It was a shock to my system yesterday after arriving in Baltimore when I stepped outside of the airport and the temperature was 53 degrees headed for a high in the 60s.
Pollen on the Pond Odenton, MD April 25, 2024
Cold--that is the only way to describe my feeling. I had appropriately dressed for the occasion by wearing jeans and shoes while toting a heavy pullover to ward against the cold in my backpack. But still--the last time I had worn jeans was during my last visit north, since then it has been shorts and sandals.
Well, at least I was prepared.
It is hard once I get used to temperatures in the 80s to return to colder days. At least it appears that I brought warmer weather with me from Florida as there will be high 80s over the weekend!
I am enjoying the bright sunshine! And the green. The Springtime green of the new leaves is very refreshing and seeing the culmination of Spring is enjoyable. I noticed the green as the plane broke through the clouds on final approach to BWI yesterday. I remembered the Winter-brown and gray of my last visit.
But, what comes with Springtime? Pollen! Yup and I saw the pollen laying atop the water in the holding pond yesterday.
Sign at Unlimited Carwash Tequesta, FL April 24, 2024
It was a travel day; Chris and I have returned to Maryland for a week.
Yesterday I spent some time at the local carwash, as both my bug-covered truck, from the drive back from Tampa, and Chris's car needed cleaning. The carwash has a very important sign designed to protest the safety of the patrons, except that I'm not sure what they were really saying. It seems to lose some of its value when an important word is misspelled. I actually got a pretty good image of the sign.
Southwest Airline Napkins April 25, 2024
On our Southwest Airlines flight from PBI to BWI this morning, I happened to look at the napkins.
There were witty phrases on both of the napkins. Now, I have to confess that I'm not sure whether the phrases have been on the napkins of other Southwest flights, but I never noticed them before this mornings bleary-eyed flight.
Chris and I were up early, like 4:45 AM to get out the door and to the airport to board our 7:05 scheduled departure. As an aside--it was a great flight. The aircraft lifted off the runway three minutes before our schedule gate departure time and we arrived in Baltimore 28 minutes early. Additionally, the flight was only about 1/2 full. Why can't flying always be like that?
We still have some of our Easter decorations adorning the house. I know, Easter has passed and now it is onto full-fledged Springtime.
The trees in Florida are leafing and the ones that drop their leaves are becoming green. Every year I get people in the community telling me the trees have died and need to be cut down, I have to remind them that these trees are ones that actually lose their leaves during Autumn.
I am not sure what the next decorating season is going to be? I guess Independence Day. That should be fun, but we have a lot of travel coming before then. The next two months are crazy busy. Maryland at the end of the month, then Italy in May, followed by a return to Maryland in June for the bike trip over the GAP.
Gator in the 'Glades Everglades National Park, FL March 27, 2024
It sounds like we are sitting atop a large engine as the airboat fires up in preparation to set off.
Yesterday, Chris, Luke, and I set off to the Everglades for some fun and an airboat ride. Typically, when Chris and I head off to airboat we do not see any gators in the wild. Yesterday, however, we saw six! And I also found out why. Don't go airboating in the Everglades to look for gators in July--it is too hot and they are not active. March and April, it seems, are when they are active.
The Gator and Luke Everglades Safari Park, Miami, FL March 27, 2024
It was the first long trip for Chris's new car and I computed the distances pretty carefully to determine that we could get there and back without needing a charge. Of course, never having done a trip like this before I was unsure whether the distance estimate for the battery was accurate. Turns out it was close. I did lose a few miles range each way on the highway--but, I subsequently determined that I should have switched the car into a more efficient mode which might have solved that issue. Lesson learned! We drove 220 miles and ended with 42 miles range. We started with about 280 miles of expected range. All-in-all great first trip.
I took a short video of the airboat experience and the noise from the twin engines. Thankfully they issued us ear plugs for some protection. According to the app on my iPhone, the airboat engines were producing 102-109 decibels of deafening sound.
Luke and Chris with the Airboat at Speed Everglades National Park, FL March 27, 2024
While at the park, Luke came face-to-snout with a gator. It was pretty funny and I enjoyed taking the picture. This was the first time we visited Everglades Safari Park during Spring Break. The place was packed, but they handled the crowds efficiently. I like this location because the boats actually go into the National Park. I recommend buying the tickets on-line. It smoothed the check-in process and I was able to remember my National Park Pass and save $7 on each ticket.
