The Home Stretch (August 30-September 1)

On Monday, I arrived in Oneonta (oh-nee-on-ta), NY around 11:00. I had a "lunch date" scheduled with my poetry comrade, Robb, at Noon, so I strolled around the SUNY Oneonta campus in the meantime. Beautiful! I probably should have stopped by the HR office to check on vacant positions.

SUNY College at Oneonta

I met up with Robb at Noon and we had a nice little chat over lunch. Robb and I met through ACUI where Robb started the CUPSI poetry slam tournament. After meeting all of the great poets from SUNY Oneonta, it was wonderful to finally see the campus and to chat with Robb on his home turf.

Clarion Oaks Golf Club

After lunch, it was off to Clarion, PA to visit my buddy, Steve. I was immediately impressed by Steve's living/working environment at Reinhard Villages. The community is really nice, and the apartments are extremely impressive. I was very comfortable with my own bedroom and bathroom--luxury! I guess Steve joined the "time is now" tour simply by hosting me--I was his first overnight guest in the new apartment. We went to dinner at the Pizza Pub where I enjoyed great pizza and a "fishbowl" of Yuengling lager. The evening was low key with chatting, TV, and relaxing. On Tuesday morning, we ventured out to Clarion Oaks Golf Club for 18 challenging holes of golf. No earth shattering scores to report, but the course was beautiful and the weather was very pleasant. We grabbed a quick lunch at Arby's (OK, not so quick--I ate nearly two meals), then I cleaned up a bit before the next road trip. Prior to departure, Steve gave me a tour of the Reinhard Villages Community Center, including his office. After the tour, it was time to move on to Ohio.

Steve at his office desk

Me from Steve's desk point of view

I did attempt a quick visit with Brett, a fellow BGSU alum and student affairs colleague, who works at Clarion University. However, parking and timelines were working against me. Ohio was beckoning, and it was time to answer the call.

I arrived in Columbiana, OH just in time to meet Erich after work. We chatted briefly and then headed out for 9 holes at Lake Front Golf Course where Erich had a pretty good round (40-something) and I...well, I did not. After golf, we stopped by the Canfield Fair Grounds so Erich could take care of a few details before opening day. Dinner and Golden Tee video golf were fully enjoyed at Aces Wild Wings in Boardman; I stuffed myself with pierogies, a reuben sandwich, and some wings (and a salad? don't remember). We stayed up pretty late just hanging out that night.

Wednesday morning was my 37th birthday, and I started it right--I slept in! While Erich was at work, I took the opportunity to catch up on some blog posting and other communications. In the afternoon, we grabbed a quick bite and then played the front nine at Copeland Hills--a fun course with a fair amount of challenge from length, trees, and bunkers. My game fell apart a few times, but we had a great experience. I look forward to playing there again, and especially to playing the full 18 holes.

Erich and I said our goodbyes at the Copeland Hills parking lot, and I started my short trek home to Elyria. I stopped on the way for some road snacks (Chicken Selects strips from McDonalds) and had a very uneventful drive home. I arrived at my parents' house in Elyria around 9:30pm. Although the house is undergoing serious renovations, it felt good to arrive home.

Upstate New York (August 28-30)

On Saturday (8/28), I arrived at my hotel in Endwell, NY (near Binghamton) very late--it was just after midnight, so I guess it was technically Sunday. I checked in, relaxed, and had a decent night sleep on a bed the felt like a box spring with no mattress.

On Sunday morning, I slept in late and checked out around 11am, heading out to Schenectady, NY and Union College. I arrived in Schenectady just before 2:00 and drove around town for awhile (my host, Connie, was away on a work retreat). Driving around was slightly crazy, even with Garmin, because of the "historical" layout of the road system, including a few one-way areas--oh, and the weekly farmers' market that closes two blocks of downtown roadways. I found parking and walked around looking for a local fare for lunch. I ended up at the Katz Kafe. The sandwich and iced coffee were both fully enjoyed!

