Driving A Boat To Key West

Okay, so I had just returned from a wonderful trip to Key West to celebrate my daughter Karen's wedding. Keith and I had flown there for that, and I joked at the time that I had never expected to return, certainly not so soon after last year's road trip there. So, imagine my surprise when, less than a week after returning home, I was asked to help my son John drive my daughter Jenny's boat from her home in Arizona to her new vacation home in Key West (bought while she was there for Karen's wedding).

Chandler, AZ to Fort Stockton, TX

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 2/2/2017		Page Views: 1353
Topics: #Places #Cross-Country #Arizona #NewMexico #FortStockton #Texas
Photos from the first day of John's and my cross-country trip.

So Jenny decided she wanted her boat, which was at her home in Chandler, to be brought down to her new home in Key West. Such a shipping assignment would have been horribly expensive (even for someone who owns a boat). Fortunately, her brother, John, and I were available to take on the task.

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From Fort Stockton, TX to Lafayette, LA

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 2/3/2017		Page Views: 1254
Topics: #Places #Cross-Country #FortStockton #Texas #Lafayette #Louisiana
Photos from the second day of John's and my cross-country trip.

For our second day, like the first, we had no specific target in mind. After all, we had the U-Haul (rented one-way) for another week before it was expected at the U-Haul dealer in Key West.

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From Lafayette, LA to St. Augustine, FL

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 2/4/2017		Page Views: 1328
Topics: #Places #Cross-Country #Lafayette #Louisiana #St.Augustine #Florida
Photos from the third day of John's and my cross-country trip.

We awoke at our usual time. This Super 8 Motel was, in some ways worse than the previous night's. For example, I sat in the desk chair and found it to be so ricketty I didn't dare stay in it for fear it would collapse under me. Still, the shower was better than the previous night's.

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From St. Augustine, FL to Key West, FL

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 2/5/2017		Page Views: 2413
Topics: #Places #Cross-Country #St.Augustine #Florida #KeyWest
Photos from the fourth and final day of John's and my cross-country trip.

I had hoped to spend two nights in St. Augustine, but John was anxious to complete the trip so we made arrangements instead to have breakfast out with anyone who could show up on such short notice.

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The Key West Home Depot

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 2/6/2017		Page Views: 1098
Topics: #Places #Cross-Country #KeyWest #Florida
Helping Jenny get her house ready in Key West.

I awoke before John, and spent a little time in the Marriott's very nice Jacuzzi before returning upstairs to find John had already showered and was ready to make the final 1 ½ mile trek to Jenny's house.

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Dumping The Garbage

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 2/7/2017		Page Views: 1101
Topics: #Places #Cross-Country #KeyWest #Florida
Helping Jenny get her house ready for visitors.

I insisted on sleeping on the porch sofa, even though Jenny had bought a couple of air mattresses for John and myself (and future visitors, like her firstborn Zach and any of his friends).

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Bahia Honda State Park

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 2/8/2017		Page Views: 1112
Topics: #Places #Cross-Country #KeyWest #Florida #BahiaHondaStatePark
Introducing Jenny and the babies to a new beach.

When Keith and I visited the Keys last year, one of our favorite spots turned out to be Bahia Honda State Park, which is on Bahia Honda Key, about 34 miles up the Overseas Highway. It has the best sandy beach in the Keys, with both Gulf- and Atlantic-side beaches. So I suggested to Jenny, who could certainly stand a break from her homemaking, that we go there; and this was the day we chose to do it.

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Visiting Snow and Chip

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 2/9/2017		Page Views: 1353
Topics: #Places #Cross-Country #KeyWest #Florida
Wedding part deux: Getting the photos to those who want 'em.

This morning when I awoke, I found my arms and legs were covered with bug bites. I recognized them as being the same sort of bites that Keith got last year (and that I laughed at because they didn't bite me…then). I love the fresh air on the porch, but not the bugs so I guessed I'd have to sleep inside this night.

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The Flight Home

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 2/10/2017		Page Views: 1085
Topics: #Places #Cross-Country #KeyWest #Florida
John and I say goodbye to the Rizzos and fly back to Phoenix.

Since I was on the sofa, I had expected—even looked forward to—having Gianna awaken me in the morning. But she politely kept her distance until I roused, though she was more familiar with her Uncle John (whom she calls "All Done") and whispered his named louder and louder until we both woke up.

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