Week 7: Gulf of Mexico

After one week of relaxation and getting PattyWaggin back to health, it was time for some fun in the sun!  Dad and I went to Cedar Key and Horseshoe Cove, both located on the Gulf of Mexico.

Cedar Key
Cedar Key is about 1.5 hours southwest of Dad’s house and where his RV stays most of the year.  He had a board meeting for the RV Park on Thursday, 2/6 so we got up early and headed to Cedar Key for the day.  We stopped at the RV park so I could meet some of Dad’s “snowbird friends”, including Harley (a 140lb Bernese Mountain Dog).  After our greetings, we headed to downtown Cedar Key and stopped at Tony’s for lunch.  Tony’s won the Clam Chowder World Championship three years in a row thus retiring the recipe into the Great Chowder Cook-Off Hall of Fame.  With so many accolades, Dad and I went for the “superbowl” size.  The chowder was one of the best I have ever tasted, but I don’t think I would order a superbowl again.  If you’re interested, they now sell it in cans (www.tonyschowder.com)!

Tony's famous superbowl clam chowder

Trooper waiting somewhat patiently outside

Dad & the pups ready to check out Cedar Key

Even though the weather was cool and rainy, I decided to stay in Cedar Key for a few hours while Dad attended the board meeting.  Cedar Key is a tourist area but since it’s winter, and I’m assuming northern Florida isn’t a popular snowbird destination, it was quiet and many stores were closed.  Trooper and I walked around the tourist beach area for a while then headed out on highway 24.  We found a short trail called Railroad Tressel Nature Trail that took us out into the back bayou.  I wanted to let Trooper in the water, but was worried about alligators so I only let him wet his paws.  

Cedar Key Bayou

T in the back bayou

On our walk back towards the beach, I found Kona Joe’s Cafe and since it was starting to drizzle, I stopped for a cup of coffee.  The cafe had a wonderful wraparound covered patio and allowed dogs.  The owner insisted that I try their key lime pie.  I can’t remember the last time I had key lime pie, so I happily ordered a slice with a mocha.  It was yummy!  The graham cracker crust was buttery and crisp and the key lime was the perfect balance of sweet and tart.  As I enjoyed my afternoon snack, the skies opened and rain poured down.  Living in Seattle, downpours are rare and I was thrilled to be on a covered porch enjoying the sound and smell of heavy rain.  

Kona Joe's - a must visit cafe in Cedar Key

Clearly T is distracted

And now we know why!

Delicious key lime pie... and this is "light on the whip"

Bathroom decoration at Kona Joe's... perhaps Starbucks' next mermaid?

T & I waiting out the storm... and yes, the boat is sitting on land in low tide

As soon as the rain let up, T and I headed back to the beach to wait for Dad.  As we waited, the temperature dropped and a thunderstorm rolled in over the water.  Thunder is something that I miss from the East Coast, so I sat under a pavilion and just enjoyed it.

Trooper wishing the sand was snow!

Trooper & I waiting for the thunderstorm

Horseshoe Cove
On Monday, 2/10 Dad, his friend Dennis and I headed to Horseshoe Cove for a day of fishing because they heard “Horshshoe is hot”!  Dad has a little fishing boat and even though I wasn’t allowed to fish, I was looking forward to a day on the water.  I was also very excited to have fresh caught fish for dinner that night!  Our plan was to be on the water two hours before high tide and two hours after.  When we started trolling out to the channel, it dawned on me that this was my Monday morning commute and all I could do was smile.  The days of Monday morning dread seem far behind me and I love it!  It was surprising how shallow the water was; even though we were miles from shore, the depth averaged 4 - 5 feet.  The sky was blue, the winds calm and the air had a nice chill to balance the warmth of the sun.  Unfortunately, the fish were no where to be found.  The entire four hours on the water, neither Dad nor Dennis had even a nibble.  At one point, they “went to the bottom” with live shrimp and got nothing (apparently, this is a sure way to catch bottom dwellers like catfish).  The hubbub about “Horseshoe being hot” was false; or perhaps, that is just how fishing goes.  The highlight for me was the dolphins.  They were all around us coming in with the tide and bait fish.  There is something so peaceful about being on water and the dolphins made it a very special day.

Beautiful start to a Monday morning

Check out the depth finder and the shoreline far far away

Highlight of my day!

Gulf bait still very much intact 

Tanning the feet

Dad chillin' and fishin'

Father / Daughter time

Beautiful pelicans

New meaning to "house boat" 

Pelican closeup

Dad with his serious face on to line up the boat

Misc. Photos

Target practice... who has the better shot?

This is a common sign in FL and I don't need to be told twice!! 

T & I enjoying Oleno State Park

Final Thoughts

Typically this time of year, Trooper and I are spending weekends in Washington’s Cascade Mountains skiing and snowshoeing.  It’s strange to be in warm and sunny weather in winter, and there is a part of me that heavily misses the mountains and snow.  Trooper most definitely misses it, but has validated his name; he is SUCH a trooper at everything we do and everywhere we go.  Even though Florida is not my place of choice, I am finding beauty in it.  There is accessible water everywhere, the birds are distinctly beautiful, and the state parks are very well taken care of.  And of course, my father and Vanessa live here, so the snow will have to wait.  I can’t remember the last time I spent two weeks with my father and I cherish the time we have had.  I have been reminded where I get my determination, common-sense, and sweet tooth!  Dad, thank you and I love you!

