tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75808039111389446602024-02-21T12:40:43.857-06:00Mid-Life Cruising!!!Middle-aged couple making the transition from the traditional expectations of society to the "outside the box" lifestyle of full-time cruising on a sailboat in the Caribbean.Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.comBlogger539125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-34552290248064791132021-09-07T06:30:00.005-05:002021-09-07T06:30:00.238-05:00Killing Time During COVID<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3pW3XWBMGXXeRLtRqjv5mAwr-0Lnd4Fd8DhvpWEMHOdXB6Kd9M1sQdx7oC1ReEHBZ0BWHWA0bhoNGgRrag1dI_0GqEpUa4nE9iO651bJeRAlZnHotLxz7UnzPeWZFc4OcmzvmdnI_b7L0/s2560/20201120_144529_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3pW3XWBMGXXeRLtRqjv5mAwr-0Lnd4Fd8DhvpWEMHOdXB6Kd9M1sQdx7oC1ReEHBZ0BWHWA0bhoNGgRrag1dI_0GqEpUa4nE9iO651bJeRAlZnHotLxz7UnzPeWZFc4OcmzvmdnI_b7L0/w640-h360/20201120_144529_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My birthday lunch .. always love being near the water!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After arriving home towards the end of August, 2020 from our camping trip to Colorado, we wanted to remain cautious with COVID so we got busy with projects to make our house our home. One of the first things we did was added a covered patio out back. With loving the outdoors and also living in a small house, an extra living space outside really makes a difference!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Adding a covered patio was no easy task! Ken and I rented a sod cutter to remove grass from where the patio was going to be located, then we had a load of clay/sand mix delivered to our house to spread around. Ken wasn't home when the load was delivered, and my heart sank when the dump truck left a huge load with large chunks of clay & sticks .. that didn't look right. Ken confirmed my fears, but whatcha gonna do with a large pile of clay/sand mix? So, after about 10 long & hot days of sifting through the mix and moving it with a wheelbarrow, we finally got rid of the pile. I really wish I would have taken a picture of the pile .. it was huge. I love exercise, and I sure got it! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheWPff3UEmzeVU4C0rbTVZ4ziXHduysVCyfI6io0qcfUgj8YdPrzL4O3H1KRhhknVgxHJ7cVDaMCNEKTBgaGANdxmwwkSiowuuVyxAiKpOWledguH2JG9Rl2-qxJ2A2wlpIgUNtCqmJ6m0/s2560/20201105_145737_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheWPff3UEmzeVU4C0rbTVZ4ziXHduysVCyfI6io0qcfUgj8YdPrzL4O3H1KRhhknVgxHJ7cVDaMCNEKTBgaGANdxmwwkSiowuuVyxAiKpOWledguH2JG9Rl2-qxJ2A2wlpIgUNtCqmJ6m0/w640-h360/20201105_145737_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We then had a form built and hired some concrete guys to finish the slab.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQusO7DUSts39TkcQ6cT_SbiG2k73Cn9rse_bkYkTkhs7y5Zw29yFznpD7nSa15xyK8lmpY4hMGFXA3Ys9GY-h378yAbKM_QV3_rVFICKdpj32a2dWtNhq90hckXrjvinXEh83Bqc-euIy/s2560/20201112_144925_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQusO7DUSts39TkcQ6cT_SbiG2k73Cn9rse_bkYkTkhs7y5Zw29yFznpD7nSa15xyK8lmpY4hMGFXA3Ys9GY-h378yAbKM_QV3_rVFICKdpj32a2dWtNhq90hckXrjvinXEh83Bqc-euIy/w640-h360/20201112_144925_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYrcSJeLZRpQ8-kde7Kxk2chl1HawcZqavq9KFVdBz8HEiSEQMzETrf_s3o_TfT14p_798QMS19QQ68JgzeuKp2stzx9kAS7cELFG85BPDdrn-yB-0z2zvEQ6DR2Z0rJHP9XQLW7gc39K/s4160/20201124_112753_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYrcSJeLZRpQ8-kde7Kxk2chl1HawcZqavq9KFVdBz8HEiSEQMzETrf_s3o_TfT14p_798QMS19QQ68JgzeuKp2stzx9kAS7cELFG85BPDdrn-yB-0z2zvEQ6DR2Z0rJHP9XQLW7gc39K/w640-h480/20201124_112753_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you notice in the picture above, there's sod all around the slab. We had a pile of sod that we wanted to reuse, so we kept it watered then placed it around the slab to fill in the area. Those pieces of sod were heavy .. more exercise! Once the slab cured, we hired someone to add the aluminum patio cover. We had enough with moving sod and dirt! By this time, we were already in November and planning to spend Thanksgiving at home due to COVID. As luck would have it, the patio cover was installed the day before Thanksgiving. The cover instantly gave the feel of an outdoor living area, and Ken spent Thanksgiving working off a big turkey meal by installing a ceiling fan. A fan is a must in Southern Louisiana! Although Thanksgiving was unusual, our new patio made it pretty good. We hung out there all evening while "Facetiming" our kids on the computer. You'll also see that I started a flower bed along our garage. I love working in the yard!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv8OwfH7FIJcn1eo2p3nIMTKPxKguvpBT3ibVg7JewjZ8YWYeAsvBWo2YtVZM0Aps4dIotb_mgSTbwo4jx15SwE_nXrFrhF6-pgXViOczLTAQVlTYdoDlt1ptq91ghNT9JamBovmnVLl1m/s4160/20201126_135520.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv8OwfH7FIJcn1eo2p3nIMTKPxKguvpBT3ibVg7JewjZ8YWYeAsvBWo2YtVZM0Aps4dIotb_mgSTbwo4jx15SwE_nXrFrhF6-pgXViOczLTAQVlTYdoDlt1ptq91ghNT9JamBovmnVLl1m/w640-h480/20201126_135520.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Once the patio project was complete, Ken started building shelves next to our fireplace in our den. He's so talented in construction, and he did an awesome job! He spent a lot of time sanding and staining the shelves, which were complete just in time for Christmas. I couldn't have asked for a better gift from Ken! We built this house about four years earlier, knowing that someday it would be our home. It was a lotta fun buying furniture & decorating our house. It now feels like it's home, and I love our tiny space.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKL6Vcgbuye-m09IW8zCNb4HfLhxHnIDiElDoOt6H6p9pRoOZZ8vD_uVv7Z6B9SfsYxwwqgm50tQVfTa7q76sIFrvmGdRWxYU-zALxICtDnvH75J0x_KhSEv-FFx_4ToBf0QvBo00JRi2U/s4160/20201231_151952.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKL6Vcgbuye-m09IW8zCNb4HfLhxHnIDiElDoOt6H6p9pRoOZZ8vD_uVv7Z6B9SfsYxwwqgm50tQVfTa7q76sIFrvmGdRWxYU-zALxICtDnvH75J0x_KhSEv-FFx_4ToBf0QvBo00JRi2U/w608-h456/20201231_151952.jpg" width="608" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgOrABuZnX2DVWmXBSeZVoTGvcBRmsWs65lFX9rDfT9iUBJwZ7biO79eKAa70wCAJyhZ1F0Rzg52YbrOVetHYWtLGouY6ipinRyCydMJ1HmVxY89wJ5h5KTuCS0e_wqW4OQm8Gw_JCxci/s4160/20201231_151627.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgOrABuZnX2DVWmXBSeZVoTGvcBRmsWs65lFX9rDfT9iUBJwZ7biO79eKAa70wCAJyhZ1F0Rzg52YbrOVetHYWtLGouY6ipinRyCydMJ1HmVxY89wJ5h5KTuCS0e_wqW4OQm8Gw_JCxci/w640-h480/20201231_151627.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">With Christmas on our heels, we made a few videos for our grandson during the holidays since we couldn't visit him. One of the videos was us making chocolate chip cookies, and another was us making fudge. These two desserts are a Christmas tradition, so it was fun making the videos and showing our grandson us making them & packaging them to put in the mail. He loved the videos and it meant something to him when he received his care package from us. We made the best of things, and technology made it enjoyable instead of heartbreaking.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We also enjoyed our new outdoor patio while spending so much time at home. With some music, an outdoor rug, patio furniture, <a href="https://amzn.to/3yezXZW" target="_blank">LED lights</a> (with <a href="https://amzn.to/3DgD7jC" target="_blank">clips</a>) and a <a href="https://amzn.to/3jdyFu3" target="_blank">firepit</a> that doubles as a table we could spend hours out there!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL83Xv2oqtAq85HTnyNti97wg2adGH7Wp2u3-JBjFH1sIboRecZ9e-QD_b16-knTjEtkYHoxVVp6s5G9q8kDglCPP3mRoon2ImaOy1IQJYWIE04Q07rj08RQCD2U47fLTm0dHduk1RFf-y/s4160/20201217_174000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL83Xv2oqtAq85HTnyNti97wg2adGH7Wp2u3-JBjFH1sIboRecZ9e-QD_b16-knTjEtkYHoxVVp6s5G9q8kDglCPP3mRoon2ImaOy1IQJYWIE04Q07rj08RQCD2U47fLTm0dHduk1RFf-y/w640-h480/20201217_174000.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarL8mbwID4j-1DMlvwnoLDCz6Z_MVH4Q7CBqMs6jgdNKg21t_pR8JN-UGCx38tV5BDuJ1nj0CeeyUJQBUxZtoeOGWp7yaWWuRcLMyfLfgvdvr2QarFFQOpBUFdk85HZVw0aUyrxH_-5wc/s4160/20201217_173534.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarL8mbwID4j-1DMlvwnoLDCz6Z_MVH4Q7CBqMs6jgdNKg21t_pR8JN-UGCx38tV5BDuJ1nj0CeeyUJQBUxZtoeOGWp7yaWWuRcLMyfLfgvdvr2QarFFQOpBUFdk85HZVw0aUyrxH_-5wc/w640-h480/20201217_173534.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Before we knew it, the year was over and it had been six months since we sold Nirvana. While we missed the water & COVID sucked, we'd been so busy that we really couldn't complain. It helped that we could decorate our house with new stuff and also enjoy the perks of hot water, a shower, a spacious kitchen with a dishwasher .. I could go on.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We were happy to ring in the new year, and say good riddance to COVID. Ignorance is bliss isn't it?! As we all know, it's now August 2021 and the virus is still going strong. But, we feel lucky that we haven't lost any loved ones and that we're now vaccinated. After getting vaccinated in April, we headed to Colorado again. But, that's for another time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hasta luego .. until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div></div><p></p>Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-5334562670576192402021-08-31T06:30:00.000-05:002021-08-31T06:30:00.273-05:00Distracted in Colorado!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPDYXU6hwlX7K8CuH3LXd7LBL_9sVYdQlSyQl-y-qryryhF_WdmNo3iQdYOKI0Qaw3XL0JYQnTmJ05ecEERIEgp7trdp42pkYrMVAhyphenhyphen-Npph4k0yDPQUoB1kZqcJvM82acQN1M4CSYiGd/s2110/20200807_112641_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1307" data-original-width="2110" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPDYXU6hwlX7K8CuH3LXd7LBL_9sVYdQlSyQl-y-qryryhF_WdmNo3iQdYOKI0Qaw3XL0JYQnTmJ05ecEERIEgp7trdp42pkYrMVAhyphenhyphen-Npph4k0yDPQUoB1kZqcJvM82acQN1M4CSYiGd/w640-h396/20200807_112641_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Priceless times with our grandson in Colorado!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After camping on our road trip to Colorado, we made it to our daughter's home in Fort Collins. Our daughter was due to have her second child any day, so she decided we should all go for a hike in hopes it would bring her baby girl sooner. I LOVE hiking, so that sounded like a great idea. Just minutes from their house we found great hiking.<span style="text-align: left;"> Even our 2 1/2 year old grandson loved it!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTM0_K3IF9YC1qW_CPpsoI5SNTK0czin3XvhbZiE196iC6q7No3JjrpahkwxFusn8uf7bqtqtYFPa8ZyReJKyuuk6OcsCWqKcHRQc2bXjhIwJvNXvmPt-zdA2jmglTJAvYBPq6g8rAl3qS/s2560/20200724_121342_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTM0_K3IF9YC1qW_CPpsoI5SNTK0czin3XvhbZiE196iC6q7No3JjrpahkwxFusn8uf7bqtqtYFPa8ZyReJKyuuk6OcsCWqKcHRQc2bXjhIwJvNXvmPt-zdA2jmglTJAvYBPq6g8rAl3qS/w640-h360/20200724_121342_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's hard to tell in the photo, but our daughter was definitely ready to have her baby!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97R3LFVuU18yffUukxcH7dEPh0D8lY8mYbo-Ggs6Ja893H59W7-EX6hqCxoVjTapuRq816y0vImUXZ2dhCP2XOvjJmRsGju-C7RmE-eSGZXmDeH2MMbjc6_P9_Gro_a8VJIdg1P9ARr8N/s2168/IMG_20200724_123306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1308" data-original-width="2168" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97R3LFVuU18yffUukxcH7dEPh0D8lY8mYbo-Ggs6Ja893H59W7-EX6hqCxoVjTapuRq816y0vImUXZ2dhCP2XOvjJmRsGju-C7RmE-eSGZXmDeH2MMbjc6_P9_Gro_a8VJIdg1P9ARr8N/w640-h386/IMG_20200724_123306.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The next day we figured we'd give our daughter & son-in-law a break and take our grandson to a nearby town for a ride on an old steam train. He is obsessed with trains and he was so excited .. we were too. He even had a special train outfit for the day! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh566dwF-TF0x_wxJGHbQXIok8JlE3-6VbUHERkHjq0Qq5_wDraLVE4FwUs_qvUATcs1dLztINuLdvT4G0tcmz8QL3NOB_AdErrnzuHp6VQDr8Xam3VvEt8sGW1X4WnHDrN-XvJicFnTro4/s2422/IMG_20200801_090456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2422" data-original-width="1957" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh566dwF-TF0x_wxJGHbQXIok8JlE3-6VbUHERkHjq0Qq5_wDraLVE4FwUs_qvUATcs1dLztINuLdvT4G0tcmz8QL3NOB_AdErrnzuHp6VQDr8Xam3VvEt8sGW1X4WnHDrN-XvJicFnTro4/w324-h400/IMG_20200801_090456.jpg" width="324" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We had a blast on the train, and little did we know that it would be the last day for the "family of three". By the time we got back from the train ride, the kids were already headed to the hospital. We didn't tell our grandson that he was about to have a baby sister. We wanted his parents to be able to surprise him, and we didn't know how long they'd be. The next night, we put our grandson to bed, and the proud parents arrived home later that night with their perfectly healthy little baby girl! When the baby cried early that morning, our grandson perked up & ran into his parent's bedroom ... so cute! He was introduced to his baby sister, and he immediately became a very sweet & loving big brother. We already had forgotten how tiny these little treasures are when first born. Ken & I were nervous holding her at first, but we finally got comfortable with such a tiny, precious lil person!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9B1wwatSywtZnrwZfaEgMUFzBDQSm0chu3Q-Q9DNyCyqfPuqPpVhD1E316FuODhmR0EZ-NG_xnLTiXU26WbMgVW-q71N0WpqnmdlLeTyidyGxdpjXlsX97m08oZp_qdSSHMJN3skB4SX9/s2286/20200811_182755_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2286" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9B1wwatSywtZnrwZfaEgMUFzBDQSm0chu3Q-Q9DNyCyqfPuqPpVhD1E316FuODhmR0EZ-NG_xnLTiXU26WbMgVW-q71N0WpqnmdlLeTyidyGxdpjXlsX97m08oZp_qdSSHMJN3skB4SX9/s320/20200811_182755_HDR.jpg" width="202" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0CzIy7yZvey1FwaJpi1rNb7movgKFQiW06zjE4mrWszVipmMaR3j3fuGUFx9ZHbEVVLr43P4YLpW37uFMXzZC86ICXnhnoGCrmWaImUstp1VffXnjCqIbZ31cfQEGByANNM_QZ_ZhzoO/s2560/20200805_084334_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0CzIy7yZvey1FwaJpi1rNb7movgKFQiW06zjE4mrWszVipmMaR3j3fuGUFx9ZHbEVVLr43P4YLpW37uFMXzZC86ICXnhnoGCrmWaImUstp1VffXnjCqIbZ31cfQEGByANNM_QZ_ZhzoO/s320/20200805_084334_HDR.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">To give the new parents some quiet, we took our grandson on another hike. There are so many trails near Fort Collins, and we enjoyed every one that we chose. You really can't go wrong! The first picture in this post is from that hike .. I love that photo! I had to get a picture with our grandson too...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39u9TIkTcw1KVpRNXk4gdGVt7ZRgVkYFcJL5GR7v0vjAArCx9iZLgwHO8ioKVhe0aPaq9Byj5EE2w3BjdCcbYrmF5GF77yAo6Kjw4h_mJBGZqzEEhfyO48gJLb2IDq7Mq6Y5RfUyD8D2d/s2560/20200807_110935_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39u9TIkTcw1KVpRNXk4gdGVt7ZRgVkYFcJL5GR7v0vjAArCx9iZLgwHO8ioKVhe0aPaq9Byj5EE2w3BjdCcbYrmF5GF77yAo6Kjw4h_mJBGZqzEEhfyO48gJLb2IDq7Mq6Y5RfUyD8D2d/w640-h360/20200807_110935_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After a couple of days, our son-in-law went back to work & our daughter was ready to get out of the house. So we packed up everyone, stopped for lunch, then went on a beautiful walk in Rocky Mountain National Park. The trail was paved and perfect for a mom & newborn.</div></div></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCLCwG-RafEq0BXYyXHTBLrMxUkuWWhQp2QL5LCmPw6DCDFOwX2pXLgL4KZ4ZTk_CFyEwZJwMqbwVVYI5yJ56B326tlMVBSlw-S8Iv3q0E_nfhdYAHnYgx8g_AeLuF8d0xoiRVG7aCbjt/s4032/IMG_20200812_140043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCLCwG-RafEq0BXYyXHTBLrMxUkuWWhQp2QL5LCmPw6DCDFOwX2pXLgL4KZ4ZTk_CFyEwZJwMqbwVVYI5yJ56B326tlMVBSlw-S8Iv3q0E_nfhdYAHnYgx8g_AeLuF8d0xoiRVG7aCbjt/w300-h400/IMG_20200812_140043.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3RgEuMCjbTevxsjHF_1-GIQfoabKpQ2FydBvgBJPZS1kFJgP4LV96ExPhCpGJJCEhDcH_Tg_jJM4aUh1Prcy7juNY6pYo8-FzKJf_YcU0bZR1P9joAOl0b0F15G4s3lvFPgqof307wKXy/s1951/20200812_114700_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1951" data-original-width="1392" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3RgEuMCjbTevxsjHF_1-GIQfoabKpQ2FydBvgBJPZS1kFJgP4LV96ExPhCpGJJCEhDcH_Tg_jJM4aUh1Prcy7juNY6pYo8-FzKJf_YcU0bZR1P9joAOl0b0F15G4s3lvFPgqof307wKXy/w285-h400/20200812_114700_HDR.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I love this picture!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Feb-KrENtTLgL9jkJGEEWI3CEQTF2lKjN7GaSF1kbUIn8dh2DD0tMSGwPag_vDr___XwucjiNsAmO-8dlfKd7yYCQxsGNWVZVK6bk2KdgXTaN5c6bxj2mp8aAAbMUIbz6Yht0iLJUpZr/s2560/20200812_115740_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Feb-KrENtTLgL9jkJGEEWI3CEQTF2lKjN7GaSF1kbUIn8dh2DD0tMSGwPag_vDr___XwucjiNsAmO-8dlfKd7yYCQxsGNWVZVK6bk2KdgXTaN5c6bxj2mp8aAAbMUIbz6Yht0iLJUpZr/w640-h360/20200812_115740_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So much beauty everywhere ...</div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5LyEGKRdDNy1r1MfiXEq3lcPqms_EGQ6nzxdwFCpxs6pXiQjiC3syl4hyZOdYbLdj8ucLl9aaiWxghi3L6Arm1lwUxpZorY3Ifj7Khuaw_9JmEKaY68YeHY3V7UUc3qXKXr13eroUyFuS/s4032/IMG_20200812_150214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5LyEGKRdDNy1r1MfiXEq3lcPqms_EGQ6nzxdwFCpxs6pXiQjiC3syl4hyZOdYbLdj8ucLl9aaiWxghi3L6Arm1lwUxpZorY3Ifj7Khuaw_9JmEKaY68YeHY3V7UUc3qXKXr13eroUyFuS/w640-h480/IMG_20200812_150214.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwmpvgqLm_uAyCqk8tArZH2SMJIU8VaVnvJ896z3KodMnEsL00ZAaA-qtRFyo3gOIx5h1_kRuJZUiPQb4471iMoIvuP3LldpfMQ6T_1YjeGR4wiFNdeHk5s4qjsyNX6sdzDhPIumZKRMl8/s2560/20200812_145508_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwmpvgqLm_uAyCqk8tArZH2SMJIU8VaVnvJ896z3KodMnEsL00ZAaA-qtRFyo3gOIx5h1_kRuJZUiPQb4471iMoIvuP3LldpfMQ6T_1YjeGR4wiFNdeHk5s4qjsyNX6sdzDhPIumZKRMl8/w640-h360/20200812_145508_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After helping the kids for about two weeks, we headed back towards home. Visiting our family in Colorado was exactly what we needed. After selling the boat & being extra cautious with COVID, it was a great distraction! Since March of 2020, Ken and I hadn't been inside a restaurant or anyone's home .. not even family. We'd take turns going grocery shopping, and constantly washed our hands. When we were invited to help the kids in Colorado, we were nervous at first, and so were our kids. They didn't wanna get us sick, and we didn't want to get them sick! Even though all of us were relatively young & healthy, we all respected the virus and had been very cautious until now. But, we really wanted to help our kids and life is full of educated risks. Ken & I figured we'd been safe, were healthy, and were going to be isolated for at least a week while camping on our way to Colorado. It was so nice to kind of forget about the bad stuff for a while!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Once we got back to our house, it was time to turn it into our home. But, that's for another day.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hasta luego .. until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div></div></div><p></p>Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-39837827421337299582021-08-24T10:48:00.003-05:002021-08-24T12:54:26.034-05:00Tent Camping to Colorado!<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDjy01x318zZhPP-dr49J7pQQftM6ag-rjwazeUYAOfsJzejnbEDNZHutCe_MjntezMURe_ueAVmWIaFTwCAGjX70d32C8a3kFdK3dRXWbcPloGhhM0TM-0mwOAbdq7fwkSJ-p7KQvmtJY/s2560/20200720_070826_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDjy01x318zZhPP-dr49J7pQQftM6ag-rjwazeUYAOfsJzejnbEDNZHutCe_MjntezMURe_ueAVmWIaFTwCAGjX70d32C8a3kFdK3dRXWbcPloGhhM0TM-0mwOAbdq7fwkSJ-p7KQvmtJY/w640-h360/20200720_070826_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Okay ya'll, I'm gonna try to catch up from the past several months of silence. So please bear with me while I backtrack to last July when we sold our boat, moved our belongings into our vacant rental, then grabbed our camping gear and started driving towards Colorado. Our daughter was due to have her second child during the first week of August, so we were happy to accept their request for help with our grandson during this time. With a love for the outdoors, COVID, and the desire to keep our expenses to a minimum we decided tent camping would be a great way to break up the long drive from Louisiana.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We decided to head towards Arkansas for our first night of camping, and we found a campground in Arkadelphia for about $20 bucks a night. Since our camping trip a few months earlier when avoiding the marina during a bad storm, we learned that we needed a bigger tent and an air mattress if we really wanted to start camping more often. We purchased this<a href="https://amzn.to/3zh5M5L" target="_blank"> six person tent</a>, which pops up so easily that I'm able to put it up by myself! We also bought the <a href="https://amzn.to/3zg6tw7" target="_blank">Coleman camping cot</a>, which was worth every penny. Sleeping on the ground with a brand stuck in your back isn't very fun. We love our new set-up! We were seriously thinking about buying a small camper trailer, but we noticed that a lot of the primitive sites have electrical hook-ups and they're a lot cheaper too! With a comfortable bed and a <a href="https://amzn.to/3zfkrhW" target="_blank">12v fan</a> we've decided to save our money. Plus, with COVID, have you seen the prices of camper trailers lately?! We'll wait till the majority of folks realize they're not into camping, and perhaps buy a used camper trailer someday.