Road Trip 2023 #7

Road Trip 2023 #7

Heading South

in the USA

PA/VA/TN/AL/WV

1800 Miles

May 18- 25, 2023

Jameson's graduation from the Fire Academy was the impetus of this trip.

I needed to go to a brewery in Alabama to add to my brewery states list. So I headed south after the graduation ceremony.

I only visit two breweries on this trip:

•           Yellow Hammer Brewery- AL
•           Oddstory Brewery- TN

Along the way down, I stopped at Ruby Falls in TN.

On the way home, I went to the New River Gorge National Park.

The Bridge Walk is 850 above the gorge.  I had to be tethered to walk across the undercarriage of the bridge.

While I was at the flee market with Jameson and Gus, I made two friends and the boys laughed at my friendly behavior.

I saw a man in WV who looked familiar to me and it turns out he was a guy from my old neighborhood in Philly. 

The Endless Summer

The Endless Summer

A Movie

I watched this movie last night and I am feeling sentimental.  I watched this movie as a kid in 1966.  I was 11 years old. And I loved this movie.  It was so groundbreaking and so real.  I think this movie ignited my wanderlust as I just wanted to travel the world with these surfers.

I watched the movie about ten years ago and it was a bit of a disappointment.  I thought the guys were a bit sexist and the script was juvenile. I came to the conclusion that this fond, old memory was dead.  It's time to move on from my admiration of this moment.

But I went to watch it last night and I feel in love with it all over again.  I loved the simplicity of it.  I loved the wonderment of the surfers and I saw it differently from a few years ago.  I admired the surfers free spirit and good will to everyone they encounters.  And I left with yet another urge to go home, pack my bags and go on a trip.

Beer Fact 41

Beer Fact 41

 "In ancient Mesopotamia, beer was associated with religion and ritual and was believed to have magical powers".  James Israelsen, Associate Writer, June 2018

In my younger days, when I drank way too much beers, I thought I could do the Irish Jig and I thought people, in the bars,  wanted me to teach them how to dance. Sometimes, I could get a few people up on the dance floor.  But mostly, these moments got me flagged and I wasn't served any more beer. So I guess I didn't have magical powers.

Beer Fact # 39

 Beer Fact #39

"McDonald's offers beer on its menu in many countries, including France, Germany, Portugal, and South Korea."

I wonder if this would be enough for me to start to go back to McDonald's to eat. Would they just serve lagers and would the beer be reasonably priced.  I am going to have to check out these restaurants the next time I am in these countries.

Arizona

Arizona

I wanted to move there in 1979.  I had finished college two years prior and saved my money and took the Greyhound  bus to Tuscan.  I lasted about a month and then came home. I didnt like it.

I visited with Jerrie in the winter of 2016. I left a huge snow storm on the east coast and I arrived at her place and I had to wear my sunglasses while I was inside the house because the sun was so intense.

In 2018, I visited here with Clay. He wanted to explore a desert so we went to the Painted Desert and he got out of the car and went for a run and just seemed to melt in the horizon and I panicked until he finally returned 30 minutes later.

In 2019, I drove through Arizona as I traveled the historical Rout 66.

Brewery: Oak Creek Brewery

September 2018

 September 2018

PA, NJ, MD, London, Wales, Jersey (UK)

 

1- S- PA- my sleep problem is becoming annoying.  I tossed and turned until 630 AM this morning.  I got up twice and took a dose of some sleep aid and that was of no avail.  So now I am dragging my sorry ass through life. I was supposed to go to Jill's house today but I did not have enough energy to make on that drive.

 

2- SU- PA- this day has slipped by.  I spent the afternoon in the lounge, talking with fellow Penn Staters about the game yesterday.  I didn't watch it but it must have been a nail biter.

 

3- M- PA- It is Labor Day, the end of the summer as we know it.  This day makes me melancholy. I hate the end of the summer.  I intended to go to the pool in the early afternoon  but it is so damn crowded that I waited until later afternoon. it was still crowded but the water was lovely.  Jon grilled dinner for all of us.

My sweet lliot

 

4- TU- PA- I am having a Faculty Meeting with the retired teachers to commentate another school year without us. This is my 9th school year left behind.  I can't believe I have been retired this long.  I am really content with my life.

 

5-W- PA- It's hot, hot, hot today.  The heat index predict a 104F day. I had to run to MD in the AM to meet with my accountant to address a damn tax problems.  I was audited and its is going to cost me another $800. Damn, damn, damn.  So I stopped by a beer distributor on the way home and spent hours, in the pool, drinking beer.  Life is Better than it was in the AM.

