Banana George was 89 in January of 2004. George, and his wife JoAnne are good friends of mine, and in early October
2003, I decided to take the Auto Train to Winter Haven Florida, the water ski capital of the world, to compete in the
16th Annual Banana Blair Blairfoot Bonanza. This is the 15th year I have attended, but the first time I’ve taken my motorcycle. It was a wonderful combination of motorcycle touring, travel by train and barefoot
waterskiing. I rode from my home in Watchung, New Jersey to Lorton Virginia where the Auto Train starts.
Motorcycles are loaded at 2PM on dollies and then on to the car carriers for the trip south.
Bike carriers |
The Auto Train leaves at 4:30PM and arrives in Sanford Florida at 8:30AM the next day. I reserved sleeping accommodations. Dinner is included in the price of the ticket. The food was quite good and served with wine. A movie is shown in the lounge car following dinner and when you return to the sleeping car your bed has been made up and you are rocked to sleep by the motion of the train and the sound of the train whistle at car crossings.
I arrived on Thursday at JoAnne and George’s lovely home, and stayed with them through the weekend. Friday was spent skiing on with George and his friends on the lake in front of his house.
Ted and George |
Banana George, Ted, and JoAnne |
The barefoot waterskiing competition was held Saturday and Sunday October 5th an 6th. Saturday is an endurance competition and Sunday a head to head double elimination
Figure-8 competition. Banana George Blair, hosted the weekend competition and skied an exhibition each day. Unfortunately for me, the senior division for this tournament is everyone over age 45. I am 61 years old. I had a great time and finished in the middle of the field.
Ted skiing in the Blairfoot
Bonanza |
Banana George skiing for the
crowd |
Following the competition I traveled north though the middle of the state, orange orchards and rolling hills to Jacksonville on the Atlantic coast. I stayed with college friends who have retired to Florida and the next day rode the coast roads south, back to Sanford and the trip home on the Auto Train. The “Old Dixie Highway” routes 1 and A1A take you though wetlands swamps and road lined with dense jungle like trees, Spanish moss, and ferns, in contrast to the ride north.
Saint Augustine Ponce de Leon |
Florida Wetlands |
Again the train leaves at 4:30PM and arrives at 8:30AM in Lorton Virginia. The ride home was beautiful through Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey as the trees were changing to their brilliant fall colors.
Thanks for allowing me to
share my Story from the Road,
Ted Eisenstat
For those of you who don't know the
complete stats on Banana George, here are a couple flyers I scanned with
some great information about Banana:
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