The road trip of a lifetime and the first few days on the boat

As soon as I had my stuff loaded into the Metro, I blasted out of Sarasota with my eyes firmly on the road ahead, never looking in the rear view mirror. Orlando and my brother were my next destination, apparently a 12" tire is about as common in Sarasota as someone who doesn't have a gym membership. Brent had found one on Orange Blossom Trail, go figure. It also happened to be poker night with him and some of Crystals coworkers. I was out quickly, after trying to bluff with an early all-in. Brent had to get up at 4 for work the next morning, so I did too, and hit the road a solid two hours before the sun rose. Not that I was unaccustomed to night watches, and with the light traffic out of Orlando and the crisp northern Florida air I was glad to be moving again. The following two days were two of the most life changing I have ever experienced. 

If you're ever going through some shit or fighting some demons inside, I highly recommend taking a 19 year old car on the verge of the scrap heap and drive her as far as she'll take you. And then some. No radio, no air conditioning, just you and the pavement screaming by 3 feet below at 60 miles per hour. Sixty is plenty fast that close to the ground. Add to that trucks passing at what seems to be double that speed with tries the size of your car at just about eye level. You can feel them coming, and brace for the bow wave of air that side swipes your motorized skateboard. Then you pray they don't experience a blowout at that exact moment and maim you with shredded tire shrapnel. 

After literally limping to an auto parts store in North Carolina, changing the fuel filter and getting back on the road, I finally arrived in Washington DC at 2 am the following morning. It took me 22 hours. I was up at 9 the next day and on my way to New York to visit my cousin. If you ever consider taking a defensive driving course, skip it and take that same car from DC to New York, and don't forget about the New Jersey Turnpike. 

Finally, on Sunday evening, I arrived in Watch Hill. I drove to the waters edge and there was my boat, waiting for me on a mooring past the end of the docks. 

I've been working diligently on her for the past 4 days. I got the diesel started Monday, first try, and she runs like a champ. Only trouble was that the fresh water pump wasn't pumping anything. I sent it out for a rebuild two days ago, but since the parts have to come from Sweden there's going to be a three week lead time. I've spent the rest of my time taking all of the old crap out from the boat and throwing it away, to the tune of a dozen garbage bags. That's a lot coming from a 30' boat. I do mean crap too, I don't think this boat has been legitimately sailed in a long, long time. She's looking a lot better now, inside and out. She needs paint, but boy, is she in good shape otherwise. I go up the rig tomorrow, well technically I'm going to be hoisted on a crane in a bosun's chair, since there are no halyards at the moment. I leave you with pictures of her exterior, and a collage of the interior.