Off we go? 3/03/23

 

It was a harrowing week for us.  Snowed in by snowstorms the likes of which we'd never seen, more snow piled on top of snow, and again, and again, no power for days, paralyzed city, canceled hair cut app't, and our plans to drive our car to Sacramento's airport dashed, we made an early escape to son, Matt's home in Fair Oaks, near Sacramento, thanks to our friend who used his 4-wheel drive to get us there; a tumble down a short staircase at Matt's house the morning of our flight (March 6th) with a skinned knee, and at the airport, a discovery that our Rewards rep screwed up our flight reservation, but United fixed it.  Next came the text from United as we landed in Miami that a bag didn't make it on our flight, so we had a gut-wrenching 20-30 minute worry over which one, but when we went to baggage claim, both bags were there!  Whew.  Thanks for nothing.  We fretted over our house, with no power, and more staggering snowfall -- knowing in our hearts that this was bad timing for an international trip.

Leaving San Francisco Airport.

Should've brought food with us, 'cause this is all we got on our 5-hour United flight to Miami!  A tiny, tiny bag of pretzels, how cheap can airlines get?  At my window seat, most of the sky was clouded over, like used bedding.

We overnighted at Embassy Suites by Hilton in Miami (marginal, IMO), but we did enjoy a Cubano sandwich dinner at their restaurant.  The full Moon Over Miami was a sight to behold, below.

Tomorrow, the 7th, we return to Miami's airport for our flight to Manaus, Brazil, via Panama City.  Manaus is in the heart of the Amazon basin, as you see below, roughly 900 miles from the Atlantic Ocean.  Not a small town -- a city of over 2 million, yet pretty much in the middle of nowhere!  We won't land till three am on Wednesday, the 8th, in bed for a short sleep, and up and going four hours later ... and shortly after breakfast, we'll board our riverboat for an eight-day explore of the Great Amazon River.  So exciting!

Most of the time we had no internet or cell service, out in the Amazonian jungle, so I'm writing this first blog post in Manaus on our way back to the states.  I'll keep plugging along.  We've had some awesome experiences.  And we continue to be concerned for our house.  tbc

More fun! to Friday, April 30th, 2021

We are the luckiest people on earth, Jimmy and I.  We've been on this west-to-east trip for over five weeks and have had terrific adventures and met up with wonderful people; family and friends from California to Florida.  To say we're filled with gratitude is an understatement, but oh-so-true. The pandemic showed us how much we value our "peeps" and how bereft we are when we can't see/hug them, so we are making the most of this road trip!  While we were in Alabama a couple of weeks ago, Jimmy's former (sail)boat mate, Thomas, invited us to park Tergel at their new beach house in the Town of Perdido Beach, Alabama on our way home.  We took him up on the invitation.

We go back a few years with Thomas and Carriann!  Thomas and Jimmy sailed together for years.  One story we love to talk about together is the time 15 or 16 years ago at a pancake breakfast when their first daughter Caroline, maybe three then, was happily clunking around in a tutu outfit and fancy high-heeled shoes, much to our amusement.  Reminds me now of Everly Rose!  These are really nice folks we're happy to call friends.

This beach house is almost completed -- it's really well built and it has an outstanding layout.  Thomas put in a 30amp and a water connection for their RV'ing friends.  You see we pulled Tergel right up to the connections, with our dinette window facing the water.

Gorgeous white sandy beach behind the new seawall.

Sad to say, last year's destructive Hurricane Sally tore up his boathouse and pier, as well as others in the area.  He plans to rebuild.

A cool breeze off Perdido Bay kept us cool and was ideal for sailing. 

Scenic viewer from local SeaCoast Mfg in nearby Fairhope AL enabled Jimmy to get a closer look.  These fine viewers can be found all over the globe.  Look for the Fairhope label the next time you stand at one of these long distance binoculars.

What's a person supposed to do when you're close to the beach?  Go!  The sky was overcast (and then ominously dark) on Thursday, but Jimmy and I wanted to walk along the soft singing white sand of Gulf Shores State Beach (while our hosts were at work).  Above, a squadron of Brown Pelicans approaches.

Laughing gulls and a Sanderling hangin' around.

You see fishermen and women and the pier in the distance.

