26 June 2024
No doctors’ appointments, no infusions, no blood draws, no scans, no physical therapy, nada, nil, negatory. It’s a free day! There are still some coming down the pike and, of course, doctors will continue to make appointments for you until you die but a little respite is nice.
I managed 1.3 miles this morning. The temperature was a very nice 76°F but the humidity was a very drippy 94%. I managed the walk pretty well and I feel like I’m getting some strength back in my legs. I want to build my stamina enough to do a little hiking on my trip.
Speaking of the trip, I’m getting excited about it. I’ve never done a trip composed entirely of inns and B&B’s. My usual routine is lodges, motels, and camping. I may get so use to pampering that I cut out the motels and camping. I still love to stay in old lodges.
Some of the most famous (and beautiful) lodges I’ve stayed in are the Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone, the Awanee (thankfully we can go back to the original name) at Yosemite, the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel in Yellowstone and the Crater Lake Lodge at Crater Lake. I love the architecture and the idea that you could not build a lodge of their caliber today for any amount of money because simply, some of the timbers are not available. The only possible exception is the Awanee which is concrete made to look like wood.
My family was a traveling family. My parents would drive from Havre de Grasse, Maryland to Morton, Mississippi with stops along the way. My grandmother on my mother’s side loved to get in her car and drive with me riding shotgun. She took me to places in and around our home town and surrounding towns, to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and our family pretty much always went to the Smokies. Have caravan and we would travel to see the sights. I sincerely think I learned as much on those trips as I did in any classroom.
One time on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, my grandmother wasn’t feeling well so she sent me off on my own with money to get dinner for me. I walked across the sky bridge from our hotel to the attached fancy restaurant across the street. I was all of 8 or 9 years old. I acted like an adult, was seated, presented a menu and ordered something that seemed familiar, an open face roast beef sandwich. It seemed within my price range. I only saw the roast beef part of the sandwich and had no idea what an open face meant. I learned that night, learned it was delicious, and it became a staple in my menu when dining out. I probably didn’t know enough to leave a tip but knew how to pay for the dinner. I got a little older and wiser that night.
You learn so much on every trip. Don’t always believe the GPS. Green nozzles at the pump probably mean diesel. Shell diesel nozzles are often only for transfer trucks. Whatever time estimate the GPS has, always add 30 minutes or more. The strangest places have traffic jams. Never get behind someone with a Quebec car tag. Travel is so broadening. As Mark Twain would say “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.” Hopefully you’ll follow my travels starting July 7th!
Stay tuned!
