The Empty Nesters Magical Mystery Tour *1/28* Link to New Girl's TR p141

That is a seriously cool bridge. I love the incline. It looks like you are just going to drive right off the top of it. :upsidedow

It really does. I found myself looking down at my phone a lot and not over the side. I also spent considerable time looking towards the center of the bridge. Looking out over the water was scary.

I love bridges, too, and when we were in Virginia visiting Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, etc, one of the things I really wanted to do was drive across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. I was fascinated with the long bridge and tunnels that crossed the bay. When we got to the other side of the bridge we found that there was nothing there. We drove for a while, looking for signs of life and found Turner Sculpture, a really interesting place. This was back in 1984 and I bet the area has changed a bit since then.

There really isn't much on the other side of the CBBT. Well, there is a rest area and there are some nature paths back there. But Route 13 through the Delmarva Peninsula is long from Salisbury Md south and there's not much to look at. Wallops Island is along that stretch, but its quite a bit further up the road. In general, though, the area is starting to get more built up.

The other famous bridge that I drove was the Mackinac Bridge in Michigan. It connects the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan and is famous for having high winds that scare the heck out of people driving across it. :drive:

Oh My! That does not sound like driving fun. I suspect it must have to be shut down from time to time because of weather. Sounds like a cool bridge in a beautiful area.

That area is just gorgeous! Love the bridge...very cool!

Jill in CO

It was a lovely area. I think its the blue water which really makes it. It's just so stunning to look at.

Thank you for the hx lesson. I didn't know who DeSoto was either. :thumbsup2

He was a very brave and determine explorer, that's for sure. I really enjoyed watching the film and learned

It's nice when the fellas get to choose an activity. ;) :rotfl:

Yeah - everyone once it awhile its nice to give them a chance to pick. Actually, I picked the activity and sort of surprised him with it because I knew he would like it.

That bridge is so cool. It looks like its going to drop off on the other side. :scared1: Bridges scare me a little. I can't think about them while I am on them, same with flying. If I think about being in the air in a big metal box, I'll panic.

Bridges scare me a little too. I don't mind being a passenger on the bridge, but I'm not thrilled about driving over it myself. Its nice to have a chauffeur!

Gorgeous landscape.

It's really pretty on the gulf coast and the wrist is yet to come. :thumbsup2
 
That bridge looks so cool!! Definitely sounds like an experience.

I totally agree, that post office is really awesome looking. I would love to buy my stamps from a place like that. :thumbsup2
 
Trying to catch up around here a little. I would really love trying that kayak tour sometime! What a beautiful and scenic area.........:lovestruc

Hung out at the Crack a while................ that is just wrong on so many levels! :rotfl2: How cool that you got to experience the manatees up close and personal! :thumbsup2

What a neat bridge. Probably wise you took that bio break before heading over. The Desoto area looked like a nice place to tour, right up my alley for sure!

Another Day in Paradise..........I could use one of those about now! :goodvibes
 
That bridge is SCARY!!!!! I actually think I saw it many years ago from afar and thought you would have to be crazy to cross that thing.

:rotfl2: There is another way around the Tampa Bay without taking the bridge, but I suspect it's significantly longer. I was fine, but I wasn't driving. I really don't know if I would want to be the driver across the bridge. It does almost feel like it goes straight up.

Oh and you said you stopped "here" to take a bio break and the picture is of water....and now that I know you like to go in nature....did you go in the water? :lmao:

:rotfl: There were actual restrooms Jen! :rotfl: I just didn't take a picture of it. As far as water vs. corn fields - I stick to corn fields. They are a necessity on a long bike ride in a rural area. :rolleyes1

I could never go in the corn field. My sister could but I always had to go back to the house to do my business. :rotfl:

Hey, its just liquid nitrogen. It's good for the corn. :rotfl2:

You got some lovely shots this day and some interesting stops. I do like a bit of history though.

Thanks! I agree - its always good to throw a little history into a trip.

Once again some Great Updates!

Thanks!

My DW is like Denny and will stand around reading little plaques at museums all day. I quickly reach the information overload zone and have to move on.

Me too! I try. Really I do, but my attention span is on so long. I do much better with movies.

On one of your pictures you wrote "I’m not sure if this cross was on the DeSoto property or another property." When I look at the 2nd map of the DeSoto Park you included they show a 'Memorial Cross' and just below that it says "Be Alert for Cacti, Fire Ants". I'm guessing you missed the fire ant part when you stopped stopped to eat lunch. :laughing: I looked at the pictures of that area on Google Earth and that looks like the cross in your picture.

Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I really didn't look that carefully at the map because it didn't totally gel with the 3D picture I have in my head. Sure enough the cross is part of the memorial. Makes sense.

And, no, I did not head the warning on fire ants. :rotfl2:They were definitely there. Probably should have walked back to that bench to eat. :rolleyes1

Great updates, Mary Ellen!

Thanks! :good vibes

I remember driving over that bridge - it was really exciting. And I took some notes of where you visited as Tom just stated that he would love to go to the Gulf coast again. :thumbsup2

It actually gets better, so stay tuned for Anna Maria Island. The gulf coast is very nice. The orientation to the water is pretty amazing. There are so many water oriented areas to visit.

Oh, and not to forget - your pics are awesome! :flower3:

Thank you!

Haha, I think any Tampa visit for me would have to include Busch Gardens. I just can't stay away from theme parks.

Oh - BG was definitely on our list of things we considered doing. Denny really wanted to go there, but I figured since we were spending a few days at Disney we could forgo the theme park. I would like to go back and check it out. Its supposed to have great coasters.

Boardwalk Tavern... Classy. How did Disney miss that one?

:rotfl2:Not sure!

WOW, Now THAT's a bridge. At Disney that would be an E ticket for sure.

:rotfl2: That really WAS a bridge! Very cool!

"Another view (for the male readers)" Gee thanks Mary Ellen... :rolleyes2

:lmao: OK. So it wasn't the "best" but...oh never mind! :rotfl2:
 

Great update, Maryellen.

I remember the first time we went over that bridge...I love it (you got much better pictures than I did). We stopped at that same rest stop when we came back across the bridge.

DeSoto Memorial...we've never done and probably will the next time we go that way. Mark is like Denny...loves to stop and read everthing.

Beautiful pictures.
 
Cool update!

Thanks!

What a pretty place to run, and even drive. I love your pictures from the road!

Thanks! It was really fun being a tourist and having no idea what we would find behind each bend.

So, bridges... I guess I didn't realize you had a bridge fetish. Have you been on the Coronado in San Diego? I have zero issues with fear of heights but I had an honest-to-goodness panic attack when I came close to going over that puppy. I wonder how I would do with this one.

I have never been to San Diego, but since its on my bucket list I guess I will have to try it! Sounds like a challenge. :rotfl2: There is also this crazy high bridge going into Savannah that my GF just about died on. She hates driving over bridges so I think it was me that drove it and it was a little scary for sure.

It certainly is a very interesting bridge.

It's just a beautiful bridge, but that whole suicide history is crazy.

I loved your tour of the Desoto Museum and Memorial. Informative and beautiful setting. And I think you mentioned "Free!"

:woohoo:

Free is best! Seriously, when there is an attraction done that nicely and its free, well you have to respect that. It was really done well and certainly worth an hour or two visit!



I guess they were serious about the warning!

OMG! I need to learn to read what I am photographing. I didn't even notice that until two of you pointed it out. They WERE fire ants. OUCH!!!!!!

What were the lifesized figures? Like laminated cardboard photos? They look very realistic and are a little freaky!

Yes - exactly. They were life sized and not nearly as creepy as they appear in the pictures. They just sort of "fit in", if that makes sense.
 
I like bridges too. I like to look at them and think about how they are made. I am a fan of suspension cables too!
!

Bridges are so totally cool. It makes me want to be a civil engineer, but then I realize there is WAY too much math involved with that! :faint:

I am also a history geek so this day so far sounds perfect to me!

I saw that when I read your TR update this morning. I think you might have a better attention span then even Denny! I love history attractions, but my attention span only lasts so long! :rotfl:

That bridge looks so cool!! Definitely sounds like an experience.

Seeing the bridge from so many different angles was really cool. The bridge is going to make several more appearances in my upcoming update! Stay tuned! ;)

I totally agree, that post office is really awesome looking. I would love to buy my stamps from a place like that. :thumbsup2

I know, right? It doesn't even LOOK like a post office. So pretty! :thumbsup2


Oh man, those houses look cute. I am going to buy my lottery ticket right now!

:rotfl2: Me too! There were some really lovely houses in the area. Stay tuned. There are more to come! ::yes::
 
Going out and back when its a different route each time isn't too bad. At least each time you run its a different route. Today's route was a new one for me. I ran a new route today and it really did help keep me occupied. I've ridden my bike on this route many times, but this was the first time I ever ran it. It was nice when I got to the 7 mile mark and knew exactly where I was.

This is why I love my watch! It's funny though, you don't do a route for a long time and then forget how far it is. Or at least I do! I ran from my house yesterday, first time since um...July.

