4,000 Miles to The Loneliest Road – Jackson, CA, USA, July 16, 2022

We have spent the last several days travelling Route 50 which looks something like this. Nothingness.

One of the days when we were going through Great Basin National Park, we passed exactly 11 cars and one gas station over the course of our 300ish miles.  This brings us a new element to our trip where we now plan our daily destination then get to cross check the gas stations vs. milage to ensure we can make it without having to walk!  Route 50 is called the loneliest road and is said to be one of the most dangerous in Nevada due to some of the switchbacks but since there was no adverse weather, I think we were fine.

Since Ron did a 3,500-mile trip report, I decided to tag on with my own in random order.  These are my “lessons learned.”

• We have not paid over $5.69 per gallon for gas
• There is a place called Hidden Valley.  It’s in Utah and they don’t make salad dressing there. 
• The west has brought on a whole set of road dangers including haboobs, dust storms, scorching heat, overheating brakes, and cattle grids.
• Doing the “hotel shuffle” can get old but we had added a few new tools to our bag like the priceline app which seems to be helping us.  When we start to feel this way it helps to stay put for a few days til we feel up to the challenge again.
• I am surprised how many hotels offer laundry
• While Ron’s Road song may be “Horse with No Name”, mine sounds more like “Holiday Road” (movie Vacation).
• People we have met on the road have two questions for us.  “You didn’t really ride all the way from Ohio, did you?”  The other question is, “Where’s the trailer?”  I guess they can’t believe we can come this far on a motorcycle with so little stuff.  It is kind of funny and clear they think we are nuts.

But all in all, we are still having fun, seeing cool stuff, and this is worth the challenges it brings with it.

It’s a Conspiracy – Panguitch, UT, USA – Bryce National Park, July 14, 2022

We were still worn out from our walk through the Narrows yesterday but had to push on since there were no more hotels in Zion. So off we went to Bryce National Park. We arrived about noon and decided to do a drive through the park & Dixie National Forest for starters since neither of us were interested in hiking. The park was lovely, but I almost felt bad since I was too tired after seeing Zion, and had a hard time summoning the proper set of ooh’s and ahh’s it probably deserved. I kind of wish I had come here first, then Zion. At least we didn’t fly into the oh-so-technical Bryce Airport with it’s top notch security and we did avoid all the prairie dogs!

Then, on our way to find a hotel which was more of a process than we wanted, it started to rain.  I swear the rain God, Heat Fairy, and what’s that guy from Allstate…Mayhem?  It’s a conspiracy and they are all in it together.  But we did manage to find a motel.  You heard right, motel complete with 1950’s pink & green tile and original prison sink.  I forget how much having a separate faucet for hot and one for cold is a pain, but it was clean, so we stayed.

The next morning after we had dried out, we headed over to hike and give Bryce it’s fair shake. We hiked the Queen’s Garden trail to Navajo Loop though “Wall Street.” Which really means we got up close and personal with the Hoodoos. While a hoodoo is a religious practice in the Caribbean, it’s a pinnacle of weathered rock here in the US. They were beautiful and I take back what I said earlier about the ohhing and aahing. Even the Red Canyon is lovely and the dirt is a very firey orange instead of the reddish purple we had seen in New Mexico and Sedona.

One surprising thing about the park was the amount if fire damage we saw here.  It was considerably more than anywhere else.  The “Left Fork” fire had damaged over 4,000 acres of Dixie National Forest which overlaps with Bryce Canyon.  I also learned that the designation of national forest doesn’t have the same protections as a national park.  In a national forest, resources are managed for sustainability, but they can be removed from the park.  For example, there is logging in Dixie National Forest which is not allowed in Bryce National Park where no resources can’t be taken.  There are 154 National forests & grasslands in the US which occupy 8.5% of U.S. land and is roughly the size of Texas.

The Heat Fairy – July 11, 2022, Zion National Park, Utah, USA

The heat fairy is a bitch.  I know this since I have had heat stroke 2 of the last 3 days.  On top of this, we lost the brakes on the bike today.  We were enjoying a perfectly lovely 100-degree day coasting through the switchbacks of the park, until we weren’t.  OK, it isn’t as bad as it sounds since it was only the back brakes, and my biker hubby knows multiple ways to brake.  We pulled over for a bit, enjoyed the views and started again.  We did actually make it down.  And oh the views were amazing!!! 

Zion National Park is a slot canyon like Antelope but has more diversity with the magnitude and ridged cut cliffs like Grand Canyon.  When we started out it was the ridged cliffs followed by the spiraling rocks that had layer after layer of hardened rock that looked like it could have been pulled back like an onion.   There are a couple things I can tell you which won’t be cited in the brochure – halfway through the park it smells like pine and in the tunnel, it gets cold!  Zion is deserving of its popularity. 