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our "room" for the night ...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_spdFWs378cieml-ahgGA5Q5LtfRTI7pMonw10dujBXATeWepA_UiGkXXN9QTPLqG_39OFCq3bVxs7dJaiFtILeIFCxEM4pAu4b0UrYj0qwEWMB02GfLmrPrXMQ56nhW6MNZ5T_0F6YhB/s2560/20200719_070902_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_spdFWs378cieml-ahgGA5Q5LtfRTI7pMonw10dujBXATeWepA_UiGkXXN9QTPLqG_39OFCq3bVxs7dJaiFtILeIFCxEM4pAu4b0UrYj0qwEWMB02GfLmrPrXMQ56nhW6MNZ5T_0F6YhB/w640-h360/20200719_070902_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">With this view we didn't feel cramped. We loved waking up to the view of trees and sky .. it was really cool to feel so close to nature.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5pwTVsgIidk6M35kVmWvKHHv7vAfAaUJt_ywXUiaFyWL9HMaAcICArexoUm9s7UfD96IJBqmrHIOd6Yv7PlZ1H7g76fFmG237U4YmEm5VGdBKCGIkosjZOqV2elK993meOOPpiS_YkMkS/s2560/20200719_064056_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5pwTVsgIidk6M35kVmWvKHHv7vAfAaUJt_ywXUiaFyWL9HMaAcICArexoUm9s7UfD96IJBqmrHIOd6Yv7PlZ1H7g76fFmG237U4YmEm5VGdBKCGIkosjZOqV2elK993meOOPpiS_YkMkS/w640-h360/20200719_064056_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Notice our lantern and fan hanging from above ... we were comfortable!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYQ8FfEujPGjy-YQ-5Z_6LIId9ZzDjZuNhoxZAa8ZfxeVrzTGmT2-jbHBXf7zTH-6N7zrDOYiwOJXSINkymRriZxkoodjMtNNaVuCoJvh49dgf1o3hMAbM_eCo1IiA9xNpZRo-FQTtJMqz/s2560/20200719_064152_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYQ8FfEujPGjy-YQ-5Z_6LIId9ZzDjZuNhoxZAa8ZfxeVrzTGmT2-jbHBXf7zTH-6N7zrDOYiwOJXSINkymRriZxkoodjMtNNaVuCoJvh49dgf1o3hMAbM_eCo1IiA9xNpZRo-FQTtJMqz/w640-h360/20200719_064152_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The next morning, we packed up our gear to head towards Kansas. With a plan of camping in a different location every night until we hit Colorado, we were really happy with our choice of tent and pop-up mattress. Both were really quick & easy to put up and take down. While Ken drove the truck, I found a great place in Kansas for only $12 a night. We were able to grab a site on the lake. Check out our waterfront view in the first picture of this post. We were startin' to dig camping!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The next evening we arrived at the <a href="https://www.campingincoloradosprings.com/about-the-campground.html" target="_blank">Golden Eagle campground</a> in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This was the perfect location to settle in for a couple of nights and enjoy some of the nearby sights. We were getting close to our daughter's due date, so we wanted to be nearby without staying at their house. We figured we'd be intruding on their space long enough once our grand-daughter was born! We had another great view .. this time of Cheyenne Mountain. We googled it, thinking it was a tourist center. However, we were surprised to learn that the mountain is an <a href="https://www.visitcos.com/things-to-do/history-and-heritage/landmarks/cheyenne-mountain-colorado-springs-learn-about-cheyenne-mountain-norad/" target="_blank">underground combat operations center.</a> There's a lotta top secret stuff going on under that mountain .. really cool! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_y0iJ-PYgRH65c4CpuKIo5aec121qjYmVZW4aAteDdQe27J_Q2ra2LR1YC6k7oJAPeLjdhuZDimdcj2Djv4D4g0Dr5A0XTQ7j48cMH8gZOM9oVXsy0Pj-Dd3ybgPM5RDnaGwvWWytmJQ/s2560/20200720_185431_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_y0iJ-PYgRH65c4CpuKIo5aec121qjYmVZW4aAteDdQe27J_Q2ra2LR1YC6k7oJAPeLjdhuZDimdcj2Djv4D4g0Dr5A0XTQ7j48cMH8gZOM9oVXsy0Pj-Dd3ybgPM5RDnaGwvWWytmJQ/w640-h360/20200720_185431_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijq-iDX-K86tgE4dKZRpaq4_FNy2jskWg8y4tiq-p6KrUXfsXL1teAKWPzJL1q4sS5XGCeWf9JzN8BhgbZXlcDOaCVcFqAYRWPQvLWX6Jydht2keo7T-fMVfkqVujOuesu3ia0oVNsQkM7/s2560/20200721_193621_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijq-iDX-K86tgE4dKZRpaq4_FNy2jskWg8y4tiq-p6KrUXfsXL1teAKWPzJL1q4sS5XGCeWf9JzN8BhgbZXlcDOaCVcFqAYRWPQvLWX6Jydht2keo7T-fMVfkqVujOuesu3ia0oVNsQkM7/w640-h360/20200721_193621_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The first thing we wanted to do in Colorado Springs was visit <a href="https://www.gardenofgods.com/" target="_blank">Garden of the Gods</a>. Our kids recommended it, and it did not disappoint. After driving for two days, it was nice to walk around and stretch our legs. If you're in the area, we'd recommend this free park that's easy to walk.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCo-M9rtdeINWtZKRYzFgHi4Z86vsKI6E87OQl-hAx97Bz_DFNB1onJAc8LMk2z3UjqRvGsmu52WM9lsXxYxBe1PDVeo16K-352OF_wnihUDuUW-WYyGtNKKANhsQHu4oqjblm81nINy5c/s2560/20200721_094539_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCo-M9rtdeINWtZKRYzFgHi4Z86vsKI6E87OQl-hAx97Bz_DFNB1onJAc8LMk2z3UjqRvGsmu52WM9lsXxYxBe1PDVeo16K-352OF_wnihUDuUW-WYyGtNKKANhsQHu4oqjblm81nINy5c/w640-h360/20200721_094539_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMADxBqywF5XyDAbfk5xZOOQdOSVRMD0hxvBuG3fqgbnQ1aNlNWI4DB_Fh2v37dNBOdR-2HtxTPupvOeH3fxLev9rMLQcKrBG-NQoj988l4rYj4eGUncq4cFNquCBy7yiCuxvlH5OUApv/s2560/20200721_104202_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMADxBqywF5XyDAbfk5xZOOQdOSVRMD0hxvBuG3fqgbnQ1aNlNWI4DB_Fh2v37dNBOdR-2HtxTPupvOeH3fxLev9rMLQcKrBG-NQoj988l4rYj4eGUncq4cFNquCBy7yiCuxvlH5OUApv/w640-h360/20200721_104202_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Look close and you'll see people on top of both mountains!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSDrVchAk8Xxcr7x27QpPEwcW6H1qzAoJuGf0ZI35UxZtyPToCqB5L1LVCBQVFbP5sPu9FA2PZ1nRG_1GbiHd8FtVtskcTKPdRm5KPkzxB4U9bsCOcQqfLEXOLPREphySa5DccyKREH8L/s2560/20200721_104941_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSDrVchAk8Xxcr7x27QpPEwcW6H1qzAoJuGf0ZI35UxZtyPToCqB5L1LVCBQVFbP5sPu9FA2PZ1nRG_1GbiHd8FtVtskcTKPdRm5KPkzxB4U9bsCOcQqfLEXOLPREphySa5DccyKREH8L/w225-h400/20200721_104941_HDR.jpg" width="225" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChhWs98UxvOktlhmWMEdcTarF29AUGivxeolG_M0c8pyxSv_K-VpfvmNQFL3D9L2v6zoeXSOz4wGV3dHxki992AupMx0yFlmyeQcbd48kTrD_Gp7cD_UiHueplS2ykK4HaszCwUGqIP1_/s2137/20200721_105141_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2137" data-original-width="1352" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChhWs98UxvOktlhmWMEdcTarF29AUGivxeolG_M0c8pyxSv_K-VpfvmNQFL3D9L2v6zoeXSOz4wGV3dHxki992AupMx0yFlmyeQcbd48kTrD_Gp7cD_UiHueplS2ykK4HaszCwUGqIP1_/w253-h400/20200721_105141_HDR.jpg" width="253" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Later that day, our daughter thought she was going into labor and thought we should get even closer to her home in Fort Collins. So, we found a <a href="https://koa.com/campgrounds/fort-collins-lakeside/" target="_blank">KOA</a> actually located in Fort Collins. It wasn't the most scenic, but it was very clean, close to the interstate and just minutes from our daughter's house. We stayed there for two nights at $40/night .. pricey, but not bad for Ft. Collins! We then decided it was time to stay at our daughter's house, and we couldn't wait to see her, our son-in-law and grandson. With COVID, it had been a while since we'd seen them. We were cautious about our visit, but we thought our risks were low, the kids needed help, and we missed them terribly!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'll write a separate post about our kids, our new grand-daughter, and our explorations in Colorado with them. I think this is enough for now. I'll wrap this post up with pictures from our camping trip back to Louisiana. On our way back, we decided to go back to the campground in Kansas .. loved our view!</div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-w4gx46P6xFVeRKUKb3HK0xYmgezhS2HZq8KftOXG_UIWJTfY3INIGkXPLuYMBpKveZJ4sozqJ_1-q4HOfiAX7F0XAVm6eXRmJEu9sTRQpWicUc-YAom-7_HUIC9qLUCPDHjRMerACD4/s2422/20200816_194215_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1315" data-original-width="2422" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-w4gx46P6xFVeRKUKb3HK0xYmgezhS2HZq8KftOXG_UIWJTfY3INIGkXPLuYMBpKveZJ4sozqJ_1-q4HOfiAX7F0XAVm6eXRmJEu9sTRQpWicUc-YAom-7_HUIC9qLUCPDHjRMerACD4/w640-h348/20200816_194215_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We then stopped at a campground near the Buffalo River in Arkansas. We spent a couple of nights there, and enjoyed the days hiking and relaxing. It was a great way to end our camping trip.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewDRenrOrdH1eVtV3x1GzChir79G9j2kdJxpEkTNZmPyllhd3BuzFaIKnBbQucYMZwCZtVcl9Pls5qamr5usvND9qSdVqUQQEC6cm1KMW4we63kb6gTwTf1DKLkLn_hQlIkD2xegrxkt6/s2560/20200817_175009_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewDRenrOrdH1eVtV3x1GzChir79G9j2kdJxpEkTNZmPyllhd3BuzFaIKnBbQucYMZwCZtVcl9Pls5qamr5usvND9qSdVqUQQEC6cm1KMW4we63kb6gTwTf1DKLkLn_hQlIkD2xegrxkt6/w640-h360/20200817_175009_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1psS3OYsMwrcCa6gH62BoPGo9ebQPQS4jwMd6T9q-fcF9PC8K1Opq4OAgyPPF0Y_hji79ADKlZZ0qySjzZKOixvGgpwRB4pMhHRXi2-ccie5xK7jpn7a99zR4GMgcdcYGTS14NMDayp5/s2560/20200818_191538_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1psS3OYsMwrcCa6gH62BoPGo9ebQPQS4jwMd6T9q-fcF9PC8K1Opq4OAgyPPF0Y_hji79ADKlZZ0qySjzZKOixvGgpwRB4pMhHRXi2-ccie5xK7jpn7a99zR4GMgcdcYGTS14NMDayp5/w640-h360/20200818_191538_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtafFYX5QMZ9ZOCveMNaYQL-5Sv71uTGsvRv3MIxC_14skuM5KwvJ9c_NRW_zl_XyNRY5uH_1Op0EaqtHVtOrwgKO1QCXNvJhk0EEC_RVCWdsjtVPce-igu8G4aNVhtHodvXXsK4Fmtr5a/s2560/20200818_191611_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtafFYX5QMZ9ZOCveMNaYQL-5Sv71uTGsvRv3MIxC_14skuM5KwvJ9c_NRW_zl_XyNRY5uH_1Op0EaqtHVtOrwgKO1QCXNvJhk0EEC_RVCWdsjtVPce-igu8G4aNVhtHodvXXsK4Fmtr5a/w640-h360/20200818_191611_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We hiked to the top of a hill for this view of the Buffalo River .. beautiful!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOR92fgH2OnE2qycxnSZXFhaJvAi-dG3v7miix5LYxJk8_jFbk1_oO9ZXQG36W6RvI7n75txr4O6yKiyWXo3QUNjcJonOmgtonTVbrJ6MokMjnRJ0TPA1b4UqwjpCpgIbWGemA5QHn2KyG/s2110/20200818_100651_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="2110" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOR92fgH2OnE2qycxnSZXFhaJvAi-dG3v7miix5LYxJk8_jFbk1_oO9ZXQG36W6RvI7n75txr4O6yKiyWXo3QUNjcJonOmgtonTVbrJ6MokMjnRJ0TPA1b4UqwjpCpgIbWGemA5QHn2KyG/w640-h380/20200818_100651_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our first camping adventure was a blast, and we were relieved to learn that camping comfortably in July & August is possible! The 12v fan helped a lot, and when we camped in Colorado we had to go buy a blanket!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There was one thing that didn't go so well ... chiggers! Living in Louisiana, we didn't know much about these pesky critters and never needed to worry about them. Therefore, when we went hiking through a grassy, wooded area to see that beautiful view we had no idea that shorts and sandals were a dumb idea. We had gone hiking, then woke up the next day to start heading home. While packing our camping gear, Ken and I started itching a little bit. Ken had a few red bumps on him, but we didn't think too much of it. By the time we got home that night, we were both itching pretty bad and were both covered in red spots .. I mean covered! It was also Ken's birthday, and he now had a "gift" that kept giving! Short story .. it took about two weeks to be rid of those itchy bumps. Next time we'll wear jeans, shoes & socks!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Anyways, we hope to travel and camp in primitive areas more in the future. It's been just about one year to the day of this post since we left Colorado. Where has the year gone?! We've only been able to camp once since then ... about an hour away from home with a group of friends, which is also a lotta fun. It's been a busy year, and I have lots to catch up on. Look for several more posts soon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I thank each and every one of you that have stuck around and have read this. Please reach out here or on our Facebook page and let me know you're there! I know it's been a rough year and a half for all of us. Who would've thought we'd still be dealing with COVID?! I hope you all are doing well. Hang in there!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hasta luego .. until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div></div><p></p>Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-67420478000036851092020-12-11T07:30:00.005-06:002021-08-24T08:50:08.350-05:00Back in Louisiana .. After All, It is 2020!<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr5j1SK0xcquOIoFCJJ_-gyMTQsPjvLES65egQ_D2gKn9f_YUyxdjnGK400E2zb3YIAOjTM3mWuwA5hY7EbTr-ouPpimup7uVwiBgJ9MOywwSK3Me4fLZkghOKTigi0ME6Gvb5YzVQ_KF9/s2560/20200926_124256_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr5j1SK0xcquOIoFCJJ_-gyMTQsPjvLES65egQ_D2gKn9f_YUyxdjnGK400E2zb3YIAOjTM3mWuwA5hY7EbTr-ouPpimup7uVwiBgJ9MOywwSK3Me4fLZkghOKTigi0ME6Gvb5YzVQ_KF9/w640-h360/20200926_124256_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">From the Florida Panhandle to the Honey Island Swamp .. we're back in Louisiana! I took this photo from a friend's boat recently .. it sure does bring back memories of our high school years playing on the Pearl River!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It's been 8 months since I've written a post .. I'm sorry I'm such a slacker! Before I catch ya'll up with what's been going on in Louisiana, I wanted to share our time in Pensacola and everything in between before our trip back home.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ken and I absolutely loved Pensacola! After spending many years a few miles further East in Destin, we were surprised how much we preferred Pensacola. It's not near as congested or expensive, and the places to go boating are awesome! We didn't feel we were in a tourist trap, but instead in boater's paradise. We were finally living on Nirvana in beautiful water and on the ICW! With COVID in full swing in the Spring & Summer, we were grateful to be able to spend time in such a beautiful area with white sand beaches just minutes away. I think the outdoors was the only thing that kept us sane!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGoGyZhmbQbR29Cq07VZ861X9mr8CjsVfzeX7IAMdbfgakEOV1SVK8k8RB-DnfPmrcOPxWewbT1fcWc5L99aT9YODMetK8YRYdzbkNCMRpQafO9NY_jQ_EPEqtA0evYzTmTrJirKaMPuVI/s3264/image1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGoGyZhmbQbR29Cq07VZ861X9mr8CjsVfzeX7IAMdbfgakEOV1SVK8k8RB-DnfPmrcOPxWewbT1fcWc5L99aT9YODMetK8YRYdzbkNCMRpQafO9NY_jQ_EPEqtA0evYzTmTrJirKaMPuVI/w640-h480/image1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPEYxfM741NPlQhdcyGS3Sa-BJJ9Fm-JQdnwRahLIYWfn9xQs1E0ovPYrom5iL7lyYiRIwiomkoTHe4tcB3b8fcgja_lU4-fPTHNGkzdRdFbzRlN3DNONOdk_PhU6b9GI6UnsAbymjOT4/s2239/20200425_120227_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1332" data-original-width="2239" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPEYxfM741NPlQhdcyGS3Sa-BJJ9Fm-JQdnwRahLIYWfn9xQs1E0ovPYrom5iL7lyYiRIwiomkoTHe4tcB3b8fcgja_lU4-fPTHNGkzdRdFbzRlN3DNONOdk_PhU6b9GI6UnsAbymjOT4/w640-h376/20200425_120227_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfdFoneZYyyAiK8gGceZq0m32_8dtaQ1v3VRcgZcwXtKQazZCmuA-553Jf6xu_84mrE11ORKiGaILg6o9736FR4lP0x6_g9tIC29paqN448kPox_MoUx9OE3rkmkrFiol5xzWsFes5iY-Y/s2560/20200504_135237_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfdFoneZYyyAiK8gGceZq0m32_8dtaQ1v3VRcgZcwXtKQazZCmuA-553Jf6xu_84mrE11ORKiGaILg6o9736FR4lP0x6_g9tIC29paqN448kPox_MoUx9OE3rkmkrFiol5xzWsFes5iY-Y/w640-h360/20200504_135237_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We did a couple of nights at anchor, which were beautiful and such a great way to escape the happenings of the world ...</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8fjNWmQwxFOZsjQV4O3QRfti1sjkgqSXyAQGrV4LzGhqlLrqDpfkDTbsY0fZzhV7KL8MLmkE2G4RTvySYwx3XF-yqvdekJgH9dveN1Fbrc3bd4MN6HJZffmFisWx577G18H9DSDcOqVN/s3264/91ACDEA8-7C8C-467B-8E5A-87AE5FFBD722.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8fjNWmQwxFOZsjQV4O3QRfti1sjkgqSXyAQGrV4LzGhqlLrqDpfkDTbsY0fZzhV7KL8MLmkE2G4RTvySYwx3XF-yqvdekJgH9dveN1Fbrc3bd4MN6HJZffmFisWx577G18H9DSDcOqVN/w640-h480/91ACDEA8-7C8C-467B-8E5A-87AE5FFBD722.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We also inflated our kayak and explored the area .. our favorite paddle was across the ICW from the marina to a barrier island .. the Gulf of Mexico was just a short walk to the other side!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj46hPOApv42MnLqtzR329O0F1wqKQEAN72qZpsl7eprIRQXMvpniJShwaHRcpYhB64S9UCHe0XzD7ma_hntebcac9LDA9rVaqqYkKKodyFwKW0DnUHQlsByn55GOlaJmfiozcDPhbSyzaB/s2560/20200529_111634.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj46hPOApv42MnLqtzR329O0F1wqKQEAN72qZpsl7eprIRQXMvpniJShwaHRcpYhB64S9UCHe0XzD7ma_hntebcac9LDA9rVaqqYkKKodyFwKW0DnUHQlsByn55GOlaJmfiozcDPhbSyzaB/w640-h360/20200529_111634.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We never got tired of the beaches!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcHcXCMnylmllMCFfViJrw84ivu2FQevl1wpXI-t5imN9YM7XSaEWXHRzTixAyPpjxxG-C8pDgKutoexcZkhBVWhSpa-_BlXKe7LDzcE9jl-UCDKwNpVAepwmc3Gtxccs2AfpYnSVKItw/s2560/20200604_152756_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcHcXCMnylmllMCFfViJrw84ivu2FQevl1wpXI-t5imN9YM7XSaEWXHRzTixAyPpjxxG-C8pDgKutoexcZkhBVWhSpa-_BlXKe7LDzcE9jl-UCDKwNpVAepwmc3Gtxccs2AfpYnSVKItw/w640-h360/20200604_152756_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">What we did get tired of was the numerous storms that would cause us to lose sleep at night. Being on the ICW, any bad storm seemed severe. We'd never seen Nirvana rock so much, and a couple of times we had to sleep somewhere else! During one particular bad storm in May, we decided to escape to Alabama for some camping. We hadn't camped in forever, and with our long-time friends joining us .. we had a blast. Who knew Alabama had so many hills?!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiflws6_sAyKXX_gacPzEhxxXzVrkbr4RlcYuSoikHD7VL78avO89Du0Lj_TEZJoprYGRRD8fXEsI_wXborLC07V6cnN3uyXBmLy63KX5I_dnr_naBDW5HNJSbRHWufHeaPdcoGPugZhH12/s2560/20200607_073728_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiflws6_sAyKXX_gacPzEhxxXzVrkbr4RlcYuSoikHD7VL78avO89Du0Lj_TEZJoprYGRRD8fXEsI_wXborLC07V6cnN3uyXBmLy63KX5I_dnr_naBDW5HNJSbRHWufHeaPdcoGPugZhH12/w640-h360/20200607_073728_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5kQpRETMKaVnTTnySyXMCqc77HTUmIemo8F1-WhuwbbOyUNgq0NVMUBkOj207DcU9iFykKuqJtlUDg9VWWG_bOdTuLAPkvuu1f15omaOLRRg3baDSvtHXwe43hPZKWDzJmN2_sryRz_Wh/s2560/20200607_084415_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5kQpRETMKaVnTTnySyXMCqc77HTUmIemo8F1-WhuwbbOyUNgq0NVMUBkOj207DcU9iFykKuqJtlUDg9VWWG_bOdTuLAPkvuu1f15omaOLRRg3baDSvtHXwe43hPZKWDzJmN2_sryRz_Wh/w640-h360/20200607_084415_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSewr0wbM0d7PCV7LiHoHeGcXoYBvcxrCMsGzoxVrS2VVDyF-gC4viDA3YAvWmVIy16UwRY-tsYzs1N_Dtc6B_1CHgOkA7g6QdmJV3EjKxU2IhtTKJLuj1LqEpTM9275vQmSKPjCT5H9RW/s1024/imagejpeg_0%25289%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSewr0wbM0d7PCV7LiHoHeGcXoYBvcxrCMsGzoxVrS2VVDyF-gC4viDA3YAvWmVIy16UwRY-tsYzs1N_Dtc6B_1CHgOkA7g6QdmJV3EjKxU2IhtTKJLuj1LqEpTM9275vQmSKPjCT5H9RW/w640-h480/imagejpeg_0%25289%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After realizing how vulnerable Nirvana was on the ICW, we decided to sail her back to Louisiana for hurricane season. We struggled with this decision, as we loved Pensacola and hoped that after COVID, we could experience some of the things we weren't able to do due to the virus. Most of the bars were closed, and the live music that we loved was nowhere to be found. We knew we'd have some amazing experiences if we left Nirvana in Pensacola and held out for COVID to be over. But, we were headed to Colorado in mid-July for the birth of our grandchild and didn't feel comfortable leaving Nirvana so vulnerable with us being so far away. By the end of June, we grabbed a weather window and were headed back to Louisiana .. it was bittersweet. However, looking back .. we made the right decision. COVID is still going strong and even worse ... a hurricane hit Pensacola and the marina we stayed out was totally destroyed. Nirvana would have perished! Several of the friends we made there lost everything. Again, we are grateful.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Knowing we'd be leaving Nirvana for at least a month while enjoying our family and the mountains, we treasured every minute of our journey back to Louisiana. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Just as on the way to Florida, we stopped at Lulu's .. always a fun place (and we were impressed by their social distancing).</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5PeU-YgEaPao7EdU80Fv9Rsf5gGvOLGQ54lKxFszjQqCaENzFo6tWdt2fiVWdrry-iPRb6wfVDCgNQyHOYeBVJblh3zPwOUdLnrA1DLmQo_c0BePRBoy4dhSxbqnV0aI5r-h3ojDAtDVJ/s2560/20200615_173400_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5PeU-YgEaPao7EdU80Fv9Rsf5gGvOLGQ54lKxFszjQqCaENzFo6tWdt2fiVWdrry-iPRb6wfVDCgNQyHOYeBVJblh3zPwOUdLnrA1DLmQo_c0BePRBoy4dhSxbqnV0aI5r-h3ojDAtDVJ/w640-h360/20200615_173400_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinwbOfu5UYAshYpMtoSrb2cAYFVr69WRFRYWQOtGPIHBNUtny-pkjgWhrtECmT5FPTfeCWiNaeM7Gjn76Fq9R88hqY3i3_vWIXz5_rfDDOoT7Sic5ag8xqMb9qznL03FVrOMeAyR7Q9soX/s2560/20200615_121033_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinwbOfu5UYAshYpMtoSrb2cAYFVr69WRFRYWQOtGPIHBNUtny-pkjgWhrtECmT5FPTfeCWiNaeM7Gjn76Fq9R88hqY3i3_vWIXz5_rfDDOoT7Sic5ag8xqMb9qznL03FVrOMeAyR7Q9soX/w640-h360/20200615_121033_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We anchored overnight at Petit Bois barrier island in Mississippi .. the same place we anchored when headed to Florida. We had a little more anchoring experience by this point, and we had a gorgeous evening at anchor! I swear, when at anchor all the problems and stress of the world just melt away!