Still alive, still enjoying the journey.
It’s been several days since I last posted and I will blame my tardiness on lack of good WiFi in the evenings, limited cell service, lots of driving, different locations each night, and an overall general desire to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells along my journey rather than attempting to complete my blog. I will endeavour to be more punctual.
I have visited ten states since I began my travels 14 days ago on April 10th and traveled about 3,600 km (2,240 miles). In that time, I have reconnected with wonderful friends who have opened their homes to me for which I am very grateful. I have also camped several times in beautiful state parks and stayed a few nights in hotels or Airbnb’s. I am now in Florida at my sister-in-law’s house for a couple of days and am enjoying the company, the relaxation, and the beach which is only a couple of hundred meters away.
Last Monday, after the delicious diner breakfast and museum tour with JP and Tamia, I had a relatively short driving day as I headed south into North Carolina, staying at an Airbnb near Elizabeth City. En route, some very heavy rain finally washed the last bits of pollen off my car for which I was pleased. Pale green ‘dust’ on the Outback does not look good. The front which brought the heavy rain passed through the area in the early evening and by morning, the air was crisp, clear and refreshing – perfect weather for driving.
The next leg took me to Carolina Beach State Park in North Carolina where I captured a few wonderful pictures of a glorious sunset. I have been impressed with all of the state park facilities so far – great locations, clean washrooms/showers, friendly staff and very decent sized campsites. I will continue to frequent them. The next morning started off with a 45-minute ferry ride to Southport NC in beautiful weather. It was a long day of driving to end up at Hunting Island State Park in South Carolina. Heading to the park, I passed by Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort where I was fortunate to see two F-35s in the circuit; Canada has selected the F-35 as the replacement for the CF-18 and I enjoyed a couple of fly-bys. I arrived at the park too late to buy firewood, I was situated next to the washrooms/showers/dish washing sinks, and there were plenty of rugrats running around who did not understand the concept of campsite boundaries however, I still enjoyed the evening and the brilliant star-gazing opportunity. On Thursday, my normally relaxed morning ritual was cut short by some vicious sand fleas that thoroughly enjoyed attacking me while I tried to enjoy my java. A quick tear-down ensued and breakfast was postponed until later in the morning.
A short drive later I arrived in Savannah Georgia where I spent most of the day exploring the historic section of the city. I thoroughly enjoyed wandering the old streets, relaxing in the numerous squares and examining the very interesting architecture. I had a great day in the city and highly recommend a visit should you be in the area. I decided to head further south to spend the night in Brunswick Georgia however before hitting the hotel, I traveled east to St. Simons Island for supper at the Crab Shack, a local favourite. Eating at the bar to avoid a wait for a table, I met Andrea, an 80-ish year old woman who inherited a house on the island from her brother and is contemplating moving from her home in San Francisco to the east coast. Definitely a tough decision for her. We had a lovely conversation for the duration of our time at the bar. Oh, by the way, the grilled shrimp was delicious!
My travels on Friday took me into familiar territory – Jacksonville Florida. Back in the mid-90s, we spent almost four years in the area working with the US Navy teaching their aviators on the P3 Orion, the equivalent aircraft to the Canadian CP140 Aurora. I had lunch with Dave Fay, a good friend and colleague from those days and whom I have not seen in a very long time. Of course the reunion was just as expected – immediate connection and the commencement of stories (lies) from the old days. It was such a pleasure to chat with Dave as we discussed our lives for the past 25 years and our plans for the future. Reconnecting with people like Dave fills my soul. As I’ve said many times, I’m a lucky man to have friends like this.
Friday evening I ended up in Ormond Beach where I will enjoy a couple days of R&R with my sister-in-law Sue. In the past 24 hours I have had a wonderful time with her but I will leave our stories for the next post.
