Florida, At Last!

The official trip ends in Lakeland. But our new home is in Dunedin. We have a bit of work to do on the house to move in and may end up making a bigger mess then we started with. But that is our way. (perhaps this process will become blog worthy)

The trip took almost a full month: 27 days. We saw unbelievable diversity in landscapes, cities, people, food and language. And to think – all the same country! I did realize that the more I saw, the more I realize I had yet to see. There are huge regions we didn’t even touch: Midwest, Northeast, East Coast, Southwest. We just scratched the surface.

Favorite spots: Mark’s most surprising experience was Carlsbad Caverns. He found the caves to be a completely different and unexpected experience. He also loved the wild animals found in the west and the bayous of Louisiana.

For me, each place had a remarkable quality that I found interesting or even surprising. I think the most impactful location was along the gulf coast, still recovering from Katrina. One of the most beautiful was the Grand Teton area…close tie with Crater Lake. Historically, Mesa Verde was very interesting and fun.

Favorite foods: Mark’s favorites were the bison steaks in Jackson Hole and the BBQ ribs in Austin. I was surprised by the great flavor of the shrimp and corn soup I ate in Houma. And the cheese grits at Emerile’s restaurant in Gulfport.

Favorite drives: Mark’s was the million-dollar road in Colorado where we drove through multiple hairpins at a time, and saw old mining equipment and the leaves changing colors for fall. My favorite drive was along the Columbia Gorge with scenic overlooks and beautiful waterfalls.

Favorite hikes: Mark’s favorite ‘stroll’ was the hike down and back from Bumpass Hell in Lassen Volcanic National Park. He didn’t even mind the cold wind blowing through? our ears. My favorite hike was around Jenny Lake at Teton National Park, and up to the waterfall. This is what the National Park Service calls an easy hike – but it kicked my butt by the end of the day.

Favorite grocery store: My fave is the Dekalb Farmer’s Market, perhaps for sentimental reasons, or maybe because of the cinnamon chocolate cookies they still sell. Mark’s favorite is City Market (competition to Whole Foods) that we visited in Ft. Worth area.

Favorite hotel: Mark’s favorite was the log cabin in Jackson Hole for $90. We slept like logs, so to speak. I think this is my favorite as well.

Favorite restaurant: Mark has 2 favorites. Lucy’s Mexican Restaurant in Carlsbad and Gun Barrel In Jackson Hole. My favorite was Rudy’s BBQ in Austin.

Biggest surprises: The elk bugling that we finally heard in Mesa Verde. The number of women controlling with traffic (flag ‘men’) in all the northwest road construction we ran into. The number of deserted towns and areas. The expanding girth of the locals as we traveled east. The amount of destruction still untouched along the gulf coast from the hurricanes. The number of Russian waiters we had in the western states, and their inability to do their jobs well. The number of Harley Davidson stores, seemingly in every town, and often with a Hooters nearby. The number of massage billboard ads in south Georgia on I-75.

Contest Update: Remember, guess the number of miles we covered from September 4, Redwood City, CA to September 30, Lakeland, FL and win a $25 gift certificate at Barnes and Noble. Guess by October 15. Look for the answer and winner, hopefully by October 16!!!