Change is good! Well at least change we choose. 

As we arrived in Rochester, we learned that the new owners of the apartment building we are in had evicted friends of ours. We were concerned that they might not renew our lease next Summer. the good news for us is that it was specific to our friends and there is no current desire by the new owners to clear out the current tenants. The decision whether to keep our perch in Rochester can be pushed off into the future.

Carol and I have been trying to figure out what to do with our travel bug since we cancelled our Sicily trip. Carol has been bugging me about travel to Iceland. I got an email from OAT that featured an extension to Iceland and forwarded it to her. That trip is not suitable but I started looking at Iceland trips.  On line there was nothing available in our preferred timeframe. Not being willing to give up I submitted to the endless on hold experience to see what might be available. Lo and behold a departure on August 6 is available. Well it was, we booked it. 

We will be flying out of New York so those of you in the region can expect the possibility of a visit either on the 5th or the 18th of August. To be determined. 

We have been very busy here as we visit with our many friends and go to meetings that we have either zoomed to or just skipped. Somehow, along about 1 PM I start getting emails and calls from Jojoba Hills and engage my role there. Carol’s complaint is that I am sitting too much. She is right, but we do get out with Rohma and Josh on the weekend and getting up and down from my chair might we called exercise. 

Next week Jazz Fest starts on Friday. I expect I will be posting plans and results daily during the event.

Carol just posted a blog ahead of me. She reminded me of all the things we both seem to forget when leaving the house. Travel in the motorhome is so much easier, disconnect the hoses and wires and drive on down the road. Everything is in the coach or had better be.  Of course I’ve been known to forget my wallet when leaving the coach. 

Our drive to Boston, Providence and return in the Jeep was totally uneventful. The best kind of trip. We stayed at Double Tree Suites in Boston where the Bat Mitzvah was being held. Since it was commencement time at both Harvard and MIT which are just across the Charles River, there was pandemonium in and around the hotel. Friday night, after a welcome meal at Krisitin and Ross’ several of us found our way back to the bar at the hotel where we found some excellent Single Malt Scotch. Since I was with our son and grandson, I picked up the tab. I needed help from a weightlifter for that task. I thought I was buying drinks not diesel.

Our big treat on Saturday,  aside from lots of family time, was a walk around the Boston Commons and Gardens and a ride on the Swan Boats. The Bat Mitzvah events were wonderful and our grand niece is now entering the next stage of her life, a bit delayed thanks to the pandemic. She read from Torah, we ate and we danced and too soon we were tired and found a place to sit with family and replay the weekend. 

Sunday, after breakfast, we drove to Providence to spend two nights with the Londons (Classmates from Brown if you are new to this blog) in a guest apartment in their building. Once more lots of talking time and then a visit to the Rhode Island State House to add it to our list. It is just across the street from the Londons and they had never been there.  After freshening up we drove to Matunuck Oyster Bar where three of us had oysters for starters and wonderful main courses as well. Carol found a wonderful veggie plate and we were all happy. 

We also spent time in the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Art Gallery on Sunday and were totally blown away with the variety of arts on display. The collection stretches through several building and seems to cover the entire history of art. 

We are back in Rochester and recovering from the quick trip and still finishing settling in from our time away all winter. We are looking forward to resuming our Rochester activities and Jazz Fest in 22 days – June 17. I just downloaded the app with all the acts and schedules and can begin to create a “play list” of choices. More on that once it gets underway.

We are leaving Rochester on October 13. Part of our preparation for leaving is getting in last minute visits with people we haven’t seen on this trip and taking in some culture as well. We saw Vietgone at  Geva Theater on Saturday. To say more would require an entire blog post. We found it difficult but well done and an excellent production. Our friends left at intermission. We are going to another Rochester Philharmonic concert and taking our grandson Josh. Dinner before with the Humms and Josh. Numerous other luncheons and dinners as well.

