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.

Central Arkansas (August 14-17)

Pinnacle Mountain view from Visitors Center

I drove into Little Rock around 2:30 on Saturday (August 14) afternoon. It was nearly impossible to believe Michelle and I had not seen each other in over three years! I toured her new digs and got "settled in" for my 3-night stay.

I insisted that I would have Chick-fil-A and Mexican food while in Arkansas, so we immediately went to Casa Manana on Cantrell for a late lunch. Mmmmmmmm!!! After some driving around, we decided to explore Pinnacle Mountain in Little Rock. We visited the Visitors Center, walked a few steps down a path, and "hiked" up to a lookout point. My quote for this day is "It's f-ing hot!" There's no better way to state it--the temperature was oven-like.

Quarry Pond at Pinnacle Mountain

Michelle at Scenic Overlook

Saturday dinner was at The Purple Cow (on Chenal) where I enjoyed a fantastic Patty Melt and yummy butterscotch milkshake with rum! As part of the "time is now" tour, Michelle and I saw our first IMAX feature film: Inception. Great movie, and great IMAX movie--my chair was shaking so much from the sound that it was almost like a massage!

On Sunday, we ventured west toward Russellville and Paris, stopping along the way for brunch at Waffle House. We drove to Mt. Magazine where we drove around to various lookouts until we made our way to the recently-opened lodge near the summit. This is a

View from Mt. Magazine Lodge

View from Mt. Magazine Lodge

Mt. Magazine Lodge

View from Mt. Magazine Lodge

Dave at Mt. Magazine Lodge w/ new hat

While in the park, I purchased two hats as souvenirs of my visit to Arkansas's highest point of elevation (2,753 feet), although I did not quite make it to the top. The one hat is very "special" as it has a zip-out neck sunshade--very safari (looks something like this)! The other hat (pictured at the left) has a very small zippered pouch on the side, probably useful for a car key, condom, or dime-bag of…whatever. If anyone has other ideas for the pouch, let me know; it's very reminiscent of "Kangaroo" shoes from middle school ;-) We also investigated guest rooms at the lodge which are very nice--I may need to come back for an extended visit in the winter (fall is too pricey I think).

After Mt. Magazine, we travelled to Russellville to meet with Jeff, Faith, and Hayden over dinner at Joe's Pizza. I was way too distracted by Hayden and our conversation to take pictures :-( The family is doing great, though, and Hayden is a great little man who can really put on a show!

After dinner, Michelle and I drove to Conway for some errands, and I got to see her most recent (former) UCA residence, so now I've seen all three of her UCA houses! It was a late night, so we headed back to Little Rock so Michelle could get a little sleep before a big day at work (Pulaski Technical College).

Hendrix College Student Life & Technology Center

On Monday, I spent the entire day and evening at Hendrix College in Conway. I was truly amazed to see the development in the The Village at Hendrix, and was in awe of the magnificent new facilities (Wellness & Athletic Center and Student Life and Technology Center). Having been part of the brainstorming and planning for the SLTC, it was very special for me to walk through the building and see everything come to fruition. Monday was the day before new-student move-in, so the campus was alive with activity and almost everyone could be found on campus doing something. Although I'm not going to commit space here to listing all of the amazing people, it was great catching up with so many wonderful friends and colleagues on campus! I did enjoy a fabulous lunch with Eva at Something Brewing, and Tonya introduced me to Old Chicago Pasta & Grill in downtown Conway for drinks and dessert. In between, I took advantage of invitations to a wine & cheese faculty event at the newly-opened Hendrix Bookstore and the annual faculty/staff catfish picnic (which was held inside the SLTC due to weather conditions). Although Monday was also the grand opening for Panera Bread, I did not partake. I am honestly surprised that 14 hours at Hendrix did not seem long enough for a visit--I think a return visit in the fall is in order.


Before hitting the road for Texas on Tuesday morning, I visited with Lydia over coffee at Starbucks and took a quick trip to Pulaski Tech where Michelle toured me around the Student Center. With my central Arkansas adventures behind, I bid farewell to Little Rock and headed southwest with Garmin as my guide and Jimmy Buffett for my entertainment.

"Out of sequence" road video (August 20)

Another "out of sequence" video for those of you wanting more up-to-date posts. This is even out-of-date, though, as I've encountered challenges getting the video uploaded.