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngShJvDi5P1J5OmoVPoTy8HZ0o8L8rLZZBzuMJJpzviR3H53FtGtdGxWC00csqqm-FbyIDeoKxP1NV9dkEatZBgdeFSohNv3xW3DgQ3tzpaKkT1fIy_CShSdO880e2C0e-kaYmJUM2X6S/s3264/image1%25281%2529.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngShJvDi5P1J5OmoVPoTy8HZ0o8L8rLZZBzuMJJpzviR3H53FtGtdGxWC00csqqm-FbyIDeoKxP1NV9dkEatZBgdeFSohNv3xW3DgQ3tzpaKkT1fIy_CShSdO880e2C0e-kaYmJUM2X6S/w640-h480/image1%25281%2529.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivqN4155WJTUwmCUDqh3PQSwXqAbal_yNcPAU4Nb9seXGxHNcKg8APXHx2MYiDECBhc8XyhlbNy8WIhJcB4d0qXbPFprYBoA-aja8xDK0vOUZHhN7ZCUVNCrabQ1qDdbgimSynwSOGOBd7/s3264/image2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivqN4155WJTUwmCUDqh3PQSwXqAbal_yNcPAU4Nb9seXGxHNcKg8APXHx2MYiDECBhc8XyhlbNy8WIhJcB4d0qXbPFprYBoA-aja8xDK0vOUZHhN7ZCUVNCrabQ1qDdbgimSynwSOGOBd7/w640-h480/image2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2oo6MKWJH5yV9v0a_O2wUnPhqyvI0sm4Psytmv_fAxCriniC1CQZ2XmE3LRt4wDwWCQ439_uSlrWovYTF5B48eHgM8rGtZIr3-soD6gxwewigvAcFROY_I7rLseGZh3IbV0Ppimavf8Q/s3264/image2%25281%2529.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2oo6MKWJH5yV9v0a_O2wUnPhqyvI0sm4Psytmv_fAxCriniC1CQZ2XmE3LRt4wDwWCQ439_uSlrWovYTF5B48eHgM8rGtZIr3-soD6gxwewigvAcFROY_I7rLseGZh3IbV0Ppimavf8Q/w640-h480/image2%25281%2529.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Another night at Gulfport Marina and then we were home. As I took the photo below of the sunrise for our last day of our passage, I wondered when I'd see another sunrise from the water. It's so beautiful!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-CcghmapIGp74LoBQ78EjALErH616XNz9ME6DPdiByrKwSOA97AbCGLt2m14J_Osff187XntMS6q72rbv5lLC_pLxlnsXfXHWXqsr9Cx9_0dOpX3MvjAYHvB7oJyp7jEZeiSTSYvPmyBr/s3264/image1%25282%2529.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-CcghmapIGp74LoBQ78EjALErH616XNz9ME6DPdiByrKwSOA97AbCGLt2m14J_Osff187XntMS6q72rbv5lLC_pLxlnsXfXHWXqsr9Cx9_0dOpX3MvjAYHvB7oJyp7jEZeiSTSYvPmyBr/w640-h480/image1%25282%2529.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We arrived in Louisiana in the early afternoon and had no problems with our passage to Florida or back. We only got caught in one light rain storm, and luckily never got scared out of our minds! After all the years of prepping, we realized sailing to Pensacola (or most likely motoring) is not near as intimidating as we'd thought. We should have done this a long time ago!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now here comes the crazy part .. we put Nirvana up for sale and she sold almost immediately! I know it seems crazy after all of the hard work and time we've put into her, but it was best for us at this time. You see, we try to be realistic with our future and some things occurred that gave us a wake-up call. We had COVID destroying our dreams of sailing to the Bahamas in Winter 2019 (we know folks that had terrible experiences due to lockdowns), and we had not one, not two, but three of our rentals become vacant since we left Louisiana in November, 2019. When we received the third notice of vacancy in May, we knew we had some thinking to do. It was a difficult decision, but when an offer was accepted with a purchase date before we left for Colorado .. we took it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Again, while our dreams have changed we feel grateful. We were fortunate to have a quick sale, and even better .. we sold it just two days after moving into one of our vacant houses! The timing was perfect, as we were able to unload our belongings from the boat to the house and then get settled just long enough to head to Colorado.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I know some folks will say we bailed .. or failed, but after over 3 years of living on Nirvana and so many experiences .. sailing to Mexico with a friend, buying (and selling) a house in Puerto Rico, helping our daughter & her family move to Colorado, exploring California while doing an emergency stint for 3 months as insurance adjusters for the wildfires .. and so many other things, we don't have any regrets. We lived! We tried different things, and we made adjustments for our situation. Sometimes dreams don't go quite as planned, but the experiences along the way can't be ignored. The memories that we created couldn't have happened if we weren't living on a boat at the time. So, I know some folks will be disappointed, but believe me .. the adventures are not over! I have a passion for travel and do not plan on stopping!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Again, looking back I sometimes think the universe guides us if we listen. Nirvana would be under water at a blown away marina in Pensacola if we'd have kept her there. Also, the Bahamas would have been blown off again this November//December due to COVID and possible lockdowns again. We respect the virus and we practice social distancing, so we wouldn't wanna go for the first time with not much socializing on our part. Finally, the house we're now living in was built by us about 4-5 years ago with the intention of moving into it someday. It's a cute little 2 bedroom, 1 bath cottage that we designed and love! (Picture below is just after we built it). When our tenant gave his notice in May, we felt like it was the final push in our decision to sell Nirvana. We had an excellent tenant and didn't want to risk a bad tenant trashing the place .. it just felt like the right time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlyBkyrhNoJIi-iGj8jilzN2Gy-ubYH3zZj6tNQeqLjOsbHaNjHSmU_O28xvCM5X2-Ommy_uA0hDPsp4I2qlnNe86iqbD9lkMfWoieIlu3o3oZnKuP-pp4dudwkGnggm2KMt4QbMgKA2cn/s2592/IMG_20160711_143557748_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1456" data-original-width="2592" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlyBkyrhNoJIi-iGj8jilzN2Gy-ubYH3zZj6tNQeqLjOsbHaNjHSmU_O28xvCM5X2-Ommy_uA0hDPsp4I2qlnNe86iqbD9lkMfWoieIlu3o3oZnKuP-pp4dudwkGnggm2KMt4QbMgKA2cn/w640-h360/IMG_20160711_143557748_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So, after selling the boat we grabbed our tent and drove towards Colorado. We camped along the way (blog post to come), and then spent a couple of weeks visiting our "kids" and helping them with our grandson during the birth of our granddaughter. We were so happy to be able to spend such precious time with our family! It was also nice not to have to worry about our sailboat while so far away. It seems that every couple of weeks Louisiana is in the "cone of uncertainty"! If we'd have still had Nirvana, we would've never been able to truly relax.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Once we got back to Louisiana, we got busy making our house our home. We built a covered patio in the back of the house, and I've been enjoying getting back to gardening and planting flowers. I'm not gonna lie .. I love having a hot shower, a full kitchen, and a laundry room! I've really gotten into cooking too! I used to hate to cook, but after cooking on a boat for a few years and buying an Instant Pot .. piece of cake! Our home is cozy for Christmas and while we definitely miss the boating life, we're where we want to be right now. We're just minutes from Lake Pontchartrain, we're near our ole friends (COVID go away!), and we hope to buy a small power boat this Summer for boating and fishing. We've already been out on our friend's boat a few times, and we've even gone crabbing! How lucky are we to drive 5 minutes, park our car, and drop some nets into the bayou?!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I hope ya'll stick around. I have more posts to write about our camping trip to Colorado and back, and more travels are in our future after COVID. We plan on building another house to replace the rental we moved into, as well as a couple more every now and then for income. We don't want to go back to the 40 hour work week! Freedom is something we're determined to hold on to.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you're dreaming of sailing away on a boat, don't give up! We loved our time on the boat, and our experiences during that time are priceless. I'll write more about my thoughts in another post, as this is enough for now. Keep workin' towards whatever you dream .. and adjust the sails as needed!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hasta luego .. until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div><p></p>Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-83839336370909281142020-04-20T07:30:00.000-05:002020-04-20T07:30:07.186-05:00Cruising With Corona Virus?!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Like always, a lot has happened since our last post in January .. A LOT! Who knew that when we were celebrating the start of year 2020 .. a worldwide pandemic was brewing! Before I share my thoughts on that, let me back up a bit. As mentioned in a previous post, we moved into one of our vacant rentals in Louisiana in December to fix it up & try to find a good tenant. We also had another rental about to become vacant, and long story short .. both rentals are now occupied. We moved back on “Nirvana” on March 17th in Pensacola, Florida. While in Louisiana, we enjoyed our time there and made a few visits to “Nirvana”. </div>
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In January, we were celebrating with the College National Champions on their campus at LSU. Our daughter graduated at LSU, so we wanted to attend the parade and festivities. There was a huge crowd of fans, and we really enjoyed seeing the players ride by on the floats as the marching band played. The crowds cheered and there was so much positive energy! My how things have changed since then! I wonder when the world will be able to celebrate in such a fashion again.</div>
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While on our way back to the boat in January, we stopped at the Bay St. Louis “Mac & Cheese Chili Cook-Off”. For $10 bucks, we ate all the samples we could stomach .. with two free beers. It was so good & really fun, but we felt like we were gonna explode when we left!</div>
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By this time, the Mardi Gras parades were in full swing and we went to quite a few of them. We usually go to the French Quarter on Mardi Gras day, but we didn’t go this time because we had two appointments to show the rental we were living in. Looking back, it was a good decision. One of those showings turned into signing a lease, and unbeknownst to us .. the virus was spreading in New Orleans! </div>
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On another visit to Pensacola, we attended the “Bloody Mary Festival” on the boardwalk. We don’t care much for Bloody Mary’s, but we enjoyed the scenery and live music. </div>
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In early March, we were aware of the virus but didn’t realize the severity of it at the time. We celebrated St. Patrick’s Day (the week before the holiday) with friends at a parade in our hometown of Slidell. Today, Slidell has the most cases of the virus in the parish! Luckily, we don’t know anyone that has gotten sick.</div>
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Shortly after the parade, we were getting prepared to turn over our rental and head back to “Nirvana” for good. Our other rental was rented on March 1st and we had nothing holding us back .. or so we thought! As we drove to our boat after turning over our rental, the seriousness of the virus was starting to sink in. The Mississippi beaches had just closed, as were many other places throughout the country. We stopped at one of the beaches on our way to Florida, and while beautiful & peaceful .. it was surreal to see it so empty!</div>
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We returned to Florida and were excited that winter was over, our rentals were occupied, and we were “home”! However, we were beginning to realize that our plans of enjoying the Florida Panhandle’s beaches, festivals, live music, and “ happy hours” may not come to fruition. Even more, our thoughts of possibly sailing to the Florida Keys in April seemed unlikely.</div>
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Before we knew it, the nation was in full lockdown and our lives (and everyone’s lives) were changed. We now wash our hands constantly, are aware of everything we touch, and reluctantly go to the grocery store & laundromat when it’s necessary. We leave our non-perishable groceries to sit in our cockpit, and in the sun, for several hours before bringing them into the boat. We call our family often to make sure they’re doing the same. These times make us even more aware of how precious they all are. Thank goodness for “FaceTime” and photos sent by phone! We sure do miss this lil dude and their parents!</div>
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We’ve been taking this virus seriously, and making sure we practice “social distancing”. It sucks when there are so many nice folks here at the marina, but we can’t get to know them better. The days of cocktails shared on our boat (or theirs) are gone in fear of the virus. We probably appear “weird” and/or “anti-social” to those nearby that aren’t practicing social distancing. Yeah, it sucks to be the outsider, but we wanna remain healthy so “weird” we are.</div>
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The marina has a great place for parties .. someday!</div>
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Even though we’re on lockdown, we still find a lot of ways to pass the time. The first couple of weeks were spent cleaning every nook & cranny of Nirvana’s interior. After almost 4 months of sitting in cold, damp weather ... she needed it! Since then, we’ve been taking scenic drives and lots of walks. There’s a beautiful little subdivision next to the marina that we love to walk through. It has winding roads adorned with oak trees & beautiful homes surrounded by white picket fences and flowers. Smelling the flowers & watching people work in their yards brings a sense of normalcy for a little while.</div>
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We’ve also found some waterfront parks to walk around for a change of scenery. Pensacola is a lot bigger than we realized, with so many pretty areas to explore!</div>
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When we’re at the marina, there’s always lots of activity ... there’s dolphin, paddle boards, kayaks & boats of all sizes on the ICW, people fishing, and even a free air show by the “Blue Angels” every Tuesday-Friday morning! Around 11:30 on those mornings, we are treated to about 30 minutes of practice by these cool Navy jets. They perform tricks & literally fly right over our boat! I’m working on a little video of their show, so watch for that in the near future.</div>
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I’m really good at killing time, so I fill the remaining hours with yoga & strength training workouts, calling friends & family, cooking (more than ever thanks to pandemic) & washing dishes. Let me tell ya .. cooking & washing dishes on our small sailboat takes a long time, and I seem to always be washing something! Another thing that takes longer to wash .. ourselves! The marina doesn’t have showers, so we’re taking showers in our cockpit. It’s really not bad, and there’s something about it that’s kinda freeing. If we were at an anchorage with privacy & the ability to jump in the water, it’d be great! </div>
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I even started taking free ukulele lessons online by “Fender”. I’m just getting started, and unfortunately those 3 years of childhood guitar lessons have been no help. I’ve forgotten everything!</div>
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Another thing I haven’t done since I was a child .. color in a coloring book! Our daughter gave me a coloring book with colored pencils for Christmas a few years ago, and I finished my first masterpiece this past Friday. It’s more detailed coloring, but it was fun and I’m ready to start another one soon.</div>
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As the day comes to an end, we often sit in our cockpit to watch the sunset while listening to music and drinking a couple of beers. </div>
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I swear, I sometimes feel guilty that I’m able to kill so much time not doing much of anything. I still have a book to read, friends to call & movies to watch. I wanna get a fishing pole & fish off the marina’s dock. We have a kayak ready to be inflated, and anchorages to explore with “Nirvana”. I haven’t picked up the ukulele in over a week, and it took me over a month of being on the boat to write this post! </div>
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Our mornings are lazy, with coffee and watching the news on tv. The news is sobering, and we probably shouldn’t watch so much of it every morning & night. There are so many folks suffering, and we are truly living in unprecedented times. By the time I finish coffee, do my workouts, get cleaned up, watch the “Blue Angels” on most days, eat lunch, wash dishes, call family, check Facebook (more than I should throughout the day), take a walk or drive, hang out in the cockpit, cook dinner, eat, wash dishes ... the day’s over!</div>
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This past weekend, we decided to visit downtown Pensacola and support a local distillery by purchasing their homemade hand sanitizer and a Bushwacker .. so good! Love the guy’s t-shirt .. we’re doing our part!</div>
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We then supported a local brewery by purchasing a couple of beers. We drove to a nearby park and drank them while watching folks picnicking & walking around .. while keeping their distance. Ken likes the IPA’s and I like the dark coffee stouts!</div>
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It felt good to walk around downtown & see others walking around and buying beer, pizza, ice cream & stuff “to go”. While the streets were sparse, there were enough people around to make things feel almost normal. Businesses were making money .. and people were spending! It gave us hope that things will get better soon.</div>
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We sometimes get anxious during this pandemic, and we feel lucky to be “stuck” in such a beautiful area. Stepping outside .. or just out into our cockpit, helps us relax. I’ve always said that getting outside & in touch with nature is great medicine, and it sure does help to be living on the water. We’ve been kinda frozen mentally with taking “Nirvana” out. This pandemic just seems so surreal & we’ve been trying to wrap our heads around it. I think we’ll be taking her out soon . and inflating that kayak too! </div>
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Our cozy lil cabin inside ain’t so bad either! We’ve been keeping the bed set up in the salon .. perfect for lounging and television.</div>
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I hope all of you reading this post are doing well. Our hearts go out to all of those suffering from this virus ... there are so many. They’re dealing with illness, death, financial hardship, isolation, loneliness .. it’s just so sad. We’re doing okay, so we’re thankful. We hope you’re doing okay too .. and remember to wash your hands!</div>
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Hasta luego .. until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div>
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<br />Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-69873604601507642942020-01-21T07:30:00.000-06:002020-01-21T07:30:11.955-06:002019 - Year in Review!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Making friends in Puerto Rico!</div>
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It's that time again .. a look back at the past year. Damn, it goes fast! So much happened in 2019 ... as with every year that passes by us. We <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2019/02/2018-year-in-review.html" target="_blank">wrapped up 2018</a> in Puerto Rico, and spent the month of January, 2019 there as well. Ken & I fell in love with Puerto Rico ... the beautiful beaches, the lush rain forest, and the amazing people. We knew we'd be back!</div>
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We returned home just in time to celebrate our grandson's first birthday with our family in February .. he's so cute, and growing was too fast!</div>
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February was also Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and we always take part in the fun!</div>
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By the end of March, we were back in Puerto Rico ... <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2019/05/our-piece-of-paradise.html" target="_blank">buying a beach house</a>! </div>
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Our beach house needed a lot of work, and for 3 months we worked our butts off getting it ready to rent on Air Bnb.</div>
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While we made many new friends in Puerto Rico (and now have open invitations to return), we sold our investment property after just a few months. It was a difficult decision, but our investment turned out to be more than we anticipated, so we cut our losses and moved on. Our plans didn't turn out as we'd hoped, but we have no regrets. Living in Puerto Rico for a few months was a great experience! One of these days I hope to write about the fun times and beautiful places we visited. Until then, you can read more about why we sold our house and see the work we did on it <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2019/07/a-love-lost.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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We recovered from our disappointment by celebrating the 4th of July with family in Destin, Florida!</div>