Nott Memorial

West College Hall

I met up with Connie in her Union College abode around 3:00. We chatted for awhile, and then took a walking tour of campus. I took a couple of pictures, including the Nott Memorial.

After the tour, it was time to set out for "time is now" experiences. Our first stop was Bumpy's Polar Freeze--the venue was not a first-time place, but riding the bumper boats was a first-time experience. I've never been in bumper boats before, so I can't really compare; it was awkward learning to maneuver the crafts, and the "bumps" tended to be less-than-dramatic. Regardless, it was fun and I particularly enjoyed spinning in circles (don't you wish there was video!).

bumper boats at Bumpy's

Connie at Bumpy's

Mohawk River from Riverside Park

While at Bumpy's, we also enjoyed some scrumptious ice cream! From there, we went in search of parks. We first landed at Riverside Park on the shore of the Mohawk River. Connie and I challenged our imaginations, offering each other fictional "tours" of the park's offerings. After Riverside, we went on to Central Park and the Central Park Rose Garden. The following is borrowed from Wikipedia:

Central Park Rose Garden

Central Park is the crown jewel of Schenectady's parks. Central Park is the highest elevation point in the city. The Common Council voted in 1913 to purchase the land for the present site of the park. The park features an acclaimed rose garden, Iroquois Lake, and a stadium tennis court which was the former home to the New York Buzz of the World Team Tennis league (as of 2008).

The Rose Garden was beautiful! It was such a joy to literally stop and smell the roses--everywhere! I never realized how varied rose fragrances can be, and I was imagining how the park must smell when the flowers are in peak bloom. The rest of the park made for a very nice stroll, including the ponds, pool, amphitheater, and picnic areas.

Central Park Rose Garden

Central Park Rose Garden

Central Park Rose Garden

After the park, we went in search of dining options on a Sunday night, finally selecting The Waters Edge Lighthouse Restaurant. Although we did not get to sit outside, the food was VERY good and the atmosphere was nice. After dinner, Connie humored me by participating in a late-night MBTI consultation, and then it was time for bed (although I stayed up for awhile utilizing the ethernet connection). Although Connie's cat, Albus, kept me company on the couch part of the night, I neglected to take any pictures.

On Monday morning, it was back to work for Connie and back to the road for me. I headed out for Clarion, PA with a lunch stop anticipated in Oneonta, NY.

Tour Map: 9/1/2010

Today is September 1, 2010. I turned 37 today. I also completed 20 consecutive days of travel, ending a full travel month totaling more than 5800 miles. I'm back home in Elyria, OH, where my parents' house is undergoing serious renovations.

I will soon finish the blog posts for the trip, including Schenectady, Oneonta, Clarion, and Columbiana. However, in the upcoming days before the weekend, my priorities will be job applications and progress toward graduation (paperwork if nothing else). At some point, other writing projects will develop from this trip, but all in due time.

Over 5800 miles in 31 days

The travel, the journeys, and the stories are not over. Whether by car or by plane, and whether a quick visit or extended tour, I will make my way to the west coast as promised (Alameda and Seattle, if not others). I just am not sure of a timeline. I also intend to keep the "time is now" project alive beyond this 2010 tour; more information forthcoming.

For the moment, I wish everyone well and extend another "thank you" to all of my hosts along the way!

Gettysburg, PA (August 28)

Driving into PA, I stopped at a Welcome Center for a rest and for Gettysburg literature. I basically learned three things:

1. All of Gettysburg is pretty much a giant National Park of battle fields
2. Driving tours (guided and self-guided audio) are popular
3. The layout of the area (two maps)

With this information, I continued on to Gettysburg. I could not navigate really well alone in the car, but I somewhat intuitively/randomly ended up at the National Park Service Visitors Center. I went inside to explore, and purchased a ticket to the museum where I compared Civil War history lessons with my recently-acquired knowledge from Richmond, and learned the history of the Gettysburg battles of July 1, 2, and 3, 1863. I think the most overwhelming moment for me was reading and hearing the Gettysburg Address--Lincoln truly was gifted in his writing and his ability to appropriately fit a moment (as reflected in his very brief comments now termed the Gettysburg Address). By some good fortune or fate, I had just enough time to finish the museum tour before it closed, and then browse the gift shop before closing. I purchased a CD Auto Tour which I used very briefly later in the day; I expect to visit again sometime and complete the tour. Upon exiting, I snapped the following picture of Lincoln's statue outside the center.