Tour Map: 8/18

Tour map as of August 18

Sorry about the volume icon in the screen capture, but not worth changing.

Travel (August 13)

On Friday morning, I headed out from Columbiana, OH to Elyria, OH in order to retrieve my camera and video camera. While in town, I had lunch with Mom at Dairy Queen, finally getting on the road to Arkansas around 2pm--that is a *very* late departure for this trip.

I hit Columbus, OH during rush hour which was not at all fun, but the delays were minimal. I hit Cincinnati, OH just in time for game day (Reds) traffic--ugh. About 20 miles east of Louisville, KY I drove directly into severe storm weather. It poured hard enough that traffic pulled off the road to wait it out. The following video helps visualize a little, but it had already begun to let up by the time I captured this footage.

Just before pulling over in the above spot, a flash of lighting appeared very close to my location. Sure enough, a downed tree was blocking the passing lane about 1.5 miles ahead of the above location--creepy.

The rest of the trip was uneventful. I finally pulled over for the night in Hurricane Mills, TN and got a good night sleep. With just a few hours left to Little Rock, AR, I hit the road again around 10am on Saturday.

"Out of sequence" road video (August 17)

For those of you wanting more "up to date" posts, here's a quick road video from today. I'll get the text/picture posts up-to-date ASAP.

Jimmy Buffett in PA (August 12)

After a late start on Thursday (8/12) morning, I headed to Columbiana, OH to meet Erich. We had a delicious and filling lunch at The Sandwich Factory--highly recommend! I had the #7 with a beer. After a few other stops, it was off to Burgettstown, PA.

We met up with the newlyweds, Kathy and Mark, in the parking lot and enjoyed relaxed and relatively sober (but not completely sober) tailgating. After some sightseeing around the lots, we headed into the concert where I enjoyed the absolute best seats and best Jimmy Buffett concert of my life! Check out the set list here.

Erich and Dave

New friends from Rochester, NY

Yes, looking *up* at the stage for Jimmy and the Coral Reefers!

Security friend--she was feeling ill, but still managed a smile!

One really cool part of the show was having the "volcano explosion" guy stand *right next to me* in the aisle for the big explosion concluding "Volcano".  I wish I had snapped a picture, but it was really cool. At first, I was like "what's up with the bagpipes?" and then I figured it out--right before he blasted the streamers into the audience. I never stopped smiling, and I never left my spot in the pavilion--fantastic! We chilled in the parking lot after the show until staff asked us to leave. It seemed like a long ride back to Columbiana, and it was nice to finally get to bed.

I hit the road Friday morning (Friday the 13th), first heading to Elyria to retrieve my camera and video camera. I'll pick up the adventure there for my next post.

In the meantime, here are some video clips from the concert...

Transition Day (August 10) and Cedar Point (August 11)

On Tuesday (August 10), I was in Elyria taking care of business. I washed clothes, renewed my car tags, packed for a 19-day road trip, and applied for a few jobs. It was a busy and long day.

Wednesday was Cedar Point day--woohoo!!! This was actually part of the "time is now" tour because it was Reggie's first time at the park since bariatric surgery, so he was riding many rides for the first time. I also rode a few rides for the first time (maXair, Maverick, Top Thrill Dragster, and Skyhawk). I do have one ride photo from the Maverick, but I will need to scan it when I'm at home after the tour. For now, here is a photo of our group near the end of the day (waiting in line for ride #2 on Maverick):

Me (Dave), Mike, Reggie, and Lesa

It did rain (pour) twice during the day, including once after some of our group had already changed into dry clothes. The rain ruined our attempt to ride every ride in the park in a day, but it was still a huge blast! My activities included the following: Magnum, Gemini, Mean Streak, Maverick, Mine Ride, Skyhawk, Thunder Canyon, Snake River Falls, Millennium Force, Top Thrill Dragster, Maxair, Matterhorn, and Chick-fil-A.

This was a very special and exciting day for me, among other reasons, because it was a return to my youth. Growing up, my family visited Cedar Point (or Kings Island) every year. At some point, I started going with school trips or with friends from school. When I moved to Arkansas for six years, I very much missed the Cedar Point experience. This was my first return to the park since 2003 (I went then for my 30th birthday). I still love it all, and I hope I return more frequently in the future.