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We then settled back on Nirvana and began more projects.</div>
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We finally got the sails back on Nirvana and got her back on the water!</div>
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In August, we were headed off again! This time, we were headed to Colorado to help our daughter, son-in-law & grandson move. We helped them load up a U-Haul and followed them in their vehicle for a two day road trip. We hated to see our kids leave Louisiana, but were excited for them. They wanted to live near the mountains, and they settled in a beautiful town just North of Denver and near Rocky Mountain Park. At least we'll have a great place to go when we visit them! </div>
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When we got back home we took a boat trip to nearby Mandeville and stayed overnight. It was so good to be back on the water and using our sails!</div>
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In October, we were back in Colorado to have fun with our kids and family. The last visit was mostly work and we wanted to check out more of the many breweries and sights nearby. We can see why our kids love Colorado .. it's beautiful!</div>
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Once back home on Nirvana, we finished up some more boat projects. One of the projects was to add solar panels ... we're now able to anchor without worrying about draining our batteries!</div>
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On November 18th (and two days before the 10th anniversary of buying "Nirvana"), Ken and I finally left the dock! We took Nirvana into the Mississippi Sound for new adventures. We'd been working towards this day for so long .. it seemed so surreal! We had a great time <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2020/01/nirvana-is-in-florida-finally.html" target="_blank">heading towards Pensacola, Florida</a> and wondered why this passage had been so intimidating. We had great weather, which makes all the difference. </div>
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With a few <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2020/01/nirvana-is-in-florida-finally.html" target="_blank">unexpected setbacks</a> and cold weather on our backs, we decided to dock Nirvana in Pensacola for the Winter. The Florida Panhandle has so many beautiful areas to explore when the weather is warmer! </div>
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With Nirvana secured, we rented a car and took the 3-hour drive back home to visit family for Thanksgiving. Before we knew it, we were flying to Colorado to spend Christmas with our daughter, son-in-law, and grandson. We enjoyed a "White Christmas", which is rare for us southerners!</div>
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We're now back in Louisiana, living in one of our vacant rentals while fixing it and waiting for another rental to become vacant. We're splitting our time between our "condo" in Pensacola and our rental in Louisiana, which isn't a bad way to get through Winter. There's always something going on in New Orleans, and the beaches in Pensacola are beautiful!</div>
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For the <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/search/label/YearlyReview" target="_blank">past 10 years</a>, I've been writing an annual review. When I take the time to reflect over the past year, I'm always surprised at how much we've done .. and how many unforeseen experiences we had. While things don't always turn out as we'd hoped, we look back and agree ... life is good!</div>
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Hasta luego .. until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div>
Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-7005291431087810232020-01-08T07:00:00.000-06:002020-01-20T15:18:51.234-06:00Nirvana Is In Florida .. FINALLY!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After reviewing our blog, I realized that my last post was about <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2019/11/weve-got-solar.html" target="_blank">our solar panel project</a>. Since then, we actually left the dock in Louisiana! Leaving the dock wasn't easy, and realizing that our teak bowsprit was rotten just days before leaving didn't help! We were determined to not let this setback stop us from leaving, and with the help of a friend a new bowsprit was built and installed within a week! The new bowsprit was made by gluing pieces of Mahogany and Ipe wood together and then varnishing. Actually, it wasn't near as easy as it sounds, but that's the basics of it. We are so thankful for our friend's help. Without him, we may have been set back for many more weeks .. thanks Martin! </div>
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After finishing the bowsprit, we needed to install our new Mantus anchor .. it's a beast!</div>
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After installing the anchor, we tackled a lot of last minute projects. There were so many things that needed to be done at the last minute, like storing our truck at my Dad's place, filling up the jerry cans, hauling our dinghy from storage & getting it inflated and placed on the bow, filling up our boat with groceries, and all sorts of random things. We were exhausted the night before we left, and our heads didn't hit the pillow till around 11pm that night. We didn't even have time to hang out with our dock friends for a farewell drink! But, we were already leaving a few weeks later than anticipated and we weren't pushing back our departure date for even one more day. So, our dock friends watched while they drank for us! </div>
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We got everything done and were up at sunrise the next morning and ready to go.</div>
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On November 18th, we finally left the dock and headed East! It was a beautiful day, and it felt so good to FINALLY be headed somewhere new. We'd been waiting for this day a long time! It's weird, because I always planned about writing about the days leading up to this experience, but we were so busy making it happen that I just didn't have the time. Let me just say ... it was so surreal to actually leave the dock, and so exhilarating! Here's a quick video taken just minutes after leaving the dock ...</div>
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We went through the Rigolets bridge, and then began our journey into unfamiliar territory. We entered the Mississippi Sound and stayed in Gulfport, MS the first night. Our first day was fun, with calm seas and blue skies! </div>
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On the second day, we motored to an anchorage in Pascagoula, and on the 3rd day (my birthday) we awoke to a beautiful sunrise and enjoyed the company of dolphin while drinking coffee in our cockpit. I couldn't capture the dolphin, but there were a lot! It was so peaceful, and I couldn't think of a better way to start my birthday!</div>
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After we pulled up the anchor, we passed Dauphin Island and crossed Mobile Bay, which was like glass. We had a perfect day, being often escorted by dolphin and as an added bonus ... the "Blue Angels" were practicing overhead! Ken said he ordered them for my birthday .. LOL! That afternoon, we pulled into Lulu's alongside the ICW to celebrate my 53rd birthday, and the fact that we were now in Alabama .. and exactly 10 years ago we bought Nirvana! It was a birthday that will never be forgotten! The first photo below is just after crossing Mobile Bay and entering the canal of the ICW.</div>
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The following day, a water pump that we ordered the day before arrived (already dealing with the unexpected) and Ken was able to replace it without any problems. Luckily, the guy working at the marina gave us a ride to the hardware store and to Wal-Mart .. yes, the boating community is great! After two nights at Lulu's "Homeport Marina", we were on our way to Pensacola.</div>
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The passage from Lulu's to Pensacola was pretty interesting. It started down the ICW canal, which had a busy highway to our starboard side for a while. The highway was later replaced with beautiful homes along the way, and the area looked very similar to the canals back home. We then entered an area of really cool sand dunes. Once again, we were escorted by dolphin and treated to another "Blue Angels" show! I tried to capture this on my cheap phone, but just couldn't.</div>
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When passing the sand dunes, it was a pretty narrow passage. We were glad to have our chart plotter to stay on course! BTW, our "chart plotter" was an app (Aqua Map) on our iPad, and I'll be writing a post dedicated to it soon because it was so cheap and so easy. I swear, it's so much better than our expensive Lowrance and we love it! Below is a pic of it taken just after leaving Lulu's ...</div>
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After running for weeks, we were exhausted when we finally arrived in Pensacola mid-day. We decided to get some rest and dock near Pensacola Beach for a few days. The location was just what we needed! The beach was a short walk away, as well as "Happy Hour" and beautiful sunsets from our cockpit. See that sailboat on the outside dock facing the trawler? That's Nirvana! The very first photo in this post was taken from Nirvana one evening .. we loved the view!</div>
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After a few days of exploring the Pensacola Beach area, we moved our boat to a marina along the ICW in Pensacola for the holidays.</div>
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You see, we got a late start leaving Louisiana and we didn't beat the cold. Add to that the fact that not only one .. but two of our tenants gave their notice that they were vacating our rentals! For us, it made sense to stay nearby to repair and rent our rentals ourselves instead of paying a small fortune for someone else to do it for us. As much as we want to continue our sailing journey, we don't wanna freeze and we don't want it to cost us thousands of extra dollars when we're on a small budget!</div>
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So, we decided to rent a car and take the 3 hour drive back home to visit with family for Thanksgiving. Our daughter and her family were also in town from Colorado! Since Thanksgiving, we got our truck back from my Dad's place and we've been spending time between one of our vacant rentals and our boat in Pensacola. Luckily, our rental has a washer, dryer and refrigerator and the house doesn't require many repairs. We're once again sleeping on an air mattress, which brings back memories of <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2019/07/a-love-lost.html" target="_blank">our time in Puerto Rico</a>! </div>
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It's been pretty nice having a "condo" in Pensacola and a house in Louisiana to go back & forth to. In Orange Beach, we went to a fun Christmas parade that threw tons of candy. I liked the candy much better than the beads we get in New Orleans! We've also enjoyed the Christmas lights in downtown Pensacola and Perdido Key, as well as our traditional visit to New Orleans for drinks and tours of some of the well known hotels that are decorated for Christmas. The first photo is the famous Roosevelt Hotel lobby ..</div>
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and Fulton Street always has a huge tree and gingerbread display!</div>
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This year was our first visit to the Ritz Carlton to see their Christmas display. Their lobby was also beautiful, and they also had a gingerbread display creation of their own!</div>
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The best surprise at the Ritz .. free gumbo! It was really good too!</div>
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While waiting for warmer weather and our rental to be vacated, we decided to fly to Colorado for Christmas to see our "kids"! We enjoyed a beautiful "White Christmas" and I cried when they dropped us off at the airport. Our lil man will be two years old in less than a month!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-0yD-LMpszFKdXYTSbhBMNYiJ3LJ_YtXHjz4IfF-qPBx9fhykLkUkQYfydu3u2NGlFfsDxtFwOa1SBSSECQlZwYbJGqVtIPfEZEqmjVfshzoV19hf7rDx_YRLTtYhccya7UC0sjdlnvJ/s1600/imagejpeg_0%252811%2529-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="576" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-0yD-LMpszFKdXYTSbhBMNYiJ3LJ_YtXHjz4IfF-qPBx9fhykLkUkQYfydu3u2NGlFfsDxtFwOa1SBSSECQlZwYbJGqVtIPfEZEqmjVfshzoV19hf7rDx_YRLTtYhccya7UC0sjdlnvJ/s400/imagejpeg_0%252811%2529-2.jpg" width="296" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGq9MewmkwhhVAMx-yKH9j139HMUI4-uQ7tDJIa0SkkWkgqqJiJ43rFHbSHTRCfBo7-YBdB_uuQZwb2CeePPLTTw7cptba5ZYAP5SKBZJWL2aB8md_MRb8gKSBWVRuA4Mh93KHnvwApXU2/s1600/20191224_154204_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGq9MewmkwhhVAMx-yKH9j139HMUI4-uQ7tDJIa0SkkWkgqqJiJ43rFHbSHTRCfBo7-YBdB_uuQZwb2CeePPLTTw7cptba5ZYAP5SKBZJWL2aB8md_MRb8gKSBWVRuA4Mh93KHnvwApXU2/s400/20191224_154204_HDR.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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We arrived back in Louisiana just in time to celebrate New Year's Eve with friends. Our other rental will be vacant soon, and we're hoping it's not in too bad of shape. The bad thing is that our currently vacant rental hasn't rented yet, but the good thing is that we have a comfortable place to stay during the Winter and while working on our other rental. When life gives us lemons, we make lemonade!</div>
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Ken's also picked up a few jobs while in Louisiana .. may as well make money while he can! We'll continue to make the best of our situation and enjoy both Louisiana & Florida. The views from our cockpit in Pensacola are pretty awesome and the sunsets are gorgeous .. I'll get a picture one of these times. Being next to the ICW, we often see dolphin too .. so rare in Louisiana! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsKnw0nYPEOKTJpkXQjtr6e62STGr7HGJS30cdLASNDhVFVRZA5iwmQ6dwnQDON4u8awnUWvWxKp8g9vGB26DgbIq5e6eV9LU1nX-5xzTbqQv2cRgPlYpoQ39D_7coeiomPa365866VxZ6/s1600/20191205_095324_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsKnw0nYPEOKTJpkXQjtr6e62STGr7HGJS30cdLASNDhVFVRZA5iwmQ6dwnQDON4u8awnUWvWxKp8g9vGB26DgbIq5e6eV9LU1nX-5xzTbqQv2cRgPlYpoQ39D_7coeiomPa365866VxZ6/s640/20191205_095324_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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So what's our plans when the weather gets warmer in the Spring? We're not exactly sure. Since our rentals will always need to be dealt with (and a property manager would suck up our budget), we may decide to continue to stay closer to home. There's a ton of exploring to do in the Florida Panhandle, as well as in between there and Louisiana. We'll get it figured out!</div>
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Hasta luego .. until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div>
Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-76595121343948882722019-11-07T07:00:00.000-06:002020-01-20T14:39:42.983-06:00We've Got Solar!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0UPabXhzMNwkP15eVLhNRFzjJbDgghDKw8bA6N8Gtx_crIcnosea3C1xwkBNCfGvoE4mNJ0b-tRCr1U4rLuM-pdI4Zk_EqMFCBjM9Q9rNSngc_PW8s-3KeS8KGs1UQwSf3u_sfRTQTHPT/s1600/20191024_115841_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0UPabXhzMNwkP15eVLhNRFzjJbDgghDKw8bA6N8Gtx_crIcnosea3C1xwkBNCfGvoE4mNJ0b-tRCr1U4rLuM-pdI4Zk_EqMFCBjM9Q9rNSngc_PW8s-3KeS8KGs1UQwSf3u_sfRTQTHPT/s640/20191024_115841_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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As some of you may know, last year we tackled the task of installing <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/10/new-battery-system-for-living-off-grid.html" target="_blank">a new battery bank</a> of 315 amps on our small boat. With plans of anchoring a lot in the future, we needed a way to keep our batteries topped off, and solar panels seemed to be the logical choice.</div>
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Since our boat is only 30 feet, we don't have a lot of space for solar panels. We thought of adding rigid panels on either side of our cockpit, but this would require adding stainless tubing along the sides of our boat (where the lifelines are) and the hardware to attach the panels to the tubing. Being short on time & money, we decided to go with something simple .. semi-flexible panels on our Sunbrella bimini, Semi-flexible panels have improved, and have come down in price quite a bit.</div>
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After a lot of research on semi-flexible panels, we decided to go with two Renogy 100-watt semi-flexible panels. <a href="http://www.renogy.com/?afmc=MidLifeCruising" target="_blank">Renogy</a>* has a great reputation, they provide a 5 year material/workmanship warranty & 25 year power output warranty, and we're confident that the panels will serve us well. While researching panels, we called Renogy and they provided great customer service (but plan on holding on the phone a bit) and we thought it was pretty cool to learn that the company started as a school project by a young girl attending LSU. Our daughter graduated from there .. Geaux Tigers!</div>
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When placing our order for panels, we also ordered the Rover 30amp (in case we want to add more solar) MPPT controller, battery to charge controller tray cables 10 AWG, 20 ft of 10 AWG solar panel to charge controller adaptor kit, 2 - 5 ft of 10 AWG solar panel extension cable with MC4 connectors, and a pack of MC4 parallel branch connectors. This order would provide us with everything we needed to install our solar system, with the exception of the attachments to the bimini (see below) and two fuses, which we forgot to order from Renogy.</div>
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Our order arrived quickly and the panels and cables/connectors seem to be very well made .. we love how light the panels are! Here's a pic of the box to give an idea of the size of our panels. Yep, I was still in my pajamas and the pic is blurry .. too early for photos I guess!</div>
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The installation was pretty simple. The MPPT controller was added to the side of our navigation station for easy access to our batteries. By the way, we chose MPPT over PWM because it seems to be more efficient these days & gets as much power from the panels as possible.</div>
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Since I have an aversion to sewing, we needed to find a quick & inexpensive way to attach the solar panels to our bimini. After seeing an ad on Amazon for an attachment kit, we came up with our own kit from the local hardware store. Each panel has 6 small grommets, so for a total of 12 grommets we got 24 stainless steel fender washers (one for each side of canvas) and 12 each of a stainless bolt, nut & acorn nut. Instead of $60 for the Amazon kit .. we spent about $25 bucks! Before installing the panels, we placed them on the bimini and put a soldering iron through the grommet to make a hole through the canvas underneath .. easy! *Note: we called Renogy to ask if we had to cover the panels from the sun during installation .. it would be a real pain. We were told it wasn't necessary .. just be sure to plug in the controller to batteries first, and panels to controller last!</div>
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Here's a couple photos of the bottom of the bimini ...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_U2eiA-QrrYKzvVfQ1Zr-SxVtgOUi4NAqKULC11wqhyphenhyphenG2ZO_ZUdbKlzROePDIJGksNzKCrAwN0M7f-5UTddrloyo3zI_x8q10AxWd_yBHEkoaneCf2N_5fcpGlw30Z7L26h5D1vBepOU/s1600/20191024_115414_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_U2eiA-QrrYKzvVfQ1Zr-SxVtgOUi4NAqKULC11wqhyphenhyphenG2ZO_ZUdbKlzROePDIJGksNzKCrAwN0M7f-5UTddrloyo3zI_x8q10AxWd_yBHEkoaneCf2N_5fcpGlw30Z7L26h5D1vBepOU/s640/20191024_115414_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIAcfHcLR3qNveVWILkHBTztgGAjf0hBez7nZcoM_09L9ADe9Yz4GCA7DVXwfOvo-y4iIqEEP3FhIcoB97Iwy11ON5z6fu-tcFcvqbVvtiDMBtMGaHP50JHVpgwO5JzM-1VtwBqFqXPngb/s1600/20191024_115217_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIAcfHcLR3qNveVWILkHBTztgGAjf0hBez7nZcoM_09L9ADe9Yz4GCA7DVXwfOvo-y4iIqEEP3FhIcoB97Iwy11ON5z6fu-tcFcvqbVvtiDMBtMGaHP50JHVpgwO5JzM-1VtwBqFqXPngb/s640/20191024_115217_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Once the panels were attached to the bimini, we ran them in parallel with the MC4 branch connectors and connected to the controller with the extension cables and the adaptor kit. </div>