Which is lame! We have a huge hill, it's a mile down and a mile back from the trail we run on and all summer when it was warm, we'd simply drive to the lake and run from there versus doing the hill back up in the heat. It's a busy road so really only an option for the Sunday longer runs and when I was doing 9+ miles...I didn't want the hill at the end either. LOL!

For some reason I thought it was only a 1 mile down but it's actually a little more than that. Which was good, I really needed 5 miles more than just 4.

You're good. You've got it all planned out. Me? I just go week by week. I need to look at that calendar pronto.

Well, planned out starting in mid Dec. Totally winging it until then and doing crazy things like buying headlamps.

:rotfl:

Fatal flaw in that interval plan. No way it will work if I can't see the watch.

OK - just looked. My calendar has me doing the 1/2 on Feb 7th. WTH? I wonder how I messed that up. Seriously?

But the good news is the most it has me running is 14 miles and that's in January. Then I taper back down again. I need to fix my calendar now. lol


It seemed like you got to those longer runs really fast and early!

Yep, you are a solid 2 weeks ahead of schedule, you get to slow down a little now!


Definitely on the fuel. Those gels make you super thirsty. I usually never over hydrate because I can't stand having to bio break every 30 minutes, but I get super thirsty once I start running. And whenever I see water I take it. But at least there are no bio breaks involved. :rotfl2:

That's cool on the bio breaks. I think the farthest I've gone without taking one at all is 9.3. I have tried so many different ways to avoid the bio break but haven't figured it out yet for sure. Super annoying.

This is the Gu espresso gel. I bought the multi pack thing so I'll use it up before I try a new kind. I went in Performance bike the other day and they have so many choice I was completely overwhelmed.

Yeah, it's pretty ridiculous how many there are, huh?


Green apple sounds yummy! I haven't tried a shot block yet, just the gel. I guess I like the consistency of the gel so I've stuck with it, but I need to branch out a bit. I found I did better today with eating first then drinking gatorade and on gel. No hunger related problems at all.

I love gummy candies so figured I'd like these, and I do. I bite them in half though, too big to take a whole block at once. In the winter they get hard, like a candy. I'll cut them into quarters before leaving and then just eat a quarter at a time and basically suck on it. Works great for me. I've actually never gotten hungry on a run, I take them for the electrolytes and sodium to be safe but frankly am still not convinced I need them. I did try to switch to espresso or mocha gels before running so I could skip the coffee for morning runs (and possibility of bio break) but it was too much sugar for me and didn't really seem to help the bio issue. Sadly, neither does skipping the coffee. I need to figure out what the magic cut off the day before is, to stop having liquids as it seems to be much earlier than one would think.


No apologies necessary. I can tell you one thing - it was super nasty in the rain. No drainage whatsoever and we were walking in ankle high puddles. Many of the stores didn't have proper gutters so the rain just gushed down in spots.

Yep...and with those horses in the streets....all KINDS of things floating around. YUCK.

Same GF. No, she has not traveled with us but she has stayed here on numerous occasions and she is very laid back. I told Brian I just wanted $200 from each of them and I would pay for everything except their alcohol. So I would be paying for air, food, lodging (points) and tickets. I thought that was pretty reasonable. I didn't want to offer them the trip free because then I don't think they appreciate it as much. Knowing Denny he would end up not taking any money from either of them.

Well maybe she doesn't have the $200 or wants Brian to cover it and he isn't? Girls are funny that way.

It was perfect for me. It was in stark contrast to the one we did on Castaway Cay. OMG! That was definitely NOT for beginners! Stories to tell there!

Oh I can't wait for that, I wouldn't expect that at CC!

I was really pleased with the price since it seemed to be several hundred dollars less than the same cruise during later weeks and January. It really wasn't that much more for cat 5A compared to inside stateroom. Go figure?

That is a GREAT price! If the E'd didn't have their Ireland thing next year I would be SOOOO tempted but ugh, I just can't contemplate booking anything with that expense looming.

What a fun day! I have a mixed reaction to bridges like that. I enjoy them from a distance, freak out mildly driving over them as a passenger and freak out more as a driver. Depends on the bridge but I do have height/exposure issues at times for sure.

I really knew nothing about DeSoto...other than sort of recognizing the name. Great update!
 
Trying to catch up around here a little. I would really love trying that kayak tour sometime! What a beautiful and scenic area.........:lovestruc

It was a really cool area. Very jungle like. I can definitely see why scenes from Tarzan were filmed there. The nice thing was the water was very shallow in a lot of areas. Yet it was nice and deep where the Manatees and caves were.

