Road Trip 2011

John and I decided to go on a road trip to see Heather, Aaron

and the girls before they move away. We decided to drive oneway leave

our car there for them to sell and fly home. It was country we hadn't

seen yet and we didn't have any girls with us to say "are we there yet"

We started late in the afternoon on Mon. after taking care of some last

minute car problems. Sounds like us right. We got all the way to Durango

Colorado and spent the night in some roach motel. (no Colorado sign pic

it was dark) Got up and headed to New Mexico. Well New Mexico is

pretty much sage brush all the way.

We followed route 66 thru New Mexico most of the towns were quite

run down, this sign was at the convention center. You had to drive slow

thru every town. This was tuesday. Didn't get a pic of NM sign

All the buildings had nice murals painted on them
Entering TEXAS on tuesday, Texas is a big state.

We had to stop at cadillac ranch in Amarillo its just off the freeway

there were tons of spray paint cans and lids laying all over. Its just

in some farmers field, its been there for 30yrs.

We stayed in Wichita Falls that night. Wednesday were off to Louisiana.

It really is a wetland water marshes everywhere. We also went down

to New Orleans it was 4 days before Mardi Gras, there were kids

handing out beads to everyone. We went to Cafe Du Monde and ate Beignets

everyone says thats the place to go. John said "these are just fried scones"

Then Ben told us to get a Muffuletta at the General store, its the signature

sandwich of New Orleans it has this olive spread with provolone and meats

on a sicilan sesame bread. We got one for the road. There were lots of shops

to look around in and street vendors around the park selling stuff.

Bands in the streets playing, warming up I guess. Lots of delivery trucks

carting in Beer and Booze on Bourbon St. We stayed in Baton Rogue that night.

These kids were all following a nun.
really another picture!
John on Bourbon St.
Ok this pic is gross John why didn't you take another one
They had the most awesome rest areas even though it was windy.Thursday

We drove through Florida most of the day the panhandle is quite long.

We got to St. Augustine at about 11 at night.
Girls where are you? You need to be in the pictures so I don't have to:(

But were finally in Florida. The first day on the beach John is standing

on a beached dead whale they buried in the sand.

Holly loves running in the waves I think she could go all day. The water

was only about 60 degrees but she didn't care.

Doesn't this picture look like a snapshot of some movie star and there

kids on the beach that a poperotsi would take(Heather babysits the

extra little girl in the pic)
Lila loves the sand she picks up fistfuls and puts it in her mouth.
So Aaron and his buddy went out shrimping that night and got 3 gallons

of shrimp for us to eat. His buddy said we have to get fresh stuff for them.

here they are cleaning and be-heading the shrimp. They stay up all night

trying to get there limit, they got home about 4 in the morning.
Shrimp Heads, we all had to take a turn at beheading. Holly

thought they were gross and wouldn't eat them at dinner until Aaron told

her it was chicken then she just popped one in.

That afternoon we took the heads to the seagulls on the beach

Holly posing with the seagulls

Aaron would throw the heads right at there feet to get them to come close
Oh yeah did I say how much Holly likes to run in the water:)
St. Augustine old town sitting on a cannon. Lots of history here

they were doing a reenactment that day in downtown shooting of

cannons and everything.
Cute Holly with her funny face getting ready to go to church

she takes after her dad.
We took a ride on a little ferry to a fort kinda cold and breezy.

Last day of fun in the sun. Heather took her bike and we rented

one bike and had lunch on the beach and took turns ridding the bikes.

There sand is real fine and compact so you can ride on it where the tide

has been up.
Holly's sand castle
One last splash in the waves you know Holly she spent most of the

time running in and out with the waves.
The baby toss with Lila

Our last foody stop on the way to the airport. This guy owns Metro

Diner in Jacksonville and he was highlighted on Diners Drive-ins and

Dives show a couple of nights before we left. We decided to go check

the place out and it was really good. I think Heather and Aaron will

be hitting this place up a few more times before they leave.
They had some cute murals painted on the wall of the Diner so I had

Holly pretend they were her friends and do what they were doing.
Here she's really concentrating on how to walk like them. They gave

us some real good southern hospitality while we were there. Thanks

guys I wish I say I'll be coming back but I don't think so. Were glad

your coming WEST just not sure where yet.