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Ken used a couple of tie wraps to keep things secure & neat ...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUab7R3O9t6xYGaOhotkJMTdkbYgCQB5SxwCQzf34pZJsxHkzyNLtiadz8ZKv3a5Z4Jm-9ReHFbV3o2sHqYe6LM677F6LCT3d7mjj8L-YGmQeBj5ihCqWw0nz93z5hiQgT-Bx8eiPf4k3a/s1600/20191024_121710_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="767" data-original-width="1600" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUab7R3O9t6xYGaOhotkJMTdkbYgCQB5SxwCQzf34pZJsxHkzyNLtiadz8ZKv3a5Z4Jm-9ReHFbV3o2sHqYe6LM677F6LCT3d7mjj8L-YGmQeBj5ihCqWw0nz93z5hiQgT-Bx8eiPf4k3a/s640/20191024_121710_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwphnocuaPYBmM20DERbkMp2imiaHTHGAetAfJKiu3UxtYp0ntwakIfK4-lPg8KkZctFfdXcn0U2_1-emzh5adZlBZ8LMvH7QhZHkHk-xff9y3YaKXIFEUgxI9zzEQ-BtnspRFqXylrZz9/s1600/20191024_121935_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwphnocuaPYBmM20DERbkMp2imiaHTHGAetAfJKiu3UxtYp0ntwakIfK4-lPg8KkZctFfdXcn0U2_1-emzh5adZlBZ8LMvH7QhZHkHk-xff9y3YaKXIFEUgxI9zzEQ-BtnspRFqXylrZz9/s640/20191024_121935_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The cables were then run down our bimini frame and into a small hole in our cockpit leading to the navigation station and controller/batteries.</div>
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The tray cables were connected to one of our house batteries, and the temperature sensor that came with the MPPT controller (nice surprise) was placed next to the batteries. We were a little intimidated with the solar panel project, as the battery project was really stressful to us. However, we were very happy with the ease of the Renogy panel installation and our method chosen to attach the panels to our bimini. The complete installation took two partial days, but that's from start to finish .. not bad!</div>
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Once everything was hooked up (solar panels to controller last!), we needed to wait for the sun to come out. It was a very cloudy day, and rain was in the night's forecast. Since the installation, we haven't had a lot of sun to see the full potential of our Renogy panels, but we have had some pretty windy days to test our panel to bimini installation .. they've been holding up really well! </div>
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Without many sunny days, we've still been able to charge our phones & run our 12v television, refrigerator & lights with no worries the past three days. After 3 days without being connected to our shore power charger, our AGM batteries were still somewhere between half & 2/3 full. We contemplated letting our batteries get a little lower in order to see how they'd charge (a pretty full bank won't draw as many amps from solar), but yesterday we turned the shore power charger on, as we're expecting rain & clouds today and next two days and we didn't want the batteries to get too low. </div>
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Also (as expected), when we've had sun our boom seems to shade one panel or the other during the day. We're going to try moving the boom throughout the day soon to see what difference it makes. Anyway, we're told by Renogy that we should expect about 11 amps with sunny skies & no shade, which would be great! For those of you already with panels .. how many amps do you get from 200 watts of solar panels? Let us know your thoughts ... we'd love to hear from you!</div>
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Overall, we're very happy with our solar set up and Renogy's products. The price and the quality of are hard to beat! We'll keep an eye of the panels' production, and look for a future post about our experience at anchor with our panels. Hopefully we won't have to run the engine much to charge our batteries! If you're going to order Renogy panels, please connect to them using our link below* (or on side of our web site's page) and save 10% (except on batteries & sale items) with the code: MidLifeCruising </div>
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Oh, another thing we learned ... since we have the MPPT controller we don't have to worry about overcharging when we're connected to our shore power battery charger. The MPPT controller makes sure overcharging doesn't occur .. nice!</div>
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Can't write this post without mentioning that we were planning on sailing South .. yesterday! However, this past weekend Ken was preparing to install our Mantus anchor when he realized that our teak bowsprit was rotten underneath! Folks say "Just Go", but this isn't something that can wait .. it's a matter of safety! So, Ken's currently working with a friend on making a new bowsprit. We're in a race with Winter, and as luck would have it we went from record heat to below normal temps .. it's always "interesting" in our world. Hopefully we'll be back on track soon and not freeze!</div>
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*Just wanted to disclose that after we reached out to Renogy, they were kind enough to allow us to share an affiliate link. We'll make a small amount of money to add to our cruising kitty if you click on the <a href="https://www.renogy.com/?afmc=MidLifeCruising" target="_blank">Renogy link</a> and make a purchase. It won't cost you anything more and you'll be helping us out!</div>
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Hasta luego .. until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div>
Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-18987708766056755422019-10-11T07:00:00.000-05:002019-10-11T07:00:04.496-05:00Keeping Cool in Colorado!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqXN1RgzsKNj59VlTkTTXqEDzscZ1WkP-wVgjAL8CBIXpd0H3CIk74yZR32czWx_Yp9lpq5BCcMdVeFdQL0whdktmubuzfvpS3ydxSUqEG7A_p3a0MQXSYzAWvPtcKMy3-MtL1FKx8GuE/s1600/20191005_154133_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqXN1RgzsKNj59VlTkTTXqEDzscZ1WkP-wVgjAL8CBIXpd0H3CIk74yZR32czWx_Yp9lpq5BCcMdVeFdQL0whdktmubuzfvpS3ydxSUqEG7A_p3a0MQXSYzAWvPtcKMy3-MtL1FKx8GuE/s640/20191005_154133_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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A short path that took us to a waterfall in Grand Lake, Colorado</div>
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As I mentioned in my last post, we've been experiencing record-breaking heat in Louisiana. While <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2019/10/sailing-away-from-heat.html" target="_blank">sailing</a> is a great way to keep cool, a trip to Colorado was just what we needed! Colorado provided us with gorgeous views and beautiful weather, but the best part ... our daughter, son-in-law and grandson now live there.</div>
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Since our "kids" moved away from us in July, this has been our second visit to see them. The first visit was in August, when we helped them load a U-Haul then followed them for two days in their vehicle to their new home in Ft. Collins, Colorado. Their place is located near downtown Ft. Collins, which has a really cool vibe and tons of boutiques, restaurants, and breweries.</div>
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The trip was quick and was more work than play. However, we did squeeze in a visit to a couple of cool areas during the evenings. We visited "<a href="https://theexchangefortcollins.com/" target="_blank">The Exchange</a>", which was a green space with corn hole games surrounded by restaurants. We enjoyed drinking a beer while watching our grandson run around! See the guy on the right with the orange backpack .. that's our son-in-law with our grandson. The guy to their right .. Ken.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPoru-0xMVSwxbufGEsHLp0fYpzfDYOkcVR8Ecae_OG68piwcJbo94P1TKD3Judpkt3YvtS-gnNwUf9m7DEsBs52YhhFcHp-9CiyxIUlCI6kSSfvlgNehgVBnnct0ym925nxVy2x114uhm/s1600/20190820_200043_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPoru-0xMVSwxbufGEsHLp0fYpzfDYOkcVR8Ecae_OG68piwcJbo94P1TKD3Judpkt3YvtS-gnNwUf9m7DEsBs52YhhFcHp-9CiyxIUlCI6kSSfvlgNehgVBnnct0ym925nxVy2x114uhm/s640/20190820_200043_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We also visited one of the many breweries, "<a href="https://www.newbelgium.com/brewery/fort-collins" target="_blank">New Belgium</a>". The brewery also had a nice green space with corn hole games, food trucks and of course ... great beer! Once again our grandson had a great time running around and putting the bean bags in the holes.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP5oLAJCgCJu2sEqkqU5wI2_ydMVRKQ7_x7vF_UzOCh2fGjU1eTwSYImJA77JrrrEaJ7xqkrrtORORrgvMyrgjPvF59cbGsIyxMslWiLPErFs6oRqqXyQpZXPRUEYIhZsFniaBLsOz5AyV/s1600/20190819_185040_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP5oLAJCgCJu2sEqkqU5wI2_ydMVRKQ7_x7vF_UzOCh2fGjU1eTwSYImJA77JrrrEaJ7xqkrrtORORrgvMyrgjPvF59cbGsIyxMslWiLPErFs6oRqqXyQpZXPRUEYIhZsFniaBLsOz5AyV/s640/20190819_185040_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We spent one day exploring the mountains nearby .. so beautiful!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnch2Ofx1YYHUfkddRj2m-D7MIm53f7ULQt6AII6BWSZT3SAA9RnnVqkwtN-eswCBhwfMVBumCXW1LSXnaYkodniLd0fSHYtR24AwSy5JEAGOfvDgeDugyMiaLRlJhM0UMKSkJtmT7yqDw/s1600/IMG_3055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnch2Ofx1YYHUfkddRj2m-D7MIm53f7ULQt6AII6BWSZT3SAA9RnnVqkwtN-eswCBhwfMVBumCXW1LSXnaYkodniLd0fSHYtR24AwSy5JEAGOfvDgeDugyMiaLRlJhM0UMKSkJtmT7yqDw/s400/IMG_3055.jpg" width="296" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF6C1cmR7Mt6bBagRq9d0DtdjnEge6PiNejfI_GjQq8XlP2_IDF9vr8mCxgWiSgZL28mJ3M9jfe9I5d99TcxgbRbr12-1nNfz1IWAAIM8DHCW2WRO607ICPt3X0ei8ptZXOHuQigrxma2m/s1600/20190820_154333_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF6C1cmR7Mt6bBagRq9d0DtdjnEge6PiNejfI_GjQq8XlP2_IDF9vr8mCxgWiSgZL28mJ3M9jfe9I5d99TcxgbRbr12-1nNfz1IWAAIM8DHCW2WRO607ICPt3X0ei8ptZXOHuQigrxma2m/s400/20190820_154333_HDR.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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The second trip was just this past Friday morning, and we arrived back on Nirvana this past Tuesday afternoon. This trip was strictly for fun, and we flew from New Orleans to Denver with our son-in-law's parents. Since our kids have a small home, we rented a condo in Fraser where all seven of us could stay together. <a href="https://www.winterparkresort.com/about-us/community" target="_blank">Fraser</a> is located next to Winter Park and near the Rocky Mountain National Park, which allowed us to explore both areas.</div>
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When we stepped off of the airplane in Denver, we immediately noticed the change of weather. We left feel-like temps in the 100's and were now in the mid-70's with low humidity .. heaven! On the way from Denver to Fraser, we stopped in <a href="https://www.visitgolden.com/" target="_blank">Golden</a> for a tour of the <a href="https://www.visitgolden.com/places-to-go/coors-brewery-tour/" target="_blank">Coors Brewery</a> and some of the best pizza we've had in a long time. The brewery tour was fun, and we enjoyed the charming town.</div>
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On the way to Fraser, we enjoyed beautiful scenery, and even saw a moose and her baby!</div>
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The next morning we headed to <a href="https://www.winterparkresort.com/about-us" target="_blank">Winter Park Resort</a>, which isn't just for Winter! The resort was filled with mountain bikers, who took the gondola up the hills with their bikes then rode down on bike trails. Some of the trails were pretty steep, and we enjoyed watching the bikers ride down the hill. Next time we'd like to try one of the easier trails, or hike up the hill and ride the gondola down after drinks and a snack.</div>
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From Winter Park, we headed to <a href="http://www.townofgrandlake.com/" target="_blank">Grand Lake</a>, Colorado which was also gorgeous. There is indeed a lake, which is "grand" and is Colorado's largest natural body of water. The lake is surrounded by campgrounds, marinas and a quaint little town.</div>
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Our "kids" with their parents ...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTXfzzvSdd8v-6sdpGo9ajXS9FMYfSyhRNsIoqYCoS0e4rOL4cJ3Bnzkww24gmTfxafADHkD7sBMyVayPvkgnmcaCY5zGI_kJDmSY1cP0PPNqa0-7iq1S6WU2UDS-1DHQUCFkM90iLLui/s1600/MVIMG_20191005_152448%257E2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1584" data-original-width="1600" height="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTXfzzvSdd8v-6sdpGo9ajXS9FMYfSyhRNsIoqYCoS0e4rOL4cJ3Bnzkww24gmTfxafADHkD7sBMyVayPvkgnmcaCY5zGI_kJDmSY1cP0PPNqa0-7iq1S6WU2UDS-1DHQUCFkM90iLLui/s640/MVIMG_20191005_152448%257E2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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After strolling through the town, we drove about a mile to a little trail with a waterfall at the end. The beginning of the trail was very welcoming. We loved all the beautiful fall foilage throughout our trip!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMzySUuxxzA9hgQYWtn-dYHuAjwmbh3tmXRVjtnYFTuTbM4jXbvOWQwxR1Ez1CYVrdd3OP1Zheo0N30GzQ_eNsgXt1YUmZtJmuEoPagUVknNq2JpbfR02v5OlJK_dSRmb7WKkAZb3EQgx2/s1600/20191005_154133_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMzySUuxxzA9hgQYWtn-dYHuAjwmbh3tmXRVjtnYFTuTbM4jXbvOWQwxR1Ez1CYVrdd3OP1Zheo0N30GzQ_eNsgXt1YUmZtJmuEoPagUVknNq2JpbfR02v5OlJK_dSRmb7WKkAZb3EQgx2/s640/20191005_154133_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The trail was pretty easy, and our grandson insisted on walking the trail himself. There were a few challenges for him, and I'd say "Slow, Slow" as I held his hand. He was so cute, saying "Slow, Slow" every time he faced a challenge. At 20 months he's quite a trooper! The waterfall was really pretty, and the photo doesn't really capture it's beauty.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSLLImOZO-rwvNKhy2u2hOgN5_OgSoC-csYzkP_QK4yU7F2tio-MV41cThUo9TspKZ5uWgBKghSK8fH3VuC-IzmrlWG3aYBFqqNaIcrPWqZ0OvjziFCrb4ouBe2FmowORhGtuGG4VjzvF/s1600/20191005_154241_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSLLImOZO-rwvNKhy2u2hOgN5_OgSoC-csYzkP_QK4yU7F2tio-MV41cThUo9TspKZ5uWgBKghSK8fH3VuC-IzmrlWG3aYBFqqNaIcrPWqZ0OvjziFCrb4ouBe2FmowORhGtuGG4VjzvF/s400/20191005_154241_HDR.jpg" width="225" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOaiJ6N13Yti6vNPX-VEHdB-YpZbCd-Q5z1tl9QSH8G4VXsvpqkYlyJhFIquno6Xw9-NOrcS_qZiGP3ZmI9dmyw-iK89YxIkxlhIp9CZcUgAqUu-wsv9R4i3fHfLuLGcrUcoz5XUUzY4PA/s1600/20191005_155554_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOaiJ6N13Yti6vNPX-VEHdB-YpZbCd-Q5z1tl9QSH8G4VXsvpqkYlyJhFIquno6Xw9-NOrcS_qZiGP3ZmI9dmyw-iK89YxIkxlhIp9CZcUgAqUu-wsv9R4i3fHfLuLGcrUcoz5XUUzY4PA/s400/20191005_155554_HDR.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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We hung out at the condo that night and soaked up our time with the kids. The next day, Sunday, we drove to another condo in Ft. Collins. On the way, we drove through the Rocky Mountain National Park, where we saw lots of elk and yes .. more beautiful views! From there we drove through <a href="https://estes-park.com/" target="_blank">Estes Park</a>, another cool town, to Ft Collins. Here's a map that kinda shows our route from Denver to Golden (between Denver & Boulder), to Fraser (next to Winter Park), to Grand Lake. Another day through the Rocky Mountains then through Estes Park to Ft. Collins .. such a great road trip!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXuCok9n_QEMNhyphenhyphenaeLeRqCOo6oaxmajiKOLKT1dzxB72-SUNWzOGP2fok12RBmRiHnxQTJiUJkLHotMG2Tjbb63n3EXedXJ8twbSlX4NexQuysXOHvKrzPVOiPKvPQ755QedZk3dDK9Bys/s1600/colorado+map.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="310" data-original-width="392" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXuCok9n_QEMNhyphenhyphenaeLeRqCOo6oaxmajiKOLKT1dzxB72-SUNWzOGP2fok12RBmRiHnxQTJiUJkLHotMG2Tjbb63n3EXedXJ8twbSlX4NexQuysXOHvKrzPVOiPKvPQ755QedZk3dDK9Bys/s400/colorado+map.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
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We arrived in Ft. Collins just in time for dinner, then spent our last day (Monday) strolling through the town, which "Main Street" in Disneyland was mirrored after. I wish I would have gotten some photos of downtown Ft. Collins, as it really is a great town .. full of boutiques, cafes, art galleries and breweries. It's really pretty with flowers everywhere along the streets, and everything is so clean! As much as we hated our kids moving away, I think they're gonna love their new home town. Their home is just a bicycle ride away from everything!</div>
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We hated to leave our kids and this lil guy on Tuesday ... can you blame us? We don't know when we'll get to see them again, which made it really hard to leave. Our lil man is growing so fast, and we already miss him and his parents so much. Hopefully they'll come visit us somewhere on Nirvana!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUaneulAswtM_rHkU6dqQv6l5ilW_TsyvXRD11M4gP1ch43XEnzwjmt7rYFOyDID37Yo5VllQpBSVBlR22zP4uaOUSFopAQBkCNNGpkYBvVOzZ6wXbnxrB9YCEZAK3mXy3PTiQuJoQBde/s1600/IMG_3062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1212" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUaneulAswtM_rHkU6dqQv6l5ilW_TsyvXRD11M4gP1ch43XEnzwjmt7rYFOyDID37Yo5VllQpBSVBlR22zP4uaOUSFopAQBkCNNGpkYBvVOzZ6wXbnxrB9YCEZAK3mXy3PTiQuJoQBde/s400/IMG_3062.jpg" width="302" /></a></div>
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It's hard to believe, but the weather quickly changed in Ft. Collins after we left. Yesterday, it snowed! Here's a photo of our kids' backyard. I hope they can handle driving in the work in the snow. We're not used to such things in Louisiana!</div>
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We're now back on Nirvana and although the weather isn't as nice as Colorado's was, we're no longer in brutal heat. We escaped just long enough and now temps are in the 80's .. perfect for getting some projects finally done.</div>
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We've already started working on some things, and we're geared up for sailing further South soon!</div>
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Hasta luego .. until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div>
Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-3605843482608869632019-10-03T07:00:00.000-05:002019-10-03T07:00:06.427-05:00Sailing Away From The Heat!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Keepin' cool on the water!</div>
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We wake up each day making excuses for not tackling our boat projects ... our <a href="https://www.renogy.com/?afmc=MidLifeCruising" target="_blank">solar panels</a> need to be installed, our <a href="https://www.mantusmarine.com/?affiliates=86" target="_blank">Mantus anchor</a> needs to be mounted, and various other items need to be scratched off our list. Each day the heat sucks away our motivation. Damn, it's hot! </div>
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We got a few things done in August, telling ourselves that we'd knock out the larger projects in September .. ya know, when the weather was cooler. Well, Mother Nature played a joke on us with the hottest September EVER recorded! It's now October, and we're still breaking heat records .. the "feel like" temperature yesterday was 100 degrees. We're not just sitting around, but the weeks are flying by and we're not as productive as we should be. </div>
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It had been a couple of weeks since <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2019/09/nirvana-sails-again.html" target="_blank">we sailed</a>, so we figured we'd escape the heat by sailing Nirvana this past Sunday. We need all the practice we can get, and we want to keep barnacles off of our prop too! It'll be so nice when we're in water that's blue and clear .. and that we can scrub Nirvana in.</div>
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Lake Pontchartrain is shallow, so it was pretty choppy with winds at least 15 knots. Another project on our list ... add reefing lines. We only let our "deck sweeper" genoa out halfway, as any more caused us to heel more than was efficient .. or comfortable. I don't like our rail in the water! We do have a smaller head sail, which we'll try out soon. Nirvana has so little room aboard that we're not sure where to store our extra head sail. Right now it's in our storage shed. Wondering .. which sail do you think we'll use the most when sailing to the Bahamas from Louisiana .. a 150 genoa or the smaller jib (not sure of size ... maybe 100 or 90)?</div>
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You can see in this photo of Ken that we were heeling, but not too much. This is enough for me!</div>
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We had a good day on the water, and we didn't sweat. Sailing is a great way to escape the heat! We keep hearing that living at anchor is much more comfortable than living at a marina .. we hope so! It's hot in our slip, and as soon as Nirvana was docked .. we started sweating. We do have a portable a/c unit for now, but it struggles to keep us cool inside, and it doesn't help when we're out on the deck or in our cockpit. We've added this <a href="https://amzn.to/2mDXkNQ" target="_blank">10x13 waterproof sun shade</a>, which does seem to help keep our interior cooler. It's polyester, is well made .. and I didn't have to sew it! It also provides coverage between our companionway and bimini, so when our companionway hatch is open we don't have to worry if there's a little rain. We'll be finding a place to store this sun shade on our boat when we leave the dock!</div>
