Destination:

" The Beachplace" 

Sarasota, FL

compliments of Terry & Jerry

Sunday, 11 February, 2001

We are actually 2.3; Tom, Cindy, and Fred.

Fred is our navigator.  He's the voice of the Road Warrior Street Atlas working w/GPS.  

Arrival: 05:30 EST - 400 miles

Only 2 spots in Cape May open for nightly accommodations.  Here's our choice--giant oceanfront suite--1 BR, kitchen, LR, 2 baths--only $109/night!

Took the Cape May ferry to Lewes, DE.  It's a 70 minute ride across the Delaware River.

Didn't make as many miles today as we thought because traveling on the back roads took longer and we wanted to drive through some of the wildlife sanctuaries.

Second waypoint:  Norfolk, VA. - 08:00 EST.

Breakfast at the Waffle House where that waitress asked, "are you sure you want to go through with this?" -- the wait was incredibly long but, worth it especially for the entertainment.

The first 60 miles were chicken farms and houses one room deep, 3 stories high.  Front yard car collecting seems to be a local hobby.

Then it's down the Outer Banks through Kitty Hawk, Nags Head, Buxton, and others on into Hatteras where our luck seemed to run out.  But, YO - the last ferry to Ocracoke had not yet left so we decided to be stranded in Ocracoke instead and were.  The ferry's rather stark.  You sit in your car for an hour facing astern.  It's a good time to do serious house cleaning.

If your idea of stranded is a one BR suite on the ocean, jacuzzi, LR, kitchen, decks for $70.  We got lucky because it was the only place on the island open.  A further argument for cold/ off-season vacationing.  (Ocracoke Harbor Inn)

Cape Hatteras Light

Cindy discovers credit card has gone missing.  Thought of crying...loved that credit card...and recently instructed Kelly on "fool-proof system" for not losing credit cards.  (instructions unavailable at press time)  Search impossible as we were in the line to board the ferry to Cedar Island.  Made quick call to Howard's Pub (dinner last night) and, indeed, they were holding it. Being mailed to Fla.

Night before we decided to have breakfast on the ferry.  Just after the credit card fiasco we found no breakfast available.  Cindy thoughtfully buys powered donuts and learns Tom hates powdered donuts.  The day is off to a roller-coaster beginning.

Ocracoke to Cedar Island

So, after downing those powdered donuts we hit a McD's and chow down Big Macs.  Cindy remarks that our diet is going down hill fast.  McD's server had green rhinestones on her teeth!

4th waypoint: Charleston, SC - 06:00 EST

Spent the morning walking the historic district of Charleston.

Cindy visits stable where horse-drawn carriages and gentle giants are housed.

Afternoon we ran into huge jam about 15 miles before jumping on I-95.  Truck drivers tell Cindy CB reports trailer has flipped over.  After 1-1/2 hrs. we finally creep on and learn it was a recreational van that caught fire.

At pit stop just before getting on I-95, Tom gushes gasoline all over his Tevaed feet and the ground.  Another delay in our trip while Cindy hoses down the area and Tom.

With Tom cleaned up and at the helm, Cindy and Fred try to patch up their relationship.  After much grumbling and plotting various courses, Cindy advises the hopeful destination of St. Augustine is a bit too far for the day.  Regains respect for Fred's capabilities and worth.

5th waypoint:  Jacksonville, FL - 06:30 EST

On the road to Miami this morning.  Breakfast and lunch stops at one of our favorite eateries along the highway -- The Cracker Barrel.  Other family members like these home-style cookin' places, too, with the adjoining merchandise-stuffed shop.  Flo joined our roadcrew at lunch stop.

Cindy voiced interest in going to Seaworld on the way home.  Tom said, "we'll have to check with Fred."  Hmmmmm?

Off to the Miami boatshow in the morning and maybe some R&R on the beach.  We'll be here until Monday.

West decides to supplement his reduced intake of newspapers with a regiment of NPR.

It was a good plan but, it was a doomed plan.  Unfortunately, the week West left, was National Public Begging Week; when NPR stations nationwide abuse their benefactors in a way that would make the blind, homeless in Calcutta wince.

He hopes that someday, someone perhaps, Bill Gates, might provide the small number of dollars to remove this afront from the airwaves.  Other obstacles, however, endure.  Drive from one city to the next and your NPR station switches from one frequency to the next.  At 70 mph, this is at least inconvenient.  