We were parked at the Pavilion and were walking toward the pier, but that sky!  Having been doused already once this trip, we chickened out and turned around, walking the other direction for another mile (to be closer to the car if/when the rain began).

We kicked off our sandals and carried them for a while.  Finally we set them next to an empty lifeguard station and picked them up as we returned to the car.  It never did rain, but it threatened! The air was warm (not hot) and the sand felt cool.

Not many birds to be seen this time of year.

L - R, a Wilson's Plover, Willet, and Laughing Gulls.

Another tradition is eating at Lulu's at Gulf Shores.  Lulu is Jimmy Buffet's sister, and my Jimmy fancies Jimmy Buffet's music a lot.  No surprise they play JB's music at the restaurant!  We sat outdoors overlooking the Intercoastal Canal and enjoyed our lunch.

After lunch and heading back to Thomas', we were driving along on a country road interspersed with a house here and there.  I caught a glimpse of these from the corner of my eye and called out, "Stop, turn around!"   Jimmy asked, "Why?"  I couldn't quite describe why.  Because in an empty field in the middle of nowhere I saw these statues, four of 'em maybe 50 ft tall?, that seemed so out-of-place.  We stopped.  We looked.  We couldn't figure it out, and still wonder, why?

Is there an answer?

Back at the ranch, we went a-walkin' along the waterfront, eyeballing this heron standing on a floating board.  Not a stable board, either ... the heron was rockin' in the water!

Jimmy and Thomas -- Thomas is a big man with an even bigger heart.  The two are long-time friends.

Here are the five of us Friday morning before Jimmy and I left.  Thomas, Carriann, daughter Chelsea, me and Jimmy.  Chelsea is six (I think), ready to be seven, of course.  She and I had fun together, taking pictures and talking.  She visited us in the RV the night before, intrigued by our little house on wheels, examining every inch.  "You have everything you need," she said, after her scrutiny.  Yes, indeed, Chelsea.  We do have everything we need.

Thanks to all of you.  We enjoyed our visit very much.

Moving on, to Wed - 4/28/21

Our wanderings took us from Gainesville back to Tallahassee, a place we used to know quite well, having lived in the city between 2002 and 2009.  We have fond and everlasting memories of our time there, although the hot, humid summers were something to escape from!  As outdoor-minded people, Jimmy and I found many activities we could enjoy, biking and walking and running, but most especially kayaking the clear waterways and fishing just offshore in the Gulf in our little Carolina Skiff boat.  On this trip we'd remember these wonderful, fun adventures as we visited around the area.

We made endearing, lifelong friends in Tallahassee, people we still care about and want to see.  And spending time with friends is more precious than gold.  We feel like we're rich!

The scenery on the back roads from Gainesville was quite pretty, with pink and yellow and white wildflowers lining roadsides and medians.  70-foot tall straight trees, covered with and choked by vines, created a green wall on either side of several major roads, giving a person the weird feeling of driving in a long green tunnel.

The master-planned community of Southwood was one of our favorite walking/biking spots.  Grand old Live Oak trees draped with Spanish moss grace the grounds surrounding two interconnecting lakes.  We never could remember how many miles we put on our feet walking around the two lakes.  Still don't know!  We think it's somewhere around two miles.  Beautiful place to walk.  And so we did.

Beautiful place to sit and dream.

Love these trees!

Our campsite at Tallahassee East RV Park was next to the above tree, which had a noisy Red-bellied Woodpecker poking its head out of the hole, calling for MORE FOOD from a parent who showed up regularly.  Sort of entertaining.

On Sunday, we moved our Tergel to the front of our friends, Diane and Tom's, house.  Both had to work on Monday, so Jimmy and I returned to another favorite haunt:  St Marks NWR.  We've spent many happy hours here, either hiking, biking, or boating.  And we always, always saw wildlife.  It's on the migration route for birds, and during spring and fall seasons we'd see hundreds of birds.  Usually we spot alligators, but today we only saw one.  This thing scared the life out of me when it lunged forward into an underwater den of sorts.  I guess I got too close.

You won't see this in Nevada City, California!  Is this a great country, or what?  We have it all in the USA.  We need to preserve/protect every inch.

We've kayaked these waters.

T'was a gorgeous day to be Out and About.