Hung out at the Crack a while................ that is just wrong on so many levels! :rotfl2: How cool that you got to experience the manatees up close and personal! :thumbsup2

Ah, yes, the crack. I was waiting for some type of comment on that! :rotfl2: It really did look like a crack. I guess they could always have named it Maggie's crevice! :rotfl2:

What a neat bridge. Probably wise you took that bio break before heading over. The Desoto area looked like a nice place to tour, right up my alley for sure!

Always thinking! :rotfl: That's us! It was a lovely bridge and it will make another guest appearance in my next update. The Desoto memorial was great. I really enjoyed it!

Another Day in Paradise..........I could use one of those about now! :goodvibes

Couldn't we all? It's raining and gross here today. I so need some Paradise! :thumbsup2
 
No way, no how would you catch me driving across that bridge! It looks downright scary to me. I'd have to be down on the floorboard praying if we ever went across it.

I did happen to know who DeSoto was and while reading the descriptions, I saw mention of Ferriday, Louisiana. That's where my daddy watched Jerry Lee Lewis and Mickey Gilley play waaaaaaay back in the day before they were famous. They were just all small town hicks.

Anway, back to your pictures and update. The area looks absolutely gorgeous! What a day in paradise!
 
What? Don't even tell me there's a possibility of no summer vacation this year. I love your summer vacations. They are the best!

I love them too! But it's getting more and more expensive to travel with my family, and being on a single income makes it hard. My kids are starting to eat like teenagers, plus with the baby Julie hasn't been able to sub as much for extra income. So it's taking a toll. Hopefully we can put something together.


One thing I really wanted to do was drive south across the Skyway Bridge.

Great bridge! And great views from up there.

How could I resist this picture of the Boardwalk Inn…er… I mean tavern.

Just like Disney!:rotfl2:

Not sure what this is. Anybody know?

That's Tropicana Field, where the Rays play ball. Supposedly it's kind of a dump.

There was a rest stop right before the bridge. There are also fishing piers on both the north and south end of the bridge.

We went to Ft. DeSoto State Park there, on an island on the north side of the bridge. It had a neat old fort, some trails and a nice beach on the gulf.:thumbsup2

It is a REALLY cool bridge!

::yes::

I couldn’t resist the opportunity to take up close pictures of the cables. We have a bridge similar to this in Delaware. It crosses the C&D canal. It’s sort of a mini version of this bridge.

Also a very cool bridge. The new Indian River inlet bridge is the same style.


But while we were driving to Bradenton I discovered that we were going to be very close to the DeSoto Memorial. I read a few reviews on trip advisor and decided this would definitely be a good place to stop for several reasons. First, and foremost, Denny is a history geek. He could stand around and read little plaques are day. It’s just the way he is wired. Second, the reviews on TA were all positive. Lastly, it was free. The perfect trifecta. And did I mention it was FREE?

Perfect!

There will be a quiz at the end of this update. You're welcome!

The answer is b! What's the question?:confused3

We decided to eat lunch here. I had packed some sandwiches and brought a big beach towel so we made ourselves comfy on a small spot in the grass. Bad idea. We weren’t done eating when I noticed ants. Not just one or two, but a whole colony. We had to pack up prematurely, but it started as a good idea.

Uh oh. Hope it wasn't like that Indiana Jones movie.
 
Your kayaking tour looks like a lot of fun. I am by no means, a great swimmer, but I'd have been tempted to try the underwater cave. That would be so cool to see. The whole thing though looks like a great experience, especially seeing the manatees in their natural environment!

I've always thought the skyway bridge was a really neat looking bridge. I've never actually crossed it though, just admired it from the distance.

The Desoto memorial looks like an interesting place too. I did know general information about who he was before you gave the background information, but I'm kind of a history buff, and I'd have really been fascinated to dive in deeper and learn more about him.
 
Bridges are so cool and so scary at the same time. Those big cables are crazy!

And the De Soto Memorial sounds like something we would be interested in checking out!

Now I have Phil Collins song "Another Day in Paradise" stuck in my head:lmao: Not a bad thing:thumbsup2
 
Great update, Maryellen.

Thanks! :good vibes

I remember the first time we went over that bridge...I love it (you got much better pictures than I did). We stopped at that same rest stop when we came back across the bridge.

Do you always take that bridge when you go to Naples? It really is such a cool bridge. And those rest areas are a good spot for a bio break!

DeSoto Memorial...we've never done and probably will the next time we go that way. Mark is like Denny...loves to stop and read everthing.

Totally worth a quick stop there. The movie is great and I think I may have mentioned that its FREE! :rotfl2:

Beautiful pictures.