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When we're not sailing, we look forward to escaping the heat by watching our Saints play football. We either watch the game on our salon's tv, or go to a local bar .. with air conditioning. We're so glad football season is here ...Who Dat!</div>
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The local weather forecast says we'll have our first cool front this coming Tuesday .. temps in the 80's! The forecast has us motivated to get working on our list next week. We've gotta get moving further South soon!</div>
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Hasta luego .. until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div>
Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-77639144374066499902019-09-17T07:00:00.000-05:002019-10-10T12:05:09.143-05:00Nirvana Sails Again!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Since arriving home from Puerto Rico, we finally made Nirvana a full sailboat again. For the first time in over 6 years .. we went sailing with both sails up! When we removed our sails sometime around 2013, we had no idea it would be so long before we raised them again. We did sail with the main sail for the first time almost a year ago, when we tried out <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/11/sailing-with-our-new-sail-pack-lazy.html" target="_blank">our new sail pack & lazy jacks</a>. It was shortly after that when we had our head stay replaced. Since we had to replace the head stay, we went ahead and raised the roller furler drum in order to have a better view looking forward. Again, we had no idea that it would be almost a year before the head sail was raised .. we were distracted by <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2019/07/a-love-lost.html" target="_blank">Puerto Rico!</a></div>
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Shortly after installing our <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2019/09/nirvanas-new-auto-pilot.html" target="_blank">auto-pilot</a>, we took Nirvana out for a sail. However, there wasn't much wind and we didn't move a whole lot, but it was sure nice to see both sails up again (see first photos)! A couple of weeks later we decided to sail to the quaint little town of Mandeville and stay overnight. We'd sailed to Mandeville years before, and thought it would be a great way to get re-acquainted with Nirvana. </div>
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Before raising our sails we needed to pass through the Hwy. 11 Bridge, which has been closed for construction for several months. We had tried on two previous occasions to pass through the bridge, but nobody would answer the VHF! We were determined that this 3rd attempt would work, and luckily someone finally answered us this time around. We had to hail the bridge several times, and then wait about 30 minutes for the bridge to be opened .. but we got through! While we finally had them on the radio, we asked if we'd be able to get through again the next day. The dispatcher said that they had to open the bridge upon request, but they had up to 2 hours to do so. With our previous experience trying to hail the dispatcher, we were nervous going through the bridge. What if we couldn't get back through the next day?! Screw it .. we were going through!</div>
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Once we passed through the bridge, the wind died and we had to motor to Mandeville. However, the auto-pilot worked great and it was fun to be on the water. </div>
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Mandeville provides a free place to dock for the night, so we tied up for the night and hoped for better wind the next day. </div>
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The Mandeville lakefront is beautiful, with plenty of live oak trees & huge Southern homes. There's also several restaurants and bars within walking distance .. and a playground with a water fountain to cool off in next to the dock. This fountain was just what we needed to get refreshed before walking to a local restaurant for $1 tacos and live music!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ek_sPcK5rlDEOlKIY9MR-VenCyAwL0X1_ZvI9V8GotYmiKh0gU3X_V1kIND6UjX9HKmUEKEBDoV6KI-UhhxLAZVWvHExchmYXlFu-Ey2q3t3xhHwkKxsvDzHs7qKcuWxZViPr5C0bfKX/s1600/20190903_182622_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ek_sPcK5rlDEOlKIY9MR-VenCyAwL0X1_ZvI9V8GotYmiKh0gU3X_V1kIND6UjX9HKmUEKEBDoV6KI-UhhxLAZVWvHExchmYXlFu-Ey2q3t3xhHwkKxsvDzHs7qKcuWxZViPr5C0bfKX/s640/20190903_182622_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The walk along the lakefront was beautiful!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjOwyng6NzH7QOMKUQDT_1Iq0C80JcrHdwMf5ipG7G1oMsfWjntyyNsnDxXHmLzt_GeoVQlJS69XYbWNADawWza9LdSK_NZSt-Ys3YAXg2Xy7ECAaTOSQZxS7jKtfVzWpIO-BbadEBvmi3/s1600/20190903_183342_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjOwyng6NzH7QOMKUQDT_1Iq0C80JcrHdwMf5ipG7G1oMsfWjntyyNsnDxXHmLzt_GeoVQlJS69XYbWNADawWza9LdSK_NZSt-Ys3YAXg2Xy7ECAaTOSQZxS7jKtfVzWpIO-BbadEBvmi3/s640/20190903_183342_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The dock also provides free electricity (thanks to the city of Mandeville), but as luck would have it .. the electricity was out and the city office had just closed for the night when we arrived! It was hot as hell, and we weren't able to plug in our a/c .. ugh! Oh well, it was time to pull out our mosquito nets, open the hatches, run our four 12v fans, and see how our batteries held up!</div>
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It took a while to fall asleep in the heat, but we slept pretty well and our batteries were still pretty full. The next morning we had better wind and were able to raise our sails. We were able to sail for half of the trip (about 2 hours) before the wind died. Those two hours were so much fun, and we can't wait to sail again. It truly had been way too long since we sailed Nirvana for any length of time. We're getting our confidence back!</div>
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As you can see in the photo below, raising our roller furler drum was a great decision .. we can see ahead of us now!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJkjiqX610QAnen_qPe37fsEsn5gDgvf2VCbQM51PTzOczsLAHhvlN4ILRh1F0n71o3EUNPYIZEt9KnWH0t2FD0wEB-9ZbC7eOxjRR3Z5oWlMOb5Zu4OB2t-ugkq7pvfH3k6rJmJelSsO/s1600/20190904_092419_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJkjiqX610QAnen_qPe37fsEsn5gDgvf2VCbQM51PTzOczsLAHhvlN4ILRh1F0n71o3EUNPYIZEt9KnWH0t2FD0wEB-9ZbC7eOxjRR3Z5oWlMOb5Zu4OB2t-ugkq7pvfH3k6rJmJelSsO/s640/20190904_092419_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here's a close-up of the two new tangs we had fabricated by our boat neighbor. How lucky were we to have him make these for free?! We were very appreciative and made it up to him.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxNs31K06Cz4hsfh8eqYKihBm72EzMoT-_AGY1jzrdtGwMnTGNrGrtoZxTGR-p3clOlhcFktSoyD2UMNyjDUJIviySPgqBzXDyrFqMqdkl5_iA28Id0YbjKOUDkRtpNmfo3bbTapV6NIB/s1600/20190222_164041_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxNs31K06Cz4hsfh8eqYKihBm72EzMoT-_AGY1jzrdtGwMnTGNrGrtoZxTGR-p3clOlhcFktSoyD2UMNyjDUJIviySPgqBzXDyrFqMqdkl5_iA28Id0YbjKOUDkRtpNmfo3bbTapV6NIB/s640/20190222_164041_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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After waiting a while for the wind to pick up, we reluctantly lowered Nirvana's sails and motored the rest of the way back home. We started hailing the bridge dispatcher about 30 minutes before getting close .. no response. As we approached the bridge with no contact, we started getting nervous about getting stuck on the wrong side of the lake. After about 20 minutes of floating near the bridge and trying to get a response, we saw a barge making its way towards the bridge. Hallelujah .. the bridge certainly couldn't ignore the barge! Luckily, we were correct and we were able to follow the barge through the bridge after waiting about an hour. We made it home!</div>
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As we approached our slip, it occurred to me that we've pulled Nirvana into our slip several times since that <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2017/05/were-liveaboards.html" target="_blank">first time in 2017</a>. We're getting better and haven't bumped the dock since then. It's always a good feeling to tie up with no "excitement".</div>
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While we look forward to sailing soon, we've got some more projects to tackle .. our solar panels arrived! We're excited to be working with <a href="http://www.renogy.com/?afmc=MidLifeCruising" target="_blank">Renogy Solar</a>, and if you order from them use the code: MidLifeCruising to get an extra 5% off (excluding batteries). We'll be writing about our installation and thoughts, so stay tuned!</div>
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Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div>
Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-10821374448180102582019-09-12T07:30:00.000-05:002019-09-12T07:30:01.765-05:00Nirvana's New Auto-Pilot!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwdQWyzPc3S6hHIKe2lJ4EzXKPTBTbovxnNzlipkjJZY8cZ68Lk4rY3MGP5ggUNtZQW5F44ewNbraXKLqgGXFO4aC4TL0ATuzkzc0fwe0gevlL2RXpryXgaSOPg41N9beQwulPVDUgPS_m/s1600/20181213_103344_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwdQWyzPc3S6hHIKe2lJ4EzXKPTBTbovxnNzlipkjJZY8cZ68Lk4rY3MGP5ggUNtZQW5F44ewNbraXKLqgGXFO4aC4TL0ATuzkzc0fwe0gevlL2RXpryXgaSOPg41N9beQwulPVDUgPS_m/s640/20181213_103344_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Over a year before this installation, we ordered the <a href="https://amzn.to/32xk4P1" target="_blank">Raymarine EV-100 autopilot</a> for Nirvana. With plans on sailing long passages, we figured we'd take the advice of other cruisers and make our lives simpler when sailing all day. With the autopilot, we can free ourselves from standing at the helm for hours on end.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">When finally opening the contents, we found four components .. with four manuals! The installation wasn't real difficult, but with the different manuals and components it took patience. One thing that we wished we'd had known before ordering & starting the installation ... </span><span style="text-align: center;">the EV-100 autopilot requires SeaTalk cables between its four components. One cable was provided, but it wasn't long enough to do anything so we needed to purchase the </span><a href="https://amzn.to/2U0TwCj" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">SeaTalk Spur cable</a>. It's a bummer when you finally get ready to tackle a project and realize you don't have all the parts!<span style="text-align: center;"> Hopefully, this post will prevent others from learning the hard way.</span></div>
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As I mentioned, we ordered the EV-100 over a year before installing it and we installed it around November, 2018 .. I'm really doing a poor job of keeping this blog up! Now that I'm finally writing about the installation .. my mind is a blur. Honestly, I can't remember all of the installation details, so I'm gonna give you the basics .. sorry!</div>
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Ken installed the gray control unit in the aft cabin, where he also added the sensor core. The aft cabin seemed like the logical place for our situation, with it being in between the cockpit and our electrical panel. The wheel drive was easily added to our wheel in the cockpit, and the p70 control head was also added in the cockpit by running wire up our steering column .. not so easy, but we got it done. During the installation process, Ken did make a couple of calls to Raymarine for assistance. I can say that we were very happy with their customer service! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6R4oHqPNueVkrNoACPd69z8-D6DsA43qGnFo_dFoRUgK1IBjJUeQ_W4uoj8Hsw55xSVLj_86EBr_1e2SQKUQWM1pS1VeB4mV38hkTu3zLqA5DtoN4XBSemN62FIDKMRqdD737Yoi6XLwj/s1600/20181213_104649_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6R4oHqPNueVkrNoACPd69z8-D6DsA43qGnFo_dFoRUgK1IBjJUeQ_W4uoj8Hsw55xSVLj_86EBr_1e2SQKUQWM1pS1VeB4mV38hkTu3zLqA5DtoN4XBSemN62FIDKMRqdD737Yoi6XLwj/s640/20181213_104649_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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A close up of the sensor core ...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGt9cHx1Z9PlxIzUuAoOZZQ0oNALKGV9NNZGPPWAKucO2bWG1Mg23ks4mj2GFPxouceLwmZ3dWJArqNr5zYnYtGVeo11H4wEwlLcveL4AY3GoAZCAPy271Ro4oCf-ecRoPMLWfKSmsIWVd/s1600/20181213_171218_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGt9cHx1Z9PlxIzUuAoOZZQ0oNALKGV9NNZGPPWAKucO2bWG1Mg23ks4mj2GFPxouceLwmZ3dWJArqNr5zYnYtGVeo11H4wEwlLcveL4AY3GoAZCAPy271Ro4oCf-ecRoPMLWfKSmsIWVd/s640/20181213_171218_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The sensor core in the aft cabin .. near the companionway. The control unit is just below and to the right of our dinghy oars (notice how we added straps to store them, along with our boat hook).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbRROyvrV83cJFkmbhTxpkzHk37jUzVmHvXMGRrP0qhnTYMr1annutQpPMPj6p6yswaxUAoupMEcNJ_fB7kg58rG1RtFr1e394WeuWcf_VqVmDVCFVZnxSptymZHE_PN0QjP7bfg3yp9SE/s1600/20181213_163024_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbRROyvrV83cJFkmbhTxpkzHk37jUzVmHvXMGRrP0qhnTYMr1annutQpPMPj6p6yswaxUAoupMEcNJ_fB7kg58rG1RtFr1e394WeuWcf_VqVmDVCFVZnxSptymZHE_PN0QjP7bfg3yp9SE/s640/20181213_163024_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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With the components installed, our cockpit now provides the autopilot, a compass & an older <a href="https://amzn.to/2Q1OtU5" target="_blank">Lowrance GPS</a>. There were two more things we needed to do before our installation was complete .. we needed to program the unit's "hard over" time and we needed to take the boat out on the water to calibrate the unit. For those with a Catalina 30, we set the hard over time to "10". Once everything was hooked up & programmed, we were finally ready for calibration on the water .. but this wouldn't happen for another 8 months! Yep, we were <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2019/07/a-love-lost.html" target="_blank">distracted by Puerto Rico</a>. Once we were back home, we finally took Nirvana out on the water and calibrated the autopilot this past July. Luckily, the directions were easy, our hard over time seemed correct, and everything went as hoped. We finally have a working autopilot on Nirvana!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1NDOh-uyTGSsvVLumyEMEe2v-0Sg_Tz94kl6y8cjxKlhsPqJHAaYnNYx-Nw3_6-384lRgQyiJokQS__cGXISSowgyn06E7Lhs7w92kuJqcwExC4ug53PERIwCV1NtmU-sVDFCWtY3edWL/s1600/20190729_145849_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1NDOh-uyTGSsvVLumyEMEe2v-0Sg_Tz94kl6y8cjxKlhsPqJHAaYnNYx-Nw3_6-384lRgQyiJokQS__cGXISSowgyn06E7Lhs7w92kuJqcwExC4ug53PERIwCV1NtmU-sVDFCWtY3edWL/s640/20190729_145849_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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It was so good to get back on the water! We've got more projects (and sailing) to write about, but that's for another time.</div>
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Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div>
Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-64872320644900861192019-07-18T07:00:00.000-05:002019-07-18T07:00:01.454-05:00A Love Lost!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipI20gfA_MhnWDwW2tiJg3V1ecEw4pCG9Mj1FXbhbSv-ZKYC79nnj4g_fZPBH3hZe9nQEX49O1NLSKFrG2S10Q1XXyQUTWK4gAXdALyaZtkspYNOJ4bi3g_dvW5BshDYO5H9hoajPAXNmM/s1600/20190503_073924_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipI20gfA_MhnWDwW2tiJg3V1ecEw4pCG9Mj1FXbhbSv-ZKYC79nnj4g_fZPBH3hZe9nQEX49O1NLSKFrG2S10Q1XXyQUTWK4gAXdALyaZtkspYNOJ4bi3g_dvW5BshDYO5H9hoajPAXNmM/s640/20190503_073924_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We have no regrets in life, just lessons learned.</div>
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We had some good times, but as much as we hated to admit it .. we needed to end our relationship. We tried to make things work, but it just wasn’t meant to be. We were still holding love in our hearts, but we needed to do what was best for us. Sometimes love isn’t enough. We had to end it.</div>
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We had to sell our piece of paradise in Puerto Rico!</div>
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A lot has happened since our last post, when we bought <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2019/05/our-piece-of-paradise.html" target="_blank">our piece of paradise</a>. Instead of dragging things out over a series of posts, I'm gonna try and catch up with ya'll pretty quick. We worked our butts off on the home’s exterior, including a new concrete topping on our roof (we hired folks for this) ...<br />
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then sealing & painting our new concrete roof ourselves ... what a view!<br />
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We scraped off layers of paint from our concrete home for days, skimmed the scraped areas to make the concrete walls smooth again for days, sanded & painted the bars for days, and brightened up our house with a happy yellow & aqua paint. All of this took a lot more time than expected!</div>
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So much better!</div>
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After over 3 months of renovating our house we found ourselves only half-way through with repairs, yet maxed out on our time & money budget. As it turned out, concrete isn't as "easy" as we thought ... nothing like our wood-framed houses back home! Salt air and concrete in older homes don't mix too well. We had a ton of unexpected repairs .. including the roof and ceiling inside. Since concrete repairs were new to us, we didn't want to tackle the roof & ceiling repairs ourselves. We had difficulty hiring professionals due to our inability to speak Spanish, and “island time” was killing us. We couldn't start renovating the interior until the ceilings and roof were complete. When the repairs were finally done, it had cost us a lot of extra time and money.<br />
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During this time we met some great folks that we now call friends, and got to know the island of Puerto Rico in a way that can’t be done as tourists. We became part of the neighborhood of Luquillo ... a neighborhood we loved!</div>
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We had dreams of fixing up the interior of our house & sharing our love of Puerto Rico with friends & family when not renting it out. However, sometimes dreams don’t work out as planned. Knowing when to walk away can be difficult, but it’s sometimes necessary.</div>
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We had things in Louisiana waiting for us .. rentals, family, a growing lil grandson, and our sailboat that was just waiting to finally be sailed somewhere after years of hard work on her. We had to make a decision to either keep dumping money (which was limited) and time into our Puerto Rican home or cut our losses and follow through with our original dream of sailing & traveling. Either way, we knew we needed a break from sleeping on an air mattress while living in a construction zone with no hot water, a/c, kitchen or furniture. Here was our living situation ... an old door covered with a shower curtain created our kitchen, and an air mattress w/fridge.<br />
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We decided to list our house with an agent & fly back home the following week for a break. If the house didn’t sell in a few months, we’d have to put off sailing this Winter, finish the house and rent it out as planned. If it sold, then our decision would be made. As it turned out, we had an accepted offer before we left town! We didn't make a profit on the house, but the offer was something we could live with.</div>
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We dreaded telling our new neighbors that we were already selling. We felt like we were betraying them! We hugged, shed a few tears, and promised to keep in touch. We’ve got several places to stay whenever we visit Puerto Rico!</div>
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We arrived in Louisiana just in time to spend a week with our daughter, grandson, son-in-law, and his family for 4th of July in Destin, Florida. Our kids were moving to Wyoming the following week! This was also a factor in returning home when we did. We cherished every minute with them.<br />
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Since arriving home from Destin, FL we got our boat back in order (including a much needed a/c), spent time helping our daughter have a garage sale & get on the road with her lil family, then were hunkered down a few days with crappy weather from storm "Barry" (all went well). </div>
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Just like that ... our Puerto Rican dream had ended, we were back on our sailboat, and our daughter had moved away. It’s all so surreal, and everything happened so fast!</div>
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While we hated to break-up with Puerto Rico, we think it’s for the best. We now have our investment back in the bank, which gives us more options in the future. With our daughter moving away, we’d rather fly to see her than fly to Puerto Rico. It’s strange how our perspective & dreams can change so quickly! Life is full of changes, and we do our best to roll with them.</div>
