The fog has set back upon the bay this morning so dense it could be cut with a knife. Taking our coffee out for a short walk, we headed to breakfast downtown and made plans for the day. Heading into Carmel for an errand before heading back to the house. I took advantage of sitting in the hot tub to relax.
The rest of the day, I spent inside catching up on an article. Uncle John and I ran to the store for dinner supplies and decided to watch a movie, “Stargate.” Dozing off as normal, I catch the end of the movie and opt for another round in the hot tub, and an episode or two of Ted Lasso before bed.
Saturday mornings are for adventure runs. Planning to tackle a hill climb, I set off around the coast and up Sunset (big hill – I walked up mostly) to Prescott, then down David Avenue to the Aquarium. Stopping at Lovers Point to cool down, I got straight in the water. Once acclimated, I swam two laps out to the buoy. The water is frigid, but I welcome the uncomfortable feeling of the cold, dark water. Making the walk home barefoot, I rested on the porch with Uncle John, before hopping in the hot tub to warm back up.
Even though the sun was out and shining, I hadn’t been feeling well since I got home from my run. I took Pearl out for a drive and picked up a few gifts for some friends with new born babies. Driving, no matter what, usually makes me feel better; but not today. We had leftovers and dessert from a neighbor (Lana) for dinner. Still not feeling well, I went to bed early.
Today I woke, still feeling ill, but managed to jot a few notes down before heading out for breakfast at the Victorian Corner. We decided to finish our walk along the coast and headed through town. We cut into the neighborhood past the gold course and ran into another neighbor, Christie (she works at the Chamber of Commerce and knows Uncle John). I would spend the rest of the day packing for a trip home over Labor Day to cheer on my beloved Wolfpack and writing a little. Later Gianna stopped by; the consensus among most everyone is that I would soon move here. Not very hungry, I ate a pimento cheese sandwich and a moon pie before going to bed.
Pinnacles National Park isn’t far from Monterey, so today I set off to enjoy some nature. It was a mess to get out of town, but once Pearl and I were on the right track we were cruising. Not busy at all, I had much of the day to enjoy the park to myself. I first hiked the Balconies Cliff – Cave Loop. Volcanic in nature, Pinnacles is beautiful in its own way. Following the trail, I headed into a cave, climbing over boulders and through the depths of the darkness, eventually finding light on the other side leading to the outside world.
Heading back to the park entrance, I stopped for a water break at the visitor center and up and around the Prewett Point Loop before leaving, what would be my final National Park in California this year.
I decided to take my return trip through the Carmel Valley back to Pacific Grove. What windy road. Up and over hills, and back down, twisting and turning, we finally made it to Carmel. Taking a walk on the beach, I got as close to the Pebble Beach Links as I could. It is a vastly different view twenty years later as a young lad.
Making it back to the house. I decided to set out for a couple pace runs to see where my mile time stood. Quickly tiring after hiking all day, I took a soak in the hot tub. Gianna came over for dinner. Uncle John cooked hamburgers and rice. Then we all watched an interview I pulled up with Jason Silva, before heading to bed as I had an early flight tomorrow.
Up at 4am, Uncle John dropped me off at the airport. We boarded on time and I assumed that I would be able to go back to sleep. I was quickly proved wrong, when an argument broke out between the flight attendants over a family of passengers. We were told to disembark the plane; maybe 15 minutes later we again boarded the plan with no change to any seating arrangements. Finally taking off, it was a very awkward flight. I was able to rest my eyes a little, but I couldn’t help but think what a coincidence it was for the plane to not take off on time. Was I supposed to stay in California? Thinking, the Bay Area had begun to feel like home, this same thought passed through my mind frequently.
Landing in Dallas, I was able to make my connecting flight thankfully. It went much smoother than the first and surprisingly was very empty compared to the first one. Most other passengers kept the window shades down, and the flight crew kept the lights off. Dozing off for the majority of the flight, I barely even noticed the flight attendants were making their rounds. Landing early, Dad picked me up and we headed for the house. An early dinner at Winston’s, I thought I was hungry ordering a full rack of ribs, fries, and coleslaw with a side Cesar salad. I wound up taking half home for leftovers, but always have room for some of their famous cookies and cream ice cream. A little tv before bed, then I was out like a light.
The first time I have set foot back in North Carolina since I departed in May, and something doesn’t feel quite right. I woke at 730, even though I could have slept til 10. I stared through the window of my bedroom into the light of the early morning; a feeling came over me that was strange, I felt like a visitor in my parents home. This morning I had an appointment to talk through what I was dealing with. This was the first time I had sat down with anyone outside of my network. I enjoyed our conversation and had planned to follow up after I had gotten back to California. We discussed some questions for me to think about to help me transition to a new chapter of life.
One of the best things about being back home, was having the chance to train with my bow. It is actually quite relaxing, flinging arrows in the backyard. I shot 2 rounds before lunch, and quickly recalled that practice makes perfect. Its evident how quickly one can lose a skill when not performing it.
Later, Liz came over for dinner. We grilled steaks and had a wonderful meal catching up on all things; trip memories, new jobs, and future adventures for everyone. I planned to run in the morning, so we watched an episode of Bloodline and I was off to bed.
Game Day: USF vs. NC State
Waking around 7, I had coffee with Dad downstairs and then shot a couple more rounds in the backyard before we took his ’58 Chevy Apache for a drive.
Later Mom picked me up for lunch at Char Grille, my favorite hamburger joint in town. Before heading to theme, we finalized our plans for the trip to Kentucky for the Bourbon Trail.
Gameday at the Carter. It was great to be back at a place I love so dearly. We enjoyed a delicious tailgate spread from Sam Jones BBQ and a few Tuffy’s before heading inside for kickoff. Hearing the fight song and cheering on the Wolfpack with my Red & White family, I was with my Tribe. I was home! The team looked great, running a balanced offense and stout defense gaining 3 turnovers . We tamed the Bull, blanking the Herd 45-0!
“We’re the Red and White from State, And we know we are the best. A hand behind our back, We can take on all the rest. Go. to hell Carolina, Devils and Deacs stand in line. The Red and White from NC State. Go State!”
Week 15 Mileage – 192