I’m so happy to have such accepting fellow students in my class. I sit here with a girl just graduated from college, a young married, whose husband is a captain on a sail boat and wanted her to be certified for safety, a young chef from a cruise ship…here I am 53 years old doing this whole thing backwards, and these kids and I are having a ball.
Continue reading “School”
So yesterday was a day of no driving. We ubered down to Central Beach which is a familiar spot for us, as this is where we come the night before we get on a cruise ship. Spent all day relaxing in the sun and warm water. Then today, being Rylee’s last day we both wanted to venture out to the keys. Mental note #1. There are no beaches, or atleast they are rare. Mental note #2 If you go all the way out there, stay there. Traffic out is equivalent to leaving Cayucos after 4th of July fireworks. A 40 minute drive turns into 2 hours. So we left the Keys about 5:30pm didn’t get home until 10:30pm. I had to prepare for school and Rylee had to prepare for her flight home. Finally asleep by 11:30, alarm went off at 4:15am. Great way to start first day of school!
Started the morning off taking a walk to the local paddle board rental shop. Rylee and I knew we wanted to have some Beach time once we reach Ft. Lauderdale, so we rented the boards for 2 hours. We paddle through the salt water channels, admiring the gorgeous homes with docks and boats along the way.
Continue reading “Day 7 Arrived at Crew House”
My favorite kind of day. Stumble across things spontaneously. I knew I wanted to swim with the Manatees and google gave me options. So I picked one. Crystal Springs.. Turns out, its it’s own little community. Everyone knows everyone and trust is big. We find a cute little lodge, stop in just to see if they have availability. Joel, the dad and his kids who are up on the roof doing some repairs, comes down and shows us a recently renovated room for our approval. It’s gorgeous. I’m thinking, I’m gonna pay a pretty penny for this room. But the convenience of being able to walk to the paddle board rental place, the beach swimming area and local bars is worth it. He quotes me 90.00 and says since COVID, they are not allowed to have a continental breakfast available in the morning. So his daughter will be making us some home made pastries and they will have a breakfast gift bag for us in the morning, and we don’t need to worry about checking out on time. When we are done with the room just turn in the key. We book the room and walk down to the beach to cool off. Meet a wonderful local who tells us the best way to see the Manatees. She says it’s like a godly experience with these gentle creatures, and she hopes that we receive it in our souls. After cooling off, we are ready for drinks and some food. We walk to the area Joel told us about and we hear…live music and people clapping…wait wait what? Is that allowed now? We follow the sound and end up at an outdoor bar with delicious food and happy dancing locals. And a band willing to sing me “GREEN eyed girl”. To me, this was the perfect day, random, locals and fun. We will swim with the manatees tomorrow prior to heading on our last leg of the journey to my new home, FT Lauderdale.
I arrive to my beautiful hotel about 8:15pm. Valet parking only. He doesn’t know how to drive a stick. As I’m leaving the parking garage towards the lobby, I can hear him trying to figure it out. Oh poor jeep. The lobby attendant explains that due to COVID, nothing in the French quarter is really open until the weekend. She mentioned a few that stay open all week. I get up this morning and a wonderful, beautiful thunder storm is happening. I want to walk to the cafe she said was open and get a coffee. As I walk through the hotel, It’s so historical. Me being the only person wandering around I almost feel like I’m strolling the Titanic. I see the grand ballroom and a stair case with a chandelier. I wonder what elegant Clark Gable type parties were thrown here. It’s surreal. My only friend…the lobby attendant gives me her umbrella. It’s warm so I’m wearing shorts and a tank top and sandals. When I go outside and see the empty streets, so different from the party pictures and videos we’ve all seen, I get to notice the architecture, the flickering “candle” lights that adorn the buildings. I smile as the rain is pouring so hard the streets are flooded, up past my ankles in water. I step off the sidewalk to cross a street and I slip on my sandal and it breaks. So I spend the rest of my walk with one shoe on and one shoe off. I see a few people running to their cars and they look at me like I’m crazy. I just smile and enjoy the rain and LOUD thunder. Trying to keep my phone dry while it guides me to the cafe, my hand kept resetting where I was going. After I’d walked in circles several times I decided to give up. Came back to the hotel, got my instant coffee and asked my best friend for some hot water. Now I sit in this grand lobby listening to the storm and enjoying my coffee. Rylee will be here at 1:40 at which time the weather says Sunny and 85!
This is why this state is so hard to drive through. Stopped in Vernon to fuel up. When I started the jeep the check engine light came on. Pulled out my code reader. Cylinder 3 misfired. Looked it up on the internet, likely is spark plugs. Jeep running like a champ, so I don’t think its serious. Go down the street to Napa Auto. He asked me several questions and said I should be fine until I get to my next destination, Decatur. So I continue on to Deanna’s. I get to her house and comment, “I feel like I was just here 6 months ago!” We laugh because she has a group of girlfriends that are best best friends. None of them have been able to make it out yet…and me, I’ve been here twice. Step it up sisters! Ha Ha. She takes me to the town square. Adorable. Cute boutiques and cafe’s in a block setting all facing a beautiful town hall that looks like a castle. We have delicious Mexican food and an Ice cold beer. Head back to her house and visit in the pool. Rylee booked her flight and will be joining me tomorrow in New Orleans. Just booked my hotel for tonight and tomorrow night. Right in the middle of the French quarter with a balcony and roof top pool! Can’t wait to see her tomorrow. Below is a picture of the town hall.
