The End of the Road

January 4, 2009

After our long trip, it was nice to be off a schedule and able to sleep in a bit. We didn't have many plans for my last day in Naples, except a few errands here and there.


After finding out the cable was not working at the house, we discovered the box had gone bad and had to make a trip to Comcast down the street. In and of itself, this isn't a great story. Booooring.

But good luck was on our side ... we got to Comcast only to see about 50 people waiting in front of us. The number system read 93 and we pulled 52. Sigh. We were planning to grab lunch anyway, so we went across the way to grab a sandwich, thinking, after we ate, if the wait wasn't terrible, we'd stick it out. "Wouldn't it be great if, when we got there, they were on number 51?" Dad said. "It would be a dream ... but they will probably be on 12 or something," I replied.

We finished lunch and headed back to Comcast ... sure enough, we walked in the door just as they were calling #51. Not 10 seconds later, they called our number and Dad and I gave each other a high-five. All and all, we were in and out of there in minutes!

(Back at home, getting the cable to actually work was another story but, after about an hour on the phone with my friends at Comcast, it was up and running ... to celebrate, we watched Hoarders over a nightcap of Tuaca when we got home from dinner later that night!)

Aside from the Comcast debacle, we had a great afternoon. We piled into Bob's luxury ride and took a nice driving tour of the city. Amazing homes, cute shops, neat places to eat ... if they could just do something about the humidity in the summer, it could be perfect!

24,000 square feet anyone?

5th Avenue

Vintage Palm

Across the Gulf of Mexico

Condos Everywhere!

After our strenuous driving tour, we headed back to the condo for a nap and refresh before heading back over to Bob and Pat's to, you guessed it, eat and drink more. A few tid-a-lees later and we we headed out again ... this time to Naples Pub where everyone enjoyed some wine and "ungrouper" fish and chips.

Me, Bob & Pat


So, here we are back at the condo ... the last night together in Naples and, like I said, we watched Hoarders over a glass of Tuaca before heading to bed.

It's bittersweet for both of us. Looking into the future and knowing we had this time together, seeing new places and experiencing what we did - all without an ounce of stress I might add - is something neither of us will forget. I enjoyed spending quality one-on-one time with my Dad, and I think he enjoyed getting to know his daughter better.

A month from now, I will be back in Naples; this time for the one-year remembrance celebration of my Mom's passing. This, too, will be bittersweet. It will be good to be together with family and long-time friends again, all of us trying to move forward, trying to be strong and positive. But there will be a void - always will be a void - in this celebration.

Aesthetically, Florida is beautiful and it's a great place for Dad to flee to during the winter months. But it will always be tainted for me. Just the thought of making the early morning trek and flying into Sarasota airport makes me cringe just a bit. But, I know waiting on the other side, will be my family ... sister, brother, and my road warrior partner in crime, my Dad.

Thank you, Dad, for the memories.

Banyan Tree

Day 8 : Parrish, FL >> Naples, FL

We made it! After 8 days on the road and over 2300 miles (plus about 10 extra pounds), we made it to Naples!

Let me back up ...

After a nice stay overnight at the Landi-Tozer B&B, we woke up to a great breakfast and, after checking out the club house as a potential location for Mom's 1-year remembrance celebration, we were back in the car en route to Aunt Ginny's house for lunch.

We arrived at Ginny's place in Cape Coral around 12:45 and had a nice visit plus a great lunch of bean soup and bread pudding - both of which I came away with the recipes for!

A few hours later, right on schedule, we were back in the car on our way to our final destination.

Didn't have time to update last night because as soon as we unloaded the car, we were off to Bob & Pat's for "tid-a-lees" as Pat calls them (drinks and apps) and visiting with these dear friends.

We had a nice dinner at Cloyde's last night where, aside from the wait staff, I brought the median age down by about 25 years. But it was great to be here and I know Dad is looking forward to getting settled into his new apartment where he'll stay for the next 2 months.

I'll have one more update after our last day together here and then we'll shut the book on this blog. It's been a great trip and we are both looking forward to not spending hours and miles in the car today!

Day 6 : Valdosta, GA >> Parrish, FL

Unfortunately I won't be able to post pics of today's trip as there is no WiFi where I am tonight, but we're finally in Florida, the Sunshine State!

We broke through the border this morning around 11am and were to Susie's house in Leesburg, FL around 12:30 this afternoon.

It was great to visit with her and her daughter, Kelly, who I haven't seen since I was 8, probably! It always amazes me to hear she and mom had been friends since 1963 - there's such comfort in old friends.

We had a great lunch and a hard time pulling ourselves away from Susie's new puppy, Katie, a 4 month old white West Highland Terrier. She's lucky we didn't smuggle her into the car with us on our way out!