Thank You! :good vibes

This is why I love my watch! It's funny though, you don't do a route for a long time and then forget how far it is. Or at least I do! I ran from my house yesterday, first time since um...July.

Wow - that's crazy that you run from your house so infrequently. I love just going out the back door and starting my run. It's such freedom.

Which is lame! We have a huge hill, it's a mile down and a mile back from the trail we run on and all summer when it was warm, we'd simply drive to the lake and run from there versus doing the hill back up in the heat. It's a busy road so really only an option for the Sunday longer runs and when I was doing 9+ miles...I didn't want the hill at the end either. LOL!

For some reason I thought it was only a 1 mile down but it's actually a little more than that. Which was good, I really needed 5 miles more than just 4.

UGH! I can't blame you one minute for Not wanting to run up a hill at the end of your run. That would stink. I love that I can literally do 10 miles without a single hill. It's great!


Well, planned out starting in mid Dec. Totally winging it until then and doing crazy things like buying headlamps.

:rotfl:

That's cool. I'm really impressed you are going to run in the dark and the cold. I just can't do it. I think I'm stuck on the treadmill this whole week, which I don't like. I totally miss summer. That's the problem with vacationing in October. You come back and BOOM - its winter! Yuck!


Fatal flaw in that interval plan. No way it will work if I can't see the watch.

Definitely not!

It seemed like you got to those longer runs really fast and early!

Well, now we know why! :rotfl2:

Yep, you are a solid 2 weeks ahead of schedule, you get to slow down a little now!

How could I have possibly put the date of the PHM in incorrectly. That makes absolutely NO sense. I am glad I'm ahead of schedule, because who knows what the weather will bring. I know last year there were several weekends where I couldn't run at all because of ice. I am very, very afraid to run after snow. I am really scared of falling and getting injured.

That's cool on the bio breaks. I think the farthest I've gone without taking one at all is 9.3. I have tried so many different ways to avoid the bio break but haven't figured it out yet for sure. Super annoying.

I know bio breaks are a problem with bike rides, but once I start running I think the blood shifts my my kidneys to the rest of my body and I don't have to bio break. Now before a run I can go like 10 times. :rotfl2:

Yeah, it's pretty ridiculous how many there are, huh?

It really is pretty silly. I guess as long as you find one or two that you like, you should just stick with them. Why mess with success?

I love gummy candies so figured I'd like these, and I do. I bite them in half though, too big to take a whole block at once. In the winter they get hard, like a candy. I'll cut them into quarters before leaving and then just eat a quarter at a time and basically suck on it. Works great for me. I've actually never gotten hungry on a run, I take them for the electrolytes and sodium to be safe but frankly am still not convinced I need them. I did try to switch to espresso or mocha gels before running so I could skip the coffee for morning runs (and possibility of bio break) but it was too much sugar for me and didn't really seem to help the bio issue. Sadly, neither does skipping the coffee. I need to figure out what the magic cut off the day before is, to stop having liquids as it seems to be much earlier than one would think.

I love gummies, too! I should try those.

I can't say I actually get hungry, but sometimes I feel energy depleted. That actually happens to me more on a long bike ride. I feel like the gels give me a shot of energy. I used one on my 10 mile run and I brought gatorade with me in the hydration belt. That would well.

I know I could never skip my am coffee, so that's not even an option. :rotfl2:

Yep...and with those horses in the streets....all KINDS of things floating around. YUCK.

Hmmmmm - well, fortunately there weren't too many horses out in the rain. But that visual is NOT good! :faint:

Well maybe she doesn't have the $200 or wants Brian to cover it and he isn't? Girls are funny that way.

I have no idea, but I hope to get to the route of the problem. Brian always seems calmer when he is around her, so I really hope she comes. She is such a nice girl.

Oh I can't wait for that, I wouldn't expect that at CC!

OMG - this tour guide leader was crazy and the water was super choppy. In fact, the first day we were on CC they canceled all the water activities because of wind and rough water. I guess they figured they should not cancel anything the next day. It was still pretty choppy going out. I was certain we were going to tip. Our guide just took off and never looked back. :rotfl2:

That is a GREAT price! If the E'd didn't have their Ireland thing next year I would be SOOOO tempted but ugh, I just can't contemplate booking anything with that expense looming.

I bet. I'm sure that's a big expense, but what a great opportunity.

I'm thrilled with the price on the cruise. And we liked the 4 night length. It worked well for us. I'm really looking forward to cruising again. I loved the verandah room and I can't imagine cruising without one. It felt so private. Loved it!

What a fun day! I have a mixed reaction to bridges like that. I enjoy them from a distance, freak out mildly driving over them as a passenger and freak out more as a driver. Depends on the bridge but I do have height/exposure issues at times for sure.

