Friday was a bittersweet day as those of us staying at the Best Western bid each other farewell. But first, we watched one last time as Carol and Linda loaded bikes on top of the van. Torrential rain still beat down on St Augustine, making the process more difficult. Fortunately, the hotel had a large enough portico that Carol could park the van underneath, giving her some protection from the elements. Once we said our final good-byes, Jim and I slogged through rain soaked streets–water ankle deep in some places–to the Spanish Quarter where we found one breakfast place open. Its specialty: waffles. What else! But they also had a very nice egg, bacon, and cheese sandwich with both hollandaise sauce and ketchup that filled me up and fulfilled my need to eat something other than hotel food.
There has been flooding all over St Augustine and St John’s County so many of the local parks were closed for the day. So were many roads. With this in mind Jim and I headed to the Jacksonville Airport at 1130. Yes, we would have a long wait for our flight–and who knew if it would be on time–but the appeal of getting out of the rain and perusing airport shops won over finding the shrine dedicated to Our Lady of L Leche in the rain.
It was nearly midnight when I went to bed Friday, and I crawled under my comforter in the dark. So, Saturday morning I awoke to another surprise. While I was gone Jim redecorated our bedroom. Gone: the 80s wallpaper and the stained curtains. In their place lovely cream colored walls, new, in-style duvet covers, and pretty curtains. What’s more Jim even meticulously cleaned and repaired the angel grapevine leaf hanging on one of the walls. This old wreath has seen better days, but it was made by my sister Susie, who died in 1993. When I see it I always think of her.
It is Tuesday as I write this and so far my re-entry has gone about as expected. I’ve seen family, heard my chorus sing in a mini-concert, and bought a new computer. I’ve managed to put my cross country pictures on the computer but not to organize them. I even saw the periodontist and had my bad tooth extracted. A good thing too, it needed to come out before the knee replacement surgery two weeks from tomorrow.
Returning to my normal sleep pattern–none of this up at 0600 thank-you very much–has been more difficult than I imagined. And I’ve had strange dreams. In almost all of them I am somewhere on a bike…I wake up with a mix of sadness and relief when I remember I don’t actually have to tug on bike shorts, a sports bra, and top, nor do I have to tie a pair of shoelaces six times so they won’t get undone and wrap themselves around the crank. And I must admit I am a little lonely, too. For once, in the spring of 2013 I rode across the United States, half by bicycle, half in a van with 29 other like minded adventurous women. And while I am only now beginning to consider what all the lessons of the trip might be, I know for certain I shall never be the same.
PS. I am going to continue writing this blog as I begin a new journey toward new knees. Feel free to continue following me. Or not. One way or another, thanks for reading.
theroadrashwriter 