A Lighthouse selfie!

Windblown hair!

The usual suspects on the pilings -- pelicans, cormorants, gulls.

And a red fishing kayak.

Does this little rat count as wildlife?  It was so unafraid that it came right up to Jimmy's shoes.  Jimmy could've dropkicked it into the Gulf, but he simply moved away.  We don't recall seeing rats at this location before.

Toward Headquarters Pond, we spotted this nice-sized turtle in the road.  Normally we would've left it alone, but even with a 35-mph speed limit, trucks towing boats speed, so we stopped.  Jimmy picked it up and kindly moved it to the side of the road toward which it was heading.  

A double Double-crested cormorant!  We've always seen them at St Marks NWR.  Today, we also saw a Bald Eagle (in a new nest/new location), Anhingas, Herons, and various shorebirds.  The refuge is loved by many for its outstanding wildlife.

Here we are on Tuesday to greet you from Ted's Montana Grill, clearly a tradition for the four of us -- Tom and Diane, me and Jimmy.  Ted's served up delicious meals one more time.  And back at the house, our ongoing card game continued.  Guys won the first night, gals won this night.  With loads of laughter and love.  Special friends.  Thanks for a great visit.

Wednesday morning we pulled out, westward-bound, for a surprise stop in Alabama.

Jungle Friends, Thurs, 4/22/21

Harvest Hosts has a great website, listing its members by state (or type).  Knowing Jimmy and I would need somewhere to stay between Sarasota and Tallahassee, I went on their site and discovered a truly unique find.  A few miles north of Gainesville, Florida, on State Route 121, lies Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary, a scene of refuge for many monkeys.  I emailed them the day before and we were given the okay, c'mon!  Imagine, not a zoo at all, but a sanctuary.  We couldn't wait.

Yup, motor homes can navigate this narrow driveway!

Jungle Friends is the largest sanctuary for New World primates in North America, with a long waiting list.  The sanctuary is 52 acres, and is the forever home to monkeys who were former research monkeys, ex-pet monkeys, some used in entertainment, and monkeys confiscated by authorities.  Founded in the '90's by Kari Bagnall, this place offers these small primates compassion and the best care possible.  Many of their stories are heart-rending, but seeing them in their natural and spacious habitats gladdens the heart!

Yes, all the monkeys are caged (or else they'd end up in Georgia or Ohio), but they can climb trees, feel the grass beneath their feet and the wind on their faces.

Haha, this li'l fella was reaching for my shoe!

All were inquisitive.  We were not allowed to touch them (for obvious reasons), but many mimed kisses and held a hand to its heart (as in, I love you) -- I reciprocated.  So very sweet.

Some of the faces were so danged cute, 

you just wanted to hold 'em and pet 'em.

Runways stretch between habitats, enabling monkeys the freedom to move between habitats and socialize.  They seem to have lots of "fun" running between barriers.

Some prefer their biscuits hard, some soften their biscuits in water.  They're fed fresh fruits and veggies and a diet natural to monkeys, as opposed to, say, BBQ Doritos.

Checking each other out.

My pictures don't tell the whole picture.  Many of the monkeys we saw today were abused in some way, left alone and lonely.  The Capuchins and Tamarins and Spider and Squirrel monkeys (and a couple more, I can't remember), are now with friends, medically taken care of (many have special needs), fed and housed with care and compassion.  This truly is a feel-good place.

Masks were worn for the monkeys' protection.  But sometimes I slipped my mask down so I could make lip kisses -- from a distance, like above -- which were always returned.

We watched these guys swinging on ropes high into the trees, wheeee.  Then they came over to look at us!  We were advised to never get too close, as they'd grab sunglasses, phones or cameras and maybe not give 'em back!

Most of the rescued monkeys were kept isolated.  Here, they have companions of their same or like species for cuddling, playing, and grooming.  Since they're highly social animals, this is vital.

"Jungle Friends works with major universities and laboratories to offer homes to monkeys they are retiring.  In 2014 we provided permanent homes to 42 monkeys retired from research.  Many of the monkeys are Jungle Friends were used in research for decades.  Now they get to enjoy the company of other monkeys and a more natural environment."

How about the "do" of the cotton-topped Tamarin?