Back on the road a few hours later, we made it to Pat & John's house in Parrish, FL around 6pm tonight, just in time to eat again. Dad had requested Pat's famous "chicken braid" for dinner and it was just as good as we remembered :)

Not too much to report from the road today - our trip is winding down and I think we're both feeling the impending "now what" when this is all over. Pulling off I-75 tonight getting into Parrish, there was definitely a heavy void for Dad. All the routines they followed, all the plans they had made for their winters in Florida would all be different.

But, like I said, there's comfort in old friends and, here at Pat & John's house, not only is Mom all around us with the embroidered napkins and the pillows she made for the couches, but she's with us through memories only these friends shared and I know we're both happy to be spending the first Florida night here. (Even if the promise of 70 degrees and sunny was a sham! It's cold here!)

We'll get on the road mid-morning tomorrow, heading to visit Dad's sister, Ginny, for lunch, and then on to our final destination in Naples.

Until then...

Day 5: Madison, AL >>

Yesterday's post was more about reflection on the new year than it was about our trip, so let me fill you in ...

December 31, 2009
For two people who are admittedly directionally challenged, we've managed to make it everywhere on our list and right on schedule. Sure, we have the help of the TomTom, my iPhone, and various maps, but neither of us hide the fact that inevitably we will go right when we should be going left. That said, we left Memphis with a plan to be at Beth & Dave's place in Madison, AL yesterday between 3-4pm.

We made good time and were a bit early so, since it was time for lunch, we decided to hit up another "dive" along the way. Greenbrier BBQ was recommended on a few sites I looked up on my phone, and we were later told it's somewhat of an institution for BBQ.

Complimentary hushpuppies to start followed by my pulled pork sandwich and Dad's BBQ chicken with white sauce. Both of us were a little underwhelmed with our dishes until we realized we were missing something ... BBQ sauce!!

After laying on the sauce, both of us ate every last bite! My pulled pork sandwich was outstanding ... as a matter of fact, I think Dad is still plotting a way to get back there for one someday. The chicken was good, too, but the real star was the sauce. Dad bought a quart to go and I am sorry I won't be in Florida long enough to enjoy some homemade ribs with Greenbrier BBQ sauce!


As per our schedule, we made it to Beth & Dave's around 3:30 and had some down time (Dad napped, I updated the blog and played RockBand with Amanda) before heading out to their friend's party around the corner. Good food, good drink, all the games you could want, and really nice people. RockBand, Eucher, ping pong, darts, fooseball ... they had it all! Plus, I found myself engaged in a conversation about twirling the baton! It was a good time and we're both so glad we were able to spend time with family for the New Year.

This morning we started with a great breakfast a la the Sipple Bed & Breakfast and got on the road around 10am, headed as far as we could get, but hoping to break the Florida border. I wish I could say I saw and appreciated the sights of the first half of the day, but I spent the morning sleeping off the fun I had on New Year's Eve.

Our only real destination for the day was a place called The Varsity located just outside of Atlanta in the middle the Georgia Tech campus. Hailed as "The World's Largest Drive-in", this would be the icing on the cake on our quest to eat our way through the South. What a production ... the Downtown Atlanta location is on more than two acres and can accommodate 600 cars and over 800 people inside. On days when the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets are playing a home game, over 30,000 people visit The Varsity. Two miles of hot dogs, a ton of onions, 2500 pounds of potatoes, 5000 fried pies and 300 gallons of chili are made from scratch daily.

"What'll ya have?"





From there, we decided to drive 2-3 more hours before stopping for the night which landed us in Valdosta, GA, just North of the Florida border. A nice little dinner at the bar at Chili's plus some football rounded out our night here.

Some sights from the road...


Don't mess with them ... 10 years ago, this was a team of power lifters!

Where to?

Need anything?

Maybe some hog jowl?

U.S. Space & Rocket Center

In the morning, we'll have about a 3 hour drive to Leesburg, FL where we'll visit with Susie Canon + family before heading to Parrish, FL to stay the night with Pat & John.

PS: A special thanks to Susan for providing us with entertainment for the last 2 days with Dan Brown's latest "The Lost Symbol" on CD!

Dear 2009,

Don't let the door hit in you in the ass on the way out.

Sincerely,
Jen Whalen

When the family started talking about this trip a few months ago, it was simply so that Dad wouldn't have to make the long trek from Michigan to Florida alone. And, since I had the work flexibility to go along, I would be the one to share the road with him.

As Dad and I started talking more about the trip, I realized that there were seldom opportunities to see the middle of the country - much less by car - and if we were going to do this, I didn't want to speed through and hang out in Florida for a week before heading home. Rather, let's take advantage and see things we've never seen ... take our time and "ramble", in a way, through the mid-South and on into Florida. My only stipulation? Graceland. Sure it was 10 hours out of the way, but to me, it was a destination everyone could rally around.

