photo by Richard Elzey, from the Carload Flickr pool

It’s Day Seven of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey, and the drives between theaters continue to be mostly short. It took just 45 minutes to go from Lakeland to the Joy-Lan Drive-In just north of Dade City FL.

The Joy-Lan is a sibling to yesterday’s Silver Moon, both owned by Harold Spears’ company Sun South Theatres. You can read the full history of the Joy-Lan on its About Us page.

The snack bar, rebuilt after a fire in 2000, is almost the same as the Silver Moon’s, including breakfast. Sadly, no Budweiser this time.

The Joy-Lan has one screen. I’m glad I chose Rogue One yesterday, because my only choice this time was Sing.

Wrapping up Week One of the odyssey, I’m happy to say that I caught six active movie nights out of seven, which is a good start on my quest to get at least 200 movie nights in 2017. With all these quick hops between Florida drive-ins, they’re starting to blur together. I think I’ll sleep in Sunday morning.

Miles Today / Total: 32 / 346 (rounded to the nearest mile)

Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: Sing / 6

Nearby Restaurant: The closest is The Black Eyed Pea, part of a chain of relaxed casual comfort-food restaurants. I’m avoiding most chains, but there’s a Black Eyed Pea that I frequent near Carload World Headquarters, and I could really use a taste of home.

Where I Virtually Stayed: I played it safe again with the Hampton Inn four miles south on the other side of town. It’s adjacent to a Dunkin’ Donuts, so I was able to stock essential supplies to keep me going the next morning.

Only in Dade City: According to the Tampa Bay Times, in September 2008 a 450-pound Dade City man in a motorized wheelchair chased and shot a neighbor in the armpit. The bad blood had started over a year earlier over a $20 dispute about the price of a shed.

Next Stop: Ocala Drive-In, Ocala FL.

photo by Earl Leatherberry from the Carload Flickr pool

It’s Day Six of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey, and it starts with another 35-minute short hop. This time it’s from Tampa to the Silver Moon Drive-In Theatre in Lakeland FL.

It seems appropriate that the Silver Moon, starting its 70th year, is surrounded on two sides by active retirement communities. As you can tell by this Google Street View, the main screen (the only screen for its first three decades) is backed by a three-story apartment or storage area. I just love those. You can read the full history of the Silver Moon on its About Us page.

Then there’s the snack bar. Not only does it feature corn dogs, soft pretzels and the usual suspects, it also sells Budweiser and breakfast.

The Silver Moon has two screens, and Friday is the day for new releases, but I had to choose between movies I’d already seen. I picked a second viewing of Rogue One over Sing.

Miles Today / Total: 27 / 314 (rounded to the nearest mile)

Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: Rogue One / 5

Nearby Restaurant: The closest restaurant, and one of the best in Lakeland, is Smokin’ Aces BBQ just a mile west on New Tampa Highway. The yummy pulled pork might not be health food, but there are grilled green beans and a vegetable medley to keep me regular.

Where I Virtually Stayed: The closest hotel was three miles west in Plant City, so for the second straight night I stayed at a Fairfield Inn & Suites. The room was clean, and the breakfast included some fruit as I faced a rainy Saturday the next morning.

Only in Lakeland: The Lakeland Ledger reported in October 2008 that Webber International University’s president H. Keith Wade sold at auction on eBay the naming rights for the school’s then-under-construction sewage treatment plant. T. Wayne Hill Trucking won, paying $6100. “I don’t think many people have much experience with a ceremony naming a sewage treatment plant,” Wade said, promising to whip up something.

Next Stop: Joy-Lan Drive-In, Dade City FL.

Fun-Lan flea market.
Photo by marianne muegenburg cothern

It’s Day Five of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey, and it’s back to short hops. Starting from Ruskin, it took only about 35 minutes to reach the Fun-Lan Drive-In Theatre in Tampa.

I had seen metal roofs at a couple other warm-weather drive-ins. I couldn’t figure out what they were for, and I was too embarrassed to ask. Could cars still see the screen if they parked under them? Visiting the Fun-Lan during a Thursday afternoon provided the answer – it’s to shelter the flea market during brutal summers. Even with today’s high in the low 80s, it was easy to imagine more uncomfortable days.

Tougher to figure is the hyphen. The official web site and Google Maps both leave it out, but it’s very obvious on the marquee. I think it looks better with the hyphen

The Fun-Lan has three screens, but there aren’t many new movies out this week. Good thing that one of those screens has Sing at the beginning of its double feature, because I usually want to go to sleep before the nightcap.

Miles Today / Total: 21 / 287 (rounded to the nearest mile)

Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: Sing / 4

Nearby Restaurant: Oh, how I love dim sum, so I was very happy that Yummy House China Bistro was within walking distance, maybe two blocks away. If you’ve never had authentic dim sum, you need to experience it.

Where I Virtually Stayed: There aren’t any hotels that close to the Fun-Lan, so I drove five miles southeast to the Fairfield Inn & Suites by I-4. It’s even got a shuttle to the Seminole Hard Rock Casino nearby.

Only in Tampa: In 2014, Tampa resident Doris Carvalho, a veterinarian from Brazil, started a Kickstarter project to raise $15,000 to fund production of 30 “high-end” purses crafted from yarn spun from sterilized, clipped dog hair. In closed with only $1850 in pledges.

Next Stop: Silver Moon Drive-In Theatre, Lakeland FL