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!

Week 4: Grand Canyon to Sedona

On Friday 1/17, I decided it was time to leave the Grand Canyon and head to Flagstaff, AZ.  I was excited because the Grand Canyon South Rim, Flagstaff and Sedona are relatively close which limited driving time to 136 miles and 3 hours.  This part of the country is simply spectacular!

Flagstaff, AZ
Flagstaff is one of those places I’ve wanted to visit for a long time.  Since the drive was so short, I went straight into historic downtown to check things out. Trooper and I walked around town for a couple of hours, found a new pair of hiking boots at Aspen Sports, met some locals, and ended up at Macy’s European Cafe for a vegan BLT and delicious mocha (note here that fake bacon is pointless).  I found a KOA just north of downtown that is located at the base of Elden Mountain giving T and I a good early morning hike Saturday before heading back into town.  I stopped by a local favorite called Martanne’s and enjoyed chilaquies (thank you Jared Jelsing for the suggestion!).  It looked a little questionable but was delicious and ended up being lunch and dinner.  Flagstaff is a cute hippie college town with a lot of great shops, cafes and restaurants, but I found myself somewhat uninterested and unsettled.  Over the years, I romanticized Flagstaff in my head but now that I was there, I just wasn’t feeling it.  After only one night, I decided to push on to Sedona.  

Chilaquies and fresh squeezed OJ at Martanne's... ironically the only photo from Flagstaff.  I believe they are tortillas, eggs, cheese, onions and my addition of chorizo with sides of hash browns, rice, beans and a tortilla... yes please!!

Sedona

The drive to Sedona was only 25 miles on route 89A which gives the Pacific Highway a run for its money!  It was steep, curvy and tight.  Fortunately, there were so many cars heading to Sedona for MLK holiday weekend, I wasn’t the slowpoke keeping everyone from their destination.  The red rocks started showing up around Oak Creek Canyon and I knew I made the right decision to leave Flagstaff.  I suppose this is a lesson for the remainder of my journey: if I’m feeling it, stay; otherwise, push on to find a place where I'm feeling it!  Sedona was indeed one of these places.  The red rocks have a warmth and beauty to them that is mesmerizing.  I learned that over millions of years, sandstone and limestone were left by a receding ocean.  The sandstone was covered by iron oxide and through a natural process, rust formed.  All the beauty comes down to rust!

Sedona red rocks... amazing welcome

Sedona homes nestled nicely into the landscape as to not disturb the amazing views

Just another amazing view of Sedona

Coffee Pot Rock in the center (looks like a percolator facing right)

New Friends
I drove right to Rancho Sedona RV Park because it was highly rated and what an awesome place!  It is located on the creek just below ‘Sedona Uptown’ allowing me to walk into town and the Tlaquepaque market area.  Within several minutes of pulling in, I met Jane who lives at the RV park.  At first sight, she made me giggle with her Jesus sweatshirt, cowboy hat (that is too big for her), pink sparkly sunglasses, and Precious in a puppy Bjorn (Precious is a 5 pound Maltese).  We started chatting and next I knew, the sun was setting and hours had past.  Her story is an interesting one; going from a rough childhood to Reiki Master to Indian Reservation Singer to born again Christian.  I thoroughly enjoyed her company and looked forward to spending time with her in Sedona.  After Jane left, I ran into David and Margaret from Ontario.  I met them at the Grand Canyon just a few days earlier when I was waiting on the rim for the moon to rise.  It was great to see them again and compare notes from the past few days.  Even better, they live close to Banff and Jasper, so I will have a place to stay next fall when I pass through.  I knew Sedona would be a magical place!

Jane and Precious

Schnebly Hill rocks behind the RV Park

Marg's Draw Hike

Saturday, 1/18 was my first night in Sedona and also the first night I didn’t need heat in the RV.  It was perfect weather for “camping”!  Sunday, Trooper and I went out for a 3-hour hike on Marg’s Draw.  It was one spectacular view after another.  Jane warned me about Javelinas which are pig-like desert dwellers that if cornered can do some damage.  One of the locals told me males can get up to 80 pounds!  Fortunately, we didn’t see any or smell them (apparently their stench is so bad you’ll smell them far sooner than seeing them).  It was sunny, warm, and wonderful!  After the hike, I left T in the RV and walked to “Uptown” to check out the tourist area.  My two purchases included buffalo jerky and a bottle of Arizona Syrah (what else does one need and who knew they grew wine grapes in AZ?).

Hike start with excited pup

Beautiful sunrise and "rusty" trail

Check out Snoopy Rock on the right... he is on his back facing up with his feet to the very right of the photo then his belly and nose

T off leash loving the chilly morning and different smells 

Another beautiful view

Beautiful morning light on Schnebly Hill

Lunch spot and loving the new hiking boots

Our turnaround spot

Sedona purchases

Local Tour

On Monday, I was blessed to have Jane drive me around for a local tour.  She took me to Cathedral Rock, Airport Drive (a local fav to get a 360 degree view), and Chapel of the Holy Cross.  The Chapel is built into the red rock and is an impressive sight (thank you Alice Frye for the recommendation!).  The sun was setting so I got some great photos, including some climbers who (illegally) were on top of Cathedral Rock. That night, I took Jane to dinner as a thank you.  We ate at a Southwestern place called Javelina’s and enjoyed delicious steak fajitas and margaritas!

Jane and I on top of Airport Drive

Cathedral Rock... one of the most photographed sights in AZ 

Cathedral Rock at sunset

Elephant Rock... see it?

Chapel of the Holy Cross at sunset... absolutely breathtaking to see in person

Backside of Cathedral Rock at sunset... see the climbers on top of the spires to the very left?

Thankfully I had my high zoom lens... what a place to watch a Sedona sunset!

Beautiful sunset before dinner... see Elephant Rock on the very left?

Delicious dinner and drinks before saying goodbye to Jane and Sedona

Sedona is known for its spiritual energy vortexes, which are believed to be spiritual locations where the energy is right to facilitate prayer, meditation and healing.  Sedona also has one of the highest concentrations of UFO sightings in the US.  Some people believe the aliens are attracted to the magnetism in the red rock spires.  After four days, I saw a lot of beauty but no UFOs… at least, I don’t think I did.

Final Thoughts
I was sad leaving Sedona and what I'll consider the west coast because much of this section was alone time in nature's most beautiful locations.  I feel incredibly blessed to have seen so many amazing things in a short time, and even luckier because places like Yosemite, Grand Canyon, and Sedona are now a part of me.  I have a lot of driving ahead of me but also many friends and family that I will spend time with and reconnect after far too long.  This part of my adventure will be different, but a difference that I am very much looking forward to!

See you soon ;)