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Our dream of owning a piece of paradise in Puerto Rico didn’t end as planned, but we have no regrets. The people we met, the experiences we had, and the memories we made were priceless. I plan on writing a few posts in the future to share some of our memories with you, and what we loved about Puerto Rico.</div>
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Currently we're dealing with a nasty "algea bloom" in our lake and having difficulty finding a diver to clean our boat's prop and bottom. Nobody wants to dive in the nasty water .. can't say I blame them. We're sure the prop is covered in barnacles, which makes motoring difficult. We're anxious to start sailing, but once again we're waiting .. are we still on island time?! In the meantime, we’ll be working a little to make some extra money, getting our boat ready to travel in a few months, and helping our daughter sell her house & move her stuff to her new place (road trip soon)!<br />
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Life's an adventure when you leave your comfort zone! It may not always go as planned, but it's much better than the monotony of a "routine" existence.<br />
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Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div>
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Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-39412761699139705372019-05-02T13:22:00.000-05:002019-05-02T13:24:40.557-05:00Our Piece of Paradise!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our piece of paradise .. just steps from the beach!</td></tr>
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It’s been a while since I posted anything, so I figured I’d take a few minutes to update ya’ll with what we’ve been up to. In my last post I mentioned that we were ringing in the new year in Luquillo, Puerto Rico and spending the month of January there to escape the cold in Louisiana. Yes, it gets cold in the South, and we weren’t spending another Winter on our boat!</div>
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Anyway, it’s now the beginning of May and ... we’re in Puerto Rico! To sum things up, we went back to our boat on February 1st and came back to Puerto Rico on March 19th ... to buy a house on the beach in Luquillo!</div>
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Some folks may wonder if we’ve abandoned our dream of sailing “Nirvana” to the Bahamas. After almost 10 years of working on our sailboat, we’re not giving up on our dream. In fact, we feel bad for leaving our beloved boat, and we plan to sail her South this October. We were so close to sailing to the Bahamas this Summer, but sometimes you have to grab an opportunity when it arises.</div>
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We didn’t plan on switching gears and buying a house in Puerto Rico, but we fell in love with the surfer town of Luquillo, it’s beaches, and it’s people. As luck would have it, a house was for sale two doors down from the Air Bnb that we were staying at! The house wasn’t listed, but our host (the best) knew the owners wanted to sell the vacant house and he got us inside .. just hours before our flight home. The price was right, we made a verbal offer on the way to the airport, and we flew back to buy the house 5 days after our arrival back in Puerto Rico.</div>
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Since then, we’ve been busy finding a vehicle to buy (wasn’t easy when not knowing Spanish!), finalizing the paperwork on our house purchase (it’s a little different in Puerto Rico), and starting a ton of renovations on our house. It’s been about 5 weeks since we bought the house, and we’re just getting started. The language barrier mixed with “island time” can make things difficult, but I think we’re finally making some progress.</div>
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I can’t wait to show you “before & after” photos, but that probably won’t be till around July. Until then, here’s a few photos of the outside. The color is pretty plain, so we plan on painting our concrete </div>
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piece of paradise a bright, tropical color. If you notice in the first photo at beginning of this</div>
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post and the 2nd photo below, we’re just steps from the beach. The photo was taken from our front porch!</div>
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The blue house is a hostel, and we love seeing all the visitors pass by to enjoy the beautiful surroundings. It’s hard to believe this is our house! The second photo below is from our rooftop, which shows the ocean, the river, and the untouched wildlife refuge to our right. It’s pretty amazing!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNP5AcuhlTTZsqdpVdhqR2ysVHoh1AlRYqWWFEnFudeO9jEZ5Xd-IsfOvzAqTO_761K52v0Hxa2cc6WGtUbs2e7P9ZbsFCz2uYZn92o92AM3MvjV4yh4nVZvJG5hZx4KJr19fZRoUGiSxZ/s1600/20190425_161658_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNP5AcuhlTTZsqdpVdhqR2ysVHoh1AlRYqWWFEnFudeO9jEZ5Xd-IsfOvzAqTO_761K52v0Hxa2cc6WGtUbs2e7P9ZbsFCz2uYZn92o92AM3MvjV4yh4nVZvJG5hZx4KJr19fZRoUGiSxZ/s400/20190425_161658_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Our house is just past the farthest tower (condos). See all the untouched area?! This is just a peek of the miles of beaches that we can walk. The opposite direction has a couple of restaurants, but mainly houses. We’re glad that the beaches haven’t been ruined by miles of high rise buildings!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj09sqT06oIsln2-SWzJ1BAN01hpmv0BkA1luX9tgutTLXJeio0yl7pu8QIgsAC5DDxpdpWF1RIFih-LJ0YVcy3EwGmBoIA06sTeQsRCLA1S8MLulT84jepJl1sf8yiLF29lmcxgzsTpHiM/s1600/FB_IMG_1556224910961.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj09sqT06oIsln2-SWzJ1BAN01hpmv0BkA1luX9tgutTLXJeio0yl7pu8QIgsAC5DDxpdpWF1RIFih-LJ0YVcy3EwGmBoIA06sTeQsRCLA1S8MLulT84jepJl1sf8yiLF29lmcxgzsTpHiM/s320/FB_IMG_1556224910961.jpg" width="272" /></a></div>
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Here’s the left & right view of the beach at the end of our street ... lots of horses! </div>
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From the wildlife reserve, you can barely see our house on the right of the river, next to the white two-story house. The two tall condos are barely seen at front right of photo. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPE_9mVnJsU1EZ2UGguOOYMW858PeE5KDVVUqRkSPA2YuYNmpLdTT8lXt3Rv5TE_DXMHi_a6QAoA4mX6sAzQcE47tp1NRIm1AdK1WKcH_U5c8tkhDC6U_OXXh9cT5KWSAuafLedl9kO6Q/s1600/20190416_130406_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPE_9mVnJsU1EZ2UGguOOYMW858PeE5KDVVUqRkSPA2YuYNmpLdTT8lXt3Rv5TE_DXMHi_a6QAoA4mX6sAzQcE47tp1NRIm1AdK1WKcH_U5c8tkhDC6U_OXXh9cT5KWSAuafLedl9kO6Q/s320/20190416_130406_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The beach away from the reserve and towards homes and a couple of restaurants ...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9p7JWUwoNntHOilswGa4F8pwu8s8zY1UxABPlgyaS1j_4_3oxR99q6RE0TScrRyz5d4SWvj4gzVW6VDA4g9BHQeWSuRQP_RYSeKiTexwHlejpDySXz-G0HxB4qrpbvVWH1bsYZtlWnhax/s1600/20190416_130415_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9p7JWUwoNntHOilswGa4F8pwu8s8zY1UxABPlgyaS1j_4_3oxR99q6RE0TScrRyz5d4SWvj4gzVW6VDA4g9BHQeWSuRQP_RYSeKiTexwHlejpDySXz-G0HxB4qrpbvVWH1bsYZtlWnhax/s400/20190416_130415_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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There’s so much more to share with you, but I have to get back to work. If you want to see more, check out our Puerto Rico album on our Facebook page, and watch for more new photos daily. Now that the secret is out, I can share them with you! </div>
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One more thing .. if you wanna check out our house yourself, we’ll be renting it out once we’re done renovating. We gotta go sailing! </div>
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Hasta luego .. until then. Mid-Life Cruising! </div>
Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-11958049817276878202019-02-19T07:30:00.000-06:002019-02-19T07:30:01.301-06:002018 - Year In Review!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnqFjGSr5kHqnbWAwwW0xhXL0piRaSkzg3eE5hyphenhyphen-3NN-ecf2cUv3x2IWophOLnbCJ2Io2wfvwCIU5mfNxoQUnMErdioyKBRv_w820dCWuiqJSWDiu_0txo4KsVslY8fvnJ3_Tb3G2Gz3I/s1600/20181230_120421_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnqFjGSr5kHqnbWAwwW0xhXL0piRaSkzg3eE5hyphenhyphen-3NN-ecf2cUv3x2IWophOLnbCJ2Io2wfvwCIU5mfNxoQUnMErdioyKBRv_w820dCWuiqJSWDiu_0txo4KsVslY8fvnJ3_Tb3G2Gz3I/s640/20181230_120421_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Wow, I can't believe we're well into February, 2019 and another year has flown by! I'm so far behind on my blog, but I don't wanna give up on my annual tradition of looking back on the past year. Not only is it a great way to keep track of our lives, but it always makes me feel grateful when I realize just how much we've done .. 2018 was no different. In fact, it was extra-special because we had a new addition to our family!</div>
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The year started off with a baby shower for our daughter at my mom's house. We were excited to celebrate the upcoming birth of our first grandchild .. a boy!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ijuzsb2H32kV6f3Hc3ERhe9jlA44rovtojZEJVuZtUb31w-uLdS-1tZ6cMw2fGoshP32yHsmLN7gvlVMQX4VfrnuanzV_5wezOLcksCHDOPxIf8xBJC55gorkz0A0sAUDUncgnxkUQo8/s1600/us+n+family.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ijuzsb2H32kV6f3Hc3ERhe9jlA44rovtojZEJVuZtUb31w-uLdS-1tZ6cMw2fGoshP32yHsmLN7gvlVMQX4VfrnuanzV_5wezOLcksCHDOPxIf8xBJC55gorkz0A0sAUDUncgnxkUQo8/s640/us+n+family.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWDwoX0CN7zPTdPBf1Q4hpnPANxi5TdZzlwEmejj04Xy9RA5z-8uO7-egXVPqWHmh9Nv10W1PkuLd2cq4oMjC14vGl7aCK6n2foVoXzcavc5NQPfKevT2QI71dIvjlpX-Hn1AFk3C34I5J/s1600/20180121_135928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWDwoX0CN7zPTdPBf1Q4hpnPANxi5TdZzlwEmejj04Xy9RA5z-8uO7-egXVPqWHmh9Nv10W1PkuLd2cq4oMjC14vGl7aCK6n2foVoXzcavc5NQPfKevT2QI71dIvjlpX-Hn1AFk3C34I5J/s640/20180121_135928.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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A couple of weeks later, <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/02/mardi-gras-baby.html" target="_blank">Orson was born</a> .. what a wonderful day!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQJhyaGVG7KBzdt8Ia6Vffjvqlcr8sOtJwCdQYzj9U05xd0A9nfdZDCe53bHapWTvGVoyQ3l6Xjg9NhF47uPWA44n3VG166C7Lbj8Yq19p4tO48cjVISPSObS4RN0jbV3lSaOsHEMZwEz/s1600/IMG_20180205_154439%25281%2529%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1587" data-original-width="1160" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQJhyaGVG7KBzdt8Ia6Vffjvqlcr8sOtJwCdQYzj9U05xd0A9nfdZDCe53bHapWTvGVoyQ3l6Xjg9NhF47uPWA44n3VG166C7Lbj8Yq19p4tO48cjVISPSObS4RN0jbV3lSaOsHEMZwEz/s320/IMG_20180205_154439%25281%2529%25281%2529.jpg" width="233" /></a></div>
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With a healthy baby boy & Mother, we were able to uphold our annual tradition of celebrating Mardi Gras in the French Quarter with our friend, Judy.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8qwoUxJr8A80RwVQShHEOP8j_9o6TEUq2VEn-TcWWAmP8ppDzBvdTpFOQnnlovkuwqRrsXJY8Svp-Oukm0z3GfiDH3WgCvJUhwBuMcJRKZEoTujwSP3Az_PqXmZEyV3ApME4qvYy_j7JP/s1600/20180213_135533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8qwoUxJr8A80RwVQShHEOP8j_9o6TEUq2VEn-TcWWAmP8ppDzBvdTpFOQnnlovkuwqRrsXJY8Svp-Oukm0z3GfiDH3WgCvJUhwBuMcJRKZEoTujwSP3Az_PqXmZEyV3ApME4qvYy_j7JP/s640/20180213_135533.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We squeezed in a few boat projects before our next adventure, which included <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/08/a-new-salon-table.html" target="_blank">replacing our galley table</a> and removing our old alcohol stove. We then added a new propane cooktop & had extra space for a microwave and storage underneath. Another project off our list .. <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/03/we-finally-have-curtains.html" target="_blank">boat curtains</a>!</div>
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With these projects done, we hopped on a plane in March to meet our friend <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/03/key-west-adventure-begins.html" target="_blank">in Key West</a>!</div>
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Charlie invited us to join him on his Hylas 47' sailboat for <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/04/sailing-to-mexico.html" target="_blank">a 3-day passage to Isla Mujeres</a>, Mexico!</div>
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We had an amazing trip, and were excited to get some more work done on our boat for her own passages. The first big project was being able to use our new propane cooktop, which meant <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/05/the-propane-project.html" target="_blank">installing a propane system</a> on Nirvana.</div>
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In July we took <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/07/road-trip.html" target="_blank">a road trip</a> with our daughter, son-in-law & grandson to Indianapolis, Indiana for our daughter's graduation. She received her Master's in Education while teaching first grade and raising her new son .. we're so proud of her hard work!</div>
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Once we came home to Nirvana, we tackled a very stressful project .. an entire <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/10/new-battery-system-for-living-off-grid.html" target="_blank">new battery system</a>. We were so glad when all the research and work was done on this!</div>
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After many years in storage, we pulled out our "new at the time we put in storage" <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/09/nirvanas-water-taxi-or-dinghy.html" target="_blank">inflatable dinghy</a> & Tohatsu motor. The dinghy didn't need much TLC, but the <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/09/reviving-our-tohatsu.html" target="_blank">Tohatsu required some cleaning</a>.</div>
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We installed a new Garhauer <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/08/saving-our-back-with-motor-hoist.html" target="_blank">engine hoist</a> to make raising "Mr. T" much easier .. we already love it!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXoa7VBk_OPltRNzumcWlAjJMJjVv4LSTSPFnv8bg6dGnzMTTXTCqfwaBixSLalSWp-ajRFuKqTH2myrpu7TQnMRPOugz862UU1iUoCyRksaXvhCVZebDr_2gQl4nPDkPXHyTOfOIpcUP/s1600/20180707_090844_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1013" data-original-width="1600" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXoa7VBk_OPltRNzumcWlAjJMJjVv4LSTSPFnv8bg6dGnzMTTXTCqfwaBixSLalSWp-ajRFuKqTH2myrpu7TQnMRPOugz862UU1iUoCyRksaXvhCVZebDr_2gQl4nPDkPXHyTOfOIpcUP/s640/20180707_090844_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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With a list of boat projects still ahead, Ken added <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/10/wiring-for-12-volts.html" target="_blank">new 12 volt circuits</a> throughout Nirvana. Running wire in a boat requires turning removing everything out of the way .. did a tornado hit?! With this done, we installed a few Caframo fans and outlets inside our lil home. </div>
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All of this work made us want a good night's sleep .. meaning a <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/10/new-mattress-for-nirvana.html" target="_blank">new foam mattress</a> in our v-berth!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFtpWBEmTrNhjZoUHdbgS1rxNGj-IcdKMu0yTCNP8i62JvL1wW7rDkgJDgUb_Px8pw5VBQXHk0BlnUpVSb9LYSBmC9bZova9K-J9SZUUREP9tjZn6XUNZTMb4lfLVLmbhgq7oVHT59j0f/s1600/20180902_160515_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFtpWBEmTrNhjZoUHdbgS1rxNGj-IcdKMu0yTCNP8i62JvL1wW7rDkgJDgUb_Px8pw5VBQXHk0BlnUpVSb9LYSBmC9bZova9K-J9SZUUREP9tjZn6XUNZTMb4lfLVLmbhgq7oVHT59j0f/s640/20180902_160515_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We can't just focus on taking care of Nirvana .. we have to take care of ourselves as well. I noticed an unusual spot on my shoulder, which turned out to be basal cell carcinoma (a common <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/09/dodging-storms-and-cancer.html" target="_blank">skin cancer</a>). I had it cut out, which required a few stitches. Everything healed well (looks much better now), and I'll continue to protect my skin from the sun with hats & clothing!</div>
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This lil guy spent the day with us after my "surgery" .. a great way to chill on the boat. We're really enjoying being grandparents!</div>
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In August, we did a very rare thing .. dressed up! Our daughter's father-in-law was elected as our city's new Mayor, and we went to the <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/10/steppin-out.html" target="_blank">inauguration ball</a>. My Dad (in pic below) & Step-Mom attended too, and it was fun to wear a dress & heels for the night.</div>
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As Summer came to an end, we continued to enjoy many sunsets and great times with our dock neighbors!</div>
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Just when we thought the rigger was done with small <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/09/cajun-rope-for-your-boat.html" target="_blank">projects on the mast</a>, we were told that our standing rigging was looking pretty rough .. another big project!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy5f3MFf1295MQmUPD7cwuvrCVzken0gMEY_JRixjfwMutdEgCMSdbGSOE1jol7_xTQmPJL5x-Adq_d8mjM3ZbgDBZwa9xvUQBkACyudq6TFT4Vl_xziWaDfdhbpgs1vulZ-jcjur1xCoz/s1600/20180622_182902_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy5f3MFf1295MQmUPD7cwuvrCVzken0gMEY_JRixjfwMutdEgCMSdbGSOE1jol7_xTQmPJL5x-Adq_d8mjM3ZbgDBZwa9xvUQBkACyudq6TFT4Vl_xziWaDfdhbpgs1vulZ-jcjur1xCoz/s640/20180622_182902_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We took the rigger's advice and had him replace our standing rigging. We also (on our own) <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/10/new-running-rigging.html" target="_blank">replaced our running rigging</a>, installed new clutches, put our main sail back on, added retractable lazy jacks, and installed our new sail pack that had been in storage for a few years. Nirvana was finally looking like a sailboat again .. a great feeling after so many years!</div>
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We also had a <a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1016705805"></span>new stainless steel bimini frame<span id="goog_1016705806"></span></a> made to replace our flimsy aluminum frame. Again, we pulled out our "new" bimini top out of storage after many years.</div>
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After years (literally) we took <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/11/sailing-with-our-new-sail-pack-lazy.html" target="_blank">Nirvana out for a sail</a> in the lake. It was such a great feeling to be back out on the water .. on our own sailboat! The engine ran great, the main sail raised easily, and we loved our new lazy jacks and sail pack! Nirvana's almost a full sailboat again .. we just need to remove our roller furler to replace the forestay, then put the roller furler and head sail back on. We feel we've come a long way this Summer!</div>
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We were sorry to see Summer come to an end, as we were finally getting Nirvana ready to sail. We HATE the cold, and were not planning on spending another Winter in Louisiana. However, we ran out of time but not projects!</div>
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We decided to celebrate Thanksgiving & Christmas with family, then escape Winter for five weeks. We spent Thanksgiving in the country at my brother's place, and were so glad our daughter & her family were able to spend Thanksgiving with us. Our lil grandson is growing so fast!</div>
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Our 1st Christmas with our grandson .. what could be better?</div>
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On Christmas morning, we loaded up the gifts and headed to our daughter's house. We just love that smile!</div>
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While celebrating Christmas, we were prepping Nirvana to be alone for a while. We packed our few valuables and brought them to our daughter's house. To keep Nirvana well ventilated, we kept a fan running in the salon, raised our new v-berth mattress, & removed our settee cushions from the hull (stood them upright on bottom settee cushions). We also added a few generic "Damp-Rids" throughout Nirvana and wiped down the interior of the hull with vinegar. We contemplated winterizing Nirvana's engine, but we ran out of time! On December 29th, with two hours of sleep, we caught a cab at 3 o'clock in the morning to head to airport. Luckily, Nirvana never experienced any freezing while we were gone.</div>