The next morning, we had decided to hike “The Narrows” trail. Essentially you walk upriver at the bottom of the canyon. It can range anywhere from ankle deep to upper thigh. It was amazing but after our 4-hour hike we were very happy to jump back on the shuttle!

It’s a Good Day to Die – Boulder City, NV, USA, July 10, 2022

He said if we got started early, we would get there before we die.  He lied.  We had to drive 3.5 hours through Las Vegas and when we got to Hoover Dam, it was 108.  Let’s just say we are stupid.  We didn’t want to hit any of the national parks in a weekend to try avoid the crowds and had to option today of staying another day in Utah or we could drive to see Hoover Dam.  Well, we chose poorly.  For whatever hair brain reason, we left.  Barely alive, we made it.

Hoover Dam is one of the manmade wonders of the world and the sole reason Boulder City exists.  It was made up of all the workers and their families who move here to work on the Dam.  It was originally named Boulder Damn by President Roosevelt, but the name was later changed to Hoover since he had such a large role when Secretary of Commerce getting all the states in agreement and getting the funds approved through congress.  He felt the project as a way to kickstart the economy after the Great Depression and to some degree it worked.  The working conditions were horrible, and the dam took 6 years to complete.  Surprisingly only 96 men lost their lives during construction.  It is very complex and an engineering marvel for the 1930’s.

It is smaller than the Glen Canyon Dam and Ron was a bit underwhelmed.  I am not sure if it was because we were both so spent by the time we got there or it just because it wasn’t what he thought.  Either way, we took our tour then grabbed a hotel to stay for the next couple of days, recovering and deciding next steps now that we were on the sun.

Somewhere along the Mojave Desert on a date I can not remember….

Ever listen to the song “Horse with No Name” by America? You should give it a listen. I have had this song playing through my head since we began this trip, perhaps it was the environment.

To date we are 3500+ miles into this adventure as we sit here at top of Hoover Damn in 114 degree temperatures. So far it has been a pretty epic trip (with not so epic logistic.) Much like in sailing, the weather has dictated when, where, and what time we ride. It was pretty easy until we hit Texas, when once you get west of Texas into New Mexico, you start to experience weather events which include dust storms, monsoons, and surface heat equivalent to the sun. Much like our sailing season we were clueless as to the extent the weather would play. I thought once we get to the southwest it would be hot but monsoon rains and dust storms were not really part of that picture. I should of paid more attention in geography class as a kid! I guess it makes sense, most of the incredible views in the southwest has been made from those monsoon rains and epic wind storms. Unlike sailing weather you can not just listen to the weather report and plan, here in the desert these events tend to pop up at random (or random to me). Thankfully you can see them coming from miles away so you can alter plans accordingly. A ranger told us to stay out of the canyons when there is rain on the horizon, these places tend to flash flood in an instant and well the Harley does not float. Same goes for the wind storms. Dust storms however only happen when the winds top 70MPH+. The reasoning is all the smaller dust has long since been blown away. Higher winds mean larger “pebbles”. I can not imagine riding into one of those. In contrast we have experienced the mushy feeling of the bike tires melting on the desert highway, the sensation of your sunglasses being blown from your face in an unexpected crosswind or a sunburn on top of your SPF75 soaked skin. It has been an adventure!

Back to the logistics of this trip. Since the distance we travel in a day is based on the heat, random weather events and traffic we do not reserve a hotel room in advance. Instead it is easier to just ride until you get tired or find an interesting place to explore. At that point it is easy to find a hotel in that area. Gas stops however require a bit more planning. The Harley gets about 50MPG and holds about 4 gallons of fuel. That gives us range of 200 miles. Seems pretty reasonable until you get to the isolation of some of the desert roads where you can go 50-75 miles with nothing in sight. After a few close calls we now refuel before we get to less then 2 gallons of fuel on board. Ever push an out of gas Harley? I have and you do not want to do it. A long day for us is about 350 highway miles. It’s easy to do in a car where you are protected from the elements but a bit brutal out in the sun, wind and rain. Typically we roll into town, see what hotel options we have, drive by them in an attempt to see if they are in an area where we feel safe that the bike will be there the next morning. You can not really trust the reviews, we have been burnt a few times. All in all it is pretty simple once I put it into words. Going from a life of super structure to one that is changing every few hours is exactly what this journey was suppose to be. The inner growth potential has been incredible!

One last comment before I stop rambling. I have had several people comment on doing this trip on a motorcycle. Sure it is a bit more difficult then in a car where you are sheltered from the elements I have written about above and to be honest, I would not have wanted to do this trip any other way. The experience is so much more immersive. You smell the incoming rain storm, you can feel the temperature changes of the elevation changes. The dry smell of the desert in contrast to the sweet smell of pine as climb out of the valleys. It is just an experience that can not be missed and one we had not intended.