I really don't enjoy driving over a bridge like that. I'd rather do the CBBT. Even though its so much longer it doesn't have that dramatic incline. That was crazy. Not good for someone with a bridge phobia!

I really knew nothing about DeSoto...other than sort of recognizing the name. Great update!

Thanks! :goodvibes
 
No way, no how would you catch me driving across that bridge! It looks downright scary to me. I'd have to be down on the floorboard praying if we ever went across it.

:rotfl2: OMG Lisa you are too funny! :rotfl2: But I guess that's one way to avoid thinking about the bridge. It did have a bit on a steep incline, but I just tried not to think about it.

I did happen to know who DeSoto was and while reading the descriptions, I saw mention of Ferriday, Louisiana. That's where my daddy watched Jerry Lee Lewis and Mickey Gilley play waaaaaaay back in the day before they were famous. They were just all small town hicks.

Wow - cool - great memory! :thumbsup2

I think DeSoto was pretty amazing. He was a good and tireless leader. It's a shame his mission (at the time) was so unsuccessful.

Anway, back to your pictures and update. The area looks absolutely gorgeous! What a day in paradise!

Thanks. It was a great day in paradise with much more to come! :thumbsup2

I love them too! But it's getting more and more expensive to travel with my family, and being on a single income makes it hard. My kids are starting to eat like teenagers, plus with the baby Julie hasn't been able to sub as much for extra income. So it's taking a toll. Hopefully we can put something together.

Mark - I have no doubt that you will pull something out of your hat. It may not be as elaborate as your last two trips, but it will be fun!


Great bridge! And great views from up there.

I KNEW you would appreciate this bridge!

Just like Disney!:rotfl2:

Yup - just like! :lmao:

That's Tropicana Field, where the Rays play ball. Supposedly it's kind of a dump.

Really? Wow! I find that hard to believe. You would think, of all places, the stadium in Tampa would be top notch.

We went to Ft. DeSoto State Park there, on an island on the north side of the bridge. It had a neat old fort, some trails and a nice beach on the gulf.:thumbsup2

That was actually on my list of possible places to explore. It sounded really cool and I was considering it for kayaking. :thumbsup2


:thumbsup2

Also a very cool bridge. The new Indian River inlet bridge is the same style.

I love the Indian River bridge. It's really very cool. The was it lights up at night is amazing!


It seriously does not get better than free! ::yes::

The answer is b! What's the question?:confused3

:rotfl2:

Uh oh. Hope it wasn't like that Indiana Jones movie.

Thankfully, not nearly as dramatic. Phew! :rotfl2:
 
Great update! I've never heard of De Soto, what a fun place to enjoy. And Free is always better!

Bridges. Freak. Me. Out!!!! I hate going over the Bay Bridge when I go to the beach. HATE IT! I have a plan if for whatever reason I end up going over the side. Add wind to the mix and I am such a wreck! :eek: They're pretty but I just can't stand them.

Your pictures are making me want to move to Florida tomorrow! I'm hoping next year I can make it happen, it's been in my mind for a couple years now. So many places to explore and everything is so gorgeous.
 
Wow - that's crazy that you run from your house so infrequently. I love just going out the back door and starting my run. It's such freedom.

UGH! I can't blame you one minute for Not wanting to run up a hill at the end of your run. That would stink. I love that I can literally do 10 miles without a single hill. It's great!

If I drive the mile down from the hill...I could go 20 miles without a single hill :lmao:

Ok, there might be some slight ups and downs for underpasses and a little rolling here and there but I do have lovely options...just down the hill.

There is another route I can do which is FAR worse hill wise.

According to map my run, our hill falls into an actual hill difficulty rating of cat5, which is the "least difficult" To be rated at all it has to be at least 500 meters in length with an average grade of 3% or more.

Average grade is great and all that but it's the last half mile that kills you at 7%

check it out.

last half mile



full hill



LOL!

It's been infrequent since summer. I did run it all last fall, winter and a lot of spring and I know it helped me on a couple of races in that time period.

It actually felt surprisingly good BUT I think may be the root of the new ankle issue. I should know more today I hope.

It could be worse. My current house is just down the hill from my old house. Check out what it would be from my old one!



I did that as a training run....

ONCE.

:lmao:

I really should consider it again at some point, I know it would be good for me but 11%??????? Yucko.

That's cool. I'm really impressed you are going to run in the dark and the cold. I just can't do it. I think I'm stuck on the treadmill this whole week, which I don't like. I totally miss summer. That's the problem with vacationing in October. You come back and BOOM - its winter! Yuck!