I like Elvis, but Graceland is probably not somewhere I would have made a special pilgrimage to see. Dad agreed - it's never really been on "the list", but after some research and ideas of hitting Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives along the way, taking our time seemed like a great idea.

Every step of the way, it hasn't escaped me that Mom should be making this drive with Dad. That they had their own ways of doing things; driving schedules, routines, roles and responsibilities. (And I don't think ordering a charcuterie plate in Cleveland, OH would have been on that schedule!)

But this year has been about change for all of us. And, for the greater part of the year, it's simply been a challenge. From losing the security of my job on the heels of losing my mother, it was the roughest patch I've seen in my life yet, and ultimately, in some ways, I've had to resign myself to the idea that things happen for a reason, or I don't think I could have made it through.

This drive has been a good end to the year for both of us. At times, in my mind, I interpreted "Finding Graceland" simply as "Finding Grace". Building a friendship with my Dad, taking on different roles and responsibilities, and seeing new parts of the country only time like this can afford.

I think Mom agreed. Tonight, as we were pulling into Beth & Dave's home in Madison, AL, "That's All" by Genesis came on the radio. I don't think Dad knew, but I was crying ... if there was one song in this whole world that reminded me of Mom, this is the one. She was with us on this trip, and she'll be with us forever. I think this was her way of telling us to "take out the old and bring in the new".

When this trip is over, I will start a new job at home. Dad will start a new routine in Florida. And we'll all start a New Year. A year that certainly has to hold promises of a better one than the last.

That was then, and this is 2010.

To start out on the right foot ...

Dear Family & Friends,

Happy New Year.

Much Love,
JEN

Day 3 : Bowling Green, KY >> Memphis, TN

Hey ya'll.

Knowing we only had a short drive from Bowling Green to Nashville, we slept in a bit this morning and got on the road sometime after 9am. By 10:30 we found ourselves in the heart of Music City along Broadway in an area called "The District." Wanting to see the Grand Ole Opry, we wandered into The Union Station Hotel to ask for tour information and directions. In addition to experiencing the epitome of Southern hospitality from the staff at a hotel we weren't even staying at, the hotel itself - a renovated train station - was a beautiful building inside and out.



Unfortunately the Grand Ole Opry was a bit out of the way for our schedule today, but we were able to see Ryman Auditorium, the "original" Gpry house. They give tours here, too, but after realizing we needed to get on the road to make the last tour at Graceland this afternoon, we skipped the backstage pass and headed out to walk around the city and grab lunch.


Bronze statues of Minnie Pearl and Roy Acuff

Broadway was lined with shops selling guitars, cowboy boots, hats, and mementos of all things Country; along with bars, restaurants, and a great shop called Hatch Show Print (right up my alley) which has designed and printed woodblock press concert posters since 1879. I couldn't help but buy a few things here ;)



Hatch Show Print "Office" and Shop

The girls at Hatch Show Print pointed us to our second "dive" destination just up the street called Paradise Park Trailer Resort. "A colorful place" as they described it, with a bar & stage on one side and a one-man grill on the other boasting "the best burgers in Nashville." We didn't taste all the burgers in the city, but this one was really good (read: greasy) as was my chili cheese dog! After all, for $.50, they will "smother anything with chili".


After lunch, it's West to Memphis! As per Tennessee guidelines, we listened to Country music all the way from Nashville to Memphis. Popular (Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney), Quintessential (Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton), and Current (Taylor Swift - with Dad singing back-up to "You Belong With Me"), that unmistakable twang carried us a little over 3 hours in the rain to Memphis, TN.

As the namesake of this blog, we FOUND GRACELAND!



Of three tours, we opted for the basic Mansion tour which took us about an hour and a half and through every room (minus the upstairs which was private to Elvis and, as such, is kept that way out of respect. OR, as locals like to tell it, they don't let visitors up there because Elvis is still living there!) plus the backyard/meditation garden. I took far too many photos along the way, so just a few will follow.

Game Room

Bar/Lounge/TV Room

Staff Office

Record Wall (leading into trophy room)

Gravestone (out back by the pool along side his mother, father, and twin brother)

What stands out most about Graceland is that it's relatively modest. The kitchen, although declared the main thoroughfare of the house, was quite small as was the bedroom on the main floor which was designated for his parents. Modest and, at times, painfully decorated as Dad pointed out.

Elvis was truly larger than life in this town and, for a city that may have been overshadowed by Music City to the East, in some ways, I think he put Memphis on the map.

Kentucky