October 4-11, 2006

Road Trip to Maryland

Savannah and Myrtle Beach

On October 4th, we load our rented Chevy Cobalt and head north up I-95 bound for Maryland. For lunch, we detour to lovely downtown Savannah and dine on the waterfront while a local musician strums Buffett tunes. We decide to take the back roads to Myrtle Beach, our stop for the night (read: a hundred red lights and several missed turns resulting in undeserved criticism of the navigator). The deafening roar of Harleys welcomes us to Myrtle Beach, which we learn is hosting a biker rally. I'm sure a Richter scale is vibrating somewhere. After checking into the hotel, we follow the clerk's recommendation for casual dining at Bummz. From the restaurant's back deck, we have front row seats to the full moon rising over a tranquil Atlantic Ocean. A peaceful and relaxing end to our day's journey--NOT! Out on the street, screaming Harleys drown out the soothing sound of breaking surf. On the deck, Palmetto bugs scurry around looking for a meal to steal. I eat my grouper fingers with my feet propped up off the floor.

Deanna and Dakota in downtown Savannah

Annapolis Boat Show

Our arrival in Annapolis on Thursday coincides with the season's first nor'easter. We join Texas friends Jan, Terri, Shaun, and Bryan at the Ram's Head Bar for dinner and drinks. Just for fun (and to find a spot that's both dry and warm), we play musical tables to keep the wait staff confused and annoyed. On Friday, the temperature is in the 50s with rain and 35 mph wind gusts. We bundle up in our foul weather gear and slosh around the boat show. I'm amazed at the turnout in such miserable weather. Sailors are either a hardy bunch, or they're just too dumb to come in out of the rain. I'm not sure which. We lunch with Dirk and Susan, also from Texas, who are eagerly awaiting the delivery of a brand-new Outbound 46.

Deanna at the boat show (notice the flags flying in the gusty wind)

Dakota wearing foul weather jacket for his morning walk

LJT show on Kent Island

Back in our Corpus Christi days, Larry Joe Taylor's songs about the Texas coast and its local characters provided the perfect soundtrack for our sailing adventures. So when we learn LJT is performing Friday evening on Kent Island (15 miles from Annapolis), we can't believe our good fortune. With fellow LJT groupies Jan, Terri, Shaun, and Bryan, we plan to have a nice seafood dinner and attend the show. But alas we didn't figure the Bay Bridge toll booth into these plans. Eastbound traffic on Highway 50 inches forward at a maddening crawl. For a mere $2.50, we experience what Nick vows is the worst traffic he's ever seen.

We finally make it to the Bay Bridge, which sways 186 feet over the Chesapeake Bay in a most unsettling manner as 30+ mph winds shake its supports. By now it's too late for our nice seafood dinner, so we make a quick run through the Burger King. Gobbling down Junior Whoppers and fries, we navigate unmarked streets in the dark trying to find the show's location. We've traveled 15 miles in an hour and a half. Uncertain if we're in the right place, we pull up in front of a neighborhood clubhouse. I exclaim triumphantly, "This is it! There's the tuba guy!"

"Tuba guy? What are you smoking?" scoffs my doubting husband.

"You know--tuba guy! There he is in the window." How silly of Nick not to know who "tuba guy" is. Of course, I'm referring to Steve Lang, LJT's sidekick who plays the tuba during the sing-along Corona song. It turns out LJT got stuck in the same traffic and is still setting up. The other Texas groupies eventually arrive and we have a great evening enjoying familiar songs and jokes--and a few new ones too.

LJT

Steve Lang, the "tuba guy"

LJT and Nick

LJT, Bryan, Terri, Deanna, Nick, and Jan

SSCA Conference

The weatherman promised improving conditions on Saturday. Yeah, right. As the alarm clock jangles us awake Saturday morning, the deluge continues and the temperature is a damp, bone-chilling 48 degrees. We pull on our foul weather gear again and pick up fellow-Texans Bob and K (S/V Rima) on our way to the Seven Seas Cruising Association (SSCA) conference. Much to our despair, the event is held in an outdoor pavilion that overflows with soggy sailors. The panels on three sides of the pavilion do little to warm the shivering bodies huddled inside. Although we enjoy the sessions, I really think this suffering is an unnecessary test of our saltiness. Surely there is an empty building available in Annapolis with a working heater. As for my earlier question about sailors coming in out the rain: there is no doubt now about the answer.