Yep, I feel like I missed fall

How could I have possibly put the date of the PHM in incorrectly. That makes absolutely NO sense. I am glad I'm ahead of schedule, because who knows what the weather will bring. I know last year there were several weekends where I couldn't run at all because of ice. I am very, very afraid to run after snow. I am really scared of falling and getting injured.

I agree with that, ahead can be a very good thing, it gives you some flexiblity!

I know bio breaks are a problem with bike rides, but once I start running I think the blood shifts my my kidneys to the rest of my body and I don't have to bio break. Now before a run I can go like 10 times. :rotfl2:

I do too! And then may still have to stop during. 10K and under I am ok (or run straight to the bathroom the minute I am done). I have GOT to get better at managing it for 6+ miles.

It really is pretty silly. I guess as long as you find one or two that you like, you should just stick with them. Why mess with success?

I get it, a lot of folks have issues with many of the items and as a result there are so many options as really different things work for different folks!

I love gummies, too! I should try those.

I can't say I actually get hungry, but sometimes I feel energy depleted. That actually happens to me more on a long bike ride. I feel like the gels give me a shot of energy. I used one on my 10 mile run and I brought gatorade with me in the hydration belt. That would well.

I know I could never skip my am coffee, so that's not even an option. :rotfl2:

I've never felt the shot of energy from any of them. Sugar high and crash, yes and I don't think they hurt at all from the electrolyte standpoint.


I have no idea, but I hope to get to the route of the problem. Brian always seems calmer when he is around her, so I really hope she comes. She is such a nice girl.

calmer is good!

OMG - this tour guide leader was crazy and the water was super choppy. In fact, the first day we were on CC they canceled all the water activities because of wind and rough water. I guess they figured they should not cancel anything the next day. It was still pretty choppy going out. I was certain we were going to tip. Our guide just took off and never looked back. :rotfl2:

YIKES! I hope you gave feedback

I bet. I'm sure that's a big expense, but what a great opportunity.

I'm thrilled with the price on the cruise. And we liked the 4 night length. It worked well for us. I'm really looking forward to cruising again. I loved the verandah room and I can't imagine cruising without one. It felt so private. Loved it!

I do like 7 and think I'd like a 5 night. 4 was a little short for us.
 
All caught up!
That bridge - OH.MY.GOSH!!!!
We were freaking out at the one going into Savannah. This looks worse.

What a great bunch of trips you have planned! Too bad none of them are when I'm going. :(

I was :rotfl2:at Denny's wondering why you didn't buy more GFV points! I would take that as an invitation to add on again! ::yes::
 
Your kayaking tour looks like a lot of fun. I am by no means, a great swimmer, but I'd have been tempted to try the underwater cave. That would be so cool to see. The whole thing though looks like a great experience, especially seeing the manatees in their natural environment!

If I was brave enough I would totally do the cave. I'm just not. Of course, as soon as I google underwater caves I read about a college student who got her bathing suit stuck on something in the cave and she died. If I had even the slimmest chance of doing it, it was gone.

I've always thought the skyway bridge was a really neat looking bridge. I've never actually crossed it though, just admired it from the distance.

it's really a beautiful bridge and it will make a guest appearance again in the next episode.

The Desoto memorial looks like an interesting place too. I did know general information about who he was before you gave the background information, but I'm kind of a history buff, and I'd have really been fascinated to dive in deeper and learn more about him.

This place is perfect for history buffs. It was really well done. The movie was great!

Bridges are so cool and so scary at the same time. Those big cables are crazy!

Well said. They are very cool and scary all at the same time! Their construction is so impressive!

And the De Soto Memorial sounds like something we would be interested in checking out!

It was really well done. The movie was great and the path was lovely. And did I mention it was FREE? :rotfl2:

Now I have Phil Collins song "Another Day in Paradise" stuck in my head:lmao: Not a bad thing:thumbsup2

Definitely not a bad thing! ::yes::::yes::::yes::

If I drive the mile down from the hill...I could go 20 miles without a single hill :lmao:

That is CRAZY! Well, I guess its nice to have a house on the hill until it comes time to run to it! :rotfl2:

Ok, there might be some slight ups and downs for underpasses and a little rolling here and there but I do have lovely options...just down the hill.

That's a true bummer, because who is going to drive their car a mile from their house to start a run. :confused3

There is another route I can do which is FAR worse hill wise.

Well, forget about THAT!

According to map my run, our hill falls into an actual hill difficulty rating of cat5, which is the "least difficult" To be rated at all it has to be at least 500 meters in length with an average grade of 3% or more.