I left the Grand Canyon around 9:30am I think. The wind was blowing as hard as yesterday, so I left the jeep closed up. Leaving Arizona was almost as boring as my Texas trip last November. Once I got into New Mexico the colors on the left side of highway 40 were amazing…Soul touching. This picture does not show justice. The wind died down so at one of my fuel stops i took everything off. OMG it was heavenly. The warm breeze, the sunshine, the scenery was exactly what I needed on this road trip. The drive was so much more enjoyable than yesterdays…and yesterdays was enjoyable! Pulled into Courtyard by Marriott in a business section of the city. Albuquerque is still strictly following mask rules and COVID protocol. There are 3 cars in the parking lot. The hotel is clean and the pool is closed. Bummer. But ok…I’m going to a great pool tomorrow at a friends house in Texas. I might even get a visit from 2 gals I met on a cruise a few years ago, that live in the same town! My daughter Rylee is very jealous and now thinking of a way to join me on my road trip. She’s checking flights as we speak to meet up with me tomorrow in Texas! So today was uneventful…ordered stuffed mushrooms, chicken, mushroom fettuccini Alfredo delivered to my room. A glass or 3 of wine i brought from Leslies. Tomorrow is a 5 1/2 hour trip to my friends house! Lovi’n Life!!!
The morning was supposed to begin departing San Diego at 7am to arrive at my hotel by 2pm as they don’t allow early check in. I woke up at 2:30 utterly excited and could not go back to sleep. Got up at 3:00 and was on the road by 4:30. This leg of the trip should be perfect jeep weather, as it’s warm and dry this time of year (typically). So I opened everything up to let the wind blow through my hair. It started raining about 10 minutes into the drive, but wasn’t cold, so I continued on. As I got closer to the desert the wind picked up and was blowing big rigs all over the place as well as the jeep. But I wanted the wind blowing in my hair so I continued on. The higher elevation got to A cold and fierce wind, so I pulled over and put the windows back on. Arrived at my hotel around 1pm. Red Feather Lodge. Spacious and very clean. Not a 5 star…but very clean, and only 1 mile from the Grand Canyon Park entrance. I freshened up and headed to the park. Absolutely no clue what I was doing I just followed the signs in the park. Took one road that looked promising. Saw a few cars in a dirt parking lot and thought, well maybe thats what we do. Parked the jeep and followed the trail. Along the trail I came across one of those yellow signs you see along the freeway like a deer crossing. This particular sign had a cat on it. Umm. I don’t think there are sweet domestic cats out here, so I start watching for a Mt. Lion. I was the only one on the trail so I picked up a good sized rock…not sure why, with my aim I would throw it at the cat and break my own toe. After 30 minutes I could not see any sign of the “grand” canyon, so I went back to the jeep. Finally caught a glimpse of it, saw a bunch of cars and pulled over. I was in awe. It’s everything I’ve seen in the movies and more. The colors, the depth. I sat down on a bench to soak in the sun, the fresh air, and the cool mist on my cheek from a 7 year old trying to see if his spit would reach the bottom of the canyon. The canyon is so big, you can drive 20 miles of the South Rim and see just a different vantage point of the same area of the canyon. Next time I come, I will allow enough time to view it from the river itself. Now I’m off to the Saloon/Steak House across the street for some dinner and cocktails. Then I’ll map out my path to Texas…oh Texas…didn’t think I’d be seeing you again so soon.
Well…If you want to hear God laugh, make a plan…On March 16th I went to work and was informed that all dental offices need to close down indefinitely due to the corona virus. I spent the last 9 days of work training the new office manager and rescheduling patients. On March 25th I clocked out for the last time. On the 26th I locked the door on my house for the last time and headed to San Diego. It is now April 8th. I should be sitting in a classroom in Ft. Lauderdale Fl now, but almost all the U.S. is shutdown. So I sit here patiently waiting!
I will sell my stuff, pack the jeep with the clothes I will need and head out on my road trip. I’ve been mapping it out. My brother’s girlfriend lives in San Diego. My kids and parents will all drive down there the last weekend of March. We will celebrate my dads birthday and on Sunday my family will head north back home, on Monday I will head to my first stop on my road trip. Grand Canyon. Then a rest point in Amarillo Texas, then on to my friends in Decatur Texas. If the timing works out ok, she and her husband will follow me to New Orleans. See Bourbon street and eat some yummy food. They will return back to Texas as I carry on to northern Florida where I’ll stop and jump in the crystal clear spring water and swim with the manatees. From there I will finish my road trip in Ft. Lauderdale and check into crew housing. I usually go on a yearly cruise with my daughter and friends. They will be going without me this year, but will come to Florida a few days before their ship leaves. Then she will board her ship on April 11th and I will start classes!
Crazy's Adventures