After the airboat experience, we wandered around the preserve and looked a gators and crocodiles, yes they have crocs! We enjoyed a beautiful day in the mid-80s with partly cloudy skies and cooling breezes. It was perfect. And there were no mosquitoes or other biting insects to spoil our outing.
It is a bit of a drive from Tequesta, almost exactly two-hours each way, but definitely worth the experience.
I noted that the cars in the parking lot were mostly out of state. I think there was only one other car with Florida plates.
It has been a wild two weeks with travel on three successive Tuesdays. We arrived home yesterday afternoon happy to be under blue skies and upper 70 degree temperatures. It was a beautiful evening and I changed out of my jeans and into shorts almost as soon as we arrived home.
Snow Shower Middletown, MD March 10, 2024
During our visit north Chris and I were treated to a snow shower while visiting a meadery in Middletown, MD. That checks the "must see snow" box for 2024. So at least that is out of the way.
The trip home yesterday was pleasantly uneventful and I played with the flight tracker app that Southwest provides. It is kinda cool, but not as interactive as the one that United provides.
It is good to be home and I'm hoping to get out for a bike ride today and later Happy Hour on the beach. We have some appointments tomorrow and then cruise into Friday with some time on the water in a boat. I have reserved the newest boat in the fleet and am pretty excited about heading out on a warm and sunny day.
Thanks to everyone who made our trips to Houston and then Maryland a great adventure despite the weather. It was good to see you all.
Finn Sitting on Chris's Backpack Tequesta, FL March 4, 2024
I remember before I retired I always had a problem with Tuesdays. They just didn't seem to fit well into the week.
Monday was, well, the back to work day after the weekend.
Wednesday was Hump Day
Thursday was Friday Eve
Friday was Fantastic Friday!
But Tuesday just always seemed to be a sore thumb in the week.
Now that I have retired I have figured out what Tuesdays are good for: travel.
Last week I traveled to Houston on Tuesday, but returned home on Sunday. Today I traveled to Baltimore and next Tuesday I return to Tequesta. So I will have traveled on three successive Tuesdays.
We left Finnegan home last week in the care of friends, but he made it clear yesterday that he was not to be forgotten this time. He was a trooper and we had another great flight with him today. I do have to remember that the 7:10 AM flights are hard on the body. I am gonna need a nap!
But, we have arrived in cold, rainy Baltimore. I miss the sun of South Florida already. This is continuing a string of travel where we suffer with cold, rain, and constantly overcast skies. Last time I was here I attended the final Ravens game of the regular season in, you guessed it, a cold rain!
But here we are for the next week. Missing the expected 80s of Tequesta.
Path off Beach Road Jupiter Island, FL February 24, 2024
Yesterday was a travel day. I am looking at a few travel days during the next two weeks as Chris and I visit family in Weston Lakes, near Houston, and then, after a brief stop back in Tequesta head off to Maryland.
Leading to The Concourse Houston Hobby Airport, TX February 27, 2024
But it was yesterday as we were leaving Hobby Airport that I turned around and snapped an image of the main hallway leading to the concourse. It reminded me of a path that I had seen during our last bike ride along Beach Road.
And so I thought about the two paths. One leading to concourses which provide a means to access the sky to travel the world and the other leading to the beach and the ocean which also allows access to the world. So very different, yet similar.
I much prefer the beach path lined with grape mangroves on either side of it to the cold and lifeless windows of the airport.
But as travel days go, it was a great day. The Southwest flight departed the gate on-time, arrived 20 minutes early and was able to pull right into a gate at our destination. That does not happen often. There is nothing worse than arriving early and waiting on the tarmac for a gate to open. Well, maybe pulling away from the gate and waiting an hour to take-off is worse because the flight really hasn't even gotten underway and the passengers are trapped inside the plane.
Moneywise has compiled the 30 worst tourist traps in America.
Atop the Space Needle Seattle, WA August 26, 2023
I was appalled. I have managed to visit 15 of these places and some of them more than once.
Wow!
Now I have to admit, I did not think the Space Needle was a tourist trap nor the Alamo or Times Square. It is really interesting the places that have made the list--like Mount Rushmore, a place that I have yet to visit.
Sunset from the Empire State Building New York City, NY September 25, 2021
The list is presents an interesting collection of places. Yes, they may be tourist traps--but really, some of them are historically significant. I do think the Empire State Building is overpriced for the value--but, at sunset when I was last there it was pretty nice.
Now, I will admit places that I have had the misfortune to visit places on the list that are actual tourist traps or not worth the time, for example South of the Border. Yes, we stayed a night there--once, about 20 years ago. Also, Plymouth Rock is just that--a rock! And it is not even in the place where they came ashore. I admit, I was underwhelmed when I saw the rock.
