Clearwater, FL to San Antonio, TX 8/31 - 9/ 3/2020

Monday, August 31st, started with some rain, had to pull over one time with rain so heavy it was almost impossible to see the road.  That is how Florida rain can be.  Had a lovely lunch with new friend in Ocala, FL, Jenny and her daughter.  She made us a nice salad and we spent a few hours discussing many things.  Wonderful stop.  Thank you for your hospitality!

After lunch, hit the road to stay with an old friend in Tallahassee, Tiffany.  John and I had met her several years ago couch surfing on our way to Florida, and this was my third night with her over the years.  She's such a sweetie.  She is working from home so it was nice to be able to just arrive whenever.  I took her out for a good Mexican dinner and we had fun.  She has built a new home since the last time I saw her and it was lovely.  She is such a great decorator.  Hoping to stop by on my way home and stay more than one night so we can do something fun together.

Beautiful feather artwork.

Monday, long drive day.  Stopped and had chicken fried steak with eggs at Denny's and it was so good. They do a very good CFS, a favorite of mine.  After 3 solid months of "diet" it was so, so, so good.  Spent my first night in the car at a 24-hour gas station around Baton Rouge.    It was about 90 degrees in the car, so my little fan saved my life.  After that night I decided if it was 90 or above I would have to get a room.  Just too hot.  Again, I reminded myself I'm not 30.  It was an OK night despite the heat and not scary since there were people around.  

Little me in the middle.

Home Sweet Home for the night.

In the morning I wanted to go see something while there.  It was important to me not to just drive, but to find a little time to check out some things along the way.  I've been to Baton Rouge twice before so checked out TripAdvisor for top 10 to dos and decided to go to the Louisiana State University Museum of Art downtown, right next to the Mississippi River.  I had just joined the Imagine Museum in St. Petersburg, FL and it is a member of the Reciprocal Museum Agreement.  I asked if LSU Museum was a member and they were, so free admission.  Very nice, small (perfect sized museum for a morning).  Even had a painting by Diego Riviera.  Thoroughly enjoyed this reprieve from the road that morning.

Fun fountain in front of museum

Another interesting fountain across the street from art museum.

Very detailed hand-carved cross.

This was spun aluminum, picture does not do it justice.

It was so cool and different.

Called:  Cotton pickers.  A very expressive bronze statute

with so much detail.

Ray Charles art piece

Of course, Andy Warhol.

They had a great display of ceramics.

Tuesday I headed to Silsbee, TX.  I drove through Cameron, Louisiana, the city that about 4 days before was directly hit by hurricane Laura and it tore up the area pretty bad.  I got some photos and it was so sad.  The name of the city "Cameron" was upside down on the freeway, just bent over.  There were hundreds of the huge billboards knocked flat along the highway.  I couldn't stop and take pictures.  I was surprised at the damage.  Thousands of line trucks in the area and electrical lines down all over the place.  Sure made me realize that I don't want to experience a hurricane up close and personal.

You know things are bad when a McD's sign is messed up.

My GPS took me to Silsbee on some crazy back roads, but it was pretty.  Went to spend the night with my friend, another couch surfer I've know for probably 6 years.  John and I met Melinda in Galveston, TX when we went on our first cruise.  I had put out a note saying let me know if any couch surfers in Galveston want to meet up for a burger or brew and we met Melinda.  We had stayed with her several times coming and going Idaho to FL.  She and her son, Anthony, took me out for a nice seafood dinner and I had my first Boudin* balls and a bite of alligator.  We we had a good visit. 

Margarita called Bomb Pop

*not my photo

Up early on Wednesday and hit the road for San Antonio, TX.   Had an interesting side trip into a little town, Columbus, Texas.  This is where the Texas Rangers were first established.  Fun and well preserved historic downtown.  City was established in 1837 by European Americans after Texas achieved independence from Mexico.  So glad I stopped here for my rest break to enjoy this charming city.

Opera House

Main Street

This looked like a hole, but it is a rock.

Colorado County Courthouse, still active today.

A lovely building well preserved, 1890.

Water Tower

So many huge oak trees in the city.

Little Cinnamon did great on trip.

I love old theaters

Beautiful home

Tree dwarfs the bicycle rider.

 On to San Antonio.  I had located a couch surfer lady there who welcomed me to spend the night.  She called me and said she'd be gone when I arrived and set her house key under the mat.  I get amazed at how great some of the folks I've met are.  She got home, we visited and had a nice conversation.  She was working all night so gave me her bed and she slept later in the living room.  She's a counselor and helps direct people to therapy during the wee hours of the night.  Nice lady and she has invited me back on my trip home.  How awesome people are. 