 

6- TH- PA- I am stuck on another Podcast, Heaven's Gate, the story about a religious cult in the 1990's.  Damn, there are a lot of kooks in this world. Went and got a haircut which is one task that always causes anxiety for me.  And she cut it too short.  Then I went to Phyllis and Steve's apartment to watch the highlights of the PSU game last Saturday.  Even though I knew the end result, it was stressful to watch.  Later I watched the Eagles game in the lounge.  The game lasted until after midnight and it was a nail biter.

 

7- F- PA- After 20 years, I met up with Lynn Talbot for lunch.  Susan, her daughter, joined her and it great fun to see them. I gave a big shout out to our waiter in front of his boss and she, in turn, sent me a free flight of desserts (peach cobbler a la mode, creme bruelle and brownies a la mode). As Lynn said, "it pays to be nice."

 

Philly

8- S- PA- Jaye and Dom came over for dinner and then we headed back to my place to watch the PSU game. We won handsomely but it was still hard to be too condiment after last week's pathetic win.  As Dom was leaving my place, he told me, "I really like this place."  I told him I do too. It's John Staudt's 36th bday! It rained like hell today.

 

9- SU- PA- Sharon's bday- Tricia had a family party for her and we watched the Steelers terrible game.  In the last three days, I have had enough football for the entire season. It's Kevin and Emily's first wedding anniversary.  It rained like hell today.  Two days ago, it was 95F and today it is 59F.  I'm cold.

 

10-M- PA- it's raining and raining and rain: a prelude to the hurricane coming up from the gulf this weekend.  I solidified all of my plans for my trip to Wales next week.  Can't wait. Headed over to Slit Rail Tavern for happy hour.

 

listening to Van Morriso

11- TU- PA- it's chilly and feels like Fall.  I was going to jump in the pool as a personal protest to the dramatic change in weather from last week.  But I went tot he movies instead: Juliet Naked. And, of course, it rained.

 

12- W-MD- went down to my house to check on it before the big hurricane this weekend.  As usual, Joann and I went to Johnnie's Sushi House and overate. The sun peaked out for an hour today.

 

13- TH- I had another rough night of sleep.  So, at 5:30 AM, I took two sleeping pills and tried to fall asleep.  I woke up at 2:30 PM. I need to take these pills at 11PM.  I was wide awake for our Beer Club. The event started out slow but we eventually got kicked out of the lounge for being too loud, too late at night.

Welsh Rare Bit

 

14- F- PA-I've spent too much time today watching weather reporters stand outside in NC and get blown around by the wind just so we can see how windy it is as this horrendous hurricane approaches.  I am well aware that 75 mile winds are dangerous. Late in the afternoon, Jill came to the lounge and asked me if I want to the Stolen Sun Brewery and off we went for a beer.  And then I came home and took an evening nap.

 

15-S- NJ- spent the afternoon with Willie Nelson and Van Morrison and Jaye and Dom at the Camden Waterfront.  The day was perfect. The music was great.  I love days like this one.

 

16- SU- PA- I wandered through the downtown food festival by myself and didn't eat anything because everything looked too damn good and I thought I shouldn't get started.  So I came back to my apartment building and hung in the pool for the afternoon. The pool closes today for the season. I've really enjoyed the pool this summer.

 

17- M- PA- the rain is back. Everything is dreary and wet.  And I am ready to get started on my trip to the UK tomorrow. I've done some cleaning and some packing but mostly I've been antsy and ready to leave town.

 

18-T- PA/ NJ-  I leave for Wales and Jersey (UK). It was a day of travel from PA to NJ to Iceland to Gatwick to Victoria Station to Paddington to my hotel. I must say that my layover in Iceland was delightful.  I had a smoked salmon sandwich on a hard croissant bread and a delicious IPA. I'm going to have the same thing on the way back.

 

19-W- London- I slept for the afternoon in my sweet, little, old  Victoria hotel on the third floor. Later in the evening I headed to a local pub for bangers and masher for dinner.  I tried an IPA but didn't like it. I went back to my hotel to rest only to find out that my ferry to Jersey was cancelled due to high winds and I also mistakenly booked a room tonight for me in Wales.