Navajo nation – Kabab, Utah, July 8, 2022

It’s funny just when you think the last thing you saw cannot possibly be topped, there’s more.  The western US in general is incredible but today we had a chance to tour Antelope Canyon.  This is merely by chance, since based on our last-minute booking style, we got the last two tickets for a 9:45am tour and joined a family from Belgium.  Our tour guide was Elijah, who was a native Navajo. 

I know it seems like we do a lot of cave & canyon tours but this one was so different, it is a “slot canyon” and unlike anything else we had ever seen.  The landscape around seemed to be getting rounder & smoother compared to the mountains and the Grand Canyon and they are called spiraling rocks.  It was a mixture of sandstone, limestone, and had a bit of sparkle.  The difference between the Upper and Lower canyons it the Upper is an “A” shape and the lower a “V” shape.  Our guide had photos of when it was closed this past week due to flash floods and they must go in and clean out the canyon.  The water was up to their knees, and he said they spent several days working to get it reopen. 

I guess I didn’t realize when we toured the Grand Canyon that the US National Park only preserves about half of it.  The rest is looked after by Navajo Nation, who also owns and runs all the spiraling canyon tours.  Riding through Navajo Nation was interesting.  There were no farms, no livestock, lots of run-down trailers & RV’s (as their homes), and aside from the few trading posts (gas stations & jewelry stands), I had a hard time seeing how they made a living.  Navajo Nation is a Sovereign Nation which has more acreage that the state of West Virginia and crosses three states including New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah.  Although they are sovereign in nature, the US does own them, and their laws are approved by the department of Interior.  They are considered Wards of the Federal Government and not required to follow state laws where their reservations reside. 

We toured some pretty amazing things here today including Glen Canyon Dam which makes the Powell Lake Reservoir.  It is used as a major source for hydropower and regulates the water equitably across the western states.

Then we HAD to go see horseshoe bend, I mean come on – we were right here!  So even though it was a 20-minute walk and 95 degrees, Ron agreed to let me drag him here.  It was worth it and after our iconic view we drove a bit to settle for the night in Kabab, Utah.  It might be time for a day off soon!

Red Rock Capital – Page, AZ. July 7, 2022

Sedona is a land of stunning red mountain formations, tourism explosion via PINK Jeep tours, and the rich.  We spent the last couple days hiking with Daughter #1 and it has been lovely.  A bit crowded but nothing like I was expecting which was great.  There are benefits to seeing the sights on a Tuesday or Wednesday!

The first day we did a short hike, Sugar Loaf, then checked in before dinner (Mexican, of course). We did not expect $12 beers ouch! We woke the next morning and did a longer hike called Devil’s Bridge.  It is exactly as it sounds but only about 4 miles.  The only deterrent is the heat.  We made it and were glad we did.

Daughter #1 had to get back for plans with friends, so we decided to push forward a few hours spending the night in Williams, AZ.  The next morning, we took our time and drove through Grand Canyon National Park’s south rim.  Doing it on the motorcycle was amazing and we saw so much.  It is truly impossible to capture the vastness of it all.  The Grand Canyon is 278 miles created by the Colorado River over 5-6 million years ago.  It is considered to be a key piece of history for the pueblo people and historians have uncovered many fossils documenting their existence there.

After an incredible day of sight-seeing, we stopped for the night in Page, AZ.

Arizona was a Shocker – July 4, 2022, Phoenix, AZ, USA

Happy 4^th of July!  We arrived here 3 days ago, and it has not been under 103 yet.  Riding a motorcycle in Arizona in July was a stupid idea…honestly, who does this?  It is like riding on the sun.  I was not surprised that it was hot, but I don’t remember it being this hot any other time I have been here.  The surprise was the wind!  One of the rangers said there are no snow days here, but they do have wind days since they cannot operate the school busses when the winds are 50MPH+ and that they can get up to 80MPH.  Haboob anyone?  He warned us not to be in the canyons when the monsoons hit (every day between 12pm-5pm) since that was when there were many rockslides. 

Usually when I came here it was for work.  I flew in, went to the hotel, did whatever event or customer call I was there for, and flew home.  I had not really seen any of Arizona other that Camelback Mountain from a distance and drove through Sedona once.  When I though of AZ I always thought of a new, planned city where all the streets were square, and the rest was just sand.  This could not be farther from the truth about Arizona. 

I have to say, outside of the heat, I forget how beautiful it is here.  On our way here we drove past the Coconino National Forest.  It’s 1.8 million acres in northern Arizona that is almost exclusively pine.  As we drove it smelled like pine.  Sadly, we could see some of the damage to not only the pine forest but as we drove to the hillsides covered in cacti as well.  There were only skeletons of them left standing.