Loved these little guys!

Kari also has adopted Macaws and Cockatoos, of course separated from monkeys.  The property is home to native gopher tortoises ... Jimmy saw one, but I missed it.  This kind of large-scale caring takes a village of volunteers to keep going, as well as lots of donations.  Thursday was a "Giving Day" where any donation would be doubled, so we were happy to put our hands to our hearts and into our pocketbooks.  A worthy cause, in our opinions.  Besides, when was the last time you camped at a monkey jungle sanctuary?

Singing in the rain? Tues 4/20/21

Tuesday's Sarasota radar didn't look good if a person was of a mind to go walking.  Reds and yellows and greens of an incoming storm filled the screen.  Luckily, we saw our window of opportunity at 9/ish in the morning, so off we went amid the billowing dark clouds.

Not only can coastal Florida grow flowers, it can attract a variety of birds, many of which we'd never see in Nevada City, California!  (or lots of other places)  Not so, the hawk, but this guy did pose for the camera; hence, you see its picture.

Our walks go through The Meadows neighborhoods and around ponds, lots of ponds, and that's where you'll see a multitude of birds.  Above is a Black-crowned Night Heron, who appears to be yakking at someone or something, scolding like a fishwife, but it was making no sound.  Beside the heron is a Common Gallinule.

To me and Jimmy, the Wood Stork IS Florida!  We think they look like old men, all hunched over, so we've forever called them Florida's Old Men.  They're big birds.

I believe this is the Tri-colored Heron we saw, with its really long, skinny neck.  I can't help stopping to look or admire and take pictures.  Kind of interrupts a walk, but there you have it.  We kept a weather eye on the sky.

When we were about as far from their home as possible, we heard the first rumble of thunder.  "Nickie!" called out Bernice.  Okay, then, let's turn around, and we did, and we stepped up our pace.  Let me just say that no matter how fast we walked, we would've gotten wet.  The radar window lied.  As it was, lightning flashed and thunder crashed, and big rain drops bounced on the streets ... and rain pelted us.  We were thoroughly soaked, top to bottom, drenched.  Below, you see three of us dripping in the breezeway, rain still coming down.  Well.  Another adventure?!

Please, let's not do this again, okay?

I've only ever seen a Limpkin once before while kayaking on a tiny river called the Wacissa in north Florida.  I heard the Limpkin before I saw it -- a huge, loud squawk.  I think they're not too common, but this one had three babies and wanted me to go away.  Mama on the left, babies to the right.

Oh my, we did stop to watch this guy!  He'd speared a large fish and was trying to throw it down its gullet.  Tried and tried and finally gave up and dropped the gasping, mortally wounded fish in the pond.  That was one whale of a fish to try swallowing whole!

Some of these are phone pictures and this looks like one of 'em.

Handsome, isn't he?

Always love to see a Roseate Spoonbill.  This is the only one we saw (obviously before the rain fell), and it seemed to be sleeping.  Such an unusual bird, and so pretty in its pink.

* * * * *

Those cloudy skies were gone the next day, Wednesday, the 21st.  We were treated to fine weather, sunshine all around.  Hooray!  Today's our 20-year wedding anniversary, too!  We asked Bernice and Ibby if we could take them out for dinner this evening to help us celebrate.  O'Leary's on the bay was the choice -- not fancy, but we love being on or by the water, so it was just the ticket.

After getting caught in yesterday's rainstorm, and even though Bernice tucked my camera into her leather pouch (which turned out to be NOT waterproof), my camera got damp (I guess is the word) and didn't work.  I took out the battery and card and left the camera open to air, and by evening, it worked.

Twenty years happily married.

What a great life we've made together!

Sarasota.

Look at the blue sky!  After eating our shrimp (yum) dinners, we strolled around the little park area, enjoying being Out and About on a beautiful evening.

Holy cannoli, look at this banyan tree!

So, this lovely evening ended.  Tomorrow morning we'd return to Tergel and pack it in, heading north again for a stay near Gainesville FL.  We'd leave our friends, Bernice and Ibby (real name:  Irwin), with the hope that we'd see them in October, on a plane!  Such fun we had, even cards one night!  Loads of love and laughter.  Thanks for everything, you guys.  We had a most enjoyable time.