Week 5: Sedona to Florida

When I pulled out of Sedona on Tuesday, 1/20 I started thinking about my next few stops.  Originally, I wanted to go to Taos Valley and spend a few days skiing and getting T in the snow.  Like most of the West Coast, snow was scarce and Taos was reporting a 36” base, so I decided the 4-hour detour wasn’t worth it.  Since my stay in Flagstaff was shorter than I anticipated and Taos was now off my list, I had enough time to make it to Florida to celebrate my father’s 71st birthday.  I knew it would be a lot of driving, but was excited to get there.  The route included brief stops in Sante Fe, Dallas and New Orleans covering 2100 miles in 7 days.

Sante Fe, NM
After leaving Sedona, I drove about 350 miles before pulling into a travel plaza outside Albuquerque, NM just before dark.  It was one of the worst night’s sleep I’ve had on the trip because trucks continually pulled in and out; and apparently, they like to keep their engines running all night.  I left the travel plaza early Wednesday and headed to Sante Fe, NM.  I found a park along the Sante Fe River Trail and shortly after pulling in, met a local man on his morning walk.  He suggested walking downtown to the plaza and grabbing lunch at The Tea House.  The architecture of Sante Fe is distinctive with one-story earth colored buildings made out of adobe bricks.  Trooper and I walked around for several hours, bought a pair of Merrell clogs at 'On Your Feet', grabbed a mocha and triple berry scone with clotted cream and lemon curd (delicious!) at the Tea House, and then headed back to the RV.  It was close to noon and time to push on.  We ended up driving until 7:30 PM breaking my rule of not driving at night.  Since I wasn't sure where I was and the temperature was going to drop below 20 degrees, I decided to stop at a Best Western southeast of Amarillo, TX.  The warm hotel room and hot shower were very welcomed!  Before bedtime, I messaged Kristen Thomas Beiseidecki, a friend from middle school that I hadn’t seen in 10 years.  She and her family live in Dallas which was on my route.  Fortunately, she was around and happy to have Trooper and I swing by. 

Sante Fe's unique architecture 

St. Francis Cathedral in historic downtown plaza

Sante Fe's River Trail

Dallas, TX
Thursday morning, Trooper and I left the hotel around 10 and headed for Dallas.  It was 340 miles and took just over 5 hours.  We arrived in Trophy Lake, TX around 2:30 and I was impressed to see Kristen’s house, or mansion as I would call it (sorry Kristen, I couldn't resist!).  I spent Thursday through Saturday with Kristen and her family.  It was wonderful reconnecting with her and reminiscing about the “good ole days” of middle and high school.  It’s amazing to me that even though it was 10 years since we saw each other, it was as if no time passed.  There is something very special about childhood friendships.  I grew up in Hawley, PA, perhaps better known as Lake Wallenpaupack in the Pocono Mountains.  I am blessed to be from a small town where no matter how many years pass, friendships still hold true.  I thoroughly enjoyed our time together and look forward to getting our high school girl’s weekend on the calendar.  A very special thank you to Kristen for her incredible hospitality and generosity, as well as her commitment to maintaining friendships!

Somewhere in northeast Texas en route to Kristen's

Trooper enjoying the mansion :)

Middle school buddies reunited!

Where but Texas can you find Sweet Tea Vodka?

The beautiful Biesiadecki girls

New Orleans, LA
We left Dallas Saturday, 1/25 and headed towards New Orleans.  I drove 420 miles before pulling into a Walmart parking lot in Lafayette, LA for the night.  It was a bit creepy, but I slept very well;  I think the partying in Dallas caught up with me!  My father called to tell me there was a storm rolling into the southeast forecasting ice and sleet.  He suggested that I push through to FL to beat the storm, but since I was so close to New Orleans, I decided to stop.  After arriving at the RV Park around noon, Trooper and I walked to the French Quarter to check things out.  It felt like a small southern version of Times Square on New Years Eve.  It was bustling with eclectic people, engaging street performers, and countless bars and restaurants.  Since Trooper is such a conversation starter, I met a few locals that recommended The Corner’s DAT sandwich and Cafe Beignet for dessert.  The DAT sandwich is a play on a BLT with duck bacon, arugula, and tomato on rye.  By now, you may have noticed that I have an addiction to BLTs and mochas.  I didn’t intend to start a cuisine competition, but it has turned into something fun (and delicious!).  The DAT was delectable with the duck bacon, arugula and rye making a surprising but perfect combination.  Right around the corner was Cafe Beignet and although not the famous “must see” Cafe du Monde, its small size and outdoor patio was a great alternative.  I would like to write that Trooper and I split the 3 large beignets, but I couldn’t resist the airy fried goodness covered in powered sugar.  Since I devoured more food than I’ve had in a while, T and I walked around the French Quarter a few more hours.  After meeting several more locals and hearing about the impending storm, I decided getting stuck in New Orleans for several days was not optimal.  So, Monday morning 1/27, we got up early and pushed through 500 miles to Ft. White, FL which took about 8 hours.  It was the first day since leaving Seattle 30 days earlier that it rained, so not a bad first month!  Watching the news over the next couple of days proved that heeding my father’s advice was brilliant.  Sitting next to the cozy wood fire in the new TV room was much better than being stuck at an RV park in the winter storm that caused havoc throughout the region.

Jackson Square & St. Louis Cathedral

A street performer catching attention

The riverwalk & Mississippi River

More street performers

And more street performing

Jackson Square Marketplace

The infamous Bourbon Street

DAT sandwich at 'The Corner' Cafe

Beignets, a mocha, and a drooling pup

Old Man River statue.. a whopping 17 tons of marble

An eye-catching statue in Louis Armstrong Park

Louis Armstrong Park - statue of Jazz Musicians

Monument to the Immigrant... Miss Liberty faces the Mississippi on one side and the other side is an immigrant family facing the French Quarter

Final Thoughts
When I started thinking about taking a year off, I briefly thought about travel abroad.  I'm thrilled that I decided to stay in the country.  This nation has more to offer than I ever imagined.  The diversity and beauty in geography, cultures and people is entertaining and inspiring.  It was 30 days ago that I left Seattle with a few destinations in mind but no timeline and no pressure.  I am in awe of the beautiful places I have seen and the people I have met.  The skies have been blue, the roads clear, and the experiences breathtaking.  I made it to Florida much faster than I expected but know that the path opened up as intended so I could be with my father on his 71st birthday.  It has only been one month and I already feel different in so many ways.  I’m grateful that I have covered over 4000 miles healthy and safe, and I feel more confident everyday in what I’m doing.  I am humbled and thankful to my friends and family for their continued interest and support, and I look forward to seeing many of you in 2014.  THANK YOU!