Our first stop was to see the Petrified Forest.  It’s the only forest I have seen where none of the trees are standing up and I was not expecting to see trees made of quartz.  It appears they have been cut but actually, when they start to stick out of the mountains, break when the sands move from under them.  They are beautiful.  It’s a smaller national park and only about 350 miles and I don’t remember hearing much about this as I think it is overshadowed by the Grand Canyon, but it was a worthy stop, and I am glad we got a few hours there before the rain chased us out

This national park is also home to the painted desert and rainbow mountains, and they are stunning.  It was time to dig out the drone!  Ron took a bunch of footage, but we aren’t going to post since it is very choppy so take a look at the photos instead.  The layers of colorful rock were caused by the movement of the tectonic plates and volcanos (which are no longer active).

Daughter #1 was the reason for our expedition to Phoenix.  She was the only one we had not seen in over 6 months, and it was way overdue.  The other reason is she has an upcoming job that starts in September in Spain so we wanted to get some time with her before she left not knowing what our schedule looked like.  We ended up staying on Phoenix over the holiday and due to the heat, talked her into going to Flagstaff with us for a few days the following week.  Since we had pushed hard and ridden everyday for a while if was a welcome break for us too.   

Skipping in the Desert – June 29, 2022, Albuquerque, NM, USA

We waved goodbye to the Cadillac Ranch and welcomed Pistatioland.  Yep – we are in New Mexico.  We didn’t get to stop for a snack there but decided to hit Russell’s Travel Center and Café instead.  It is supposedly one of the nostalgic gas stations & diners.  The bonus is it also has a car museum, so we took a quick stroll.  By the way, Elvis has entered the building.

I have to say the views during our ride today were stunning.  The landscape is really changing as we rode through the Sandia Mountains, which include the Cibola National Forest, we could see why it was being preserved.  There are 14 mountain ranges in New Mexico in total.  There was also evidence of the recent wildfires with charred trees but the landscape was making a comeback, especially since now was monsoon season.

Lastly is the dilapidated buildings on Route 66 which as actually iconic but have fallen into despair over the years.  You can still see the neon signs, which no longer light, but some have been long since boarded up and abandoned.  It is a bit of a ghost town at times.

Deep in the Heart – June 28, 2022, Amarillo, Texas, USA

Wrapping up Oklahoma and heading into Texas we were greeted by acres and acres of windmills.  They were huge and we were surprised by how big these wind farms were as they could be seen throughout most of the Texas Panhandle.  Wind comprises 20% of the power in Texas and Oklahoma it provides 33%.  There is argument as to how green this technology is but none the less there is a hypnotic quality about watching these mesmerizing windmills.

We made a detour off Route 66 to head south to stay in Decatur, Texas.  Ron had connected with one of his childhood friends from West Virginia who now lives in Texas with his new wife.  It was a fun dinner and thank you to Ricky & Sue for your hospitality and showing us the town. 

We awoke the next morning to a cloudy cold day and not 20 minutes into the ride, my wish came true.  It started to rain.  We donned our rainsuits, said goodbye to the bull at Jolly’s, and braved the storm on our way to Amarillo to stay the night.  I am getting better by the way.  I got the rain suit on and off by myself this time…just not gracefully.

Our last stop as we headed out of Teas was the iconic Cadillac Ranch.  It is an art exhibit installed in 1974 by an oil tycoon and over the years the cars have been graffitied and repainted but now that the daughter that owns it simply let’s the graffiti remain as part of the exhibit.  One of the cars was even set on fire in 1991, however, all 10 cars remain.  Thanks Texas and we’ll see you next time!

Over 1,500 miles and 6 states in, Ron and I pulled into Springfield, MO last night after riding through the Ozark National Forest. It ended up a humid 96 degrees so we rode past the National Quilt Museum, crossed through IL into Missouri, and finally crossed the mighty Mississippi River. We saw a gentleman at Taco Bell proudly wearing his gun on his waste. Not exactly sure why since there is little that can kill you in the heart of the midwest other then the summer heat. Missouri is filled with mega-farms that stretch as far as the eye can see and we headed onward this morning at a milder 69 towards Oklahoma!

On our way in search of Route 66, we got to try out our rainsuits. Note to self, my rainsuit is easy to get on over my shoes and less easy to get off. Must practice. Anyway, our ride today was a contrast to yesterday and as we are clearly in the plains and they are not kidding about the whipping wind! We didn’t see any tornadoes, but we did see a sign stating “Hitch Hikers May be Escaped Inmates.” Well, good to know I guess!

We finally picked up Route 66! This is called the “Main Street of America” due to it’s historic nature helping folks move out and settle the west. It is no longer a national highway but is now owned and operated in each individual state and it has been renamed in some places. In Oklahoma…it’s even a toll road! We made it to Oklahome City with only one thing on the agenda, the Memorial.

I don’t think the Memorial was at the top of my list of things to see but honestly, it is the most amazing thing we have seen so far and if you get the chance to visit – DO! I remember 1995 and the devestation of the bombing. 168 people we killed at 9:02am on Wednesday, April 19, 1995, 19 children were lost that day as there was a daycare center on the second floor of the building and another one nearby. Before September 11, 2001, it was the deadliest attack on US soil. The memorial includes a reflecting pool honoring the rescue workers, survivial tree honoring those who survived and were change, a field of chairs representing those who died that day.