Making small space work

On my way out of town I was thinking about my prior trips to San Antonio.  Thought about chicken fried steak and remembered that we had eaten at a place called Jim's.  I was on the "freeway" and looked over and there was a Jim's.  There are several in the area.  An old established restaurant that has been around forever.  I had eaten there when I went to see Robert at Lackland AF base, and again when John and I went for Robert's graduation.  I had to take John since it was so good.  So with all this wondering through my brain I was determined I had to go there to eat.  Well, since I had just passed it I had to drive down about 5 miles to turn around.  Well, if you've ever driven in San Antonio you will know that with their frontage roads, super u-turns, etc. it is a bitch.  I've never been able to drive well in that city.  So turned on GPS,  back on the freeway, all over the place, but determined I was going to eat there come hell or high water and finally got there.  Finally arrived, after about a half an hour, and had a great breakfast, with sweet memories, and it was worth all the effort to get there.

Happened on to this yard on my way to Jim's to eat, had

to pull over and take some photos.  Only in Texas!!!!!

My determination paid off.  So delish.

Out on the road again, headed to Fort Stockton.

Nice little picnic area.

So awesome to see mountain.  I've missed them as you won't

find one in Florida.

I recall John and I saw this mountain and you can probably

imagine what his comment was.  We cracked up then and

I had a good laugh too.

Always with the rules!!!!!

I will say that throughout this trip my mind kept going to memories of all the good times John and I had traveling back and forth of this road.  On the way to Tallahassee I said to myself, OK, you've done enough reminiscing so let's move on and have a new "you" adventure.  I thought I could do it, but John was just there with me the entire trip.  Finally I accepted it and went with the flow.  The drive really did make me miss him so much though.

So weird when up camping when Cheryl said to me, "I haven't had any feathers from John in a long time."  I said, "I know I haven't either."  I even took a little walk up at camp and was looking hard, around trees and on the trail.  Not a feather.  The next day when we were packing up and I was on the passenger side of Mike's old truck I looked down and there was a feather.  Wow, cool.  I went over the driver side to show Cheryl that I had found a feather and looked down on her side and heck if there wasn't another feather -- a really pretty one.  I said, "Here's your feather Cheryl."  So I put the feathers in my car and it was so cool.  Now the weird part.  We get back to Tucson at Cheryl's house.  She asked me if I needed a book to read and said that she had one she thought I might like.  I said yes and later she showed me where she had one of her little piles of books.  I picked up the book and sort of shook something off the top and it fell onto the other book sitting there.  I looked to see what it was and it was a little feather.  Cheryl does not have a bird, or a feather duster, yet there was a feather right on top of the book she suggested I read.  Just amazing.  John was just sending me messages.  I also had a dream he was in the night before and haven't had one that I remember for 2 years.  So he has been with me all along and I thank him for his messages.  Guess he's just going to be my traveling companion. 

Sorry I write so much, wish I could keep it shorter.  I'll work on that for next one.  To be continued.  Comments appreciated.  

*(Boudin are various kinds of sausage in French, Luxembourgish, Belgian, Québécois, Acadian, Aostan, Louisiana Creole and Cajun cuisine.  Balls are formed and then deep fried.  Pretty tasty.)  https://www.google.com/search?q=boudin+balls&rlz=1C1JZAP_enUS698US698&oq=boudin+balls&aqs=chrome..69i57j46j0l6.2449j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

ON THE ROAD AGAIN - Tampa to Tucson - travel buster trip. 9/1/ 2020 to ??

 Hope I'm making a wise decision, but I can't be out seeing the world so here I go.  I just bought a new vehicle, one that I can sleep in, carrying what I need so I can even stay on BLM land.  I don't want to stay in hotels and hopefully can find free or $10 a night places to sleep.

I bought new equipment, new 4" air foam mattress, solar light, USB chargeable fan (which will be needed), screen for windows at night, curtains, battery lights (one that goes on your head with a bright light).  Already had sleeping bag, one burner camp stove, chair and little table.  So I'm set probably with more than I need.  I do love camping.

I've asked friends along the way if I can park a night in their driveway and we could distance and go out for dinner (my treat) and the response I've had has overwhelmed me.  They have all said, no come in and stay inside.  Mind you the temperature during the day will range from 85 to 105 so the idea of being inside is appealing.  I know these people and trust them so I have said yes.  Of course I would have to use their bathroom and take a shower anyway.  

The shower is always a concern when "roughing" it.  I just read about self car washes and thought that could be a great option, one I have not seen in anything I have read in Vanlife, Carliving.  Wash the dirt and dust off car and take a shower while there.  I'm pretty sure I would wear a dress or shorts, but I do think that is brilliant.

I've studied so many Utube videos on how to do this, travel, be safe, how to boondock, how to camp stealth.  There is an entire world out there with many, many people actually living in vehicles.  There was a good sized lady who had no other home and lived in her Prius.  So I have no room to ever complain.  Bless her heart.

So for me this is just going to be an adventure.  I'm excited and a bit nervous, but I say go for it.  After much mental debate and talking with friends I have decided to take my .38 with me.  Since I am a 70 year old lady, by herself, just in case and better to be prepared than not.

As many of you know I'm not a silent sleeper, I can snore like a moose, so I'm hoping I won't need to do any city stealth camping as I'm sure if anyone walked by the car they would hear these awful sounds.  I just don't think stealth will work for me.

