ford had a Ford dealership and then decided to make a theme restaurant. I may be making this up, but I cannot find the story on the Internet.  https://fordsgarageusa.com/our-story/   The bottom line is that this restaurant that is now franchised, is in the middle of a HUGE Ford dealership in St. Augustine, a block from our hotel.  Great burgers here!!

Ford's Garage -- a restaurant!

A friendly hostess!

Automotive Decor

Closeup-looks like an engine to me

Model A Ford above the bar!

That was our day, and we are tired again. Reading and playing games tires me out. TK is tired from driving all day.

TK’s Takes: As soon as we crossed the border into Florida, TK said, “Here we are in Florida, cars zipping in and out of lanes with no turn signals.”   He also thought that Florida might spend a little money on modernizing their restrooms on the highway.