Entrance

As I walked toward the parking lot, I noticed signs for a walking trail leading to the Gettysburg National Cemetery. In need of exercise and happy for some beautiful weather, I started my hike. Within a few minutes, I arrived at the cemetery where I spent about 30 minutes exploring and taking photos.

Site of Gettysburg Address

Unknown Soldiers

Monument

Monument ( close up)

From the cemetery, I somewhat aimlessly wandered around the grounds, passing through The Brian Farm area and arriving at the High Water Mark area, marking the furthest northern encroachment of confederate troops during the war.

The Brian Farm

The High Water Mark

As sunset was drawing near, I quickly hiked back to my car at the Visitors Center and checked the map for any "must see" items before my departure. I decided the Eternal Light Peace Memorial was a must see, so I listened to some of the audio tour while driving to the north end of town. I won't even try putting into words at this point the experience of seeing the memorial against the setting sun. I will simply provide a few photos.

Eternal Light Peace Memorial at Oak Hill

"Peace Eternal in a Nation United"

East side of memorial

West side of memorial

As I post these photos, I am still overwhelmed with emotion, not only from the memorial, but also from my new-found understanding of the war overall. I am without appropriate words; I have tried, but none seem to accurately portray my sentiments or emotions.

With a glimpse of twilight on the horizon, I set back to my road trip heading for my overnight stay near Binghamton, NY.

West Virginia (August 27-28)

I arrived in Capon Bridge, WV around 7:00. Liberty Gas Station was the rendezvous point with Kimber, and we proceeded to Anthony's Pizza to order takeout for the cabin. Kimber and I chatted while the pizza baked, then made the long and winding mountain trek (in cars, of course) up to the cabin. I fully enjoyed my cheesesteak pizza over various conversations with Kimber and Cathy. Later, Kimber stayed up with me as I took a long and laborious route on the information superhighway to book a hotel room in NY for the next night; I'm guessing the process took about 2 hours--don't ask.

I formally met the newest members to my family circle, Margaret and Kate, in the morning. We all enjoyed breakfast and various morning activities before heading down to the pond/beach/playground. It was a joyous morning of relaxation and play that I'm sure to remember for a very long time. Margaret and Kate are absolutely adorable, and I'm excited to know them! I stayed longer than anticipated, but it was still a very quick trip (and with no photos--so sorry). As playtime concluded and beach items were packed into cars in anticipation of lunch time, I bid my farewells and headed back to the highway en route to Gettysburg, PA.

Richmond, VA (August 25-27)

Fortunately on Wednesday (8/25) morning, there were no traces of rain from the previous night because I left my sunroof open--that's what I get for having it open during night drives. I got on the road about two hours later than anticipated, but I really needed the sleep. Once I got on I-95 northbound, I laughed because Garmin said "continue 559 miles," making it the single longest stretch of road I have driven. Usually there are some sort of little interchanges or "keep lefts" along the way but this was just one single stretch of 559 miles. Of course, I exited for breaks a few times.

One thing I've decided about road food is that I'm going to fully enjoy the fast food if that's going to be the option. As such, I held out for a Chick-fil-A exit. Great choice 'cause I love me some Chick-fil-A! I ate an entire sandwich along with a small order of nuggets--aahh! This particular restaurant was kind enough to leave pitchers of sweet tea and plain tea out on the counter, so I did not have to suffer a wait at the counter for a refill. With my tummy full of chick, I headed back out on the road.

