Norfolk, VA
To see as much of the world as we can,
Using the smallest carbon footprint we can,
Spending the least amount of money we can,
Making as many friends we can.
We're in the Mojave desert. This is an odd place for a sailor. But we've become addicted to desert life.
At sea, of course, the view in all directions looks alike -- water. During our first few hikes in the desert, we were bedeviled by an "it all looks alike" confusion …
About a month ago, we had questions about the rig.
And they were answered.
We're not there, in case you weren't sure.
It's almost Hurricane Season. We opted to drive around the US, birding inland locations while we waited from the canvas folks to finish the dodger work.
We'll be …
"Are [the rivets] just holding the spreaders in place until the shrouds are installed?" someone asked.
(Not just random "someone", but someone with a 16' catamaran with a simpler rig. A boat that can easily sail circles around Red Ranger. But doesn't have a bar or heads.)
Riggers called us back today.
(Not them in this picture, it's an old picture of me.)
Things up there look really good to the riggers, too.
This news is a huge relief to us. Huge. Relief.
When I went up the mizzen, I …
I think our sailing season has slipped away from us.
We would need to haul out before June to avoid Hurricane Season.
Because of some other travel, we have less than two months open to us.
If all the work was completed tomorrow, we might try to get launched and …
I went up the mast today.
Things up there look really good.
I swapped out the mast-head light. The old LXTA-S (an OGM light sold by Weems and Plath) worked; the wiring harness had failed.
In a panic, I had purchased a replacement …
Sailing refreshes our souls.
The hurricane damage was a personal injury. Like a broken finger or a knee that needs replacing.
It's not a permanent disability. It's something we'll either get over completely, or, we'll learn to live with our new body in whatever shape it takes.
The separation for …
The last three days? Major accomplishments. All with "R".
Our big mistake was leaving the dodger windows in place. Hurricane Ian's wind pummeled the windows, ripping the entire dodger structure apart.
Three of the …
So far? The work for the first 3 days look like this:
After she fell over, Red Ranger took on serious water. My thesis was the long piano hinge on the port-side lazarette was exposed to Hurrican Ian …
We think we've worked out a pleasant trip down (and back) to Punta Gorda and the Safe Cove Boatyard.
It's a little weird to go by way of Savannah, Jacksonville, and Daytona to get the Gulf Coast, but, there's no real E-W road other than I-4 through Orlando.
In Jacksonville …
We've got a ton of stuff to do before we even get splashed.
Indeed, we don't even know where we're going.
We're looking all around the Gulf Coast for -- perhaps -- a marina that's got slips and doesn't cost as much as buying a house in Los Angeles or Washington, DC …
Many things are completed. Not everything, but, many things.
Here's the painted hull.
The board on the top of the starboard-side winch coaming has been replaced by the carpenter.
The picture shows the dodger is still laying across the front of the cockpit.
We're waiting for the canvas …
The trip from the Mojave to Ft. Worth passed through Carlsbad, NM. (And El Paso, TX.)
History:
Where are we at the start of the year?
Waiting for some repairs to Red Ranger.
Traveling through New Mexico. This is in Carlsbad Caverns.
Here's how I figure out what week we're in.
>>> from datetime import date
>>> start = date(2021, 10, 20)
>>> today = date …History:
Vegas was family time …
History: - Weeks 1-4 Cross Country Week 1-4 - Week 5 Cross Country Week 5 - Week 7 Cross Country Week 7
Where we are now:
From Carson City, we drove to Ely.
There's nothing along the way. Seriously. Nothing.
History: - Weeks 1-4 Cross Country Week 1-4 - Week 5 Cross Country Week 5 - Week 7 Cross Country Week 7
Where we are now:
When we left for …
We've arrived in Nevada.
History: Weeks 1-4 Cross Country Week 1-4, Week 5 Cross Country Week 5
Where we are now:
We're not on the boat. Nor are we in our hurricane-season hide-away near Asheville, NC.
On October 20th, we loaded the truck and started west. Some places are bivouac locations, other places are proper destinations. Catch up on mail. Do some birding.
It's been about 54 days since Hurrican Ian. We have a mechanic, a canvas company, and a carpenter working on things. While Red Ranger is getting fixed, what have we been doing?
We've been seeing our kids (and grandkid) on the west coast.
And -- of course -- seeing the west coast …