38 Miles from Manhattan

The road to San Diego: End of day three

38milesfrommanhattan — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 21:23:58 +0000

Leaving Nashville on the morning of January 1, 2013 was slightly cold, gray and foggy but we were ready to pack up and move on to the next destination. After a little over three hours on the road we decided to stop in Memphis, where we passed by the must-see Graceland. We pulled through a quickie little drive-through to grab a bite for lunch. Remind me never to do that again.

Jon and I decided to stretch our legs and make a full stop At the famed Sun Studios. The $12 entry fee and the 40 minute tour was well worth the stop. Standing in the very studio that Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, and so many others stood and sang in was almost eerie. Our tour guide played a few snippets of their songs and at those moments I felt chills. We both agreed it was one of the coolest stops we have ever taken.

Hitting the road once again we made a beeline for the Arkansas and Oklahoma border. We stopped in a town called for Smith, where we stayed at the Aspen Hotel and suites. We were greeted by the most friendly front desk hostess! The only fee she asked us to pay for having Marley with us was a few moments cuddling with her while we unloaded the rest of our stuff from the cars. Truly a very warm and friendly welcome and an absolutely wonderful stay at this little hotel in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Sick of eating sandwiches and at side of the road jaunts, we decided to treat ourselves a little bit to a nice steak and some vegetables for dinner. Accompanied by the first spring seasonal brew from Sam Adams, yours truly was ready to pass right out.

New Jersey to San Diego: Day 1

38milesfrommanhattan — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 22:18:52 +0000

The months of consideration, planning, and saving has come to this day. Throughout the morning, both Jon and I have been saying how we can’t believe the day is here; that we are finally doing it. So here we are, the end of day two, just over the border of Tennessee in Nashville, and lives packed in an 18-wheeler trailer driven by the guys over at UPack.com. We have just about every single emotion running through our minds, but ultimately, we are so excited for this trip and our destination.

We got off to a little later of a start than we hoped. Finishing a large pile of laundry and packing the Toyota with our bikes and some last minute gear put us on the road about 1:00pm. Thanks to a big breakfast courtesy of Mike and Ellen Haley of The DeBary Inn in Summit, NJ, we were more than ready. (Thank you guys!!!!) If you live around the area, then you know the weather has been absolutely frigid in New Jersey! The high winds whipping around 30 degree weather felt more like 12. The wind was particularly fun on the road pushing our heavier-than-usual cars around a little, but nothing too dangerous.

Within the first 45 minutes, a very scared and screaming Marley the cat, pooped right in her carrier. Great. We weren’t even out of Jersey yet!!

Happy Holidays for Some…

38milesfrommanhattan — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 12:49:41 +0000

It is always difficult for some of us who watch a devastating event on the news to truly relate to victims of such tragedy. Still, in the ever glowing light of Christmas just a few days away, we continue to whirl around in our own little worlds, forgetting to stop and be thankful for what we have, and better yet, what we have the opportunities to obtain in the future.

Still reeling from Hurricane Sandy’s aftermath, my heart sank at the lives lost at Sandy Hook Elementary. Particularly the young, uncomprehending lives of the children robbed of such opportunities. Almost instantly, the heroism and amazing unity our country seems to find in the face of these events inspires me. My whirlwind of a life comes to a halt, when I think of the multitude of blessings I have, particularly that I have an amazing family, all of which will be around this year for Christmas. Even more so, as I embark on a new future with prospects of creating my own amazing family (starting with my utterly perfect partner in crime) all I can simply say is:

THANK YOU.

Live TODAY and be thankful that TODAY you have others that love you, that are thankful for you in their lives. You may have lost someone recently, and without a doubt it will be challenging to overcome. Realize the others around you that are there for you, whether physical or spiritual, particularly at this time of year. Gratitude will make us stronger…

Tagged: christmas, faith, gratitude, hurricane sandy, olivia saez, sandy hook elementary