Welcome Sign for South of the Border

I also stopped at South of the Border (technically Dillon, South Carolina). Many years ago, I noticed this little tourist trap driving home from Myrtle Beach and swore I would stop if ever driving through again. So, it happened on this day. I filled up the gas tank and visited the public restrooms (which was weird because it was sort of like a beach facility but without a beach). The little amusement park seemed to be closed, so I just snapped a few pictures, purchased beverages from the general store, and then got back on the interstate into North Carolina.

South of the Border amusements

It was dark as I drove into Richmond, and I found my way (thanks, Garmin) to "The Diamond" where I met my hosts, Jim and Beth. I arrived during the 3rd inning of a game between the Richmond Flying Squirrels and the Reading Phillies. The home team lost 2-4, but there were still fireworks after. In fact, the fireworks rivaled many July 4 municipal displays! Although it was late, Jim & Beth entertained my request for dinner, taking me to a local tavern. I enjoyed a relatively healthy chicken wrap along with fantastic conversation! I'm pretty sure we could have enjoyed this experience for many more hours, but it was late and Beth needed to be at work pretty early the next day. So, after some brief chat back at the house, we called it a night. I did spend some time on my computer before sleeping, at which point I first encountered a terrible grinding sound from inside my MacBook--an unpleasant discovery for sure.

I never heard Beth getting ready for work on Thursday morning, and Jim woke me before heading out to an appointment, so I had the house to myself as I cleaned up and got ready for the day. I attended to some business online before Jim came home, and he helped me schedule an appointment to have my MacBook serviced. Then we went to Buz and Ned's Real Barbecue for a fabulous bbq lunch. The air was thick with aroma from the outdoor smokers, and we steeped in a bath of smoky goodness at our outdoor seats. The food was almost as wonderful as the company! 

Later in the afternoon, we toured the American Civil War Center, an experience I highly recommend for anyone in or near Richmond. Whether visiting the museum or just curious, be sure to check out their podcasts intended for use along the tour. This was Jim's entry to the "time is now" tour. I've never been much of a Civll War student (or history student), so I probably increased my Civil War knowledge about 10 fold during this afternoon. Jim and I engaged in inquisitive, and occasionally scholarly, discussion throughout the tour and beyond. After leaving the museum, we visited the statue of Lincoln with his son, Tad, near the center. Despite any protest regarding the memorial's placement here in Richmond, I found it very fitting.

Beth was home from work when we returned to the house, and she drove me to the mall for my Apple Store (Genius Bar) appointment. In the end, I had a diagnostic report filed, no service completed, and I purchased an external hard drive for backup purposes. As of this posting, my MacBook is still functioning fine--knock on wood. Although it was an odd excursion for this visit, I fully enjoyed the chat time with Beth, an experience for which I am grateful.

Dinner was carry out pizza and lasagna from a local restaurant [sorry, no name on this one]--it was fabulous and the lasagna was quite possibly the best I've ever had! The rest of the evening was very low key around the homestead, including some very entertaining Rock Band [video game] experiences. FYI, Jim rocks out on the drums. The night also included a healthy dose of beer (for me, anyway) along with plentiful laughter and smiles!

At my request, Beth did wake me for a "farewell" as she left for work Friday morning (since I would be leaving before her return home). I went back to sleep, and Jim let me sleep in until after 11:00--whoa! To some extent, a wasted morning but a good rest regardless. Jim took me to lunch at The Dairy Bar where we both enjoyed absolutely fabulous patty melts and milkshakes (mine was chocolate and peanut butter). We went back to the house and used our remaining time for an MBTI (Myers-Briggs) discussion/consultation. As is typical, the experience opened up some great dialogue and I think it was a very good experience for both of us. Shortly after 3:30, I was on the road heading to West Virginia.