The sole purpotrator who executed the bombing was executed in 2001 and there is an incredible documentary on this event. It tells the story of this right wing, white supremists. Even though the bombnig took place 27 years ago, The Memorial is a chilling reminder of the senseless violence we live in even today. Let me ask you, do you like what you see on main street?

Ron and I started the first few days post-Columbus in Cave City, KY. He got to do some work and we managed to not only catch the Onyx Cave Lantern Tour but also do a 5 mile hike the next day. Our Ranger for the cave tour was a riot and he made it very fun. The cave we had chosen was a a mix of both dry and wet so we got to see many stalagtites and stalagmites in addition to one I have not heard before – a helotite. They baffle scientists and they have not idea how they grow sideways against gravity but they do! It was 95+ degrees and the 55 degree cave was the perfect activity. The dry part of the cave spawns gypsum flower since it is so dry and they are exquisite!

The most interesting thing our guide told us was about “the cave wars” of Kentucky. After many years of families trying to make money off their land some got together and decided to sell. The government enacted eminent domain on the others who did not want to sell. They would grant them a sum of money and come while the family was at church and bulldoze their house to renaturalize the land for the newly named National Park! He simply warned us that not all folks in Kentucky have a positive view since many are families of the eniment domain victims. I had no idea!

Our next stop was going to be Nashville but we decided ahead of time that since it was their pride celebration weekend, and their have been threats from white supremists groups to all the pride celebrations, it wasn’t a place we wanted to be. We have planned to bike over, have lunch and walk around a bit, then keep going outside the city. In addition, all the hotels were $300+.

120 miles later we arrived in Nashville and boy, was I unprepared. The crowds were insane. Not only that, but it was a cross between Bourbon Street and Las Vegas. There were lines for most bars and mind you it was 10:30 on a Friday morning! We knew we didn’t belong here since it appeared to be halloween and all the girls chose the costume – slutty cowgirl. So to get my money’s worth, I dragged Ron off the main drag over to a few capital buildings which were lovely.

We grabbed a quick lunch at the Food Hall the headed out. Another 100 miles later we stopped in Paducah. Our fun sights today included the Fruit of the Loom World HQ, the Nashville in all it’s “glory”, Corvette Museum, and we were even on the trail of tears for a while. We wrapped up with a beer at the Thirsty Turtle.

Goodbye Ohio, Hello Kentucky – En Route to Kentucky, June 21, 2022

We have had a fun and exhausting week in Ohio visiting family and friends.  We have managed to do lunch with friends, endless happy hours, dinner dates, family visits, and even a retirement party.  In and amongst our social calendar, Ron painted and mount a new trunk for the motorcycle, perform his magic engine maintenance of oil changes etc., get a new tire and helmet for the bike, and lastly, installed a new backrest for both of our seats!   

A bit about the bike.  It’s a 2016 Harley Davidson Road King.  It’s a beautiful bike and I picked it out myself.  We found one that was a good price in Florida and Ron flew down and rode it home over the span of 2 days and 1100 miles.  It’s beautiful and I love riding with him.  I would not ride a motorcycle with just anyone but feel good since Ron has been riding since he could walk, did competitive off road racing through high school and college and had more trophies them I could count!  I love being married to a guy who is literally good at everything.  I would say our riding style falls somewhere between Sons or Anarchy and Brothers Gang which is mainly a club full of Orthodontist and Dentists.  We are mostly law abiding citizens. We do not belong to a crime ring. We wear hemlets/sunscreen/ear plugs, and just enjoy this as a means of travelling.  We rode a lot of day trips before we retired, and Ron has had a motorcycle as long as I have known him.  It also aligns well with the $5 gas prices as we can remain carless, get double the miles per gallon, and still get to do what we want, when we want.  It fits our off-season sailing plans nicely.

Thus far we started off our trip leaving Columbus for Cleveland, coming back to Columbus for a day and them completing our longest single day ride – 400 miles.  We have not joined the Iron Ass Club yet but by California they may induct us into their tribe.  After having the privilege of sharing the road today with Cornbread Express Trucking, passing through not only Campbellsburg but Big Bone Lick Ohio State Park (no lie!), missing out on the Kangaroo Petting Park and the (sadly booked – who doesn’t want to stay in a wigwam?) Wigwam Motel, we decided to stop in Cave City Kentucky for a few days of R&R and a change of scenery in our cheap but 4+ star hotel.  Hello Kentucky.

Personal Terrors – Cleveland, Ohio June 19, 2022

Let’s kick off today’s fun post by reviewing what hotel star ratings really mean.  Ron and I have gotten a crash course in this the past week as we have had two scary/icky hotels. 

