St. Augustine to Treasure Island, 235 miles
"Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without
forgetting."
~Elizabeth Bibesco
The temperature climb during the past few days has been stunning. Today we hit sixty soon after lunch, and the gauge registered eighty one time in mid afternoon. A far cry from the white ice of yesterday morning.
The ride today was on the road more travelled, I-95 and I-4 basically, and through the cities of Orlando and Tampa. We are becoming allergic to traffic. Between the roar, lane mergings, tailgaters and trucks, perhaps we should have taken a fifty mile arc around the concrete jungle.
But oh, the water! Maybe it's because we're from Vegas and most of our water is fake (think Bellagio) or everyone marvels at it, I don't know, but it is fabulous. Jet skiers carve turns and big boats-those cigarette things-rocket across the Gulf. People walk and run, bicycle and hang on the beach. I could get used to this. Probably four hours of hanging on the beach and I'd be jumping out of my skin, but it would be worth a try.
Our short term schedule goes like this:
Spend the week with the in laws at the Sand Pebble (two thumbs up, you ask me. The in-laws and the Sand Pebble) until Saturday morning. Head to Ft. Lauderdale and drop the bike off for some services. Rear tire, sketchy cruise control, oil change, and maybe a new rear fender. Maybe not, since the duct tape is doing so well. Plus if I replace the fender I lose the wrap. Finally we'll board the Princess and cruise the Eastern Caribbean for a week.
(PP!) Corona Beer commercials cleverly encourage us to 'find your beach.' Today, we found it. It's a real beach, a hundred yards out and three stories down. A picture of it would be perfect right here, should I have brought the camera up before sunset.
And it wasn't the final trip either. Today I elevatored up a couple of times with luggage and other trash- er, stuff. Then back down (and up) to buy groceries. Down again to get change for the laundry. Forgot to put the permit on the bike. Oops, how many miles did we travel today? Dang, I need to get my phone. And finally the camera. Hopefully finally. What's that-six, eight trips up and down the steps? So while the beach is a center fielder's throw away, hopefully tomorrow we'll find our beach. If you know what I mean.
And now, closer to the beach than I am, Quilter Girl!
I feel like we have arrived! What a wonderful place, do I have to leave? Picture this, I am typing this on the deck that is over the pool area, listening to the sounds of the kids in the pool and the waves crashing on the beach. This is a two bedroom condo, my parents really know how to live, with a full kitchen, dining area and the wonderful deck. I have been watching the Rose Bowl and working on the next baby blanket with the slider wide open. I can see the lights of boats on the water from here. This is so cool.
QG
Happy New Year to all of you, thanks for following, and our wishes for a successful and prosperous year. And sometimes, during all the hubbub and chaos, may you find your beach.
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