Proposals:

#1: put all NPR stations on the same frequency.  

#2: create a large window in my Street Atlas PC program or GPS receiver that tells me the frequency of the closest NPR station and it's expected signal strength.

Very tiring day driving I-95 and sitting in traffic.  Happy to reach Miami.  Little confusion finding our hotel as Cindy and Fred had plotted the course using the wrong street number.  Of course, that's when Tom remarked, "if we'd been on a boat, this could've put us on the rocks." (ok, whatever)

Click here for Miami and boat show journal

Peaceful drive from Miami to Sarasota takes us through "Alligator Alley"....and we did see lots of gators and birds in the conservation areas.  (sorry, no photos as Tom said we needed to make time and not stop)  Fred was very quiet during this stretch of our journey which feels eerie since he's been so vocal most of the trip (actually, it's quite nice).

This is a good place to mention we've figured out this trip is full of capes -- Cape Cod, Cape May, Cape Hatteras, Cape Kennedy, and Cape Tom:

Yep, this is Tom and Fred's getup when the sun's too intense.  You should see the other travelers' stares!

We arrive at our destination, "The Beachplace" on Siesta Key in Sarasota, in time to un-pack, buy some groceries and see the sunset.

"Seeing Gates demoralized to the point of despondency disturbed his friends. It also worried the Microsoft Board...

It was a gray Saturday, just 72 hours after the company had come to terms with Jackson and the DOJ on the preliminary injunction, and the Board expected that much of the meeting would be taken up with discussions of the consent decree case and the broader suit that Government was known to be contemplating...

Looking haggard, as though he hadn't slept in days, Gates plunged into an extended and emotional tirade, railing at the DOJ, castigating the judge, bemoaning the sheer irrationality at what had befallen him and his company...his voice quavered; his body quaked. And where Gates in full lather was normally condescending and sometimes cruel, now he was seized by unbridled self pity. The DOJ was demonizing him. The press hated him. His rivals were conspiring to take him down. The political establishment was ganging up on him.

Gates eyes reddened. "The whole thing is crashing in on me", he said.  "It's all crashing in".

And with that, the richest man in the world fell silent and began to cry."

- From "Pride Before the Fall" by John Heilemann

I have a real passion for collecting seashells (or maybe an addiction?).  It goes way back to my childhood visits to Sarasota with my parents and sister, Wendy, every April.  Dad, Wen, and I would hit the beach at sunrise to hunt for shells or other sea life before the other seekers would get there.

Looking for shells is like treasure hunting to me.  I can never get enough of these amazing gifts of nature.  You'd think I would get used to them especially since I live on the ocean now but, it's still a thrill to find a sand dollar, conch, tiny limpet, or starfish.  Tom has told me he thinks I have special shell spotting capabilities.  I try to restrain myself but, sometimes I even keep the broken ones!  Their spirals, colors, and shapes are magical.

On many trips, I've collected so many shells that I've had to ship them home bubble-wrapped in boxes.  And, my family wonders each holiday season if Cindy will make yet another gift with her shells.  Usually, I can't bring myself to part with them, though.

There's nothing like being on the beach early in the morning, sighting dolphins, laughing at the pelicans diving for fish, and collecting more wonderful little treasures!

So, the website updates wait and, meanwhile, if we need to communicate with the penthouse office, we use our walkie talkies.

Cindy received good news today; Tom and Fred approved the Sea World detour. Tomorrow we leave for Shamu!

Sarasota to Orlando

 Monday, 05 March.........Destination: HOME

Cindy makes plans (Tom says, "why plan?", again).  "One small problem", says Cindy, "storm of the century, 10 foot drifts, Mass. state of emergency, nor'east bomb!!!". 

Tom says, "bad computer models".  Off we go but, Cindy still bought bread and milk.

We arrive in Richmond, VA without taking on a drop.  Tom 1, Cindy 0

Richmond, VA - 40 degrees

First time we've worn pants, socks, fleece, flannel in 3 weeks.  Almost forgot about this cold stuff.

Breakfast here, lunch here -- Tom's idea and explains, "why go anywhere else?"

Weather predictions of horrific storm fail.  Tom's weather forecasting prevails and we push onward as traffic is light and road conditions excellent.  Everyone's home eating all the groceries and truckers are parked.  We sail through rush hour on the NJ Turnpike using cruise control right over the George Washington bridge!

Fred announces...."last leg"

We're home!

~ THE END ~