It’s nice to be home finally after our ninety six day road trip across America. The timing of off-season living in South Florida over the wet and humid summer allows me to escape the hectic presence of tourist traffic and school routine that will inevitably resurface by September in my surrounding community. Yet it seems difficult to release my mind at times from memories of urban survival every day for almost thirty years as a classroom teacher. It seems I need a set of reminders now to verify my detachment from my former life as I commit to more simplicity and freedom of extended travel in retirement. Imagining my new identity surfacing on the beach as I casually sip on my favored coconut milk, I thus prioritize the following actions on a daily basis to maintain commitment to this desired lifestyle.

APPRECIATE SILENCE MORE

Picture myself as the white cat who appears at my condo front door every morning now. Be curious to observe the natural environment surrounding you by embracing anything interesting in the present moment. Slow down your “monkey mind” activity with silent yoga and gym workouts. Develop your skill in digital photography as a way to enhance your sensory observations of your natural surroundings. Find a quiet place in the Barnes and Noble Cafe to read quietly in the company of your favorite cup of coffee in finding roads to “authentic history” for wanderlust travel.

GET OFF THE “HIGH ENERGY” TREADMILL

Realize that the fire-pole of daily crisis that you have slid down for years to begin your stressful day no longer serves your interest. Obsessing on perfection in pursuit of career challenge seems unnecessary now. Slow down now and enjoy full course meals. Limit your intake of caffeine from regular coffee and Diet Coke. Drink more water instead. Turn off the “Trump” media disaster by limiting your access to Facebook/Cable News when needed. Turn down your radio volume in the car and switch to non-commercial, new age /classical music stations when possible.

REJECT AMERICAN DREAM “SPIN”

The ideal of materialistic gain no longer appeals to you. As an independent world traveler, you have learned that carrying less not more enhances your frequent travels. Address debt obligations/Medicare with electronic “auto pay” As a paperless world seems more practical for your now, throw out unneeded advertising brochures. Embrace conversations that unite rather than divide according to the globalistic philosophy of the Paris Environmental Summit and third party progressivism of fairness/equality for all. Utilize alternative medicine methods of chiropractic care, sensory-cranial massage, and herbal nutrition to better manage chronic medical concerns. Avoid exorbitantly priced, corporate tickets on Ticketmaster for major concerts/sporting events on weekends.

EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY SAVVY TRAVEL

You taught your academically challenged students in college to research academically in an online course environment. Now it is your turn to find technological solutions to your own informational challenges of extended travel in retirement. Therefore, you must continue to utilize those travel apps that have served you well in the recent past to promote affordable, independent travel. On the road, consulting Siri for Google searches and at home asking Alexa on Amazon Echo for voice activated responses also seem indispensable. Managing the “Cloud” will likewise enable me to make efficient use of my mobile device, picture/video storage space. Eliminating book clutter in road-trip travel with Kindle and streaming personalized music in lieu of CDs for desired music seem equally indispensable now.

When Orville Wright lifted from the sands of Kitty Hawk at 10:35 on the morning of Dec. 17, 1903 , we were on our ways to the moon and beyond”(Placard at Brothers Memorial”)

Visiting the The Outer Banks of North Carolina proved to be a difficult yet rewarding challenge for my wife and I as we made our way south along the eastern seaboard coastline of the United States. It soon became clear that the limited bridge access to and from the mainland was primarily designed to provide access to the tourist- driven, towns of Kitty Hawk, Nags Head, and Kill Devil Hills only. Clearly, it would take a great deal of driving time to traverse the barrier islands of the entire 131 mile long, scenic byway. As a result we decided that we would limit our time spent to the historic, Wright Brothers National Memorial followed by a loop venture for a few miles along the remote Cape Hatteras portion of this highway. While inclement weather had become our norm for a good portion of our 2017 road trip. we would be fortunate that our Outer Banks tour on Wednesday would comfortably take place without rain or wind appearance.

I anticipated stopping merely for a brief glance of “authentic” history at the Kitty Hawk site of Orville and Wilbur Wright’s first successful flight of a powered airplane. Yet an aviation exhibit outside the Outer Banks Welcome Center convinced me to observe this significant event on a wider scale. At the adjoining “Monument To A Century of Flight” walk path, I thus gained more in-depth understanding of aviation history as I walked amongst the impressive series of black granite obelisks, there.