We actually have the first month of travel planned. Since we are meeting people as we go and have appointments for work in Red Bay, we were forced to back into a schedule. I even have made reservations for every one of those nights. We are staying in everything from commercial parks to state parks to Boondockers Welcome and Harvest Host sites. Our ultimate departure from Red Bay will be driven by the completion of work we are having done. My only problem is building a route west from Red Bay that we haven’t taken yet, that avoids the Natchez Trace Parkway – just because we have done it so often – and gets us to Las Cruces and Albuquerque NM. I also want to avoid the New Orleans area and stop in Livingston TX too. Oh yes Dora, a name from the past, has moved to the Dallas area and we need to go there to make a stop as well. 

I have been reading some of my posts from the past just to refresh my memory of routes, places and failures. Looking back I realize that our previous coaches had more show stopping failures than GeeWhiz. Our first coach, Goliath, had to be towed twice in 3 years. The Southwind, G2, never did have to be towed, but it had its share of failed parts as we traveled. We actually almost ripped the receiver off the frame in Alaska. Today all of those stories are great fun to tell as we sit around and share experiences with other RVers. If you want to see the old blogs you can read them here by looking at the archives in the left column. To see the ones before October 2017 with the pictures use xctraveler.blogspot.com Even earlier writings can be found in the menus at the top of this page. 

I am looking forward to getting back on the road. I hope we can keep our commitment to ourselves to enjoy the travel and find new and interesting places to explore. We sat recently with friends who are contemplating an 8 week cross country car trip and came to us to discuss logistics and routes. As we discussed routes and ideas for travel I kept coming back to the idea of themes, some would call them bucket lists. Highways to drive, state capitals to visit, parks to see etc. I thought about one cross country drive and how much one could see and how much more would be missed. Travel in January and February really leaves out much of the country north of I 40 – some would say I 20. We talk about the 3,000 miles from coast to coast but we tend to ignore the 1,500 miles from Laredo TX to Duluth MN. How many places must one cross the Mississippi to say you have really seen it. We have driven much of the river’s length, but that leaves out the vast plains and mountains to the west and the stretch across the mountains to the east and on to the coast. In looking at my routes and maps I realize that in over 20 crossings we still have barely scratched the surface of this great country.

Sunday we weren’t going to Canada. Monday I cleared the App and tried again and it worked. Carol called the test provider who finally emailed the negative test result. Immediately Carol called and emailed the family in Canada to let them know we were coming. We packed, prepared lunch for the drive and rolled out at noon, which was our original plan. Dinner with her 98 year old aunt and cousins Robbie and Marilyn in Hamilton. Overnight with Marilyn and Tuesday we drove to Toronto where we had a visit with Michael and his daughters – and grand daughter. Then off to Leslie and Harvey where we had a splendid time talking and eating. We spent the night and after breakfast we were off to Rochester, back across the border. 

It all seemed very brief, but it was a wonderful reunion with those we were able to get together with. We missed Mitch who was deep in business and Shelley – Marilyn’s daughter – who also was working. Talk about a whirlwind couple of days. 

Border crossings at the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge were really non events. The Canadian official had to wrap his head around Texas Drivers License, California plates and covid tests from Rochester NY. Then he asked the routine questions and waved us on. Returning to the US was even easier. 

We are filling our calendar with social and cultural events between now and our departure on October 13. We attended a performance of the Rochester Philharmonic last night. Everyone showed proof of vaccination and wore masks. It was the first performance in Kodak  Hall at Eastman Theater in 18 months. The conductor, Andreas Delfs,  was giving his debut performance as Music Director and the young soloist, Benjamin Beilman played Jennifer Higdon’s Violin Concerto, the standing ovation brought him back to play an encore, familiar but I don’t have the name. It was fantastic to be back in the hall and attend a great performance. On October 7 we will be back in the hall for another concert before we leave town.

In the mean time we have tickets for “Vietgone” at Geva Theater and dinner beforehand with Victor and Joyce again. There too we must show proof of vaccination and wear masks to attend. We are prepared to go through the requirements so that we and everyone else can feel safe as we re enter the world after lockdown.

In the next weeks we will be seeking our booster shots to provide us with whatever additional protection is available. Oh and high potency Flu shots as soon as they are available.