So far so good

We pulled out of the driveway in Saluda at 6:30 am on Thursday. We had an easy drive to Riverhead, NY. Traveled out to East Hampton and Montauk. Lovely. I got some great pictures, but not yet on here. Soon. We think we found 5 West End Road. Today we traveled to Mystic Seaport, walked all over. Pizza at Mystic Pizza. Now settled down all snug on Cape Cod. More tomorow, actually Sunday as that will be a day of rest. Will work on pictures and making these posts a bit more fun.

Big Trip Planning...

This time we will be sailing via truck and pop up camper. The planning actually began on the way home from our trip to New Orleans in April, 2010. We like that...to start planning a trip on the tail end of a trip...you know hope for the future and all that.

There have been a few adventures since the last post. A last sailing trip on the real Amante and a couple of trips on Blake's new boat Amante II.

Recently I took off with our daughter and newest grandson to Denver for a week. We visited Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Golden and Boulder. It was great and I could hardly believe I was actually there. A week or so after that a hair raising flight to Vermont. Hiked Shelburne Pass, which crosses Long Trail on the Appalachian Trail. Elijah kept telling me "Prepare to say Wow Nonna" When we actually reached the top I had to tell him I needed a better word than wow. Elijah, Althea and I had a long, but very good train ride back to Richmond. We all had a fun, relaxing time on the family beach vacation to Ocracoke.

This first pop up camper adventure will take us to New York, Mystic Seaport, Cape Cod, Cape Ann, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Fenway Park (Go O's) Maine to see Chuck, Vermont, a few state parks along the way. Sure hope some good friends will join us for part of the trip.

More later

Short and sweet

No, it's not that......we are on a short and sweet sailing trip that began yesterday morning at 5:15 a.m. We left from our pier, then down mast under Urbanna bridge, up mast to the town dock where we dropped off captain Blake and away David and I flew. Beautiful day. Not much wind for the first half or so, but a very pleasant sail in to Reedville. Beautiful town, but pu...fishing plant smells...we also saw thousands of dead fish from Kilmarnock in to Reedville, a bit disturbing.

Very hot, but we had the protection of the canopy and an umbrella. We had a short and very hot walk to the musem that was closing as we walked up, bummer.

Good food at the Crazy Crab. Then a good night slumber. David is off giving an estimate, working vacation and then we will be cruising on to Smith Island for the night.

I love this boat. It is a bit of work and we are probably getting too old to do this type of sailing, but this boat has safely vesseled us for so long.....

The road goes on forever

Lots to write about, but will just say....New Orleans welcomed us graciously...friendly, good food, lots of amazing music.. it is like going to another country in a good way.

Macon has been a welcoming experience. This is a very unique town. The 1842 Inn, Rose Hill Cemetery, The Big House, The H&H and Mama Louise where we had fried chicken, collards, corn, snaps, corn bread, gravy, sweet tea and this picture.

"I love being alive and I will be the best man I possibly can. I will take love wherever I find it and offer it to whoever will take it...seek knowledge from those wiser and teach those who wish to learn from me." (source) - Duane Allman, inscribed on grave stone

"Help thy brother's boat across, and Lo! Thine own has reached the shore” Inscription on Berry Oakley's grave stone

Alabama to New Orleans

What a time. Talladega is huge!!! Met some great folks at the camp site. We have a new appreciation for how far race fans will walk to see the race. We really had fun visiting and reconnecting with Charley, Lauren and her sweet children, Chad, Gwen and making new friends. Thanks all y'all...

New Orleans is a hoppin....love it. We had a great lunch at Mothers...rain, wind, thunder, lightening began...so we got some rest.

Palace Cafe for dinner, delicious...bananas foster for dessert. Then a long walk down Bourbon Street, stopped in Johnny Whites. We were surprised how late it was when we got back to the hotel. The rain made everything clean and fresh, but very humid. On our way to dinner we saw our first second line parade. Smiling people.

We are planning a street car ride to some sites today. The foot had quite a workout yesterday. Lots of Jazz fest folks in the hotel. They had 2 inches of rain yesterday during the festival. But, they stayed and after the lightening stopped, the music went on.

More later. On to The Court of Two Sisters. St. Louis Cemetery #1 and more.

On to Bama

Getting ready to head out to see Brother Charley in Alabama. We might spend the night at his camp site in Talledega (it's steak night)...May not get to update until tomorrow. Onward...

Laissez les bon temps rouler

I just like saying and writing the above!

The road trip begins at approximately 2 pm today. We plan to travel to Lexington, NC for some good barbeque (thanks to a suggestion from a well informed friend...you know who you are). Then spend the night somewhere on the road. This morning as I am packing the clothes and the books I think about how long we have been planning this adventure and how the ideas have unfolded, even as I am folding. :) We choose our books and maps as carefully as what we plan to wear.

It is another beautiful morning and looks to be fine weather for the trip. So, here we go.

See you soon.....

We drove 6 hours .. I say we, but not really me...had nice barbeque at Lexington and even had peach cobbler with ice cream for dessert. I cannot make that dessert thing a pattern...It was really good. Stopped in Gastonia for some shut eye. Good night