John and my theme song.  We started every car trip with this.  Go Willie!!!!  Can't wait to see my friends and make some new friends.  I wonder how hard it will be to make friends with Covid and masks?  Guess we'll see.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBN86y30Ufc

The PLAN:

Tampa - Tallahassee 253 miles

Covington, LA  379 (my longest day at 5 hr. 26 min)

Silbsee, TX 264 miles

San Antonio, TX 299 miles (great Couchsurfer lady said I could stay with her, inside!!)

Fort Stockton, TX 312 miles    (why is Texas so big!)

Las Cruces, NM   286 miles

Springerville, AZ 258 miles

So that's the plan.  I really did not want to, nor could I really, drive 8 or 15 hours a day.  This way I can leave early, stop along the way to see a great site, have a meal if I want, and get situated before dark - which is something I 99% of the time do when I travel alone.

So now I can continue with life and my blog and I won't just have to complain about Covid and what I can't do.  I hope this trip goes great and then I will keep going.  Of course, I will not be up in any snow in the North in the winter.  If this stuff is still here come Spring, I can head up there.  That is the problem, we just don't know.

So tune in to my blogs and I'll report on my adventures.

Lavender Memories

Lavender, I chase the fields.  I'd be happy to lay down on my final day and leave the earth right in the middle of a lavender field.  That seems so poetic, and better than other ways to go.  There is not much that is more perfect to me (besides people)......than precious lavender -- well sea turtles.
I need to find more fields in my travels.  When I made it to the premier fields in Provence it was so moving.  I had to stand there and say to myself, "I'm really here."  I do have occasions when the realization that I am some place where I had only dreamed about just can overwhelm me.  (Eiffel Tower, snorkeling with sea turtles first time, 


My first discovery of lavender was in 1980 in Black Mountain, North Carolina.  I was spending 7 weeks in that area and went into a little gift shop.  They had a cute purple bottle from France that I opened and it was lavender.  That was love.  I bought it and when it was gone I searched to see where I could get it and it was not made anymore.  From that time on I've always had lavender scent and wear it almost daily.  I do find that the scents are very different and out of 10 bottles I will only like one.  I'm picky about it, must smell so real.  It is an odd scent too, sort of medicinal and not all people enjoy it.  I also love to eat lavender cookies and lavender ice cream is out of this world delish.

Beautiful flowers and colors, do you know there are over 450 varities of lavender.  Surprising.  Here is a nice site about lavender if you want more info:  https://www.uslavender.org

I wish everyone overwhelming experiences that take your breath away, something you can savor and keep in your heart throughout your life.  I'd love you to comment on your special places or memories if you care to.

Hope you enjoy my fields and memories.  

Emmet, Idaho 7/2010

My friend Cathy and I drove out to Emmet to see the small lavender farm.  It was very pretty and always a nice drive into the country.  City famous for its Cherry Fesitval.

Cathy among the lavender and bees.

Drying lavender

John and I made a trip over to Sequim, Washington from Idaho in 2010 for the Lavender Festival.  Met up with my dear friend, Colleen, and spent a wonderful day together visiting several lavender farms, eating lavender ice cream and drinking lavender lemonade.

Colleen and I met in 7th grade and were best friends through life. 

 I lost my dear friend to cancer in 2016.

Keeping busy best I can 7/16/2020

I guess in so many ways I'm really lucky. I have friends who are so organized that they are having a hard time finding something to fix, organize or work on. I can safely say that I'm prepared for this to continue for quite a long time and I might still have stuff to do. Wish I could get up every day and attack projects, but then again then maybe I'd run out. So I am safe for quite a while.

I tried to take a little walk today. Sun block, sunglasses, big hat, sunproof shirt.............and I think I may have walked about 15 minutes. It was around 95F and humidity was 50%. May have to go walk in the indoor mall.

Spanish is almost over, so glad I took it since I had time and it has kept me occupied. I wasn't going to take Spanish II, but considering I learned what I did in 10 weeks, the next semester will be the same amount of work, but in 16 weeks. So I should do fine. I can't believe I'm going to move to Spanish II. Probably still could not carry on a decent conversation for more than a minute, but it just takes time.

Slowly getting my pictures and things up on the walls in my front room/office. A bit more to go but it is nice to see progress.

Glad this month is half way over. I don't like July. Most medical emergencies for John were in July and he passed away in July..............so go away.

Doesn't look like Covid-19 is lessening, actually increasing here in Florida and we have some full hospitals. Makes me wonder when we can travel again. Oh well, can't rush it. As my dear friend Cheryl says, "It is what it is" and my motto of "patience is a virtue" is running thin. I personally know of three people who have gotten sick, but none of the three required hospitalization -- just long recovery periods. I'm so glad they got through it OK.

I guess that's about it from me. I've got so much to look forward to so I'm staying positive. Hugs to you all out there. I know we all could use some real ones, but guess virtual ones will have to suffice. I'll never take a hug for granted again.

Had this for 5 years, finally got it hung up.

6 month process to get this hung up.

Got this hung up. I think I love maps.

Take care out there.....................