As with most of my tour stops, this one was WAY to quick. It is sad that the three of us have not been together since their wedding 10 years ago. I depart with extremely joyous memories and expectations for much more frequent rendezvous in the future.

Tour Map: 8/29

Over 5200 miles travelled so far.

Current Stop: Schenectady, NY

Florida: Part 2 (August 23-25)

The clubhouse at King & Bear

On Monday (8/23), I woke up for 6:15 breakfast with Rob and Amy. Shortly after Amy went to work, Rob & I headed out to King & Bear, designed by Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer as one of two golf courses at the World Golf Village. It was my 2nd time to play the course (the first time was this past spring), and Rob's first. We played an all-you-can-play special, so we ended up playing 45 holes over 10 hours. I think we would have played longer, but we had already avoided some really bad weather, so we happily bid the course adieu (and we were the last players to leave that day). Overall, we both played OK for the first two rounds (36 holes), then Rob showed some improvement on the final nine while I pretty much gave up and just enjoyed the ride. This was both a "time is now" activity for Rob and a birthday/graduation gift for me--great times. We both went home well worn and quite content, and kept our golf stories to ourselves while we learned about Amy's first day with her new students. We also enjoyed a home cooked meal of grilled fish and lentils.

"Anguish at #2" featuring Rob Sievert-Wagner

#7: Dramatic Draw

Rob "bobbing" for apples on the course

Daytona Beach

On Tuesday (8/24), I slept in while Rob and Amy went about their routines and headed out to work. I started the morning with some internet stuff and e-mail, solidified plans for the evening, and then went downtown to meet Rob for lunch. After lunch, I drove to Daytona Beach where I was to meet up with Dolley, a friend from Arkansas (students together in Faulkner County Leadership Institute) who now lives in central Florida. I had some time to walk along the beach before Dolley arrived, then we strolled down to the Ocean Deck beach club for drinks and wings. Later, we strolled up and down the beach sharing stories and laughs. At some point, I mentioned the "time is now" tour, which prompted a completely unplanned ride on the Sling Shot (see picture at right and video below). It was a fantastic thrill ride! Although I would probably vomit or pass out staring at it from the ground, the ride itself was very fun, especially over the beach at sunset.

Sling Shot view from the ground

Ocean Deck Beach Club

On my way back to Jacksonville, I realized I had worked up a small appetite, so I stopped off for a southern treat of Krystal burgers and Krystal Mini-chiks! About 20 minutes into that night's drive, I finally completed the 395 track listening spree of Jimmy Buffett songs that began one week earlier. It seemed rather fitting since my drive from Daytona Beach north to Jacksonville marked a transition as my journey took a north-bound turn. It was a fantastic day, and I was very ready for sleep when I arrived back at the house.

On Wednesday morning, I arose at 6:00am to join Rob & Amy for breakfast and say "goodbye" to Amy as she left for work, and then slept awhile longer before starting my own day. When I did finally start my day, I got myself ready for more road travel, packed up my freshly cleaned clothes, sad my "goodbyes" to the kittens, and set out for Richmond, VA.

Alive and well

I'm alive and well in NY tonight. This will *not* be the night to catch up on the blog--sorry. I need sleep. I will say that today was both exciting and draining. I visited Gettysburg, PA, a stop that only recently hit my itinerary. It was truly an overwhelming experience, and I'm pretty sure I'll need some "digestion" time before I can write about it.

I will comment now, however, that it is very weird knowing that my most recent travels have taken me through all of the confederate states. It was even more strange touring Richmond, the capitol of the Confederacy, on Thursday and then touring Gettysburg today as I exited that region. For some readers, this may not seem like a big deal considering that it has been nearly 150 years since the Civil War ended; for me, however, I feel a significance even if I cannot yet quite explain it. I suppose the exposure and learning is even more challenging since I've spent much of my life ignoring--even avoiding--Civil War history.

Off to bed. I will return to the accounts of Florida soon, as well as Richmond, West Virginia, Gettysburg, and points yet to come.