Seeking firsthand evidence about the first flight at the site of the Wright Brothers National Memorial, we noted a grassy field with airstrip clearing dominated by the impressive heights of Kill Devil Hill. Passing various markers along our walk around this obscure, takeoff site, we viewed actual photographs of the twelve second, first flight takeoff. Our followup hike up the steep hill to view the Wright Brothers monument gave a clear perspective about their numerous challenges in glider use to obtain lift, thrust, and control” conditions necessary for flight. On the far side of the hill, we now descended to view a replica of the original 1903 Wright flyer. The appearance of realistic, human sculptures around the plane clearly provided the impression that the residents in the Kitty Hawk community as well as close friends were critical factors in the success of their mission.

Cape Hatteras marked the beginning of an “environmentally protected” portion of our tour of the Outer Banks Highway. The natural beauty there provided by lonely beaches, historic lighthouses, and wind sculptured dunes certainly tempted us to drive down to the end of these barrier islands, Yet a realization that a lengthy journey by car ferry to the mainland as the only transportation option seemed impractical for us as a day trip only. We would thus settle for a quiet walk along the Atlantic beach followed by a brief, driving tour of colorful, stilted houses along the Hatteras coast today.

Summer’s arrival means heading back to South Florida as home seems important to both of us now. Reassessing the impact of our recent travels, we continue to show great interest in this nomadic and generally economical way of maximizing our quality of life in retirement Perhaps our ambitions exceed our energy at times as witnessed by the inclusion of a challenging tour of India as a sidetrack to our 2017 car trip. Yet soon we will grow restless  to “hit the road” again and I will expand my interest in blogging to find new sites of traveler interest. Stay tuned.

I had been looking forward to seeing snow throughout our latest road trip. In our morning departure from Jackson, Wyoming, I finally got my wish. It started innocently enough as I gazed with childish wonder at a thin layer of white crystals landing on vehicles outside our motel window. By the end of the day, road conditions on our selected route southeast to and from the town of Casper would deteriorate into blizzard conditions, combining blinding “white outs”, fierce crosswinds, and dangerously iced over road surfaces.

Keep in mind, I live in South Florida and have had little experience actually driving in snow. Clearly, I was searching for answers to maintain my composure as I left Casper in such stressful, weather conditions. Then suddenly I observed that the traffic lanes ahead were turning to an icy sheen, requiring me to slow my vehicle to less than 40 mph. As my car now began to shimmy sideways in the approaching slickness, I recall thinking about Oregon Trail survival in my head. Imagining myself as a mid 19th century frontiersman, I saw myself becoming  a wagon driver, steering my prairie schooner, through  a similar crisis of weather in that time period. My main thoughts at this critical time  would be “hold the reins tight”, “keep the horses/oxen calm”, and “maintain a steady course”. As a result of this timely dream, I began to focus more clearly on driving safely through the ice and ultimately succeeded without mishap.My wife in the passenger seat would subsequently praise me in the aftermath of this weather crisis as her own personal ox.

What might best explain my fortunate return to the past this day? I am a former, American History teacher who is clearly interested in America’s westward expansion in the mid 19th century. In fact, our road trip route through Idaho, Wyoming, and Nebraska had offered me a chance to exit the Interstate highways to explore famous landmarks and museum showcases adjacent to the Snake and North Platte Rivers that provided authentic evidence of this trail-blazing era.

Thus, as the western leg of our road trip would end that day, I would assume a pioneer mentality. with my mind consumed with thoughts of exploring wagon ruts, and museum relics of this era. In this regard,  I had chosen to take a longer route to our motel destination in Casper, requiring me to walk in blustery frigid weather to reach carved signatures on the famous Independence Rock. In addition, I had delayed our early departure from Casper in early morning, which would have allowed me to escape the brunt of the inclement weather in order to further satisfy my trail curiosities at the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center.

Leaving the the American West today brings sadness as I reluctantly exchange the serenity of wide open, rural spaces with the stress of my routine-driven, city lifestyle. I can now clearly understand that there are numerous, survival challenges in these often inhospitable lands. Yet It suits me well to feel truly free to be a personal witness of the authentic, western experience. The ox image that I have acquired will inspire a return west again next year to shed my yoke along the untraveled road.

As my wife and I now begin the turn east from southern Oregon, our intended route would be influenced by visits to family/friends now. Crossing the arid plateau east of the Cascade Mountains, we would spend three nights reuniting with our old, South Florida neighbor, Tina, in Boise, Idaho. Enjoying relaxation time in the simple comforts of her home combined with playful attention to her loyal, Labrador Retriever, Molly, it had become apparent that homesickness had surfaced after two and one half months on the road. Unmotivated to sightsee in Boise on this quiet visit, we could have stayed longer in Boise for sure. The “downtime” here, however seemed to regenerate our enthusiasm to move on eastward to complete our long journey back to South Florida.