1 Star – Hooker Hotel.  This was our first hotel when we hit planet Columbus.  While technically they got three stars this one breaks the rule where ratings matter and we need to note that comments are important too.

2 Star – Trailer Park.  These hotels are designated by crunchy sheets with cigarette burns in them, sticky floors, and without naming names let’s just say I wish they would not leave the light on for me.  After an extremely chilly 58-degree ride towards Cleveland, we stopped in Ashland, Ohio hoping to warm up and just grab a hotel.  Unfortunately, they were all sold out but this one.  It didn’t look terrible but 1 hours after checking in we decided we could stand it no longer and checked back out.  At least we got a refund and moved along to Middleburg Heights where we found a much better place.

3 Star – Family Central.  This is your typical stay designated by the halls being mobbed by kids typically at some sort of sporting tournament.  You have the soccer mom’s cooking the family dinner of hotdogs in their hotel coffee pots and simply hope you don’t share a wall with one of them.

4 Star – Corporate Road Warriors.  These are the hotels where everyone is expensing it and they pretty much keep to themselves leaving the common spaces largely untouched.  The upside here is there is usually a nice breakfast included.

5 Star – Land of the Rich.  I think I have only stayed on a 5 star once or twice, always on the company dime, and it tends to have an inordinate number of wealthy women who seem to do nothing but keep the onsite spa full.

Ron and I decided we fall somewhere between the 3 & 4 star hotels and if we are lucky, 4+.  See we want something clean but are too cheap to pay consistently for a 4+ however we do occasionally find one with a really good price and are most comfortable here being prior corporate travelers.  Now that we have personally familiarized ourselves with these ratings, we hope to have better luck with our hotel choices!

At least we got to top off our time with a great visit with Daughter’s #2 & #4 for Father’s Day and Ron for to face one of his fears…heights.  The kids decided we were going ziplining.  The poor guy hardly survived.  See for yourself.

A few things Sally and I have realized the past few months is we do not do well with downtime. We came from two busy careers, raised four kids and bought/built/sold several houses. Downtime is not a something we do well. We hauled Mariposa mid April, then spent a month doing boat projects to prepare for next season. The next month we spent on Jekyll Island house sitting while completing a few more boat projects. Once we ran out of boat projects the days began to grow longer and longer. At one point we decided to try and walk around the island on only the beach. That only took a few days, so then we decided to walk on all of the walking trails that spread over the island. A week later that was competed. Now what? I guess we could of attempted to swim about the island however much of that is marsh and very real idea of running into an alligator, we quickly passed on that foolish idea. It is not a very big island but in those few weeks we walked about 145 miles, dodged thunderstorms, changing tides and relentless bugs. Georga insects are no joke! If you want to check out our tracks you can see them here Jekyll Island Walkabout.

In a few days we fly to Columbus. Pull the bike out of storage, spend a week prepping it. Pack four months worth of clothes in a backpack and hit the long and windy road to the West Coast. Being homeless is not really a bad life. It does give us freedom to make the most out of our days.

We fill these walks with discussions about what is next, knowing that the end of hurricane season is another 5 months away, putting Mariposa back in the water was not the best idea. We talked about traveling to Europe to explore but with Covid & the war still lingering that was not the best choice. We could up our walking game and hike the Appalachian trail. It is a bit late in the season to make a reasonable attempt at that. We no longer have a car, so perhaps we could pick up a van and travel the US. With a bit of research, we quickly realized car prices are still insane, the camp grounds are totally full and gas prices only going up. So we shelved that idea. Out of the blue my incredibly adventurous wife suggested we ride the Harley across the US. We still own that and it would solve the issue of renting or buying a car. We have to visit our oldest daughter in Arizona so why not take it. I instantly wrote this idea off. When we purchased the Harley it was in Florida, and I remember flying down to ride it home with only a helmet and a backpack of tools. That trip consisted of 1200 miles over two days from southern Florida to Ohio, spanning the summer heat of Florida afternoons, and then navigating the late day thunderstorms followed by the cool nights in the mountains. Sounds fun right? Of coarse it does, the learning curve is small, I have ridden motorcycles as long as I have been able to walk and this seemed like the relaxing adventure we were looking for.

 Housesitting – Jekyll Island, Georgia, US, May 21, 2022

Our housesitting has been fun.  Weird but fun.  It’s hard to come to my parent’s house when they are not here.  However, we have had the time we needed to get a few big projects completed and the downtime we needed before heading out west. 

The first big project we knocked off the list was the sail bag or Stack Pak as sailors call it.  This bag is basically a bag that wraps around the main sail and protects it from the weather. It is huge some 18 feet long and heavy. Ours was not only in sad shape but since our boat was once a charter boat, it was the ugly “charter boat blue.”  This didn’t match any of the new canvas items we had made which were a nice grey.  We got a quote to have one made and it was $2,800!  Well since we are retired and had the time, we decided to get a secondhand walking foot sewing machine, the materials, and do it ourselves for about $900.  It was quite a job and took the two of us 4 days, but we did it!  I think Sailing Hubby had the machine apart about 4 times, but he made it work and we wrestled the huge garment to get it done.  I think it looks great!

