Southbound to Florida 1971

From 2013

Last week Vladmar announced that he was heading to Florida. The Pittsburgh native never been there before. 2013 had been a hard winter.

"I can't believe that I'm fifty years old and have never to the Holy Land."

The Sunshine State was special, but even more so back in the last century.

"My first trip to FLA was in Spring 1971. My three friends and I drove down in a Chevy Nova from Boston to Fort Lauderdale. I-95 was half-finished. There was no beltway around Washington. The weather got warm once we hit the south and we continued straight to Savannah. We drank and smoked reefer the entire journey. The cops didn't stop us once. We were 18 year-old freshmen on college break. Only I had long hair."

"You were lucky." Vladmar had no luck with the police. He looked like a gypsy.

"We crossed the state line listening to WBZ's broadcast of the Bruins-Canadians playoff around 9pm. We were leading 'les Habitants' by two goals in the 3rd period. The station's 50,000 kilowatt signal gave out at the Florida welcome stand. We drank complimentary OJ, feeling good." What else I remember about the trip down are What I remember about that trip was driving down the uncompleted I-95 through Virginia, the South of the Border truck stop, where we bought fireworks, the division of white and black communities, and a section of US1 south of Savannah

"You never beat the Canadians back then." Vladmar was a Penguins fan. They were the Bruins' next opponents in this year's Stanley Cup. They had a big team.

"That's right, but I thought we were lucky. The station faded to static at the welcoming rest stop and I drank free Free OJ thinking about finally throwing off the curse of the Les Habs over the Bs. The next morning I woke up on a palm-lined beach. We swam in the Gulf Stream at dawn.

"Fort Lauderdale."

"Our crash pad was across the street from the infamous Elbow Room in which more co-eds have exorcised the demons of alcohol than any other south Florida bar. I bought the local newspaper and read that Jean Beliveau scored 2 goals to tie the game. We lost in overtime."

"No Stanley Cup victory."

"Fucking Canadians. That night I drank in the Elbow Room." It had been featured in the movie WHERE THE BOYS ARE. "I met a girl from Biloxi and we walked on the beach. Stars glistening above the Gulf Stream. I lit a joint. We smoked surrounded by other teenage couples making out like turtles getting ready to lay eggs. I stared the constellation Orion and breathed the smell of salt off the breeze.

"Consolation prize."

"I would have rather the Stanley Cup."

"Maybe in another life."

"Have a good time in Florida."

I remember that defeat well, but also the kiss of that girl from Mississippi.

It tasted of the South.

To view segments of April 8, 1971 disaster, please go to the following URL

http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2009/11/5/1115711/habs-bruins-april-8-1971-a

A Winter Poem

Two years ago my friend Alison in Palm Beach found this poem. Her trees were dying from the cold.

" WINTER " by Abigail Elizabeth McIntyre

Shit It's Cold

The End

That was one of coldest weeks in American weather history.

Even Florida had snow.

Winters weren't always that way and maybe next year will be normal, but in April 1971 I escaped the cold in Boston by driving to Florida with Mark, John, and Tommy. It was spring break. We had rented a house in Fort Lauderdale across from the infamous Elbow Room.

The Sunshine State's drinking age was 18.

The four of us were legal.

We crossed the state line around 9pm. WBZ was on the radio. The Boston station was broadcasting the NHL play-offs. Bruins-Canadians. We were leading 'les Habitants' by 2 goals in the 3rd period. The station's 50,000 kilowatt signal gave out at the 'free OJ' welcome stand. We reached Fort Lauderdale at dawn. We swam in the Gulf Stream at sunrise.

At Wolfies we ordered breakfast and I read the morning newspaper. The Bruins has lost 7-5. None of my friends cared about the loss.

We were used to losing to les Habs and the girls on the beach were wearing bikinis.

I have my own short poem on cold season.

"Fuck winter."

Foto by Alison R

SOUTHBOUND by Peter Nolan Smith

Last week Vladmar announced that he was heading to Florida. The Pittsburgh native never been there before.

"I can't believe that I'm 50 years old and have never to the Holy Land."

The Sunshine State was special, but even more so back in the last century.

"My first trip to FLA was in Spring 1971. My three friends and I drove down in a Chevy Nova from Boston to Fort Lauderdale. I 95 was half-finished. There was no beltway around Washington. The weather got warm once we hit the south and we comntinued straight to Savannah. We drank and smoked reefer the entire journey. The cops didn't stop us once. We were 18 year-old freshmen on college break. Only I had long hair."

"You were lucky." Vladmar had no luck with the police. He looked like a gypsy.

"We crossed the state line listening to WBZ's broadcast of the Bruins-Canadians playoff. Boston was up 5-3 in the 3rd."

"You never beat the Canadians back then." Vladmar was a Penguins fan. They were the Bruins' next opponents in this year's Stanley Cup. They had a big team.

"That's right, but I thought we were lucky. The station faded to static at the welcoming rest stop and I drank free Free OJ thinking about finally throwing off the curse of the Les Habs over the Bs. The next morning I woke up on a palm-lined beach.

"Fort Lauderdale."

"Our crash pad was across the street from the infamous Elbow Room in which more co-eds have exorcised the demons of alcohol than any other south Florida bar. I bought the local newspaper and read that Jean Beliveau scored 2 goals to tie the game. We lost in overtime."

"No Stanley Cup victory."

"Fucking Canadians. That night I drank in the Elbow Room." It had been featured in the movie WHERE THE BOYS ARE. "I met a girl from Biloxi and we walked on the beach. Stars glistening above the Gulf Stream. I lit a joint. We smoked surrounded by other teenage couples making out like turtles getting ready to lay eggs. I stared the constellation Orion and breathed the smell of salt off the breeze.

"Consolation prize."

"I would have rathered the Stanley Cup."

"Maybe in another life."

"Have a good time in Florida."

I remember that defeat well, but also the kiss of that girl from Mississippi.

It tasted of the South. To view segments of April 8, 1971 disaster, please go to the following URL

http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2009/11/5/1115711/habs-bruins-april-8-1971-a

Frigid Florida

I found this beautiful winter poem and thought it might be a comfort to you.
It was to me and it's very well written and I hope that you enjoy it too .

" WINTER "

by Abigail Elizabeth McIntyre

Shit It's Cold

The End

Thanks to Allison of Palm Beach. Her tree are dying from the cold.

"It's the coldest winter in nearly 40 years."

It wasn't always that way and maybe it won't be again, but I remember driving to Florida in April 1971 with Mark, John, and Tommy. It was spring break. We had rented a house in Fort Lauderdale across from the infamous Elbow Room.

The Sunshine State's drinking age was 18.

The four of us were legal.

We crossed the state line around 9pm. WBZ was on the radio. The Boston station was broadcasting the NHL play-offs. Bruins-Canadians. We were leading 'les Habitants' by 2 goals in the 3rd period. The station's 50,000 kilowatt signal gave out at the 'free OJ' welcome stand. We reached Fort Lauderdale at dawn. We went to swim at sunrise. I read the morning newspaper on the beach. The Bruins has lost 7-5. None of my friends cared about the loss.

We were on a beach with girls in bikinis.

There was no more winter.