Choosing the high, arid plateau along the I-84 corridor across Southern Idaho now, we became acutely aware of magnificent valley ravines/river gorges cut deeply by the winding Snake River alongside our highway path. Stopping at Massacre Rock State Park for a two mile walk in cold and blustery weather conditions, we discovered an interesting path along the historic Oregon Trail to view wagon ruts and boulder inscriptions of westbound settlers from the mid -19th century homestead period.

More practically, this meandering river would lead our way to the rugged highlands of Grand Teton/Yellowstone National Park. Taking a shorter but steeper route over the snowy Teton pass, we would rejoin the Snake again at popular, Jackson, Wyoming. We would be fortunate to find a reasonably cost motel at the Antler Inn downtown before the summer rush of tourist arrival. We would also find the springtime weather suitable for two, full days of mountain country viewing.

On a quiet, Sunday morning, we would begin our latest tour with a short drive along the Snake River highway path to reach Grand Teton National Park. Sidetracking at the Moose Visitor Center for an obligatory ranger orientation, we were told that taking our intended walking path near Jenny Lake would be risky due to lingering snow and muddy conditions. We needed a practical Plan B option. With these steep mountains being cloudlessly viewable today, we thus opted to enjoy these nearby panoramas by driving leisurely the forty two mile loop road to traverse the entire National Park. How exciting it seemed to understand that the stark beauty of        these faulted mountains and associated glacier formations had resulted from volcanic forces shifting the earth’s plates upwards and sideways over eons of time.

Yellowstone National Park marks the origin of the Snake River and would again serve as our main guideway as we made a brief visit to America’s first National Park the next day. Realizing that hordes of tourists would head directly to Old Faithful area, we selected the less visited West Thumb geyser and Yellowstone Lake regions as our primary destination today. Picture an inviting combination of pristine forestland serenity, spectacular lakeside vistas with a sprinkling of entertaining birdlife/wildlife. Undoubtedly, both of us had become mesmerized by the natural amenities here. Fittingly, we have decided to apply for part time work as a retired couple in this Yellowstone Lake region within the next two years.

The more that I experience the wildness of the American West, the more sensitive I become to the paradox of natural beauty and physical hardship experienced in traversing these spacious lands. Around each rising mountain pass or below each river canyon lies a myriad of curious wonders yet so much of these locations appear inaccessible to human contact. Nature thus has spoken loudly to us. Our natural ecosystems are here for us to enjoy yet human encroachment should not be allowed to wreck them.

After spending six weeks along the populated, California coastline, traveling north through remote areas of California would come as a welcome break from civilization. Following an uneventful path through prairie-like environs of the Central Valley, my wife and I ascended on Highway I-5 to the stunning beauty of the Cascade Highlands. With its immense, conical peak of snowy glitter interspersed with steep bluffs and canyons, Mount Shasta would dominate our visual attention for hundreds of miles throughout this Northern California leg of our adventure. Crossing into Southern Oregon in mid afternoon, we felt confident that spending three days at our next destination, Klamath Falls, would provide ample time for us to to experience additional, natural scenery for the next two days.

Klamath Falls may best be described as an an isolated, western town that takes great interest in its nearby environmental amenities. Thus its location in close proximity to important, national landmarks/parks seemed to offer us a major “plus” for staying there. Specifically, Klamath would provide an ideal place for us to start a new week by exploring watershed areas of national birding interest, driving along an ancient, volcano crater and descend into the mysteriousness of volcanic, underground caves.

On a cloudless Monday morning, we set out south from town to take in a spectacular view of Mount Shasta in the distance. Beyond the California border, we looked forward to bird watching at the Klamath National Wildlife Refuge as our first activity today. After conducting a a brief talk with the ranger at the National Bird Refuge Center, we selected two places where avian sightings would be most likely found today: Tule Lake and Lower Klamath Preserve. Traveling slowly along well-paved auto routes at both of these vast, watery sloughs, we frequently stopped to take photographs of several  species: delicate, white pelicans, noisy, Canadian geese, black camouflaged ducks, and dive-bombing swallows… On several of these occasions, feeding deer, curious prairie dogs, and a farm-enclosed llama also caught our attention.

In stark contrast to the prolific, animal presence in the Klamath Preserve, our auto tour continued into the lifeless environment of jagged, volcanic rocks at the Lava Beds National Monument. Eerily silent for eons, the conspicuous piles of  heat-blackened rocks everywhere would seem impossible to explore on our own today. Yet underground, a massive system of seventy+ lave tubes would attract our interest as a spelunking activity this afternoon.