I recommend taking a look at the list. It is a classic-advertisement filled list and is cumbersome to navigate, but just for fun figuring out how many places on the list I actually visited was an interesting exercise.
The Christmas season, it seems, is ending later this year.
Chris Opening the Final Gifts Tequesta, FL January 9, 2024
We arrived safely home early yesterday afternoon. The two-day trip was completed and we managed, somehow, to travel around, but not through the severe storm that smashed the mid-west and east coast. We had some rain and a lot of wind yesterday, but we avoided the worst of the storm.
Tabletop Fire Pit and Chris Tequesta, FL January 9, 2024
When we arrived home, we were greeted by our still decorated for Christmas house. But that was a good thing since we had some presents under the tree that needed to be opened to complete the season. We had decided not to take all of the gifts we were exchanging with each other on the journey to Maryland. We celebrated our third Christmas of the season while opening the last gifts.
Last evening we put into service one of Chris's gifts--the tabletop fire pit. This one replaces our much smaller cement pit that we were using.
It was nice to be back in the warmer and more humid South Florida. I had to immediately shed the jeans and long-sleeved shirt that I was wearing while driving and get into shorts and a short-sleeve shirt.
Today will be devoted to removing the Christmas decorations and returning the home to its more normal configuration.
Out the Hotel Window, Embassy Suites Pooler, GA January 8, 2024
The trip home to Florida comes with an overnight stop in Pooler, GA, near Savannah, at the Embassy Suites.
I love the Embassy Suites for two reasons: the Managers Reception and the breakfast. And I continue to enjoy the ambiance.
We arrived early, hours before check-in, but they were able to get our room cleaned and ready while we ate lunch and did some shopping at the nearby outlet mall.
Me and Chris at the Managers Reception Embassy Suites, Pooler, GA January 8, 2024
The view out the window was not much to enjoy and the windows were dirty. As a significant storm was expected, many people were scurrying about trying to get things buttoned down.
We discovered that the area is extremely dog friendly. Finnegan accompanied us to lunch and dinner and no one even asked about his Service Dog status. The area seems very welcoming to traveling dogs!
We expect to be home about 1:30 PM today! After three weeks away we will enjoy being home, but we are already missing our family and friends in Maryland.
There is something about southern North Carolina which makes driving a royal pain. It might be the construction. The southern portion of I95 is under construction. There are barriers on both sides of the lanes.
We departed just after 4 AM and have been on the road for 5 hours. We are stopping for the night near Savannah and we should be there in about 4 hours. We leave early to avoid morning traffic around DC. And we did.
Finn is being good. He is happy not to have been left behind.
I know that I am enjoying the relative calm before the storm.
A few deep breaths and some relaxation because the holiday rush begins in earnest next Monday as we depart for Maryland and the frozen northlands.
My drive weather forecaster is showing about a 40 percent chance of rain for almost the entire trip. Those would be the lime green dots on the map at the right. Hopefully the weather will improve between now and then. We are planning a stopover in Fayetteville, NC, which will be followed by a short jaunt the next day to being us into Odenton and miss D.C. rush hour traffic.
The app I am using, and have used very successfully in the past, is Drive Weather. I use it to avoid snow, ice, and torrential rains.
Once we arrive back in Maryland it will be great to be with family and friends to celebrate the holidays. There is so much that will need to be done to finalize the preps--but that, after all, is what the season is about.
So I'm taking a pause, well also because we are getting thunderstorms today, and getting ready for the fun to begin.
Brightline Train Tequesta and N. Old Dixie Highway Tequesta, FL December 4, 2023
How can you tell?
I can see the tracks!
Chris and I did a short 12-mile ride yesterday, but managed to sit at a crossing to wait for the Brightline to pass. It is exciting to have the Brightline passenger train zoom by at 60 mph and be gone in less than a minute as opposed to waiting for the lumbering freight trains that also pass through our village a couple times per day. They last, it seems, forever as they move long lines of freight-laden cars along the tracks.
I learned a lesson about my iPhone while trying to video the train. The video will not work when the cell is on! Chris and I establish a cell connection when we bike to stay in communication and chat. I did not know that I could not be on the cell and use the video feature at the same time.
Lesson learned.
I at least managed to get a few images of the train as it whooshed past.
And then we rode off across the tracks as the train rolled across the drawbridge just down the way.
