We're headed north on the Intracoastal Waterway, aka the ICW! Many boaters get beaten down by the intracoastal, run aground, sell the boat, get a divorce. What traumas await? At which Mile Marker will we run aground? Will Hastings finally run away? Do divorce lawyers advertise in our Cruising Guide? The anticipation is almost too much!

Leaving Charleston

We left at slack current and waited on a bridge. Headed north past quaint houses with long docks over the salt marshes. 

OK, I'm bored!

Water-side

On the hook in Charleston

Charleston Maritime Center (our dinghy in the right corner)

Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina

Saltwater Marshes surround Cooper River Marina

Non-stop container ship traffic on the Cooper River. We got some pretty hefty wakes!

Research Vessel, Ravenel Bridge, Rainbow (It was either raining or 110 degrees in Charleston)

Playing Tourist

Pineapple Fountain

Hastings enjoyed the carriage tour. Much better to make a different beast walk around in the heat!

Myrtle Tree, Charleston

We can always find the wine and cheese store!

Road Trip = plenty of walks!

We took two nights to drive the San Juan Skyway in southern Colorado. Part of this 236 mile loop road is called the "Million Dollar Highway". It has steep drop offs and switchbacks and was pretty exciting after years of driving in Florida, the land of straight, flat and wide.  

The road drives through Silverton, a Victorian silver and gold mining town; Ouray, which features hot springs; Telluride and Durango. Hastings loved all the hiking and cooler temperatures at altitude. 

We then stopped for a night at Mesa Verde National Park and toured cliff dwellings that were built by Native Americans in the 1300s. 

Red Mountain Pass, 11,000 feet

Animas River, Colorado

Silverton, CO

Rushing Stream, San Juan Skyway

Ouray, CO: The Switzerland of America

Ouray, Colorado Main Street

Cascade Falls, Ouray, CO

Cascade Falls, Ouray, CO

Hastings loved hiking in Colorado!

San Juan Skyway

Another roadside stream!

Stars over Mesa Verde National Park Lodge

Stars over Mesa Verde National Park

Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde.

Cliff Palace Tour

Climbing out of Balcony House

Native Americans would climb down to their cliff residences using ropes and hand holds. Would you scale down a cliff to get home every night? I have a bit of a height issue, so it's not something I would enjoy! 

It’s not often that Hastings and I are up at 11:30PM.
It’s not often that we see stars. Light pollution, a bright moon and cloudy skies often conspire to hide the splendor of a night sky. After spending a week with family in New Mexico, we took two nights to drive the San Juan Skyway and visit Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado. We got lucky at Mesa Verde and the desert sky was filled with the glory of heaven.

Starry Night at Mesa Verde National Park Lodge

Can you see stars from where you live?

Note: I have 18 photos from Colorado to upload, but with very limited cell / data service, 2 will have to suffice until we can get plugged back in.

Don’t ask me why the humans do the things they do. I haven’t the foggiest. We sailed to a new place, and then they packed bags. I know the drill. I have to sit on the bags so they remember to pack me too. They shuffle everything into a car. Do they remember how to drive? It’s a concern. The LHI is in the hot seat first, and gets lost within 3 minutes. A Chik-Fil-A is found which remedies all that ails us. Cars don’t have much to recommend them but A/C. The arctic air comes out at a wonderful, ferocious rate. I love to put my whole nose in the vent and give it kisses. Car A/C is the best!

Car A/C - I love it!

These humans are weak and can’t take more than 3 hours of driving each. This means I get a walk every 3 hours! Sometimes on the boat I am forced to go days without land bathrooms. The humans don’t mind using bathrooms on the boat - disgusting, right?

Walks on land - what's not to love!

Soon we were in North Carolina. I have to supervise a lot more here; there’s curves and ups and downs and it’s not straight driving like I’m good at.

There are a lot of signs to read along the way. “If you die tonight, you’re going to hell. Repent now” is immediately followed by “Get yer Moonshine here, no liquor for 100 miles”. I don’t think my humans could live in Tennessee or Arkansas. They like their liquor.

I get tired and take a nap. Dearest Darling Daddy is reading a book. The Long Haired Interloper winds up on the wrong road, headed in the wrong direction. Now, apparently, all she had to do was stay on I-40 for 2,000 miles. That shouldn’t be too hard, right? DDD is crossly blamed, but it’s my fault. If I had been awake and navigating, this wouldn’t have happened.

We drive for ages. We stop at a wonderful place that has even more A/C, a king bed, and a fridge that doesn’t tip it’s contents onto the floor every time a wave hits. Because there are no waves! It's a plus and a minus. I’m not a big fan of the waves, but I’m a big fan of pasta salad and hob nobs on the floor.

Now, the king bed is like heaven. Why don’t we have a king bed at home? I require 40 square feet of bed space to stretch out. At home, this means the humans are crushed into a corner. This isn’t my problem, of course, but it does seem more civilized to have a king bed and not have anyone crushed into a corner. Also, this room is bigger than my whole home! It’s amazing!

Civilized. The life I deserve.

Because the humans are deranged, we leave this magical heaven and drive and drive and drive. We eat a lot of snacks on the road. I’m partial to beef jerky and cheese crackers. There are more hotels, but the humans are mean or oblivious and king beds are no more.

Let’s talk about discrimination. Sometimes we have to pay extra for a “pet cleaning fee”. There are even some weird, soulless places that say “no pets”! And these same places accept children and humans. In my experience, children are the most destructive creatures on the planet, followed by adults. I bring so much joy into these hotels that they should be paying me!

After driving 2,137 miles in 2.5 days, we arrive where DDD was born. It’s weird, this place doesn’t seem like DDD. There’s no grass and only a few trees…leaving my choice between rocks and dirt. My nose gets dry. My skin itches. It’s hard to breathe and I sneeze a lot. But, there’s A/C here, and a fridge, and breakfast sandwiches with cheese every morning, so I think it’s gonna be OK.

What’s your favorite road trip snack? What’s the furthest distance you’ve ever driven in one day? How many times an hour do you lick your A/C vents?