Holding On!

Hey blog readers,
This is a very quick update of potentially critical information. First, my "trusted" Palm Pre is trying to fall apart--literally. I think it is going to last for the remaining week of travel. I need to put in an "insurance claim" to have a replacement sent, and "sent" is the critical word. Since I'm on the road, I'm hoping to have that happen when I return to Ohio. In the meantime, I'll treat it nicely and hope for the best.

Second, my MacBook hard drive starting making some bad sounds last night. I confirmed the diagnosis with my current host, and will be visiting a Mac Store later today. Ugh. If the computer and phone both die, this is going to become a 20th century road trip real quick (except for Garmin)!

In brief, the rest of Florida was fantastic--a very very full day of golf at King & Bear on Monday, and a trip to Daytona Beach on Tuesday. Wednesday was mostly travel to Richmond, VA, but I also went to a baseball game and had a splendid late-night dinner. I'll post more detailed accounts later, but I need to get out into Richmond right now.

In case I don't get back on line soon, I'm heading to WV on Friday evening, then upstate NY on Saturday afternoon. Still on track to hit western PA on Monday & Tuesday, returning to OH on Wednesday.

Tour Map: 8/25

As of today, approximately 4625 miles.

Reflection

Today is Day 13 of the current tour leg (since leaving Elyria), and Day 23 of my overall travels. The trip is absolutely fabulous, but I must also admit there is "wear and tear." At this particular moment, I am actually quite at peace and relaxed on the couch in Jacksonville, FL. I think I might relax a little in the pool, too, before heading out for more adventures. Still, despite the balance of excitement and serenity, there is a general "drain" for me that comes with living out of a bag and on the road. I think part of the drain is from segmentation--each place is something new and disconnected from the previous place, with only me (and perhaps this blog) for continuity. It makes me wonder how different--good or bad--this kind of adventure would be shared with someone else. The newness of each place is very exciting, but there is no denying the disconnect along the way. I suppose this is probably a road trip side effect for someone like me who puts a great deal of mental energy into relational concepts.

I'll be returning to Ohio in 8 days, and I'm looking forward to staying there for a bit. However, I don't plan on succumbing to inertia--it's a powerful draining force, and I intend to fight it. Life moves on, and I intend to move right along with it! As Jimmy Buffett put it, "I'd rather die while I'm living than live while I'm dead" (and also, in the same song, "I'm growing older but not up" which should be my post topic about a week from now). Also, as Jennifer Daniels put it, "It's a good day to live," so I best be on my way to more living today!

Florida: Part 1 (August 20-22)

After a good night's hotel rest in De Funiak Springs, I finished the drive to Jacksonville, arriving just before 1:00pm. I let myself into the house and "settled" a bit until Rob came home from work. Then it was quickly out the door for a 2:00 tee time with Brian (and Rob, of course) at Panther Creek. This continues to be one of my favorite golf courses, even though GPS is gone and the greens were a little shaggy this time. It is a challenging course that provides a true love-hate relationship. My happiest moments were both on Par 3 holes (#6 and #17) over water--greened both drives and made pars.

Rob and I enjoyed a beer and "knots" at Perard's Pizza while awaiting our take-out order. We then went back to the house for some swimming until Amy arrived home from work. We ate dinner together and relaxed for the evening.

Saturday was a golf day at Fleming Island in Orange Park. We teed off around 10:15 a.m and started really slow because of the teens in front of us. However, we played through and the rest of the round was only moderately slow from course backups. Many people were trying to beat the heat, but it was no use--it was way too hot way too early. When we stopped for lunch after 18 holes, paramedics were treating a golfer for dehydration in the clubhouse. However, we nourished ourselves with food and beverage then braved the heat for more golf. We played 9 more holes, and that was more than sufficient for a day's workout!