Next on the list was replacing our exterior window shades.  We bought the shade fabric and used the machine to do these are well.  Lastly, was the cockpit surround but we have decided to wait and do this on the boat since there isn’t really a pattern and we will need to fit it several times during the process to get it right.

In addition to our own projects, we have kept all the plants alive (green thumb Hubby’s job).  Ron has mowed the lawn and having a big kitchen if helping us to cook the remainder of our pantry staples from the boat.  We still have a few projects and go through our stuff, get rid of some more, and decide what if anything we are taking back to the boat.  Good thing we still have 2 weeks to go.  It would be nice to fit in a beach day or two and some more downtime!

Decision Fatigue – Jekyll Island, Georgia, USA – May 20, 2022

I found myself completely paralyzed at the donut shop.  There were so many to pick from and I just stood there completely unable to do so.  I found myself in this situation a couple times recently since coming off the boat.  I believe I have caught a case of decision fatigue.  One of the hazards of living a nomadic life is it is literally impossible to put anything on autopilot.  You think about where you are and how to get there every time you get in the car.  There are no automatic commutes to work anymore where you know every turn and curve.  Which switch is for the dining room lights?  And now that we are staying in a house, we cannot seem to find anything because it’s so BIG compared to what we have become used to.  It’s amazing.

All the complications of land life make me crave the simplicity I have become accustomed to.  In the Bahamas, there were few decisions that weren’t made for us.  It was never “where do you want to go?”  It was simply this cay offers the best protection for the next storm and the weather told us when to be there.  The answer was not negotiable. 

As I thought through the dilemma of decision fatigue and the concept of autopilot for everyday life, it makes me grateful at the opportunity I have to make every decision and to chose what each day looks like.  Land life gives us the chance to decide where and how to spend our time.  It’s a gift.  I don’t want to live on autopilot as I have been guilty of in the past and maybe I don’t have decision fatigue.  I am simply not asking the right questions.

Our walks in the morning are the only thing that haven’t changed, and we have been lucky in that in Jekyll right now since it is loggerhead turtle season.  We have come across 6 fresh turtle nests so far walking the beaches.  This is good news as their populations are threatened due to habitat destruction (development) and their numbers are closely watched.  Jekyll is home to one of only a few turtle rescue centers on the east coast as well.  Turtles don’t make their decision, they simply come back to the place they were hatched, if they can.  No questions, no decisions. 

Well, that’s that for another few months.  The boat is officially as hurricane ready as she can be, which is good since the GFS weather model shows the potential of one next week!  Anyway, we have spent the remainder of our time in St. Augustine doing the following:

•          Replaced the Sail Drive Seals
•          Installed all new Engine Mounts
•          Changed the oil in all engines
•          Mounted the Dinghy Engine on the Back of the Boat
•          Scrubbing the anchor lockers
•          Unsalted the lines and washed all the fenders
•          Waxed the stainless-steel rails
•          Cleaned and vinegared all surfaces of the inside
•          Bought anchor chain, marked, and installed
•          Washed all linens and clothes
•          Made and installed reflective window covers
•          Removed the dinghy from the boat and secured underneath
•          Removed all sails and sailbag
•          Packed and removed all the food
•          Cleaned the fridge and freezer and installed new seals
•          Filled the diesel and water tanks
•          Mounted the watermaker
•          Designed a new fuel polishing system
•          Scrubbed and degreased the outside of the boat
•          Serviced half of the winches
•          Touched up gel cost on anchor locker
•          Removed all batteries and sunshades
•          Ground out the fiberglass crack
•          Ate A LOT of Mexican food
•          Walked the beach
•          Cleaned our Apartment & turned in the keys!

Yep – That about sums it up!  We were stupid last time and closed it up in two days.  Then we discovered, it was best to take a month and do it right…so that’s precisely what we did!  Much better choice.

Mom and Dad were kind enough to allow us to use their car while we are housesitting in Jekyll, so we also drove the Jekyll to pick up the car, turned in our rental car, and then loaded up!  It was nice to take our time in St. Augustine, but also got a lot accomplished now that I look at the list!  But now, we are happy to be in the “Parent’s Resort!” 

Our projects over the next 3 weeks are to replace our sailbag, make a surround for the helm, and repair our window coverings.  We pre-ordered all our supplies and dragged the sewing machine to Jekyll to entertain ourselves.  Let the fun begin am I right?  We have also settled into a nice pattern of walking our 5 miles a day again which is great, but man are we both sore!

As long as we are gluttons for punishment, we started talking about what happens when we leave Jekyll?  There’s nothing to fix right now!?!?   What will Sailing hubby do?  That’s when we started discussing the next adventure for our off season…taking a motorcycle trip out west.  We knew we were headed out west to see Daughter #1 but didn’t give doing this on a motorcycle much thought until the last couple weeks. 