Until next time...

Week 6: Fort White FL R&R

I arrived at my father’s house in northern Florida Monday, 1/27 just in time for dinner and 4 days before his 71st birthday.  The drive included leaving Louisiana, passing through Mississippi and Alabama, and ending in Florida.  

Fort White, FL

Leaving New Orleans and heading East out of the storm

Fort White & PattyWaggin
After being a road warrior for a while, I was happy to be settling into Dad’s house for a couple of weeks.  My father, his wife Carol and their dog Amos live in Fort White which is about 30 minutes northwest of Gainesville, FL.  Fort White is home to approximately 500 people, three gas stations, a post office, library, two dollar stores, and no grocery stores (and certainly no cafes or Starbucks!).  It may not be a thriving metropolis, but it is certainly a perfect place for R&R.  Amos and Trooper didn't exactly become best friends, but Trooper developed a devotion for my father and followed him everywhere. 

Best buds

Since Dad is an avid RVer, we spent most of Tuesday checking out PattyWaggin.  After 4,000 miles, she needed an oil change, the refrigerator door was broken, the nav system was still not working, my mountain bike rubbed off paint in the back, and she was in dire need of a thorough cleaning.  We spent several days running errands, repairing what we could and cleaning up my “home”.  I must write that after our efforts, she never looked better!

Dad starting to wash... clearly the ladder meant he was serious!

Me on the roof (Dad made me get up there)

True team effort!

Happy Birthday Dad!

As I mentioned in my last post, I didn’t expect to be in Florida 30 days after leaving Seattle, but as fate would have it, I was and was able to celebrate my father’s birthday with him.  I had the house to myself Friday morning and baked double chocolate walnut brownies from scratch.  The simple pleasure of baking in a full kitchen with a real oven and all the baking gadgets one could dream of was a luxury not to be taken for granted.  That evening, I took Dad and Carol to dinner at ‘The Great Outdoors’ restaurant in a neighboring town called High Springs.  As soon as I saw ‘Naked Ed’s Low Country Boil’ on the menu, I was sold!  Dinner was delicious and the 2nd round of adult beverages were on the house.  I am very thankful that I was with Dad to celebrate his birthday. 

Dad & Carol enjoying Makers & H2O (second round)

Dad & his baby girl, Amos (yes, she's a she with Amos as her name) 

Like father, like daughter

Naked Ed's Low Country Boil... delicious!

West Virginia Day

Saturday was West Virginia Day.  My father was born and raised in South Charleston, WV and has a commendable hometown pride.  Since there are a significant number of West Virginians in Florida, several folks have organized an annual “West Virginia Day”.  Shortly after arriving at the church for setup, Carol was put on coffee duty and I became the photographer.  I had several folks offer to pay for the photos, so perhaps I have a future as a photographer!?!  It was a fun day connecting with so many people who are humble, genuine, and enjoy making fun of themselves and the stereotypes around WV.

Welcome sign

Dad & Carol selling raffle tickets

I staged this so I could sneak a brownie :)

A room full of West Virginians

The accounted for WV counties

Ichnetucknee Springs
Sunday, I went to Ichnetucknee Springs State Park to check out local flora and try to get Trooper to swim and cool off.  I forgot about East Coast humidity and with temps in the 70’s, it was a bit warm for a 100lb Malamute.  There have been a few days where I find myself craving the cool and refreshing air of the Pacific Northwest.  You may think swimming is a natural instinct for dogs, but apparently that is not accurate.  Trooper is a dog where “sink or swim” leads to him sinking and flailing for the shoreline.  After a few hours of hiking, it was time for both of us to cool off.  Florida is home to natural springs that are crystal clear and refreshingly inviting.  Blue Hole Spring is one of these and where I decided to attempt getting Trooper in the water. I took off my boots, rolled up my pants and stepped off the canoe/kayak platform into the water.  It was invigorating!  I held onto Trooper’s harness and after several minutes, I was able to coax him onto the first step.  He loves water as long as his paws are touching the ground.  As soon as he went for the second step, he sank then began thrashing.  I lifted him back onto the deck and he immediately started running around and spinning in what I refer to as his “happy dance”.  It has become a goal on this journey to teach my dog how to swim.  It was a great day in the local woods and other highlights from this day were finally fixing my navigation system and the incredible Seahawks Superbowl victory!

Baby turtle crossing the trail

T on trail enjoying new smells

T & I ready to cool off in Blue Hole Spring

Most of the week was spent relaxing, repairing, eating great food, cozying up to the wood fire, and enjoying long reminiscing conversations with the family.  It has been a fantastic week and I have been spoiled, so a HUGE thank you to my father and Carol for their incredible hospitality (and to Amos for letting T invade her space)!

Carol's homemade carrot pie... yes, carrot pie and it's more delicious than pumpkin pie!

Final Thoughts
As I drove the 4,000 miles to Fort White, I realized two things.  The first is that for people who think our country is overpopulated, I highly suggest getting in a vehicle and driving.  Traveling through places like Northern Arizona and Texas, and southern Louisiana and Alabama gave way to mile after mile of nothing but pure, raw nature.  It was beautiful, reassuring and comforting to see.  The second thing is that there are a lot of people living in poverty.  Driving across the country through many remote and rural areas opened my eyes and left a lasting impression.  I am very grateful for what I have and hope that these experiences will help me to live more simply and have more compassion for others.

enjoy & until next time...

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!