 

20- TH- Wales- I had to rebook my trip to Jersey for one day later and now I have very little time there which is a disappointment. But all is well because I had my Welsh Rare Bit which was delicious. And, because that wasn't enough food, I also had a delicious cheese platter with 8 different cheeses. I also found the local tap room that sells Brain brewery beer. I was not impressed.  As a matter of fact, I walked away from one of my beers.  It was just tasteless.

 

21- F- Wales- the wind and the rain are so intense today that it is not safe for me to walk outside at the moment. In the PM, I got to walk down to the bay harbor and check out a few spots. I visited the Piedmont house which was an old coal house. I had some of those little, flat cakes that people raved about.  Mine were traditional and chocolate/orange cakes.  In the evening, I visited two breweries (Crafty Devil and Pipes Brewery) and had a wonderful time with strangers.

 

22- S- Wales/ Poole, England- today was a struggle.  Cardiff was filled with drunk soccer fans this morning as the home team challenged Manchester.  These fans make Philly fans seem tame.  Then my train to Poole was cancelled due to rail problems.  So I spent the day, hopping through the south of England, trying to get here. In light of the fact that my ferry has been canceled, I will be here two days and the rain and the wind are supposed to be tough tomorrow.

 

23- SU-Poole (UK)- My ferry to the Isle of Jersey was cancelled today due to bad weather. My backup trip to Old Harry Rock in the Jurassic Harbor was cancelled due to rough waters. And this is the nicest day I have had in the UK yet. I am left with no other recourse than to seek shelter at the oldest pub in the harbor: Poole Arms.

24- M- Jersey (UK)- I crossed the English Channel today and it was a slight thrill. I went on the Condor, a large catamaran that carried 250 cars and over 500 passengers.  The ship was clean, comfortable, had a cafe and a viewing deck and pleasant.  Unfortunately, it took us much longer than expected because the ship was so backed from yesterday's delay.  So I didn't get in to port until 4:30 and didn't get a taxi for another 45 minutes.  So I forfeited my plans to go to the damn zoo.  And with taxis being so scares on this island, it is going to be difficult to get around tomorrow.

 

25- TU- Jersey/London- I finally made it to the Durrell Zoo, my reason for coming all the way to Jersey in the first place.  I spent the whole day day here.  And then I flew back to Gatwick where I will catch my flight home tomorrow.

 

26- W- London/ Iceland/ NJ/ PA- Spent the day traveling home. I arrived home @ 1130PM.  I was tired.

 

27- TH- PA- spent the day glued to the SCOTUS Hearings.  Kavanugh is defending himself against allegations of sexual assault in high school.  I think he was stunned that a rich, white boy could actually be held accountable.

 

28- F- PA- The Senate took a vote to advance the sex offender.  But there will be an FBI investigate.  This is a small, small victory for women and the USA. I watched Michael Moore's new movie: Fahrenheit 11/9 where he lays out a case to mistrust the RNC, the DNC, the established legislative body and all who make our laws today.  As a nation, we are in trouble. WE HAVE LOST TOLERANCE OF EACH OTHER!

 

29- S- PA- Penn State vs Ohio State.  We could and should have won this one.  Damn, I hate to lose to OSU.

 

 

30- SU- PA- it's a beautiful day, something we haven't had much lately and I am in the lounge of the apartment building, sitting just a short distance from the loud crowd, cheering on the Eagles.  I don't care about the Eagles and I am still made that PSU didn't win last night.

 

Student Comment #29

 Heather Colgan FastiggiBridget E Kelly

August 20, 2012  · 

Goodness, Dr. Kelly! How absolutely stunning to "see" you again! You've long been one of the people I wanted to be able to thank - so, thank you for being such a positive influence in my young life. I owe much of my philosophy as an educator to you and the example you set by both holding us to high standards & expecting the best from us *and* being compassionate and genuinely concerned for us. I'm so glad to see life treating you well, and very happy to be in touch with you!

All reactions:

3Teresa Kelly, Jamie Downs and 1 other

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  Bridget E Kelly

  Heather, great to hear from you. Where are you teaching?

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• Rosina Rucci

  Looks as though you've lived your life well, Dr. Kelly. 

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• Heather Colgan Fastiggi

  I teach in the Pocono Mountain School District, at the Academy. We're an alternative high school for at-risk kids (we've just become AEDY, but are hoping to be able make some adjustments to be able to continue serving the population we've done so well with). I've been there 12 yeaers (I think?), teaching art (and music for a few years). I absolutely love it.

  As much as I love it, I do hope that one day I can gallivant the world around, as it looks like you've been! Jealous...  

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