On the Road Again

We just returned from our Mexico trip 3 weeks  ago,  and now  we’re headed to Florida for a couple weeks.  It has been a  brutal winter and it is fortuitous that we planned these two ‘spring’ trips.  Of course this will crimp our budget for 2014 travel so we won’t have a  mega road trip in the fall.

This time we’re dove tailing a spring break with Emily in Cincinnati Oh.  

We left for Ohio on Thursday 3-13.  On the day before we left, we got hit with at least 7 inches of snow. We are so glad that we didn’t have to leave during the storm.  When we left, the roads were almost clear but the temperature was   -7F.  US23 was clear after Ann Arbor but once we got to Toledo there was ice encrusted on the left lane making the drive feel treacherous.  The roads cleared the farther south we drove.  Once the roads cleared we got breakfast and I got into the groove of another road trip. 

I love being on road trips.  Since our retirement we’ve driven Route 66, to the coast in Maine, to Glacier National Park and to Florida, including Key West.  It’s not only the trip or location,  it’s the vibe.  You get up in the morning knowing you will see things  you’ve never seen before, meet people and experience history, lore  and life differently.

It’s also interesting to observe and meet the others on the road that are traveling.  That said, I’ll need a term to refer to them.  I once called them Road Warriors, but that connotes more of a  traveling  sales person or a corporate trouble shooter.  This is more  of a personal conviction…. guess I’ll refer to them as roadies….. you know, not just flying from here to there but experiencing the rubber on the highway, the leather on the ground…. The dust in your face.  Some roadies have customized  vans with clothes hanging across the back.  Some are in SUV’s.  Some have station wagons…..  We travel in an Accord Coupe. 

I notice this year that T\the farther south we travel the more it’s obvious there are more recreational travelers on the road (along with the semi’s and worker trucks).

What a world of difference from the work a day world.  We, of course, are retired….. yet still it’s a large change in perspective when we travel versus staying home.  There’s a certain positive buzz to rolling across this beautiful country, seeing people’s houses, expression of art and communities across the country.

Our first stop is Cincinnati where we have reservations at Drury Inn there, and are meeting Emily  there at noon.  All went well and we checked in and Emily was here right after us. 

We then headed into town to see the New Port Aquarium   check http://www.newportaquarium.com/What-to-do-in-cincinnati/Aquarium-Events/Turtle-Canyon-Preview.aspx .  It was stunning.  Lots of families and couples visiting.  The Shark display   http://www.newportaquarium.com/Things-to-do/Animals/Sharks.aspx    and  the Croc display were worth it and there was so much more.   This Aquarium is world class!  I can not express it more strongly… what a great place to visit!

After the Aquarium we had snacks at a nearby place on the river front.  I can only imagine the crowds at this place in the summer!

We headed back to happy hour at the Drury .  MaryAlice and Em stayed up late talking.

Tomorrow we are scheduled to check out other downtown sights:  the Rookwood Pottery and the Krohn Conservatory.

Pictures to follow!!  Now to bed.