Greetings everybody! It's been awhile, but I have not forgotten you. Just wanted to toss up an update of my most recent adventures, through August and into September, as my 6 month sabbatical continues. Five days after my 4500 mile drive across the Western United States, and I was back at it again, this time flying East...
Thursday, July 31, 2008... Tempe to Boston
Hanging out in the airport, about ready to hop on Continental Flight 434, the red-eye to New York. Feeling a bit crunchy, but not as bad as I was earlier in the week. It's been strange, back in Tempe after 4 weeks touring the West. Things seemed a bit foreign, and I wasn't feeling myself... almost like jet-lag had sunk in after the long drive. I'll chalk some of it up to the heat, something I needed to get used to all over again. The few times I've climbed back in my pickup, I truly feel at home. I want to head out, and hit some of those same spots from my road trip that I really liked... and I really miss camping up in those trees.
So hopefully this next round of travel, followed by a longer stay in Tempe in September, will hit the spot. An overnight flight across country should be interesting, to say the least. Hope I can sleep. From New York, it's a quick flight to Boston, where I'll meet my friends, Ben, Elaina, and their boy Jaden, and we'll drive up to their cottage on Long Lake, near Portland, Maine.
Friday, August 1... Boston to Long Lake, Maine
I'm in Boston! First time... and I haven't been outside just yet, but I'm here. Both flights were easy, although no sleep to be had on that red-eye from PHX to New York. It was a brand new plane (my flight was its second), but I was stuck in a really uncomfortable aisle seat. Lots of babies, so I tried to drown them out with some podcasts. I really need to invest in some better noise-canceling headphones. After a quick, 40 minute flight to Boston, here I sit, enjoying a Sam Adams and some killer clam chow-dah. My friends should be showing up in a few minutes, as it looks like their flight out of Chicago is early. Almost time to get outside, and see some new parts of the country.
Saturday, August 2... Naples, Maine / Long Lake
This was truly a special place... thanks to the Zorensky / Goldman family for sharing it with me. Time slows down up on the shores of Long Lake, and my journal from that amazing week are just random thoughts. Maybe someday I'll elaborate, but for now, here goes:
Inhaling Maine. No rain all day, but dark skies. Moss-covered trails to the beach.. walking on a soft, green carpet. Our first canoe-test run, around the islands.
Kabobs on the grill... veggies, lamb, chicken, beef. Chard. Cous-Cous. Vino. The first of many fantastic feasts. Dinner with Grandma Elise.
Guitars on the dock... Joan London on a jet-ski! Ferns and forest, and our first dip in the clean, black lake. And then... the rain.
Sunday...
More sun today. Light trail-blazing. Dunkin' Donuts coffee (so many Dunkin' Donuts out here!). A long swim to Elise's dock. Dusk.
Feast of feasts... lobster. Maine lobster. Clams, Corona's... treasures of the sea, stretched out atop our table, covered in old issues of the New York Times.
A little more rain tonight... chilling out with a magazine. Need to get the canoe out again tomorrow.
Tuesday...
Visited Elise at the library... bought books and puzzles for Jaden. Struck out at the "Freedom Cafe" (Freedom wasn't free, and didn't taste very good, either). No rain all afternoon... hung out on the dock, soaking in the beautiful sunlight.
Long swim, to Elise's dock and back. Amazing pasta and sauce for dinner. Finished one book, "Barrel Fever", and moved on to "Red Badge of Courage". Early to bed... 10 hours of dream-filled sleep.
Wednesday - Saturday...
Rain. Looks like it's here to stay. Hikes to the wood pile... perfect fires back home, back in our "Owl's Nest". Jazz and Blues on the internet radio, reading and rainy walks. Played guitars in "The Cove", the original cabin. More lobster. Sunshine on Saturday, but it was my final day.
To the airport in Portland, and a long, "scenic" series of flights to Detroit...
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