I will make two comments for any future Cedar Point park goers: (1) ride the Maverick--it is an absolute thrill ride, and (2) check out the Starlight Experience along the Frontier Trail at night.

Tour Mug!

I completely forgot to thank Shannon in Midland, MI for making a tour mug for me!

Tour Map: 8/15

Here's the map of my travels thus far.

Missing letters are the result of multiple stops at the same location.

Midland (August 8) & Bowling Green (August 9)

On Sunday, I drove to Midland, MI to visit Shannon. It was a pleasantly uneventful drive through central Michigan, and Midland was quiet and peaceful on Sunday morning. After I arrived, Shannon and I chatted for awhile, and I met Joe (pictured below).

Joe moves around a lot -- sorry for the blur

We walked with Joe to a little diner called Daddy O's Diner for lunch. The meal was great, and we were joined [expected] by Shanon's parents and [unexpected] by Ike, or Mr. Behr as his students know him. Overall, a splendid lunch!

After lunch, it was time for an open house; Shannon is looking for new digs, and the family previously planned to look at a house on this day. I went along and was really impressed with the house. It was clearly occupied by someone that very much enjoyed woodworking and building (or at least installation)--little cabinets and drawers everywhere. It was a neat house with a spacious garage, and it was fun to play "house hunter" for a little bit.

Later that afternoon, we went to Great Lakes Loons baseball game (vs. the Lansing Lugnuts). We sat on the lawn and enjoyed a sunny but breezy afternoon with a 11-0 victory for the Loons! We also saw Ike at the game, so we had another little chat with him--great guy!


During the course of our day, it was revealed that Shannon owns golf clubs but never learned to hit a golf ball. So, it was time to pick up the "time is now" tour! We went to a local driving range where I instructed Shannon on the basics of a golf swing (yes, I did give a disclaimer about how dangerous it is to learn anything about golf from me). She was a quick learner and showed much more potential than anyone I've watched hit for the first time.

Shannon after her first driving range experience!

After the driving range, we drove to Shannon's coffee shop, Coffee Therapy, in Edenville (also can be found here on Facebook). If you are ever near Edenville, MI, be sure to visit the shop and PLEASE tip! A great place with great drinks, great service, a great view, and a great owner!!!

Coffee Therapy in Edenville, MI

That evening, we visited Shannon's parents (near the shop) and enjoyed conversation over a late dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings. We stayed up late chatting and playing with Joe, and then it was time for a well-deserved rest.

I hit the road on Monday morning for Bowling Green, OH. I had a meeting on campus that morning, followed by a splendid Pita Pit lunch. Reggie and I played golf that afternoon--it was fun, but no scores worth reporting here. Reggie and I had dinner at City Tap in downtown BG, and then we went shopping (well, I went shopping) at Elder-Beerman. I don't have photos of all the shirts I purchased, but suffice it to say I am ready for "wicking" golf and maybe some high-fashion fishing! Once I get Cedar Point pics posted, you can see at least one shirt.

After that, it was a dark ride home to Elyria where I slept well in preparation for "transition" day on Tuesday.

Higgins Lake (August 6-7)

I arrived at the Hickey Cottage on Higgins Lake the afternoon of Friday, August 6. Jamie & Chris were both still at work, so Jamie's parents chatted with me along with Jamie & Chris's daughter, Katherine. Katherine was very excited to see me, so excited that she made signs, including this one:

"Welcome to the lake, Dave. Your friend, Katherine"

We had a great afternoon chatting about life, and it was loads of fun playing with Katherine. After Jamie and Chris arrived, we enjoyed a splendid spaghetti and meatball dinner along with some Bunk House Red wine from Douglass Valley Organic Vineyard. Jamie, Katherine, and I strolled around the community circle, and then Jamie and I enjoyed fellowship and Oberon Ale on the deck after the others retired to bed.

On Saturday morning, Jamie and I played 9 holes with her parents at Ye Olde Country Club; Jamie's mom whopped us, and my score need not be reported, but we had a great time. After golf, we relaxed at the house with snacks and lunch before going for a boat ride, followed by swimming & relaxing at the dock. I also kayaked, as did Katherine and Jamie. That evening was the annual community picnic, and I stuffed myself silly with wonderful foods from the neighborhood, including Katherine's rainbow cake! Later that evening, we visited our friends, Bill & Lisa [and family], at their cottage. We enjoyed a wonderful night around a campfire reminiscing, catching up, and enjoying a few laughs.

