So, I got no feelings, saw nothing, and was generally dis-enchanted with the whole Bella Vida subdivision. One red dumpster, playground and everywhere, even new construction pretty clean work going on. The "nature preserve" area had high grasses that were all tromped down and if I was to venture a guess, this place has been gone through but good...so we left.
On to Blanchard Park. Drove around, looked at stuff by where LP searched and saw a red rose in the water - guess that Dennis guy missed one! Went to Econ trail access to the "path" parked and walked under the overpass where the official trail goes, over a wooden footbridge, nothing. walked down on the grass beside the foot bridge all the way to the water, looking under the bridges and everywhere - nothing. While we were there a golf cart with a security guard came across the foot bridge and didn't even see us although we were talking, walking and wearing red hat...
Off to the Chapel Hill Cemetery. Huge circle drive. Beautiful. Pond in center. Some people around, backs up to the woods but so open it didn't seem viable at all that she would or could haul something for that walk from where you would stop the car to go to the woods. Kind of a long walk and very open. Woods very, very thick. The children's portion of this cemetery was very sad too. Memorial benches with names and sayings all around but didn't see any with Bella Vida or anything. Warming up by now so we opened the car windows as we drove around. Very quiet except for the tinkle tinkle of windchimes people had hung in the trees. I couldn't decide if it was sad, happy or spooky.
Decided to "be Casey" for a few minutes (we couldn't stand it any longer than that) and drove N. on Goldenrod to University and West a couple blocks to Tony's apt complex. Drove in and around. Seem like really nice apartments chock FULL of young adults. Made a note that it is gated and to be there "cooking dinner" and such with no one else home, she would have had to have a key card or code to get in.
Just like her statement about Sawgrass apts, over 2 speed bumps and just to the right is the building that is apts 209-215 and the building just to the South of that has apts 201-208. There is a breezeway through the center of each building that goes all the way through and contains the metal stairs. Kind of Spanish looking place and lots of trees - nice. Very large pond with fountain on the East side that backs up to an extremely large ditch/ravine thing with water that runs for what looks like miles North and South. No fence. Playground at the apts. 2 story bldgs at the front, 3 story ones in the back.
Still "playing Casey" we left and went back down Goldenrod. It's creepy driving the same road she must have traveled so many times with poor Caylee. Passed the church down to Hwy 50/Colonial and up Dorris. Saw the woods, the path looking area from the maps, my eyes got big - LOTS OF VERY HIGH "STUFF" to get through. We drove past the back fenced entrance to the church. Didn't see anyone. Lots of cars, no people, no kids on playground - back gate open hmmmm??? NO! Pulled up to a house and Katz asked the man if we could park at his house so we could search for Caylee. What a nice guy!! Everyone wants her found...walked back to the woods noting the big semis in back of church and I showed her the sign/entrance to Hawk's Hollow that you can see from the road.
We found where the fence for the church property ended and just stared at the downed trees, huge logs, vines, grasses and that 50 foot (seemed like that) tall grass stuff! As I scrunched my face and lips, Katz dove in! She's done lots of stuff like this before and I was a Girl Scout for about 150 years so we knew to what to watch for. Doesn't mean we were gonna enjoy it though! Wasn't too bad for me (she stomped everything down and I just followed her steps)!!! LOL We couldn't see squat so we just headed towards the kids voices.
Then she stopped to let me go first - OH GREAT! I take one step, try to step over a tree on the ground and wound up in the bow down and pray to Katz position (on my knees, face almost in dirt sunglasses somewhere over there, hat sideways). She laughed - I laughed we kept going (darn, it didn't work, I'm still leading). Nope, more down trees, I stop, we stop, what now around that way back this way up that way shshhhhhhhh, DUCK. Clear as day we see about 3 guys talking facing us through a clearing loading Christmas trees into or out of a truck. I have to pee. Too bad, hold it Cocoa...
Guys start moving around again and I think we need to use the kids noise to help us get there and cover our crunching, cracking, and noisy approach (but we didn't talk hardly at all - just whispered). We look ahead - NO WAY this is happening - we will never get there. I notice she is leading again - how did that happen? :crazy:
We decide we are leaving - can't get in there and we didn't give up easily. We head out through a way that looks easier. I see those down trees covered in whatever that dried fat viney stuff is and wince. Katz plows on so I follow - she tells me to put the sunglasses in my mouth - whew! now I can use TWO hands. I'm right behind her. Crunching along and occasionally squatting to avoid the Christmas tree guys seeing us we make our way over and around 5,000 downed trees and 400 tons of concrete chunks and soffit and crap that is hidden under about 6 inches of dried viney stuff. Step, sink, twist ankle, repeat. Still gotta pee!
I just followed Katz. We were almost out! another really wide down tree - Geez! Need to be a lumberjack! Katz steps left foot on tree and steps on what we think is another 4 inches of dried viney stuff right before another tree trunk. Not 4 inches of viney stuff, it's 4 inches of viney stuff covering a cavern that goes to the center of the EARTH!! I am stuck with foot in between concrete chunks - reach out to catch her, nope can't reach - oh crap!!
She sinks, foot dangling into the abyss (lived here all my life and NEVER have I seen a hole this deep in the middle of the jungle) all I can see is her top half!!! How she made this next move I will NEVER know but remember that left foot of hers on the first tree trunk? Somehow she swung it up to the trunk of the down tree in front of the hole and stood back up on the tree trunk. WHEW! By now I had caught up but am I following her? Don't think so!!!
I ask if she's OK and she says yeah - ( I make note of her bravery) turns and takes another step on that dried viney stuff, down she goes again into the hole from HE** - I guess it's bigger than I thought...., this time I could reach her and helped her up, as she gets up I'm telling her that it's so deep I can't even see the bottom (and that was true, but it was dark). I don't know what happened next but as I was navigating around, over and through this abyss, I looked up and she was GONE!!! Outta there like a lightning bolt!
Whap, whack, ugh everything started hitting me in the face like it had been doing to her the whole time. I just prayed she hadn't fallen into some hole and disappeared with the car keys! I was really hoping I wouldn't have had to call the Christmas Tree Guys over to help me find her. I was glad I had my cell phone and was imagining the call to the hubby.
"Ummm, can you leave the Rocket Ranch, go by the house, get your truck, the pull rope, first aid kit, truck, winch, dogs, helicopter and whatever else you can think of an come save us? We'd call the Websleuths, but the laptop is in the car!"
I bust out into the real world by the street and Katz is alive!!! YEA! We pretty much silently walked back to the car, noticing that Christmas Tree Guys were watching us....if they only knew!
Went to food place, bathroom, eat, post quickly, cupcake store and home - had my camera phone but didn't take pictures - they wouldn't have been pretty - think you got the idea?
OK, next assignment please?
PS Why do the A's have so many rosaries around their house if they attend Baptist Church?
...thanks, I needed that...You girls rock!...:blowkiss:
