I left Sedona very reluctantly…I was so much at ease there and could have easily stayed much longer there, taking in the beautiful Red Rocks and hiking my life away. But Flagstaff beckoned, and I’d heard really wonderful things it. I’d been urged to take the back way up to Flagstaff, north on 89A, and I did just that. The drive was magnificent. Very narrow winding roads through lush forests of pine. At the top was a little turnoff for a scenic view. Tonya had suggested that I stop there, so I pulled off and beheld the most splendid view – as close as I could get to it without getting dizzy from my fear of heights! This scenic turnoff was even more pleasant as it was lined with several Native American booths with  crafts, jewelry and gifts. I bought a lovely little money clip etched with my spirit totem, the wolf.

I arrived in Flagstaff a little bit after 1pm, and right away knew that I would be staying more than just the night. I found the historic Route 66 and took it into the little downtown area, parked my car, and started walking down San Francisco Avenue. Quaint is the word that accurately describes this little area. After checking out several outdoor gear shops, I found one with a much needed hiking hat, on sale. After having a delightful and hearty Blackbird Porter at the Flagstaff Brewing Company, I passed a great little music store. Finally,the opportunity I’d been waiting for! I went inside and found what I’d been searching for since I visited Gretchen and Tim in Bethesda. Now I just have to learn how to play the damned thing!

I drove back along Route 66, checked into my hotel, added an extra night, and relaxed for a bit. There was no need to search high and low for a good place to eat. Tonya and Chris’ friend Steve had already pointed me to Diablo Burgers, right in the heart of the little downtown area. Diablo Burger is very small…seating inside is just a few high top tables and the bar with a TINY kitchen behind the bar. The place is so small there’s no bathroom within their restaurant – you have to walk back around somewhere. There are several picnic tables outside for outdoor dining. I took a seat at the bar and enjoyed one of their seasonal light ales. Not sure what it was, but it was lovely on this hot evening. I can’t remember what the name of the burger that I ordered, but it had pesto, a fried egg, and I asked them to throw on some crispy bacon (‘cause bacon makes everything better). The burger arrived perched on a bed of fantastic hot fries. All Diablo burgers are served on English muffins – great by me, I love them that way. It was one of the best burgers I have ever had. Cooked perfectly medium rare. I finished the burger,  but could NOT even make a dent in the pile of fries.

 Dusk arrives early in Flagstaff, so I headed back to the hotel. I made one stop…at a FANTASTIC little shop called McGaugh’s Smoke and Bottle. This is an incredible little store with an amazing variety of beer and a fantastic selection of cigars. I chose about 6 little tiny cigars and drove back to my hotel, where I enjoyed a little cherry cigar in the lovely cool dark before hitting the sack.

Folks, I am not kidding, the sun is UP over the horizon by 5:30am this time of year in Flagstaff. I was up and dressed and headed over to Crossfit Flagstaff, a mere 2 miles from where I was staying. I walked in for the 6am class and was greeted not by the resident crossfit dog, but the resident crossfit CAT, Clark. Wow! Clark pointed me in the direction of the coaches of the morning’s class, Stephen and Rachel. I signed myself up (most crossfits I’m visiting have fancy schmancy electronic Wodify or similar computer programs), bought myself a Crossfit Flagstaff shirt, and began my warmup. This was one of the biggest and nicest crossfit boxes I’ve visited on my trip…similar in size and scope to Crossfit Maximus. We all did a prescribed warmup on our own, then Rachel led us through a short barbell complex group warmup. There was no strength element to the class (boo) and we went directly into the WOD of the day, which was named the River Styx. 1000 meter row followed by 21-15-9 KB swings and burpees. After well over a week with no crossfit, it felt pretty good to have my butt kicked!

 After class I went right across the street to a littlle coffee shop, enjoyed a cup of strong yummy brew, and in walks one of that morning’s 6am crew. Turns out this guy is from Macomb, IL (right down the road from where I went to undergrad) and he extolled the virtues of Flagstaff for me (as if I hadn’t already realized them!). After that, I grabbed a quick shower at the hotel, and then headed back downtown for breakfast at MartAnne’s – also recommended by Tonay and Chris’ friend Steve! At his suggestion, I ordered the Chilaquiles, Fratelli style (covered in pork salsa verde) and folks, they were out of this world. I made a valiant effort but will not disclose the after picture. I tried….really I did.

 What to do now with the whole day in front of me? Tonya had suggested the chair lift at the Arizona Snow Bowl, but unfortunately it only runs Friday through Sunday. However, there was a decent little climb very close to me …. The Elden Lookout Trail is about 2.5 miles one way and about a 2000 foot elevation to the top. It was cloudy and perfect for the climb. I drove a few miles to the trailhead and started up. The climb was very difficult – steep, very rocky, and quite strenuous. For just a short moment I thought I was in over my head, but just kept telling myself to put one foot in front of the other. Finally I made it to the top, and enjoyed a stunning view of Flagstaff. I have to say that crossfit really is a great preparation for climbing these higher elevations.

 After a tough crossfit workout and an even tougher climb up Mt. Elden, I was BEAT. I headed back to the hotel, took a well deserved shower, and drove back to Flagstaff Brewing Company. This time, I chose a wonderful Coconut Porter and at the bartender’s recommendation, ordered a half order of poutine. I had enjoyed an authentic poutine when I traveled to Montreal in 2004 for the GALA festival with VOICES. This was not quite up to the classic poutine, as there were no cheese curds, but after all that activity, it tasted pretty damned good. For those of you who don’t know what poutine is….it’s a bed of french fries smothered in brown gravy and topped with cheese curds. It’s OUT OF THIS WORLD.

 My final destination for the day was the Lowell Observatory, about 2 miles further down the road. I arrived just in time to hear a fantastic lecture on the discovery of Pluto (the planet that’s not a planet anymore), followed by a talk inside the rotunda on the how to’s of identifying planets, stars, constellations, etc. Unfortunately it was a bit too cloudy for stargazing, so I headed back to my hotel room and looked forward to the next day – THE GRAND CANYON!

When I first entertained the thought of an adventure in mid February, I emailed my dear friend Tonya. Three years ago, she’d done the exact thing I was contemplating – quit her job, sold her stuff, drove cross country and found herself in Sedona AZ. She’s been there ever since. I knew that she would relate to what was going on in my life and the reasons behind the desire to leave everything behind and find my true self. I was overwhelmed with emotion when she immediately fired back a two page email completely supporting my decision (in fact she wrote “LEAVE RIGHT NOW”) and inviting me to visit her in Sedona.

After leaving Houston, I drove up to Dallas to have dinner with my nephew, who relocated there at the end of January. After that short visit, I began the long, two day trip towards Sedona. I headed west on I-20 through some of the UGLIEST areas of the state of Texas. Ablilene was alright, but Midland Odessa with its oil refineries was especially bleak, ugly, and stinky. After finally merging onto I-10, I ended up in a little town called Van Horn, just about 120 miles east of El Paso, on the edge of the Guadaloupe Mountains.

The next morning I left at 6am and immediately the landscape changed. More and more majestic mountains appeared before me, and at Fort Hancock I pulled off and took some pictures of the lovely morning.

The city of El Paso appeared next, and shortly after that I drove into New Mexico and though my first border checkpoint. At Las Cruces I started the long stretch into Arizona towards Tucson and Phoenix. As I drove through these two very crowded and unappealing cities, all I could think of was how beautiful Tonya promised that Sedona would be! In Phoenix I turned onto I-17 north and finally started seeing some fantastic scenery. The  final segment of the drive on route 179  into Sedona almost blew my mind, as the famous Red Rocks appeared before me. What a great reward for a long 12 hour drive!

Since I’d gone through two time zones, it was only 4pm when I pulled into Tonya’s driveway….right at the base of Thunder mountain! She was sitting out on the front porch and I leapt out of my car and grabbed her in a huge bear hug. She introduced me to her fiance Chris, his adorable 8 year old son Alexander, and her fantastic dog Linus.

At this point, I have to try to describe Sedona. It’s pretty hard for me to put into words, other than this little town is surrounded by the most amazing, stunning, and unique red rock mountains imaginable. It is overwhelming and mind boggling to be sitting in a house or driving along and seeing this incredible beauty surrounding you. Tonya and Chris’ front porch faces Chimney Rock and the back porch of the house overlooks Thunder Mountain, Sugar Loaf Mountain, Coffee Pot and Munds mountains. The first hour or so I was pretty much speechless just taking in the majesty of the surroundings.

Dinnertime was approaching so we headed to Oak Creek Brewery which housed a little place called Simon’s Hot Dogs. As we waited on an assortment of those, and I walked into the bar and picked out a nice growler of a hearty local porter and we headed back to the house. Chris’ good friend Steve joined us, and we unloaded the goodies and enjoyed our gourmet hot dogs. After dinner, I brought out my amazing adventure map for Steve and Chris to look over. Chris is a former marine and experienced hiker and survivalist. Steve is also an experienced hiker and very knowledgeable about just about anything. They took a look at the rest of my proposed route and strongly suggested that I make some alterations in it in order to get to Glacier National Park earlier in the summer before the weather started turning colder. So, I continued to practice letting go of control and changed my route!

After dinner Tonya took me for a drive around the little town and as sunset approached, she took me to Airport Mesa to watch as the sun set behind the mountains. It was crowded with throngs of tourists taking pictures and admiring the beauty. As the sun finally passed below the ridge of the rocks, everyone burst into applause!

I couldn’t wait until it got dark enough to see the stars. Sedona is VERY dark at night, so around 9:30 we went out on the back deck and although a bit cloudy, I saw the most amazing display of stars, along with the bright Milky Way. I wish that pictures could do it justice, but that doesn’t work. Finally the time zones caught up with me and I fell into an exhausted sleep.

In Sedona at this time of year the sky lightens around 5am. I woke early and walked out onto the back deck and enjoyed the complete silence of the morning, except for the song of the birds and the insects. The plan that morning was to hit the local farmers market and then see the rest of the town. Alexander was SO disappointed that he had to go to the YMCA and couldn’t join us! Tonya and I piled into the car and drove the short distance to the Farmers Market. Although very small, it was comprised of some really nice little stands. We stopped at a little French pastry stand and I ate the most delicious little plum tart while Tonya chose a rich buttery brioche. We ended up with a great little assortment of cherry tomatoes, squash, some chard, delicious greens, and a fantastic little hybrid melon. Then we walked through the little shops of TLAQUEPAQUE, a beautiful open air market featuring art galleries, craft shops and other shopping options, walked down to the little Oak Creek, a fantastic duck filled creek that was completely out of place in the middle of the desert!

Our shopping completed, we headed back to the house and the boys joined us for lunch at a great little local place called Nick’s. The change in altitude and the previous day’s long drive was quickly catching up with me, so after lunch I caught a half hour cat nap. I woke feeling much refreshed, which was good since Chris and Steve were taking me on hike that evening. I eagerly brought out my new hiking shoes and backpack and waited for Steve to arrive. Hiking is one of my favorite things to do and I was so stoked to be going on a hike with these two seasoned guys. We drove the short distance to the entrance to Long Canyon Trail and headed out. Steve led the way and I worked hard to keep up with his long strides as Chris took up the rear. About a quarter of the way through Chris said that most folks he takes out start huffing and puffing at this point. I gave props to my crossfit conditioning and we continued on. Further along the trail, Chris broke off the main trail and we hiked through some really rough and rocky terrain. At one point we approached some pretty shear rock and approached a ledge. I looked at it and in my mind immediately thought “I can’t do that.” I didn’t say anything aloud, and when I came up to the ledge Chris coached me up it, saying “keep your hips close” and I found some footholds, and then thanks to crossfit was able to pull myself up onto of the ledge! Just more confirmation that you can do more than you think you can! Past that we came upon some incredible Indian ruins amidst the red rocks. To discover these isolated areas that most people don’t see is an overwhelming experience and I’m so lucky to have seen it.

Darkness was approaching and Chris had headlamps just in case we needed them. Let me tell you, it’s pretty surreal to be hiking a trail in the dusk/dark. It’s interesting that if you just trust your body, you can hike in the dark really without seeing. We made it back to the car around 8:30 in just about full darkness. I was exhausted but exhilarated to have made it through such a challenging hike! We arrived back at the house and I had a big glass of cold beer and Tonya made us the most delicious post hike smoothies. Fantastic first full day in Sedona!

The next day when I woke and looked out off the front porch, I could see dark clouds to the south of us, and I was hopeful that I would see some Sedona rain. Tonya was going to be busy preparing for a welcome home party for her friends Julie and Mike, so I took that opportunity to make a quick little trip to Jerome. Jerome is a little historic mining town located between Flagstaff and Prescott, about 20 miles south of Sedona. It’s at an altitude of about 5000 feet on Cleopatra Hill overlooking the Verde Valley. Driving up to the top to the town challenged my fear of heights but I did it! I parked my car and took some pictures overlooking the valley. Jerome has several art galleries, craft stores, wineries, coffee houses and restaurants. I perused through several of the little shops and as 1pm approached, stopped at Mile High Inn for some lunch. I took a seat at the bar and ordered a nice dark porter and ordered a breakfast for lunch burger with fries. It arrived, hot and delicious. Thank you Yelp for your fantastic recommendations. I finished up and returned to my car and drove back down the mountain. It seemed to be perfect timing as the sun had just burst blazing through the clouds and throngs of tourists were traveling UP the mountain.

I returned to the house which was prepped for the party. Most of the folks at the party knew each other through Pink Jeep, a local jeep tour company for which many of them worked or had worked (including Chris and Steve). I met some fantastically down to earth people, ate some scrumptious food, smoked a great little cigar from Chris’ humidor, and sat out on the back deck looking up at the clearest night sky yet, picking out the planets, satellites, and several shooting stars. Another beautiful day in Sedona.

Sunday I woke late, had some coffee and started blogging. After several quiet hours on the front porch in the cool breeze, I stretched and prepared for one last hike. I’d been looking out on Chimney Rock off Tonya’s front porch for days and that’s where I was headed. All I had to do was walk out her front door and up the street about 100 yards and I was at the base of the trail. I turned left onto Thunder Mountain trail and started walking. Soon I came upon a rugged path on the right and headed up towards Chimney Rock. After about 10 minutes I got a bit intimidated and headed back towards the main trail. But dammit, this whole trip is about not being scared and getting myself out of my comfort zone. So I told myself to get back up there and everything would be ok if I was just smart and used my common sense. This time I steadily climbed the red rocks, looking for firm hand and footholds, avoiding the agave plants know as “Cowboy Killers”. Eventually I got quite close to Chimney Rock and congratulated myself on conquering my fear of heights!

Now came the hard part…finding my way back down again. I kept telling myself that if I got up, I could get back down again, to just take my time, keep my center of gravity low, use my common sense and everything would be ok.  At a couple of spots that I lost my footing, but I just kept low, sliding down on my butt, and after some hunt and pecking for the best way back down, eventually found myself back on the Thunder Mountain trail. I found a great little enclosed spot under a tree that looked like an outdoor sitting area. I took off my pack, ae a Larabar, drank some water, pulled out my journal and just sat listening. It was fabulous. It was absent of all human noise; all I could hear was the cooing of some doves, chirping of the birds, the bugs buzzing past my ears, and the sound of the wind blowing through the trees. Those sounds of nature have always resounding in me. I remember watching CBS Sunday Morning and waiting in anticipation of the last 15 minutes which always comprised a final segment of a clip of nature. This was all that and more….as long as I wanted to sit there. It’s what I have craved my whole life…this silence except for the sound of the natural world around me.

After my rest, I wanted just a bit more of a hike, so I started the other direction down Thunder Mountain trail. I laughed out loud as I came upon a sign pointing up: “Chimney Pass.” I’d gone the hard way up first! This path much more easily brought me up the back of Chimney Rock, and as I got higher I could see that Chimney Rock is actually three separate rocks; hence its other name of “Three Fingers.”

Satisfied with my hike and tiring just a bit (and nearly out of water) I headed back down to the bottom of the trail and back to the house. My time in Sedona is just about at an end. I have found this little town and area to be much of what I’ve been searching for: stunning beauty, peace and tranquility, fantastic opportunities for hiking, a very laid back and easy going attitude among those living there, the most beautiful and spectacular display of nighttime sky and stars I have ever seen, and solitude. I’m very much looking forward to finding more of the same as I continue my adventures out west.

 

 

Houston was not originally a circled destination on my Amazing Adventure map. However, when I informed my YMCA class earlier this Spring that I would be leaving Louisville in June to travel the country, kick ass class members and dear friends Paula and Dustin told me that they were relocating to Houston in the summer. Paula told me if I didn’t stop in Houston she’d hunt me down!

So, after my San Antonio Foodapalooza, I backtracked east to Houston early Saturday morning. It’s interesting to note, (yet painful at the time), that there are no Starbucks on Interstate 10 between San Antonio and Houston. I made the three and a half hour trip without the assistance of caffeine. That’s alright, I’m almost getting used to making it through a day without it. Paula and Dustin’s house is quickly and easily accessible off of I-10, and I arrived a little bit after 1pm. Although I’ve been seeing many old friends along my adventure, I miss my friends in Louisville intensely. I cannot describe how wonderful it was to see Paula walk down to greet me and the feeling I had seeing one of my beloved YMCA peeps. The afternoon was spent catching up, touring their beautiful home, being introduced to their two HUGE Maine coon cats, Lewis and Blue, and waiting for a curiously difficult and lengthy internet installation. We also discovered a FABULOUS gourmet food and liquor store, Specs, where we picked up a few yummy items for cocktails and dinner. We returned back to the house to begin the social hour. Paula mixed a mean and tasty dirty martini with some delicious blue cheese and anchovey stuffed olives. I pretty much was in heaven with that and a few appetizers.

Paula whipped up a fantastic dinner of bacon-wrapped shrimp and scallops along with a heirloom cherry tomato salad simply marinated in balsamic vinegar. Dustin walked in shortly thereafter, fresh off his plane. We gave each other a big bear hug and then sat down to dinner. Afterwards, we eagerly made plans for the next morning, which would include an Alise-inspired Cardio Power workout!

The morning dawned beautiful, hot and humid. We fortified ourselves with some coffee and tea, donned our workout clothes, grabbed some water and dumbbells, and made the short trip to Memorial Park. We found a little shaded spot under a tree, threw our dumbbells to the ground, and started a little warmup in preparation of our workout. Dustin used 35# dumbbells, Paula and I used 20# dumbbells.

As if that weren’t enough, Dustin suggested that we walk around the entire 3 mile loop of the park. In the 90 degree heat. And humidity. With no clouds or any other shade. Ugh! We gamely made it around, stopping only once to try a few pullups on an available bar. Oh, good times!

I thought that we all deserved a little treat. So on the way home from the park, we just happened to pass a local doughnut shop that looked as if it might have something good inside. Why not! We brought those delightful treats home and then had a little decent protein along with them. Seriously, I was a little dizzy from the heat and just needed a little sugar to perk me up. Don’t judge me.

After that we got all cleaned up. Dustin was lucky that he would be going out with the two prettiest ladies in Houston. We piled into the car, headed off for the Galleria and spent about an hour and a half window shopping all the amazing high end stores, watching people ice skate on the rink on the lower level, and helping Dustin buy himself a pair of sporty driving moccasins. Mid-afternoon we headed off in search of an adult beverage, and pulled up in front of Canyon Cafe just as the final game of the World Cup entered into bonus time. We sat at a table and Dustin brought me and Paula a specialty of the house: a BadAss Country Iced Tea. Ladies and Gentlemen, it is aptly named.

Yay Germany!

We were in for a treat next, thanks to my dear friend Joe Mechavich, who suggested that if in Houston, I must go to Hugo’s. We arrived and were seated in a lovely bright table, and our experience began. First up was a fabulous margarita with an appropriate amount of salt on the rim. We took a look at the appetizers and ordered some little tacquitos, and then I was shocked as Paula ordered grasshoppers! I was eager to try my first insect ever. Folks, I have to tell you, they were amazing. They were pan sauteed, crispy, nutty and tasty! Think of the protein!

Our dinners did not disappoint. I debated between carnitas, baby pig, and pork shoulder with mashed plantains and plum sauce. Our server steered me to the shoulder, and I was amazed at how tender and moist it was. Paula went with the soft shell crab with a little corn pudding that was out of this world, and Dustin enjoyed the lamb. I’m pretty sure we licked our plates clean.

Dessert was next. MoJo had suggested that I try the hot chocolate. Paula went with the bread pudding, and Dustin had two scoops of some amazing cinnamon-chocolate ice cream. Demolition of dessert completed.

Monday morning Paula had to go in to work and left around 9. Dustin and I were charged with a few tasks: shopping at Costco, checking out a couple of Crossfit possibilities for Paula, making up a workout for later, and taking out the smelly garbage. Dustin investigated some gym possibilities in advance as the cats assisted.

Trips to Costco are always fun. But trips to prospective crossfit gyms are more fun! We scoped out a little spot, Crossfit TSC, and then Crossfit 1526. We had lunch at a bright little sandwich shop close to Paula’s office, and she walked over and then we headed to check out the construction on the assisted living facility she was going to be overlooking. Then we headed back home. Paula followed shortly thereafter and we threw on our workout clothes and headed to Memorial Park one more time. Thank goodness it was cloudy and the late afternoon sun was tempered a bit. This evening’s workout was all bodyweight: Ten rounds:5 pushups/10 situps/5 burpees/10 airsquats/50 yard sprint/50 yard recovery. I thought about all my YMCA peeps in my class as we cranked this one out!

After that butt-kicking, we went back to the house, cleaned ourselves up, and Paula prepared a simple but fantastic meal of some stuffed peppers and a baby kale salad mixed with the marinated heirloom cherry tomatoes from Saturday night. After dinner she pulled out some dessert options that were truly evil.

As I get further into my journey, I continue to be grateful for my friends who open their homes to me and welcome me with open arms.  Paula and Dustin have only been in my life for a short time, but the effect they have had on me is huge. It is absolutely true that what you put out to the universe, you get back.

Paula has charged me with an assignment for the remainder of my adventure: What Would Alise Do. I”m supposed to come up with a workout every day. Whoo boy, this is gonna be hard!

San Antonio! I was looking forward to this visit for two reasons; the history of the city and the fact that it would be only a short hour and a half drive from Austin!

I left Austin around 9:30am and arrived in San Antonio a short time later, well before I could check into my hotel. With the whole day ahead of me, I followed the signs to downtown, parked my car, and headed towards the universal San Antonio recommendation: The Riverwalk. I didn’t realize that it was actually below street level, and spent about an hour walking up and down the length of it, looking into the shops and watching the river boat tours as they traveled down the river.

I still had plenty of time left in the day, so I walked upstairs and headed north to the Alamo. When I finally saw it, I smiled as I remembered how everyone told me it was oddly placed in the middle of hotels and shops. Nonetheless, I got chills when I finally saw it in person. I stepped into the line, which was not very long, and was soon inside the walls of the historic building. I walked through the cool, dark interior and reverently observed the stone walls and the old artifacts of that famous battle so long ago – the rifles, knives, and other interesting items. I finished inside that building and then walked around the grounds behind, entering the long stone barracks building where I saw even more artifacts and read the history of the Alamo Mission and the independence of Texas.

After my history lesson, I headed towards Market Square, or El Mercado. This is where folks in the know recommended that I go to shop and eat while in San Antonio. It was a decent walk from the Alamo, and for a time I thought perhaps I might be headed in the wrong direction! But soon I came upon the square with its brightly colored flags down the center and had a fantastic time visiting the wonderful shops. I came upon the highly-recommended restaurant Mi Tierra, but it was so crowded that the wait was over an hour and a half, even at the bar. I walked out and right over to another highly recommended spot, La Margarita. This time I had no problem getting a seat at the bar. The bartender came over and I said that I’d heard that one could get a pretty good margarita there. He gave me a look and said, “Not the house margarita, I will make you a good one.” And he proceeded to serve me the BEST margarita I’ve ever had (sorry El Mundo!). I ordered the lunch special of four little steak tacos with a tasty tomatillo sauce and a cup of delicious beans, along with a second margarita. This was some authentic food!

After that rather late lunch I checked into my hotel, changed my clothes, and headed off to my first crossfit visit in over a week. Crossfit Unchained was a short 3 mile drive from the hotel, located just next to the I-35 overpass on E. Houston Street. I walked in and introduced myself to Arthur, the owner, and he welcomed me to the gym and pointed me in the direction of the foam rollers. Shortly thereafter the class began, led by Coach Calla from Minnesota, a tall young blond with a distinct Minnesota accent. The first part of class was heavy squat cleans, and it was quickly apparent that it had indeed been an entire week since I’d had a good workout, and that I was paying for indulging in all the NOLA food and drink! After the strength component and some excellent coaching tips from Calla, we were given a very challenging WOD: OTM for 10 minutes, 3 hang power cleans, 6 pushups, and 9 airsquats. It sounded innocuous enough but it was anything but. Coach Calla encouraged us to complete all the reps within 30 seconds and I managed to keep up that pace. After the 10 minutes were up we took off on an 800 meter run in the blazing evening sun. A thorough butt kicking! The rest of the evening consisted of nothing more than a nice long shower, some inspirational reading and an early bedtime.

The next morning I rose and headed back to Crossfit Unchained for a second helping. This morning’s class was led by Coach Alisia, Arthur’s wife. She was a beautiful, lithe, strong girl with a huge smile and even bigger energy. The morning’s class was great fun – Alisia expertly taught us two different rope climbing techniques, and the workout was a 20 minute AMRAP of 1 rope climb, 10 sledge strikes on a tire, and a 25 meter sled/prowler push. I’d been up a rope before but it was nice to try out a different technique and was proud of myself for being able to get up and down the rope for 20 minutes (although I did get a pretty bad rope burn on the inside of my leg!). A great class, with more excellent coaching and a super welcoming community. I’ve been so lucky on all of my visits to crossfit boxes so far!

After that workout, I headed back to El Mercado and walked into Mi Tierra for breakfast. At this hour of the morning I had NO problem getting a seat, and sat in the brightly lit, christmas tree decorated restaurant. I gratefully sipped some strong coffee as I scanned the menu and was overwhelmed by the breakfast selection. So many choices and they all sounded wonderful! Although I felt hungry enough to order everything on the menu, I settled on three breakfast tacos – huevos rancheros, barbacoa, and lengua. They arrived quickly, wrapped simply in foil, but hot and fresh. They were absolutely delicious and perfect after a strenuous crossfit workout. After I was finished, I paid for my meal and then walked through the bakery, which is known for some amazing Mexican pastries. I chose a caramel filled turnover and was not disappointed. Flaky light crust that could only come from using lard, and a delicious filling that wasn’t too cloying or sweet. I urge anyone going to San Antonio to head straight for Mi Tierra and some of the best food you’ll ever eat.

The rest of the day was spent blogging and dealing with an annoying computer issue. So see, life on the road on my adventure is not always glamorous and full of fun and games! After a non-productive call to the Geek Squad, I got in my car and drove to a local Best Buy and walked up to a Geek Squad member, who proceeded to wave a magic wand over my computer and fix it in less time than it took to drive there.

I had one more restaurant to hit for my last night in San Antonio. My sister Renée had given me a long list of recommendations from a friend living in the area. The very first rec on the list intrigued me: Puffy Tacos from Teka Molino. I’d never heard of such a thing, and it sounded interesting. Thanks to the magic of Google, I discovered that puffy tacos are the signature creation of San Antonio tex-mex. So, I made my way to this place that really looked like a hole in the wall! I ordered three puffy tacos: chicken, beef, and guacamole. Ok, folks….they were so incredibly delicious that I completely inhaled them in no time flat. They are made with corn tortillas and it’s like they are inflated with air, all “puffed up.” There were crispy and light and crunchy and greasy and juicy and succulent and AMAZING!!!!!

I’m not sure I’m really a fan of the geography, weather, or traffic of Texas so far, but I will say that the food has been a huge and pleasant surprise! Next stop is Houston and surely there will be more good eating ahead!

Leaving the fun and frivolity of NOLA behind me, I started the long drive west towards Texas. The summer has proved to be extremely hot, and I was grateful to be driving with the sun behind me. I drove through the swampy terrain of western Louisiana, and as the roads became flatter and the sky appeared larger and larger, I finally entered the country’s second largest state. I passed through Houston at the height of rush hour in a short but intense thunderstorm, and after an hour turned north to make the final push on the backroads of State route 71 towards Austin. Thankfully the rest of the drive was quite beautiful. This part of the state has some beautiful rolling hills and trees and I passed ranch after ranch with long horned steers!

I arrived in Austin a bit after 7:30 and parked in front of my friend Pat’s apartment in a nice gated complex. Not five minutes later he drove up and I tightly hugged yet another one of my University of Iowa colleagues. Pat showed me around his place and introduced me to his handsome sweet cat Henry. After the 7 hour drive I was looking forward to a cold adult beverage, so I stashed my bags and we headed off in search of a decent beer. (Oh, my did I just sound like a beer snob?). Pat pulled up in front of a local pizza and beer place called The Pour House, and we took a seat in the spacious patio area. I was thrilled to see an excellent selection of beer and accepted the server’s recommendation of the pecan stout. We ordered a delicious pizza pie and enjoyed the warm breezy evening as we caught up on each other’s lives.

The next morning Pat headed off for an appointment as I caught up on blogging and listened to some fantastic horn ensemble pieces that Pat had composed. When he returned, we headed out for our day. We picked up his daughters, 14-year old Sophie and 12-year old Elsa. Not only are they beautiful, smart and sociable, they are also brass players (trumpet and french horn, respectively) Their day had started with chores around the house, and then we piled into the car and headed off for short trip to the orthodontist followed by lunch. After that, I was in for a treat. We were headed to Barton Springs Pool, which the girls warned me was lovely but incredibly cold! Barton Springs Pool is a man made recreational swimming pool in Zilker Park, and maintains a year round temperature of about 70 degrees. We got there and I was thrilled to see that it was almost identical to Centennial Beach in Naperville, where I’d spent most of every summer of my childhood. Pat jumped right in the cold clear water as the girls observed. I gingerly walked down the stone stairs into about waist deep water, and despite the 100 degree heat couldn’t take the cold water and retreated to dry land. Pat continued to enjoy the cold water and I finally challenged myself to take the plunge! It’s the coldest water I’ve ever been in! Sophie never did join us, but Elsa made it in to about chest level!

The girls were hankering for some snow cones, which Pat described to me as much better than the snow cones of our childhood. We drove a short distance to a little area of about three food trucks, one of which sported a big snow cone at the top. Perusing the 64 different flavors, I decided on pomegranate, while Pat chose margarita and the girls chose coconut. Served in a big styrofoam cup, this snow cone was NOT like anything I’d ever had…it was fantastic and just filled with flavor and effectively cooled us off.

We headed back to the girls’ house and hung with them for a bit before Pat drove me to the University of Texas campus for a tour of the Butler School of Music. I was tickled to see that musicians everywhere have a sense of humor. (My apologies to any viola players out there)

We were pretty hungry from the day of swimming, so Pat brought me to a nearby local tex mex spot, Torchy’s. I ordered a green chile pork taco and a smoked beef brisket taco. Oh, my they were to DIE for. Some of the best freshest food I’ve ever had.

After eating, we drove off in search of a drink to top off the evening, and found ourselves at Contigo, a fantastic out of the way open air bar and restaurant. We sampled a local dark brew and enjoyed sharing tales of our musical exploits. We recounted one of our favorite stories involving our different approaches to recital preparation. When I gave a recital, I always scheduled it on a weekend. Two days before my recital I’d do my heaviest playing, then the day before I’d do no playing whatsoever, and hole myself up like a hermit to “rest my lip.” Pat and I shared an office at Iowa, and one afternoon in the middle of the week, Pat walked in and grabbed his horn. I was shocked to see him since I knew he had a recital that evening and asked “What are you doing here, you have a recital tonight!” In Pat’s very quiet way, he replied nonchalantly, “Well, I have a quintet rehearsal” to which I replied with horror “OMG, you have a recital tonight and you’re here at school for a rehearsal?!!!!” Pat laughed at me and said “It’s just like any other day.” We laugh about that to this day….but our own individual approaches worked well for both of us!

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay in Austin (except that I never caught a glance of Sandra Bullock) and will offer two observations: it is much larger than I thought it would be, and the traffic is HORRENDOUS!

Next stop: San Antonio and the Alamo!

New Orleans! City of fantastic food and even better music. I couldn’t wait to spend a few days in this city. My last visit had been about 10 years ago, so I was eager to come back and enjoy the city again.

I made arrangements to stay at a little Bed & Breakfast that I’d stayed in the last time – Elysian Fields, located just east of the French Quarter on Elysian Fields avenue. I arrived in town on Sunday around 1pm, and pulled up right in front of the inn. It looked like it hadn’t changed a bit. However, the owners had changed since I was there before. A really nice middle aged couple, Jim and Leigh, were now running the place, along with their two dogs, Zeke and Louie. Jim greeted me and led me inside the beautiful inn and took care of paperwork. His wife Leigh told me about the great improvements in the area along Frenchmen Street, and then pointed me in the direction of Ruby Slipper, where I was eager to have brunch. I brought my belongings up to the room and then headed down the street just a few blocks til I saw the Jeff Stimac recommended brunch spot. I put my name in for a short wait and then headed straight to the bar and ordered a Bellini; a delightful concoction of peach juice/pulp and champagne. It was heavenly! For brunch I ordered Eggs Cochon, which consisted of a couple of rather large buttermilk biscuits, covered with pork debris (looked like pulled pork) and topped with two perfectly poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. It was heavenly and as hungry as I was I couldn’t finish it all!

Next I headed towards the French Quarter via Frenchmen Street. I was thrilled to see how many little bars and clubs lined the street, and could not wait to hear the live music later on in the evening. I hit the French Market and walked through all the stalls and browsed all the jewelry, masks, and other wares for sale. It was blazing hot and very crowded as I continued walking along the Quarter, stopping in the little voodoo and gift shops. I stopped in a cool little smoke shop and watched cigars being expertly and quickly rolled. I bought a couple of little sweets to have later in the evening. I strolled all the way down to St. Ann’s St until I finally ended at Cafe du Monde, which was packed with folks getting their beignet fix. Still full from brunch, I passed it up, choosing to return the next day when I had an appetite! I walked into the Square all the way to the back and had a chance to hear a guy playing a unique instrument called the Kora, a huge African bass harp.

The heat was pretty unbearable, even for me, and I was a bit sleepy, so I walked back to Elysian Fields and up to my room for a mid-day nap. When I rose, I headed back out and made the quick trek to The Praline Connection, a fantastic spot for soul food. I started with a cup of the crawfish etoufee, and found it to be just as good as it was 10 years ago. I was a bit disappointed that they had run out of the fried chicken, but I opted for meatloaf instead, with collard greens and limas. Out it came with a side of fantastically sweet cornbread. For dessert I ordered the bread pudding, and it was one of the best I’ve ever had, very heavy on the bourbon. A wonderful meal.

After that, I was ready to hear some music. I wandered down the street, music streaming out of all the little clubs, and heard some really great trumpet playing coming out of a little Japanese bar. I wandered in, and settled at the bar, listening to this tiny Japanese woman playing a pretty mean trumpet, along with a pianist, bass, and drums. Although she was very fine, as they continued to play, I was captivated by the pianist. I have NEVER in my life heard such unbelievable jazz piano playing. He was absolutely enthralling. Chart after chart, he jammed away, exhibiting unbelievable technique and the most amazing improvisation I’ve ever heard. I looked around and there were very few other people in the bar, and I kept thinking that the place should be packed!

 The combo finished after about an hour, so I walked out and saw a crowd forming right across from Praline Connection. I walked over to see a group of about 10 boys, and yes, they were boys….teenagers mostly. THe group consisted of a couple of drums, a tuba, about three trombones and four trumpets. They started playing and it was phenomenal. Real New Orleans brass band stuff. They took turns playing solos and played on and on. Their chops were unreal. They appeared to have a woman watching over them…she was dancing and jamming among with a tambourine. At one of their breaks, she implored us to keep in mind that for every dollar bill thrown into their donation box, each boy got ten cents. It was a great treat to see them perform.

 After that, I wandered over to a little artist colony along a little corridor, brightly lit with white christmas lights. There were stalls with unique beautiful jewelry, wooden goods, and other types of art. What a joy to see the talents of others and what they are sharing with the world. Just amazing.

I headed back to the inn and sat out on the open air front patio balcony and enjoyed one of my little hand wrapped sweet cigars, along with the balmy New Orleans breeze and the sounds of the late night: far off music, street noise, and the cicadas and other night creatures. Perfect end to the first day of NOLA.

Monday I woke and headed downstairs for coffee and a great breakfast of bacon and eggs, and got a kick out of several other guests rehashing their exploits from the previous night. I finished, walked out the door and headed for Bourbon Street. It was almost noon and shops just started opening up. Again I enjoyed the local art, little voodoo shops and saw some promising looking bars for later that afternoon. Once I hit St. Ann Street I headed south towards Cafe du Monde. Walking down Prisoners Alley I passed some amazing displays of art – paintings, charcoal drawings, prints, etchings, etc – created by local artists. I walked into Cafe du Monde and sat at a table. An old waitress came over and took my order: 3 beignets and a cup of cafe au lait. It arrived and it was heavenly. Covered in a thick layer of powdered sugar – oh my! I had no trouble disposing of them. A tradition that should never be passed up! And yes, I’m well aware that IT’S NOT PALEO!!

After that sugar bomb, I walked back up to Bourbon Street, which was a bit more lively by now. I found a friendly neighborhood bar playing some good dance music and settled in for an hour or so with a couple Abita Summer Wheats. I enjoyed the atmosphere and watched the folks at the bar and the people passing by on the sidewalk. I finished my last beer and bid the boys at the bar farewell, and headed towards Central Grocery, anticipating a NOLA favorite, a nice muffuletta sandwich. However, when I arrived there, I was horrified to see that they were closed on Mondays! AHHHH!!! I had my heart set on a muffuletta! Discouraged, I walked down the sidewalk and noticed another Italian spot hawking their own muffuletta. Well, I thought I’d just see for myself, so I went in and ordered one and was NOT disappointed. In fact, I believe this one to be even better than what I had years earlier from Central Grocery! Mission accomplished.

New Orleans goes into napmode at around 4pm, so I returned to the hotel for a late afternoon nap myself. Around 7 I got up and dressed to go out one more evening. I stopped for a bowl of gumbo at Snug Harbor. There was a great jazz band in the back, but the cover was a little pricy so instead I walked across the street to the Spotted Cat. A nice little combo was playing, but the Spotted Cat is quite small and standing room only. I got a bit claustrophobic so walked out and back to the little artist colony before heading to Cafe Negril, another brightly lit little club just a few doors down. The band playing consisted of drums, bass, electric guitar, keyboard, and a fantastic harmonica player. I was thoroughly enjoying them and was thrilled to see that anyone could sign up and play a set with the band. First up was a cajun singer, he was fabulous. Then a keyboardist took a turn, and as I was leaving, a young man took his spot on drums. I think I was there for about an hour and a half enjoying a multi talented group of local musicians.

I walked out and started heading back to the inn, but noticed that the same group of young kids were again in front of Praline Connection doing their thing. Again I stopped and enjoyed listening to some grown up music played by very young but talented kids. When I got back to the inn, I grabbed my last little sweet cigar, a bottle of chilled mango moscato, and went downstairs to the outdoor patio balcony and enjoyed my last perfect evening in NOLA.

The next morning I enjoyed my last breakfast of french toast and reluctantly and wistfully checked out. More adventures were ahead, but I could have stayed much longer, enjoying the food, sights, sounds, amazing music and wonderful scrabble games! Onward to Texas….see y’all soon!

 

 

When I thought about my adventure, a high priority was to dip my feet in the Atlantic while watching the sunrise, and dip my feet into the Gulf of Mexico and watch the sunset. I got my East coast fix while I was in North and South Carolina, and looked forward to spending some time on the Gulf Coast. Once I left Leesburg, I headed southwest.

My first stop was Sarasota, where I would meet an old opera acquaintance. Lisa Ellis was our seasonal stage manager for Kentucky Opera for several years. I drove down to the Sarasota waterfront and met Lisa and her 6 week old baby at the Toasted Mango, a beautiful bright little restaurant near the waterfront. We had a wonderful time catching up over a delicious lunch, which for me was a BLT with avocado on toasted marble rye. A wonderful unexpected visit!

I’d looked online up and down the gulf coast for the most ideal place to spend a couple of days and decided that Clearwater looked like a nice choice. So, I started my drive there, but rather than take the direct route, I crossed the bridge over the Bay to Longboat Key, and drove north. Many years ago I had vacationed a few times in this area, so I had good memories as I drove all the way up along Longboat Key to Anna Maria Island, seeing places I’d visited years ago. I found a nice little public beach access, and with camera in hand, walked out onto the tip of Anna Maria Island. It is a beautiful beach, and the sun was shining brightly. I kicked off my sandals, walked through the hot sand into the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and took a few pictures of that beautiful beach.

The afternoon was waning, so i got into my car and drove over the huge scary Sunshine Skyway bridge and shortly arrived in Clearwater to my hotel for the next two days. Omigod my room was wonderful. Brand new and spotless. I was eager to get to the beach, but I had a date at a local Crossfit gym for their 4:30 class. So, I threw on some workout clothes and got right back into my car for the short 4 mile drive to the box, Seal Strong Fitness/Caged Crossfit. It was a small bare-bones box housed within a larger bare-bones gym, akin to Fitness Factory. I met the owner, Kory Knowles, and was immediately welcomed by the rest of the class. I was excited to see that we were starting with a 5X5 deadlift, as heavy as possible, and a little scared to see that it was followed by Grace, 30 clean & jerks for time! I eagerly loaded my bar and worked up through the 5 sets to 180lbs. The two coaches for the class were very involved, giving individual instruction and lots of encouragement. After that, I unloaded my bar to 75lbs in preparation for Grace. I think it’d been two years since I’d done that, and I was going 10lbs heavier. It was tough, but thanks to Nathan Wilson at DCCF my cleans were easy, although the jerks were pretty tough at that weight. When that was over, I took off my shoes, packed up my bag and went to shake Kory’s hand. He laughed at me and said, dude, you still have another workout left! Omg, we still had OTM for 12 minutes, 5 handstand pushups even minute/5 muscleups odd minute. So, I gamely grabbed an abmat for my HSPU and subbed 3 pullups/3 bar dips for my muscle ups. Pretty high volume workout, but I loved it and it was a great community.

Exhausted, I drove back to my hotel, stripped off my workout clothes, put on my swimsuit, and headed to Indian Rocks Beach, about 10 miles from the hotel. I made it there by about 7pm, and headed directly into the water for a nice little recovery swim. Then I settled into my chair and enjoyed the gentle gulf breeze as I watched the most beautiful sunset.

I headed back as the sky darkened. After a quick shower, I headed out for a bite to eat and pulled into a nice little spot about a mile from where I was staying. I took a seat at the bar and was pleased to see that a Cub’s game was on the tv above the bar. The bartender walked up to take my drink order, and was just a bit bummed that there was nothing darker than an Amber Bock. Oh, well, I got something cold and fizzy; pretty much anything tastes good after a super hard crossfit workout and swim in the Gulf. I ordered dinner, and as I waited and drank my beer, I noticed a nice looking but extremely inebriated woman sitting down a ways from me at the bar. How could I not notice, since she was loud, slurring her words and borderline obnoxious. I tried as best I could to ignore her as my dinner was served, but all of a sudden she called over at me, wanting to know if I was a runner since I was in such good shape. Politely, I said, no, I crossfit, and then had to explain all about it is since she’d never heard of it. However, the bartender did crossfit, and so we started a really nice conversation about working out. Drunk lady must have felt left out, because she then walked over, wrapped both arms drunkingly around me and started whispering loudly in my ear that I HAD to visit where she lived in Destin and that I HAD to join her for lunch, and once I’d been to Destin, I’d NEVER want to live anywhere else. EWWWW! I looked over at the bartender who gave me a very sympathetic glance and thankfully and quickly brought my tab over to me. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough! Sorry, no pictures of the drunk lady….

The next morning I returned to the no-nonsense crossfit gym for the 9am class. This time, I was the only one in class, so I had the full attention of my coach. The workout of the day was a 5X5 box squat. Interestingly it revealed a weakness in my glutes/hammies; as the weights got heavier, I was relying on forward momentum to get the weight up rather than my posterior chain. Great coaching on their part. After that was Jackie, which is a 1000m row, 50 thrusters and 30 pullups. The two coaches looked at each other and told me that although the women’s RX was 35#, they wanted me to do the workout with 45#. Well, I couldn’t say no, could I? So gamely I started the workout, did the thrusters with 45#, then did all my pullups unassisted, the first time I’d done unassisted pullups in a workout in about 8 months. The whole time I was working out, a group of about 20 Navy Seal candidates were training with the coach. As I packed up to leave they were about ⅓ of the way through their 3 hour workout and were in the middle of doing 100 reps of 1 pullup + 1 pushup, with no pause between the reps. As I walked out the door, the coach made them start over because they were taking too much time between reps! I got off easily!

The afternoon was spent reading and reflecting on my trip so far, and then around 4:30, I headed back to the beach for the last Clearwater sunset. As I drove towards the beach, a huge thunderstorm materialized. Instead of turning around, I kept going, knowing that in Florida those kind of afternoon storms often blow over fairly quickly. As I pulled into the beach entrance, it was still raining and thundering a bit, but I could see a line of perfectly clear sky approaching. After about 15 minutes, it was safe enough to walk out onto the beach. The water was fairly rough, and when I walked into the water the waves were extremely strong and knocked me over several times, so I was careful not to venture out too far into the rough water. After that I settled into my little beach chair and was rewarded with a beautiful sunset.

On my way back to my hotel, I stopped for dinner at a neat looking little spot called the Twisted Martini. It was a very brightly painted, wide open little restaurant with a nice outdoor patio. A nice little bonus was some live singing, a guy playing guitar and doing some pretty decent old covers. I enjoyed a fantastic bacon and bleu burger, with some very oddly cinnamon seasoned sweet potato fries.

The next morning, although eager to start the next phase of my adventure, I was a bit sad to leave Clearwater. Everything about the two day stay was perfect (well, except for drunk woman at the bar!). I drove north, looking forward to my next adventure in New Orleans!

 

Leesburg, FL was on my map from the beginning of my planning. My very favorite aunt (Mama’s oldest sister) and uncle have lived there for 23 years and I visited them every time I’ve ever been in Florida. Aunt Pat was 92 and this Spring fell into some very bad health. I was desperately hopeful that she’d still be healthy when I traveled to Florida, but it was not to be. She passed away on May 5, peacefully and in the wonderful care of hospice.

As I was growing up, Aunt Pat and Uncle Bern lived in a lovely little brick house on the South side of Chicago. It was passed on to Uncle Bern by his uncle. I still remember the address: 11050 Avenue C. They had no children of their own. As a child, I was terrified of Aunt Pat. She was an intimidating and stern presence to me; always impeccably dressed and accessorized, and very particular about her house and belongings. My brothers, who are older than I, had a much different relationship with them and I was envious of the friendship they had. As I grew older, that fear quickly dissipated as I realized that Aunt Pat was the furthest thing from scary. She was one of the kindest, most generous and loving people I’ve ever been lucky enough to know. She and Uncle Bern attended most of my graduations, recitals, and other milestone events through the years. When my-ex-but-now-dear-friend Patti and I were together, we traveled to Florida once or twice a year and always made a point to visit them. One year we made plans to visit Aunt Pat and Uncle Bern, and then surprised them by bringing my sister Renee along. Mama and I traveled down together for a visit in 2009, and last year I was vacationing in the Orlando area and drove up to Leesburg for a wonderful visit, which turned out to be the last time I saw Aunt Pat.

Aunt Pat did not have an easy life growing up. My grandfather kicked her out of the house when she was just 16 and she had to make it on her own. Her first job was in a chili parlor right there on the East side of Chicago. She continued to support herself as a waitress and then worked as a “26 girl.” 26 was a dice game which originated in Chicago; the 26 girls rolled the dice and kept score. She worked in the very affluent Hyde Park neighborhood at a club called Buzz’s, thus many of her customers were wealthy businessmen. Aunt Pat, who my mom always said was no dummy, would listen to the business chit chat among these men, and asked what they were talking about. They told her they were playing stock market, and she asked, well, tell me how you play it. They did, and Aunt Pat quickly caught on and subsequently showed quite a knack for picking stocks, doing quite well for herself!

As a young man, Uncle Bernie was one of the strong muscle men who would work out on the beach on the Chicago lakefront. My mom was a swimmer, and often had practice at the lakefront, and there she met Uncle Bern. They had a mutual interest in working out, and dated a couple times before deciding just to be friends. After that, Uncle Bern went out with Aunt Ali, the middle sister! I think it was at this time he went overseas to serve our country. He served as a paratrooper, who because of their dangerous profession were paid $50 for every jump they made. He had always wanted a car, and when he returned from the war, he bought himself a black Cadillac. One day after returning from the service, he just happened to go to the bar at which Aunt Pat was working. Everyone was still under the impression that he was dating Aunt Ali, but he said, nope, not anymore. And apparently he and Aunt Pat hit it off, and thus began one of the longest, most loving marriages I have ever seen, 60 or so years strong. Aunt Pat and Uncle Bern worshiped each other. I never witnessed anything but loving devotion to each other. Never a cross word, never anything but love and respect. Aunt Pat told me that the secret to a long, loving, healthy relationship was trust. She said, you have to have trust.

Aunt Pat had pet names for all of the girls in her family…her sisters and nieces. Mine was Sweetface. I can still hear her saying that to me now…”Hi Sweetface!” in her unique voice. Thanks to the wonders of smartphones, I saved several of my voicemails from her so I can hear her say “Hi Sweetface!” anytime I want. When she’d write me, she’d draw a little smiley face right next to Sweetface, and when I’d write her, I’d sign Sweetface with a smiley face and a heart. Aunt Pat had the most unique handwriting, to say the least. It was beautiful, but extremely difficult to decipher! Even as an adult, I would read her letters very slowly and out loud, trying to make out her intricate cursive. My mom was pretty adept…she could read Aunt Pat’s writing at a normal speed, without any slow sounding out. Aunt Pat’s letters and cards would be filled with tiny shiny graffiti like stuff. Until I got used to it and remembered in advance, I’d pull her card or letter out of the envelope and spill it all over the place, and then kick myself! Aunt Pat got me!

Aunt Pat LOVED cashmere. Cashmere sweaters, cardigans, tees, turtlenecks…her drawers and closets were filled with cashmere. Uncle Bern calls their house “The House of Cashmere.” One would think that quite non-essential living in Florida, but Aunt Pat was always cold and I’m sure the cashmere felt great in the ever-present Florida air conditioning. From time to time through the years, she’d have no more need of certain sweaters and she’d send many of them to me. They were beautiful, and they always smelled of her signature perfume, Opium. I cherish them all to this day.

When Aunt Pat and Uncle Bern moved to Florida years ago, they became very involved with The Ice House, a community theatre in nearby Mt. Dora. Uncle Bern has worked as a carpenter there to this day, assisting with building the sets that are used for their productions. He has been recognized by the Ice House many times, and even has appeared onstage for some performances! Through the years and through many an Artistic Director, they remained loyal and supportive to this theater, and are beloved by the local community. Ah, that reminds me of an important story! Aunt Pat did not like her given name, Grace. She had it legally changed to Patricia when she became an adult, and when she moved down to Florida became known as Trish to all those there.

Throughout my adult years, my relationship with Aunt Pat grew closer and closer. Through many trials and tribulations of life, including those of my career and relationship challenges, I could call Aunt Pat and pour out my heart and soul to her. She would listen as only Aunt Pat could, and lovingly yet assertively give me sage advice, whether I was ready to hear it or not. Over the past ten years or so I realized that, despite a large age difference, she had become one of my closest friends.

This week my adventure brought me to Leesburg. As I turned into the subdivision of Aunt Pat and Uncle Bern’s home for probably the 15th time in the past 23 years, it hit me hard that this time, she would not be there. Overcome with emotion, I pulled over and called Patti in tears, knowing that she would understand the immensity of this visit as she’d accompanied me so many times before. She listened to and comforted me, and I gathered myself and pulled into the driveway of their home. Uncle Bern opened the door, with a big smile and sporting his ever-present scruffy beard. I walked in, and the smell of Aunt Pat’s perfume still filled the house. It felt like she’d walk out of her bedroom and into the room any minute. I brought my bags into her room, everything was just as she’d left it. Uncle Bern came in, and he showed me her handwritten note with detailed instructions of which belongings to leave her loved ones. She left me a beautiful emerald ring, a lovely yellow jade necklace and matching bracelet, and her baby locket. Uncle Bern and I picked out a few more cashmere sweaters for me, so I set those aside with the little bags of cloves that keep the moths at bay. He offered to give me anything else I would like, and I desperately wanted to take every single thing there – every sweater she’d ever worn, every purse she’d ever carried, every bracelet she’d ever worn, her perfume, her lotion, her little books, her collection of turtles, her writing accessories….as if that alone would keep Aunt Pat with me. But it’s not the material things that I need…it’s the legacy of her love and generosity and kindness that I will keep in my heart by which to remember her.

The rest of my two day visit with Uncle Bern was wonderful. We went to the Ice House and I met Darlin, the Artistic Director, who was busy planning July’s production. I met David, who is the Set Designer and his little dog Patrick Murphy. Uncle Bern gave me a tour of the newly remodeled lobby and brought me backstage and proudly showed me the set in progress. We went out to eat, we watched tennis and old movies together, we looked at old pictures and he told me numerous stories about the past. He admitted that it’s hard for him, especially when he gets up in the morning and Aunt Pat’s not there, and when he gets home from the theater at night to the empty house. He often stays later and later at the theater, watching the rehearsals in the evening, even though he quipped to me “You know rehearsals are like watching the grass grow.” I’m grateful to Darlin for giving him the opportunity to stay involved and busy.

When I left, I hugged his still-strong but very thin frame as hard as I could. I struggled with every bit of my will to keep my tears from spilling over, trying to stay positive and strong and hopefully giving him strength as well. I told him how much I’d enjoyed the visit, and reassured him that my travels would be safe and that everything in my life was going to work out as it should. I drove away, carrying with me the mementos Aunt Pat left me, along with the treasured memories of my most beloved aunt.

 

 

Any of you who really knows me knows that I love Crossfit. I joined Derby City Crossfit in February of 2010 and haven’t looked back since. It’s been one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. I’m fitter than I’ve ever been in my life, I’ve made some of the best friends I’ve ever had, and it’s made me aware of my true calling.

A year or so ago, a gal visited our 5am class at DCCF for a couple of months. Her job requires her to stay in various cities for a period of time, and we were lucky to have her join Derby City and work out with us. Jody is quiet and no nonsense, and extremely strong. Her home base is in Florida, and when she left Louisville she said, hey, if you’re ever down there, come on and see me. Since that time, she and her partner Cathy opened their own crossfit box, so I couldn’t wait to stop and spend some time with them and work out at their gym.

The weekend I drove down to Palm Coast, her crossfit affiliate was participating in a competition in Daytona Beach, so Saturday I made the short 3 hour drive from Savannah to the Ocean Center in Daytona. I made it there in time to see the last workout of the day in which two of her members were competing. After cheering her members on, we headed back to her beautiful home, and caught up on our lives over a fantastic single malt scotch, Macallan’s 12 year. Cathy then prepared a wonderful paleo meal of grass fed burgers, a fantastic slaw made with apple cider vinegar and coconut oil, and fresh fruit. Dessert rivaled any Erin Stimac creation….cacoa powder, coconut oil, crushed walnuts, and finely chopped cherries, spread out on foil and set in the refrigerator. It was fantastic!