Frozen Texans from left to right: Iris and Fred (S/V Windwalker), K and Bob (S/V Rima), Deanna and Nick (S/V Back-in-Sunny-Florida)

Visit with Beth and Ari

Sunday is finally a sunny day. We make the short drive from Annapolis to University Park to visit Beth and Ari. Beth was my close running buddy back in Dallas and Nick's coworker at TI. She introduced us and is therefore responsible for all that has transpired since (or to blame, depending on how you look at it). Beth was also my maid of honor at our wedding in St. Lucia, where Ari donned a rasta wig and performed a white-boy reenactment of the Mayreau cake dance. A fun couple!

Nick and I had never been to our nation's capitol, so Beth and Ari set about to correct this deficiency in our American experience. We stroll along The Mall between the Capitol and the Washington monument. Peering through the bars surrounding the White House, we contemplate the accuracy of the sniper posted on the roof. By then, I'm proclaiming that it's not only 5 o'clock somewhere, but it's 5 o'clock right here and now. So we head over to the Washington Hotel where we sip foo-foo drinks on the roof overlooking the lush capitol landscape.

Next, we drive to the Potomac waterfront with the intent of finding a nice seafood dinner (remember our Kent Island misadventure). There's a line outside Phillip's, so we inquire about the wait. Thirty to forty minutes, we are told, and we'll have to stand in line. Only parties of five or more are put on a list. Now why would the restaurant want people to stand in line instead of sitting in their bar buying over-priced cocktails? We decide not to contribute to such a foolish enterprise, so we walk around the corner to the seafood market. The quantity, variety, and smell of fresh seafood is overwhelming. We head back to Beth and Ari's house with several pounds of blue crabs, seasoned shrimp, crab cakes, and corn.

The weather is even nicer on Monday, Columbus Day. Ari has to work, so Beth drives us to Chesapeake Beach for a stroll on the boardwalk and a relaxing lunch.

The Mall

The Capitol reflecting pool is stinky. Must be the proximity to Congress.

Beth and Ari

Looking back to the Washington monument from the Capitol

The White House (little black figure on the left is a sniper poised to shoot terrorists and Democrats)

Contemplating the resident: can't speak for Beth, but my opinion is obvious

Happy hour on the roof of the Washington Hotel

Seafood market

Chowing down on crabs. Don't eat the slimy green stuff!

Beth and Deanna at North Beach on the Chesapeake

In Maryland, they named a town after us!

Good-bye old friend :(

Visit with Jill, Frank, and Lia

With hugs and promises of a visit in the Bahamas, we leave Beth and Ari on Tuesday morning. As we speed through Virginia, Nick apparently forgets that our radar detector is in storage at his parent's house. Back in Texas, they say "have a nice day" after handing you a ticket. Not so in Virginia.

Our next stop is Garner, North Carolina, home of Jill, Frank, and 15-month old Lia. Jill is also a friend from our Dallas days. Jill and Frank graciously invite us to spend the night even though they just moved into their new home five days earlier. Jill serves us her delicious chicken lasagna and we have a pleasant evening catching up.

Jill, Frank, and Lia

Their new house in a Raleigh suburb

Lia grabbing Deanna's necklace. She already knows diamonds are a girl's best friend.

St. Mary's

As the sun makes its descent Wednesday afternoon, we can't resist one more side trip before returning to Florida. We take a left turn at Mile Marker 3 in Georgia and enjoy a lovely sunset and dinner in the quaint village of St. Mary's. Then it's back to St. Augustine and the final countdown to our November departure and next adventure.

Nick with St. Mary's anchorage in background

The sun sets on a great trip