We went back to the house and enjoyed a wonderful grilled steak dinner (I'm pretty sure there was swimming, too). However, a storm rolled in as we were eating that knocked out the power for 2-3 hours, so we very casually chatted into near sleep until the power was restored, just in time to turn off the lights and go to bed.

Jax Beach w/ Amy in foreground

Sunday was filled with glorious plans of riffle ranges and other assorted adventures, beginning with Jacksonville Beach. However, as will happen with beach life, we found ourselves quite content at the beach and stayed there until an early dinner at Bukkets on the beach. Dining in the ocean breeze while wearing your bathing suit still damp with ocean memories is so nice!

Dave's hat blowing in the breeze

We watched more clouds roll in as we drove back to the house. As the next storm rolled through, we watched Clash of the Titans while Rob and Amy worked on classroom preparations for Amy's first class day with her new students at her new school. That was pretty much Sunday--it was time to get some sleep for a BIG day on the golf course at the World Golf Village.

Tour Map: 8/22

Approximately 3800 miles so far.

If you would be interested in accessing an online version of this map to see the actual stops, please let me know. I can make that happen real easily with Mapquest, but I will need to take out exact addresses as a courtesy to my hosts. Just post here or sent e-mail if you are interested and I will post a link.

Austin/San Marcos, TX (August 17-19)

On Tuesday (August 17), I departed Pulaski Tech for Austin, TX. I decided to play Jimmy Buffett tunes the entire way (I have almost 400 tracks on the iPod). The trip was uneventful, which is always good news. Thanks to Garmin, I passed through many small towns in northeast Texas along a state highway, avoiding Dallas traffic at rush hour. I did stop for soft serve at a Dairy Queen on the way, which was a wonderful break. I arrived at Janice and David's house around 9pm, and Janice treated me to that evening's dinner: pad thai noodles--yum! We enjoyed some conversation for the evening and chatted about possible activities for the next day (with no real decision). I also met the dogs, Lucky and Heidi.

Lucky, the dog

On Wednesday morning, after David went to work, Janice and I developed a plan for the day. We put together a loose plan, including Mt. Bonnell, eating from a street vendor cart, and floating the San Marcos River. We started with Mt. Bonnell, overlooking Lake Austin and the Colorado River valley. This is another stop on the "time is now" tour since it was a first for Janice. Reaching the summit involved a car ride to a parking area, and a short but steep trek up a stone staircase. The view of the valley (and the ridiculously extravagant homes) was spectacular, and the various outcrops along the rock ledge provided exhilarating points for photography.

Staircase to Mount Bonnell

Summit of Mt. Bonnell

View from Mt. Bonnell

View from Mt. Bonnell

Me & Janice at Mt. Bonnell

Crazy-ass drop into crazy-wealthy homesteads

Next stop was David's office in San Marcos, and then lunch. We did not have time for the street vendor, so we ate at the River Pub and Grill on the San Marcos River (it turns out this was a second time for me--I ate there several years ago). After lunch, we stopped at the grocery for beer and went on to Jennifer's house (Janice's sister). We geared up for an afternoon on the river and then headed to Don's Fish Camp in Martindale. This was another new experience for both Janice and me. I'll save the details for some more…creative?…writing, but suffice it to say we had a fabulous 3-hour float on the San Marcos River. The river is spring fed, maintaining an average temperature of 72F degrees year-round. Sorry--no pictures--too difficult while floating on tubes.

After the float, we changed back into our clothes at Jennifer's, and then Janice and I headed back to the house to meet David and head out to dinner. We went to Trudy's Tex-Mex Restaurant and Bar, where I enjoyed scrumptious (and spicy) beef fajitas and absolutely amazing cheesecake flan!

That was pretty much the Austin/San Marcos leg of the tour. I went to bed that night falling into a food-induced coma. Right before I went to sleep, though, I did book a hotel room in De Funiak Springs, FL for Thursday night.

On Thursday morning, I packed up, said my goodbyes, and hit the road for Florida with my good friends, Garmin and Jimmy Buffett.