Sunday morning we woke about 6:30am and drank some coffee in preparation for the crossfit “church service” which that day just happened to be one of the toughest Hero WODS imaginable: Badger. 3 rounds, 30 squat cleans, 30 pullups, 800 meter run. At 8am on a Sunday morning, after a weekend of competition, 13 Crossfit BearCat members showed up, ready to take on the WOD – in 90 degree plus weather. I’d done Badger twice before, but never at the RX weight of 65#. I was determined to use that, even if it meant that I could not complete the full three rounds within the 35 minute time cap. It was TOUGH, especially in the brutal heat. I completed two full rounds and 8 squat cleans into the final round before the time expired. It pretty much crushed me, and at least I wasn’t alone. Thanks to the fantastic supportive community at Crossfit BearCat!

After a workout like that, proper restorative nutrition is a necessity. Jody and Cathy obliged with a delicious brunch consisting of a really good smoky bacon – lots of it – paleo blueberry pancakes topped by two over easy eggs, and perfectly ripened mango and strawberries. I followed the advice of a dear friend and ate much more slowly than is my habit. I found that I tasted the flavors more intensely by slowing down and was much more satisfied by the end of the meal. Brunch was followed by a short lounge by the the pool and then a quick dip. Jody and I then headed to downtown Flagler Beach, a quaint little town right on the beach. It was interesting driving in to town, in that there are no high buildings at all on the waterfront, so the ocean is fully visible as you drive towards the beach. We stopped at a local winery to have a refreshing adult beverage, and while chatting up the owner about the competition that weekend, a young girl behind the counter walked over, introduced herself as Sara, and started talking crossfit. It turns out that she is a very highly skilled and experienced olympic lifter, and exactly the type Jody had been looking for to provide some quality olympic lift coaching at BearCat Crossfit! How fortuitous that we’d just happened to stop by that day and meet her.

We returned to the house to await some fellow crossfit dinner guests. One they arrived, we had a few drinks and some delicious smoked salmon around the pool, followed by a very relaxing epsom salt soak in the jacuzzi. Dinner was fantastic….perfectly grilled grassfed ribeye steaks, a beautifully prepared salad with various vegetables, fruit, bacon and nuts, and an exquisite Cabernet Franc that was a perfect complement to the meal. Good food, good wine, great company and conversation. Bedtime was early, as there was an early morning crossfit class to be coached.

4am came early after sleeping in for a couple of weeks! But, it was still fairly easy for me to do. We jumped in the car and made it to the box a little before 5am. A respectable contingent of 8 members showed up for a pretty intense workout: 5/3/1 strict press, 9 minutes to a max front squat, then a nice little workout consisting of front squats, box jumps, 400m run and toes to bar. Nice workout and even nicer view!

I have been very fortunate on this trip so far. I’ve connected with many friends from all walks of my life so far. The generosity which I’ve been shown has been overwhelming. My friends have opened their homes to me, they’ve fed me fresh, healthy and tasty food, they’ve introduced me to some really fine single malt scotches and fine wine, they’ve taken me on adventures, they’ve brought me to their gyms so I can work out and then let me wash my yucky sweaty laundry! Most importantly, they’ve shared their hearts along with me, and encouraged me to continue my journey with courage and optimism.

Next stop…..family!

On my last morning in Bethesda, I quickly looked at my map to guesstimate where I might end up that evening and make a hotel reservation. Myrtle Beach seemed like it might be too crowded, and Georgetown looked dull, but Pawley’s Island right between the two…interesting! It sounded quaint, very casual and appealing. I got online and much too quickly made a reservation at a local Motel 6 (oh, more to come on that later!). I left around 10am, and planned to take I-95 and get there as quickly as possible. Well, as they say, the best laid plans….it was not to be. Construction as far as the eye could see turned I-95 into a parking lot. Normally that would have irritated the hell out of me….but I’m looking at everything in a new way. So, I chose to look at the situation as an exercise in letting go of control, and patiently crept along until the next exit presented itself. I made my way to Route 1 and turned south. The trip took much longer than I expected, but what the hell, I am on no schedule whatsoever. I arrived in Pawley’s Island around 7pm, very hot and tired. Upon checking into the hotel, I realized that I had NOT done enough research…it was old and worn and just a bit scary….although at least it was clean.

The upside of the hotel was that it was barely a mile and a half from beach access. I scoped out the location and walked onto the beach. OMG it was beautiful! It was clean and uncrowded. The evening was warm and breezy, and the Atlantic waves crashed gently onto the shore. I walked into the water up to my knees, it was warm and felt amazing. I strolled up and down the beach for an hour, looking forward to the next morning and what I was certain would be an amazing sunrise. With darkness quickly approaching, I made my way back to Scary Motel.

My alarm was set for 5am but I woke at 4:30. Still can’t break the early morning habit. So, I packed up a few things and made my way in the pitch black to my beach. Flashlight in hand, I set my little beach chair up and settled in with camera and iphone in hand. Slowly the sky began to lighten, from dark blue to pink to orange. The clouds on the horizon filtered the sunrise and it finally showed over the horizon at around 6:15, in a glowing red sphere. It was one of the most beautiful sunrises I’ve ever seen.

On of the advantages of being back on Facebook is that everyone knows where I’m going and can contact me. When I checked in on FB in Pawley’s Island, I received a message from one of my former 5am WOD-mates at Derby City Crossfit, Katie Love Bower, who coincidentally was vacationing in Pawley’s Island that week! So that afternoon I met up with her and had a nice afternoon on the beach reconnecting with her and meeting the rest of her family, her gorgeous one year old Benjamin, her husband Curt and his two adorable kids, Thomas and Stephanie.

Friday morning I chose to sleep in rather than experiencing another sunrise, and surprised myself by not waking until 7:30am (that’s quite a feat for me!). I packed up my car, and stopped for breakfast at a nice looking spot I’d passed several times. It was a unique local family run breakfast/lunch joint, and I enjoyed a fantastic meal….two eggs over easy, bacon fried to perfection, grits and a biscuit. Oh, and coffee…lots of it! Satisfied, I headed south, and in 15 minutes or so arrived in Georgetown, the third oldest city in the state. I stopped in the historic little downtown and went for a little walk along the boardwalk, enjoying the sunny morning. Back to the car and continuing my drive south to Mt. Pleasant, where I stopped at Jack’s Cosmic Dogs and enjoyed my first soft serve twist cone of the summer.

The next stop was Charleston. I crossed into town over this HUGE scary bridge, drove down to Murray Blvd, parked my car, and walked along the Charleston Harbor Wall, looking out at multitude of boats on the water until I arrived at White Point Garden. I sat near the gazebo in the center of the park and enjoyed the shade before I headed back to my car. After a not very scenic hour and a half, I crossed yet ANOTHER huge scary bridge into Savannah, GA. I arrived at my hotel and was pleasantly surprised to discover that despite the outward appearance of the hotel itself, my room was much improved over the tired old Motel 6.

I got online and looked for suggestions for casual local dinner and noticed several recommendations for Crystal Beer Parlor. Back into my car I went and drove several miles south through some very interesting neighborhoods til I arrived at a very non-descript looking building. Inside however, it was great, and PACKED with a Friday night crowd. I took a seat at the beautiful wood bar and asked the bartender for some kind of a chocolaty porter. He brought me the most delicious coffee stout and as I sat there, the most wonderful wave of happiness overcame me. I felt alive really for the first time in my life. I can’t explain why, other than I am just so grateful to have the means to be on this adventure. I couldn’t stop smiling as I just took in everything around me….the friendly, bustling bar and wait staff, the Friday night crowd around me, the rich flavor of the beer. Dinner followed, a tasty perfectly done burger and hot sweet potato fries. I asked the bartender what he’d recommend for dessert; he told me the house specialty was peach cobbler. Despite my love for all desserts chocolate, I trusted his suggestion and was not disappointed. The cobbler was hot and bubbly, with baked on sugary crusts on the edge, and topped with vanilla ice cream. Perfect end to the meal, as well as to the very long day!

This morning I packed up and thought I would hit the Savannah riverfront before I left for Florida. So I parked right on Bay Street and walked down the uneven brick sidewalk to the stairs down to River Street and the waterfront. One of my Norton Common YMCA peeps strongly suggested that I check out the pralines in Savannah, so I walked into River City Sweets and bought me some. They are delicious!

Next I took about an hour to walk around the beautiful homes a few blocks away from the riverfront. I had no idea where I was going, but ended up exactly where I hoped, in front of the Mercer House, featured in the fantastic book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Mission accomplished!

Next stop….Florida!