I departed the lake on Sunday morning, heading to Midland, MI. I neglected to take photos at the lake, but here are two Jamie took for me at the dock:

Katherine & Dave

Sunset at Higgins Lake

Arkansas

If you prefer a video update, here's an unscripted road video:


Another quick update, but I will have time this evening with a good internet connection to post more with photos.

I'm in Arkansas now--arrived early this afternoon. The Jimmy Buffett concert on Thursday night was absolutely amazing! Friday the 13th was a major travel day, starting with a short trip back to Elyria (OH) for my camera and video camera. I hit Columbus (OH) during rush hour, Cincinnati (OH) at game time for the Reds--yes, more traffic--and hit a torrential thunderstorm just east of Louisville (KY). Otherwise, an uneventful travel day. I stayed the night in Hurricane Mills, TN which is the home of Loretta Lynn; I stayed at the Days Inn, which I cannot recommend to anyone.

I've been in Arkansas for a few hours, and I've already had a meal of fantastic--and long missed--Mexican cuisine from Casa Manana in Little Rock! I also visited Pinnacle Mountain, a first for me--I'll post pics later tonight.

By the way, I made a mistake choosing Speedway as my unofficial fuel sponsor for the tour--very tough to find in the south. Correction: impossible is the correct word. I'll have to choose another fuel sponsor for the south, but I'm not sure who else has reward cards. Oh well.

More soon...

Still on the road

Wow, it's tough finding time to keep this updated...so much happening. This is just a brief "still alive" update while I have a moment.

Michigan was fabulous and much more activity than expected. Golf in BG on Monday was terrible on the scorecard, but fun.  Tuesday was very busy getting ready for the next three weeks: transfering computer files, applying for jobs, laundry, packing, etc.

Wednesday at Cedar Point was really really fun, although it did rain much more than expected. Details and photos forthcoming.

Today was a slow start, and now I'm in Columbiana en route to Pittsburgh for a Jimmy Buffett concert. Tomorrow begins the trek to Arkansas, starting the southern portion of the tour.

This whole experience is great fun, and I'm also getting pleasant feedback on my book, Drifting Among Driftwood: A Collection of Poetry and Other Musings.

More to come. For those of you on the tour route, I am exicted to be seeing you soon!

Higgins Lake (preview)

I've now been at Higgins Lake for two days, and the fun just keeps on coming. I'm getting ready to go to a bonfire now, but hopefully I'll be able to post later tonight. In a nutshell...great food, good laughs, golf, boating, swimming, kayaking, drinking, and a whole lot of joy in a little bundle named Katherine.

I keep forgetting to take pictures here because I've been here before--I'll try to rectify that situation before posting again.

Manistee: Day 2

The second day with the Tapleys was actually split between Manistee and Ludington. I started the morning rather rather late, around 10 a.m. I took a leisurely stroll to the campground showers and enjoyed (yes, truly enjoyed) my first pay shower. FYI, I was staying at the Insta Launch Campground (I did not take pictures, but you can see some at their site). After the shower, I headed over to the rental house for breakfast.

Our big adventure of the day took us to Ludington State Park where we hiked the Skyline Trail overlooking the sand dunes and Lake Michigan. Here are some pictures:

We ate lunch at the park, then headed to the shores of Lake Michigan for an afternoon swim (sorry, no pictures). We enjoyed playing in the crystal-clear water with white-capped waves.

After the swim, we headed back to Manistee for a quick clothing change then traveled to the Douglass Valley Organic Vineyard. The vineyard is still pretty new, so we mostly sampled ciders. For those of you hosting me during the tour, I bought some that will hopefully last through the tour. Here are some pictures:

For the record, both the Skyline Trail hike and the Douglass Valley vineyard were "first time" events for the "time is now" tour.

Dinner was back at the house, where we had some very tasty grilled brats and dogs! We had another small fire along the river bank in the evening, and then I called it an early night around 11:30.

Today (Friday) was a travel day, so I'll get a post up ASAP regarding my start in Higgins Lake. In the meantime, thank you so much to the Tapley family for hosting me on my first leg of the Michigan tour!