Picture descending steep steps with a bulky lantern into an unknown labyrinth of dark and moist caverns that requires frequent bending and stooping along the way and you would have had a fairly accurate account of our hiking challenge today at Golden Dome and Sunshine Caves. Yet stunning, natural formations to photograph along the walls of each cave along with the exhilarating newness of this activity would well justify the physical effort expended today.

I can honestly say I missed the inner serenity of waves and sea life induced by the enticing, Pacific Ocean shoreline as we traveled inland. Although we did not have time to visit our third destination, Crater Lake on this visit, Klamath Falls, however, provided another form of positive energy for us. For during our visits to protected wetlands and volcanic caves, I sensed the continuing need for preserving America’s natural environment for future generations to appreciate. No doubt this realization is a useful, reality check for now me now, as I have found a new motivation to volunteer my time in retirement.

Welcome to Santa Cruz, California and its legacy as a “laid back” community. Like a Beach Boys surfer song combined with a youthful plea for leftist progressivism, Santa Cruz clings to the “peace and love” spirit of the late 1960s. Having continued a long-lasting friendships with ex-teachers John and Bobbie, there, my wife and I have often prioritized to visit them for a few days in Santa Cruz as we are traveling north toward nearby San Francisco. Saving money and time on our our present visit, Bobbie graciously offered us a place to sleep in her small but tidy guesthouse, while John accompanied us on an interesting walk around the town harbor.

Taking time to walk on our own around beachside Santa Cruz and nearby Capitola would be our favored choice on our present visit as we always looked forward to these unobstructed vistas of endless, natural beauty. How lucky must coastline residents be to look out the window of their Victorian home surrounded by exquisite landscaping to view the wild beauty of the vast Pacific. What a thrill to spot a sea creature rising in blackened silence from the distant bay and imagine a fish that might be as big as a whale. How awesome might one feel to relax one’s mind from life’s problems by surfing the edges of a restless wave on their favorite beach today.

If we wanted to play traditional tourist tomorrow on this three day visit, there was much to choose from at various levels of activity We might decide to passively stroll the classic Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk on the beach to collect seashells, more actively explore the redwood forests in the Santa Cruz Mountains above the town, or even take a leisurely drive south to Monterey Bay for photo shots of the marine sanctuary there. Instead, we opted for something new and spent the morning hiking at Ano Nuevo State Preserve, north of town. At end of this three mile walk to the seashore , we were rewarded with closeup views of  sea lion colonies sunning happily there.

For cause activists, Santa Cruz typically feels “liberal” in thought. With nearby University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) remaining as a living remnant of the 1960s era of social and environmental activism, college town idealism remains strong in this community. As our nation’s feud with North Korea heightens politically, it felt right in this moment that Santa Cruz remains an officially “nuclear-free city on thus visit. As President Trump’s policies escalate to oppose affordable health care and gay/women’s rights across our country, we could admire the city’s continued progressive stands to hold active vigils and rally protests in opposition to his repressive policies. As climate change threatens to radically alter our normal weather patterns, we breathed in the consistently cool and clear air there with renewed vigor.

There remains an “uncool” side to Santa Cruz, however. As we made our way my through the outskirts of town, it is apparent that the town character has noticeably changed. The combination of explosive tourism growth, increased boat dock usage, and rapid urban gentrification in “Greater Santa Cruz”  cannot be missed. During morning and afternoon rush hours, for instance, gridlock traffic along main thoroughfares, combined with dangerous on-street parking on side streets makes driving unpredictably stressful. In addition, while searching for a walkable place to window shop in “nickel and dime” like fashion, we notice instead the intrusion of mega-retail outlets like Costco, Home Depot, and Target.

Lastly, Santa Cruz noticeably suffers from a serious housing crisis these days. With an average cost of owning a home there at $640,000 dollars and rising , Santa Cruz has become one of the least affordable places to live in the country. Combining this fact with a high, homeless population, and a lack of affordable, multistory housing, I wonder how much longer the city can profess to be a place that promotes itself as committed to “social change and human dignity.”

After spending one month in serene Morro Bay, perhaps any negative judgments of Santa Cruz realities seem unnecessarily given. It is not my intention as a casual tourist to reacquaint myself with the complex and hectic lifestyle of the urban commuter at this point in my life. Being “cool” now no longer resonates as an action-packed itinerary for sure. These days, I would be content to merely appreciate the natural beauty of each Santa Cruz panorama and relax from daily stresses in continuing pursuit of inner peace and long-lasting friendships. Simple times thus makes happy retirement.