Then we booked flights to Columbus to go pick up the bike, which is in our storage unit there.  Ron will need to change oil, replace the back tire, and do a bit of maintenance and then we are ready to roll!  The plan is to do a quick Ohio Tour again and start going west.  More to come on this as that is much of the plan as we have at the moment!  Sturgis here we come? 

Safe and sound for a few months.

Let’s get this party started!

Sailing fixit hubby here, sorry it has been a while as I have been busy.   Wow, what a year!  Let us do a quick recap!  Sell everything, quit our jobs, buy a boat, sail to the Bahamas, see incredible things, get our ass kicked a few(dozen) times by weather, horribly miss family, meet incredible friends. fix a lot of things along the way, then come home.   That really describes the last 6 months of our life.  If you have followed along in the blog, you had a front row seat to the good times and the bad.    The combination of those two extremes is what we like to call “The Price Tag”.   The incredible days at Tahiti beach do not come without the crappy weather to get there.   The crystal-clear water of the Exuma Land and Sea park, do not come without the 10 days of enduring shitty weather at Royal Island.   Some of our cruiser friends have nicknamed it “Hotel California”.  You can check out anytime you like but you can never leave.  In many ways they were spot on!  Incredible views, crystal clear water but a 360-degree razor rock shore which made it impossible to leave the boat.  Now that we are back several people have asked was it worth it?   Sally and I have asked ourselves this as well.   To be honest, during the last 6 months we have only talked about selling the boat a half dozen times.  Ironically most of these coming from me, and not Sally.   Being pushed out of your comfort zone is not easy and comfortable, but also the only way to grow in life.   As it turns out Sally is better than I am at this.  Who knew!   

Back to the Price Tag.  The equation of good and bad is pretty equal in the grand scheme of things until you add the amount of incredible people we have meant along the way.   When you factor in those people the good greatly outweighs the bad.   In this already long post, I want to call out a few cruisers that made this season incredible.     

Let us start with Solo Sailor Ben.   We meant Ben at a “dingy drift” in Hope Town on Xmas Eve.   Basically, a dingy drift is where you meet up in your dingy at the center of the bay, with drinks and food.  We all tie our boats together and drift across the anchorage having a great time, until we run out of beer or anchorage space.   Ben is a solo sailor and also a bit older than us.    To give you some background, he sails his boat from Annapolis MD to the Bahamas by himself, most of it offshore.   This means for at least 5 days he did not really sleep, and if he does it is for 10 minutes at a time, knowing in the back of his mind he could get run over by a cargo ship at the next sleep break.   Oh, did I mention Ben is in his mid 70’s?   Ben is hard core.  I want to be him when I grow up!   Ben taught us a lot in the early days and is a lifelong friend!    Side note.  We came back to our boat one afternoon to find a case of beer sitting on the back of our boat.  Beer is like gold in the Bahamas, Hard to find and when you find it, it is expensive.   Ben left it for us because he thought we ran out.    

Next up is Sheet Music.   Sheet Music’s crew is Mike, Lisa and Chipper.  What a great couple for adventure, not to mention the coolest cruiser dog we have ever meant.   Incredible days at the Land and Sea Park picking up plastic, snorkeling, and playing cards in the evening.  What incredible times.   We had to part ways after those days only to be reunited in Long Island later in the voyage.  I am forever grateful to them for going out of their way to bring us an inverter which I somehow blew up one morning.  

Lees’On Life is next on the forever friends list.   We meant Jeff and Karen in Green Turtle Cay towards the end of our voyage.   Perhaps at the height of our most stressful period since we had boat issues at this time.   Not only did they help us secure a mooring in an overly crowded mooring field, but they were also a breath of fresh air we needed in that anchorage.   They were staging with us for the crossing back and we shared the trip back from the Abacos to St Augustine.  They stuck with us for the most stressful point of our trip back.  When left with the choice of getting back, they slowed down to stay with us to make sure we made it back to the states.  In doing so they prolonged the shitty crossing back to help us.  Incredible people we are blessed to meet.   

To save the most impactful for last it is Caribbean Dream.   Not even sure how to describe Wayne and Brenda.   We meant shortly after Hope Town on the crossing to Royal Island and were together until we made it back to St Augustine.  Basically, 4 out of the 5 months.     Brenda taught us how to make incredible “Brenda Bread”, and Wayne every morning endured the weather routers web cast to ensure we had the best options on the next passage.    We shared how much we missed family, how shitty the weather was, and how good the rum tasted.  Lifelong friends! 

If you are still here reading, let me say this one last thing.    Don’t discount the people you meet in life.   Sometimes they are the ones that make it incredible.   Sally and I never gave that idea a second thought.  This past year it taught us perhaps we should.