That sounds wicked! Me no like AT ALL!

Average grade is great and all that but it's the last half mile that kills you at 7%

check it out.

last half mile



full hill



LOL!

That is craziness. An 11% grade is just crazy. That is a REAL hill.

BTW - I love the graphics. You are TOO much!

It's been infrequent since summer. I did run it all last fall, winter and a lot of spring and I know it helped me on a couple of races in that time period.

It actually felt surprisingly good BUT I think may be the root of the new ankle issue. I should know more today I hope.

It could be worse. My current house is just down the hill from my old house. Check out what it would be from my old one!



I did that as a training run....

ONCE.

:lmao:

I really should consider it again at some point, I know it would be good for me but 11%??????? Yucko.

I'm sure its a great training run, but seriously, who wants a training run that borders on torture. :faint: :rotfl2:

Yep, I feel like I missed fall

I bet. Between your vacation and traveling for work - bam - its over. Even though its not over, but once that time changes it just feels like winter.

I agree with that, ahead can be a very good thing, it gives you some flexiblity!

I definitely do need the flexibility for when true winter starts and when I need to run on the treadmill.

I do too! And then may still have to stop during. 10K and under I am ok (or run straight to the bathroom the minute I am done). I have GOT to get better at managing it for 6+ miles.

I don't know if there is anything you can do about it. I think biologically your are wired a certain way and its hard to change that. You've got good functioning kidneys, even though they are highly inconvenient. :rotfl2:

I get it, a lot of folks have issues with many of the items and as a result there are so many options as really different things work for different folks!

I totally agree!

I've never felt the shot of energy from any of them. Sugar high and crash, yes and I don't think they hurt at all from the electrolyte standpoint.

Really? I remember the first time I tried one. I really hit the wall on a bike ride. I only had about 8 miles to go, but I decided to suck one down because I felt like a wet noodle. It worked. Just like that I had energy. But I do think long distance biking is different from running. On a bike ride you can go from fine to the wall fast. With running I think its more of a gradual process.

calmer is good!

Very good! ::yes::

YIKES! I hope you gave feedback

I'm not really sure how to. She had another helper who brought up the back, but she did not seemed at all concerned with how everyone was doing. One older couple flipped their kayak right at the beginning of the trip and that was the end of them. I felt soooooo bad for them because the woman was so scared once she saw the waves in the water and her husband was like "come on. let's do it". 30 seconds later they are both underwater. Crazy!

I do like 7 and think I'd like a 5 night. 4 was a little short for us.

I really wanted a 5 night because I'm not quite ready to jump to a 7 night. There is something crazy about the food on the ship. I don't think I could eat it for 7 nights. But then again, I was at Disney for 5 nights before we even hit the ship. Anyway - there weren't any 5 nights that I wanted to do. Too many sea days. I think after this one I will try a longer.
 
Great update! I've never heard of De Soto, what a fun place to enjoy. And Free is always better!

It was a very enjoyable visit to the Desoto Memorial. He had a very interesting life. That's for sure!

Bridges. Freak. Me. Out!!!! I hate going over the Bay Bridge when I go to the beach. HATE IT! I have a plan if for whatever reason I end up going over the side. Add wind to the mix and I am such a wreck! :eek: They're pretty but I just can't stand them.

Have you ever gone across the Bay Bridge at night when they only have one span open? OMG! I did that once when I did a solo trip and my plane got in late at night. I seriously thought I was going to die. But what was even worse was I didn't expect to freak so I was totally unprepared. I just kept driving straight over that bridge until it was all over, but it wasn't one of my finer moments. :rotfl2:

Your pictures are making me want to move to Florida tomorrow! I'm hoping next year I can make it happen, it's been in my mind for a couple years now. So many places to explore and everything is so gorgeous.

Really? You are going to move there? I am so jealous!!!!!! I don't blame you, if you can swing it. There are SOOOOO many places to explore. I would plan something different for every weekend. How cool!

All caught up!
That bridge - OH.MY.GOSH!!!!
We were freaking out at the one going into Savannah. This looks worse.

Yup - this one was worse mostly because it is MUCH longer. But on such a beautiful day I didn't worry about it too much.

What a great bunch of trips you have planned! Too bad none of them are when I'm going. :(

I know! Bummer! But I am looking forward to my upcoming trips. And you, being a TA and all that, now get to do all those fun TA trips. Good for you!

I was :rotfl2:at Denny's wondering why you didn't buy more GFV points! I would take that as an invitation to add on again! ::yes::

:rotfl2: Those points have gone up $30 a point since we bought them. That is just stupid. We will definitely not be adding on at that price. :sad:
 















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