It was not very bad for a post holiday travel. The airport was not empty, but it was not crowded either. The jet owe flew home was full--but then they are always full it seems.
The Southwest desk was pleasantly empty, but processing for the flight still took a lot of time because we travel with a service animal. Thankfully, we arrived early for our flight.
It was cold in Baltimore as we departed and we looked forward to warm South Florida temperatures. It was in the 70s when we arrived at West Palm Beach. Yay. And palm trees!
I do have some feedback for Southwest, however. Loading and unloading the passengers on the aircraft has become a nightmare. There are multitudes of wheel chair and pre-board passengers. The problem is that they are slow, which is why they need pre boarding--but then they sit in the very front of the aircraft. That makes getting out of the plane an equally slow process. Perhaps the wheelchair and pre-board passengers could be seated in the rear of the aircraft. I know it seems harsh, but putting the them in the rear would allow for boarding of other passengers while they are getting seated. There are also two restrooms at the rear--a convenience issue for many. Having them in the rear would allow for faster unloading of passengers and then allow the wheelchair passengers to receive debarkation assistance without slowing the entire process.
One other comment from yesterday's flight. The captain had the seatbelt sign on for nearly the entire flight and at least the last 1h30m. The captain and first officer were both able to use the restroom facility--but passengers were not supposed to leave their seats to do likewise. Maybe a bit more consideration for the self-loading cargo.
Chris and I are at the end of our Thanksgiving visit to Maryland.
It is sad to be leaving family and friends, but more moderate temperatures await us in Florida. And we will be there for three warmer weeks until returning for the final push to Christmas.
I had planned this trip to occur just before and just after the traditional travel dates for the holiday so hopefully the airport will not be a disaster.
We are supposed to fly when we return, but I am beginning to think about driving since we will need to rent a car when we return. I would not attempt a straight through event, but even adding in hotels I think it will be less expensive for us to drive. It is definitely a point of discussion.
I can hardly believe that Thanksgiving is less than a week away!
The holiday season has just about arrived! Well, given the level of decorating that I have already witnessed, it has arrived. I do so enjoy the palm trees wrapped in lights!
Finn Trying to Sleep on the Plane Somewhere Over the East Coast November 17, 2023
Yesterday, however, Chris and I along with Finn departed the warmth of South Florida and journeyed north to Maryland for Thanksgiving. We were treated to a nice flight along the Chesapeake and beautiful scenery just before landing. The rusts of the final autumn colors greeted us. Of course, there was not a palm tree in sight!
Regarding the holiday travel--we were lucky. I think we beat the big rush, although the plane was completely full. We did not experience any unusual delays. Southwest, however, does need to figure out how to get everyone seated before the door close time. People were still getting onboard at the designated time to pull away from the terminal.
But we are here, complete with rental car--and I will not even begin to write about that broken process.
Finnegan with Pup-cup Tequesta, FL October 2, 2023
We were supposed to be on a plane this morning headed to Baltimore.
We're not!
It's a long story that needn't be told, except to say that complications arose at the last minute forcing me to reschedule the reason for the early October trip. We will miss seeing the family and friends with whom we had planned to visit.
Yesterday, Chris and I enjoyed our first visit to the brand new Starbuck's Coffee, which is located all of about 500 feet from our home.
We are not Starbuck's fans, but we needed to check the place out. Finnegan had already visited the new coffee shop while we were on our Alaskan adventure. He definitely enjoyed the pup-cup they provided for him.
We enjoyed the visit, but it will likely not be a regular thing.
Walking around the Weston Lakes community was an enjoyable experience. The houses are opulent and the lawns, for the most part, are immaculate.
But, we noticed that in some places when the facade is peeled back that real danger lurks right in people's backyards.
Alligators!
We had Finn on a very short leash at this point. We did not want him to become alligator bait! But I was astounded at how close the houses and lawns were situated to the alligator infested bayou.
Of course, here is Florida alligators are a fact of life, but who knew that an hour outside of Houston alligators were also causing problems?
Out the Cabin Window Take-off Ft Lauderdale, FL September 19, 2023
And we arrived last evening after waiting out a thunderstorm in Ft Lauderdale.
Flying out at night into the lightning filled sky was fabulous. It made for. some great entertainment.
I tried to get an image of the clouds illuminated by the lightning, but all I got was the engine. My camera just did not want to focus on the action. Ugh. It was great.
But, we arrived safely in Houston, after about a 30 minute storm delay, about the same time as the Orioles were defeating the Astros.
We are here for a few days and then back to Florida. It is hotter here than home!
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