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Where did we go for five weeks? We went to Puerto Rico! I'll have more posts about this soon, but we found a cheap Air Bnb in Luquillo. We'd never heard of this town, nor had we ever been to Puerto Rico. We weren't sure if this cheap Air Bnb would be a good thing .. or a bad. It turned out to be a great time, and a beautiful location! The beach and the river (photo below) is just steps away from our apartment! Puerto Rico was indeed a great way to escape Winter, end the year, and begin a new one. We've been to a lot of tropical places, but Puerto Rico is probably our favorite!</div>
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A "sand man" is always better than a "snow man"!</div>
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It's now past mid-February, Winter is almost over, and we're looking forward to more adventures in 2019 .. I think it's gonna be another great year!</div>
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Hasta luego .. until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div>
Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-45372320710821732262018-12-03T07:30:00.000-06:002018-12-03T07:30:04.404-06:00Struggling to Reach the Dream - An Honest Post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sometimes we have to look at this quote to remind us not to give up. As anxiety creeps in, we get impatient and the "what-if's" take over. It's easier to be a pessimist than an optimist! But, that's why I'm writing this post. I'm keeping it real, and hoping to inspire others to hang in there with whatever dreams they have. The struggle is real, and you're not alone!</div>
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Ken & I have been working on "living the dream" for nine years now (see our refit photo album <a href="https://goo.gl/photos/tbumKLzpxPMgvbo57" target="_blank">here</a> .. and that doesn't cover earlier years!), and I'm not gonna lie .. sometimes it's really tough! For starters, we thought we'd be cruising within 3 years of purchasing Nirvana, which would have meant "sailing away" the end of November, 2012. We're about six years behind schedule!</div>
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Anyway, we continue to miss our deadlines ... the latest one being this month. We had hoped to have enough done on Nirvana to head towards Florida this month, but after an unintended inspection of our standing rigging we were told it really should be replaced before entering the Gulf. We believe the rigging is original (1987), and it did show signs of damage & age so we reluctantly agreed.</div>
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The standing rigging was completed about two weeks ago, except for the forestay. The wire has been ordered and the roller furler will soon be disassembled and removed for the new forestay installation. While we hated to miss our deadline, our safety (and peace of mind) is more important. It is somewhat of a relief to now have new standing rigging. After all, it does hold the mast up!</div>
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It seems Nirvana has had everything replaced .. except the engine, rudder and a few other things. Wait, what if after all the recent repairs our engine goes out .. or what if we run aground and have to get a new rudder?! You see what I mean? The anxiety creeps in.</div>
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It wasn't just the rigging that held us back, but our barely used Tohatsu has started acting up. Ken has spent four days cleaning, draining and replacing parts with no success .. talk about a downer! He finally decided to take a break from that project for a bit. </div>
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We're also in the process of installing our new <a href="https://amzn.to/2U1Rb9Z" target="_blank">Raymarine EV100 autopilot</a>, as well as connecting our Lowrance GPS to our new <a href="https://amzn.to/2PcAWmX" target="_blank">Lowrance VHF with AIS</a>. This means running a bunch of wires down the cockpit pedestal and into other hard-to-reach places, which also meant a few modifications along the way. The wires have been run down the cockpit pedestal and the four components of the auto-pilot have been mounted, so we're getting close. We just need to run the rest of the wires inside of Nirvana and to the components. </div>
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Oh, and here's a little tip .. grill covers are on sale this time of year, and they make great pedestal covers. We got this "kettle grill" cover for $10 bucks! If fits great, and gathers at the bottom. Now our new GPS & autopilot will be protected, as well as our compass.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMy6yQQUianphDutGpnGwxKS3lh_hozQ2rXev8DHMh6TLEmNQ_Ur41RjMKgXTcAEfb4XHdx_Wb4YZx4oWmcrQ0B4K4CYkMJ3cTYFOXMcSGNielhmtuAvm0W_Nck-pSaWx9idb0E_GEEWMU/s1600/20181130_095641_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMy6yQQUianphDutGpnGwxKS3lh_hozQ2rXev8DHMh6TLEmNQ_Ur41RjMKgXTcAEfb4XHdx_Wb4YZx4oWmcrQ0B4K4CYkMJ3cTYFOXMcSGNielhmtuAvm0W_Nck-pSaWx9idb0E_GEEWMU/s640/20181130_095641_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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All of this will be worth it, as the VHF/AIS allows us to see other boats with AIS and we can contact them (via VHF) if it's on a collision course with us .. or just get outta the way! Other boats won't be able to see us, but that's because we chose the less expensive AIS option. Need I say anything about the auto-pilot? Once we get it going, it will be well worth the investment. Who wants to stand at the helm for hours on end?!</div>
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With the current state of things, we weren't ready to "just go". We definitely want our rigging complete, and the comfortable weather of November that we'd been looking forward to didn't come. November in Louisiana is usually in the mid-70's .. perfect for finishing our projects and starting our sailing adventure, but Winter (and rain) arrived instead. We also found ourselves with a vacant rental this month, and we spent a fair amount of time making repairs and finding a new tenant. We finished repairs this past Friday, a new tenant moved in this past weekend .. and we have another vacant rental as of today! More repairs & interviews in December. Ugh!</div>
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So anyway, things have been a bit of a bummer for the past month. The weather pretty much sucked, our projects aren't finished, and we're still at the dock. Once we finally admitted to each other that we weren't gonna make our goal, things were pretty somber. We didn't wanna spend another Winter on the boat. We hated last Winter on Nirvana .. the condensation & the cold really sucked! I want to keep this blog as realistic as possible, so I'm not gonna say it's all about the journey. We're ready to sail to some sort of destination after all these years, and we're getting impatient. We wanna start having some fun with Nirvana!</div>
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If another person tells us to "just go", I'm gonna scream! I know plenty of folks seem to buy the perfect boat and start cruising a couple of months later, but that's not our reality. We bought a project boat and had no idea what we were doing. We also needed to keep working full-time (until recently) to keep up with the boat expenses .. you know BOAT stands for "Bring Out Another Thousand"!</div>
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A reader who meant well told us to "just go" and not worry about having "so much stuff". The thing is, we're not going with all the fancy stuff. We won't have a windlass, a water maker, hot water, radar, or davits. We may leave without solar panels! </div>
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The thing is, we're new to all this sailing & cruising stuff, even though we've been at it for 9 years! We had a lot of projects to make Nirvana safe on the water, and a ton of projects that required hours of research .. everything was new to us and we wanted to do it ourselves. Even with doing everything (except standing rigging) ourselves, the expenses have mounted up.</div>
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There have been times we've felt like giving up, moving into one of our rental houses and enjoying the conveniences of mainstream society. A warm shower just steps away, a comfy bed that doesn't require climbing in & out of, no long walks to our car in the cold and/or rain, room to spread out or walk around inside when it's bad weather, a dishwasher .. hot water! But you know what .. we couldn't live with ourselves if we gave up on our dream after so much time and effort. We think the sacrifices will be worth it once we start traveling .. and sailing. Unless something unknown throws us a curve, we're gonna do this! </div>
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It's easy for us to get impatient & depressed, dwelling on the money & time spent and the sacrifices we've made. That's human nature, I think. So, we have our down days but we never forget how lucky we are. We celebrated Thanksgiving with family, and we're looking forward to Christmas with our grandson. It will be his first Christmas, and we're excited about being around at this special time. Our little guy will celebrate his 1st birthday the beginning of February, and we're really glad we won't miss that either. Is he cute or what?!</div>
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We spent Thanksgiving in the country .. at my brother & sister-in-law's place in Mississippi. We were lucky to have a break from the crappy weather the days before, and the day after. The weather was perfect! Here's my brother with us, our daughter, son-in-law, grandson, and my mom & step-dad. My dad & step-mom were there too .. wish they were in the photo. My brother and I are thankful that our mom & dad still get along after being divorced since I was an infant. It's nice to spend the holidays with both of them!</div>
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Another silver lining ... we're around to repair and rent our properties ourselves instead of hiring someone else to handle it. One more rental to repair, but it should be occupied by the end of the year. We should also complete our auto-pilot & AIS installation, our rigging, and a few other projects (like installing our new Mantus anchor) on Nirvana. I sure hope we get that Tohatsu running! We'll always have projects waiting, but we're focusing on the "must-do's". So, everything always works out as it should.</div>
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We've licked our wounds and .. we're escaping to somewhere warm after Christmas! We're headed to a 5-week adventure, and that's what our goals are really about .. making the most out of life. We'll be back on the boat the beginning of February for our grandson's birthday party, then we'll finish up any "must-do's" on Nirvana (shouldn't be much) and leave the dock the end of February/beginning of March. We'll avoid freezing our asses off this January and we'll get to visit a new tropical destination. Yep, things always work out.</div>
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When we expose ourselves to so many folks "out there", we sometimes feel vulnerable. We sometimes feel like we need to "just go" this Winter and freeze because ya'll are "watching us" and judging. Not just ya'll, but so many co-workers and friends ask why we're still here. But, I often tell Ken that we're doing what's best for us. Most people who ask what's taking so long don't have a boat and don't have a clue what's involved. We sure didn't! Anyone who judges will be eating their words once we finally do leave. If something tragic happens before then, they'd be cruel to judge us.</div>
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If you're reading this and are struggling with turning a dream into reality, know that you're not alone. It may be more difficult than you anticipated, and it may take much longer than anticipated but every baby step forward is progress. As Helen Keller said, a pessimist never "opened a new doorway for the human spirit". Hang in there!</div>
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So, we still have our down days but we're looking forward to the holidays with family .. and our getaway after Christmas. More about that later!</div>
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Hasta luego .. until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div>
Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-60502394441607045352018-11-14T15:11:00.000-06:002018-11-14T15:17:04.823-06:00Sailing With Our New Sail Pack & Lazy Jacks!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOrAUOP32LHxDshRyNPh6KLwSi7jnGzm4e2xQo4IMP3j8GeTx-rrl4ONZd9cfWnAWlw6LBIXPPoA9lFdHIpxp2VOKVAMj1blgD-y3DBWNkgxoQdtREFzOTZPK2_jd8MVP7LV833G_abM4e/s1600/20181029_120128_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOrAUOP32LHxDshRyNPh6KLwSi7jnGzm4e2xQo4IMP3j8GeTx-rrl4ONZd9cfWnAWlw6LBIXPPoA9lFdHIpxp2VOKVAMj1blgD-y3DBWNkgxoQdtREFzOTZPK2_jd8MVP7LV833G_abM4e/s640/20181029_120128_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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After replacing our running rigging, it was finally time to pull out our sails & sail pack out of storage. If you've been following along, you know that we've been emptying our storage lately .. first <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/09/reviving-our-tohatsu.html" target="_blank">the Tohatsu</a>, then <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/09/nirvanas-water-taxi-or-dinghy.html" target="_blank">the dinghy</a>, followed by <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2013/07/nirvanas-new-bimini.html" target="_blank">the bimini</a>, and finally .. the sails! This was an exciting time for us, as Nirvana hadn't had her sails on since somewhere around 2012. Had it been that long?! I had to look up old posts on this blog to figure out just how long it had been. The post from <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2012/08/a-sense-of-freedom.html" target="_blank">our last sail</a> was written just after we put our house up for sale. As you could tell by the title and the post ... I had no idea so many years would pass by before sailing Nirvana again. After so many years, Nirvana would finally be a sailboat again, and hopefully we'd be sailing soon!</div>
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Ken and I brought the main sail and sail pack to the boat, and tried to remember how to add our sail pack. We weren't very familiar with our sail pack, as it was <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2012/09/a-sail-pack-fitting.html" target="_blank">sewn back in 2012</a> and then, you guessed it .. put in storage. As you can see from photos taken after the sail pack was sewn, we had the seamstress sew slugs into the bottom of the sail pack. We have a loose-footed main, and decided this would be a good way to secure the sail pack to the boom. Knowing little about sailing, we hoped that our solution would work.</div>
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Here's a photo of Robin back in 2012, sewing our sail pack. Robin did a fantastic job! We were lucky to have her sew our sail pack (learn how we found her through another cruiser <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2012/07/sail-pack-for-nirvana.html" target="_blank">here</a>), and even luckier to have won the Sail Pack Kit from <a href="https://www.sailrite.com/" target="_blank">Sailrite</a>. My entry into the contest can be found <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2011/08/our-sail-cover-sucks.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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After sliding the sail pack slugs onto the boom, it was time to add the main sail .. or was it?! When trying to add the main, we realized that we needed to start over. </div>
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We removed the sail pack and played around with the main sail for just a bit .. it's big & heavy!</div>
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We decided to slide the first slug of the sail pack onto the boom, then attached the main sail to the outhaul, then slide the remaining sail pack slugs into the boom. It seemed this set-up would work, but we still needed to insert a piece of 3/4" 40 PVC pipe to the pockets on each side of the sail pack and figure out how we wanted to set up our new lazy jacks.</div>
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When the sail pack was sewn, we had Robin add loops for the lazy jacks that Ken was going to make. Our sail pack has three loops on each side, starting 18" away from the mast. We then have another loop on each side that is 4' further down, then one last loop another 4' down.</div>
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With a total of two blocks, four stainless rings (cheaper than blocks) and random rope that we had for a trial run, Ken set up our retractable lazy jack system. Once he was happy with it, he added the permanent lazy jack lines. We didn't utilize all of the loops that we had sewn on our sail pack .. who could remember our plans from so long ago?! Here's a photo of our sail pack with PVC pipe and lazy jacks ..</div>
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With our new <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2013/07/nirvanas-new-bimini.html" target="_blank">bimini canvas</a>, new <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/10/new-stainless-bimini-frame.html" target="_blank">bimini frame</a> and new <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/10/new-running-rigging.html" target="_blank">running rigging</a>, Nirvana is looking ready for a sail. She has come such a long way in the past year! With <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/search/label/Projects" target="_blank">all the projects we've done</a>, we thought we were ready to add our head sail as well. But, after the rigger recently pointed out some areas of concern on our standing rigging .. we decided to take his recommendation and have all of the standing rigging replaced. This decision was not made lightly, as this meant a delay on sailing further South .. and more money!</div>
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So anyway, we could have added our head sail but since it would soon be taken down to remove the roller furler and replace the wire underneath .. we decided to take advantage of a beautiful day and try out our new sail pack and lazy jacks.</div>
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Ken and I were both excited and nervous to leave the dock! It had been almost a year & a half since <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2017/07/two-months-as-liveaboards.html" target="_blank">we motored to the marina</a>, and as I mentioned .. about six years since we'd done any kind of sailing on Nirvana! As we motored into the lake, it was time to test things out.</div>
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As recommended by many, we made sure that the lazy jacks were retracted and we pointed into the wind before Ken raised the main sail. The sail didn't catch on the lazy jacks, and the sail went up without a hitch. A while back we had the rigger <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2017/07/two-months-as-liveaboards.html" target="_blank">install new masthead sheaves</a>, so we were also giving the new sheaves a test. Ken said they did seem to make raising the main less difficult. So far, so good!</div>
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As Ken turned off the engine, we began to relax a bit. The sound of nothing but the waves and the wind against the sail was long overdue. It felt so good to be back on the lake .. on our own boat!</div>
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We wondered how it would be to sail with a sail pack, and with it "relaxed" along the boom (photo above) ... it didn't interfere at all.</div>
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We spent a few hours on the lake, tacking a few times and getting re-acquainted with Nirvana. Slowly, our anxiety was replaced with enjoyment and I couldn't stop smiling. We only had one sail on Nirvana, but we were sailing!</div>
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We enjoyed the day, and eventually released our lazy jacks before lowering the main sail. We weren't sure what we were going to think of our new lazy jacks and sail pack, but once Ken lowered the sail .. we were impressed! The sail flaked easily into the sail pack, and we didn't have to worry about anything more until we were back at the dock. It was so easy!</div>
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As we headed back to the dock, we started to get a bit anxious again. We often docked behind our house, which didn't have anything in front of the bow to hit. But now, we had to make sure we didn't come in too fast and hit the dock!</div>
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Luckily, we docked like a pro and had a big boost in morale after a great day on the lake. We couldn't wait to do it again soon!</div>
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After posting these photos, I realize that I don't have a picture of the full lazy jack set-up. Basically, there's a block on each side about 2/3 up the mast, then a stainless ring on each side that the line goes through, then another ring on each side that a separate line runs through & attaches to the sail pack. The photo below kinda shows what I'm talking about ... you can see the two rings on each side.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZWx94GHL7LaMjOD5nW4juV6Ecao8GqYD-4zOvNM3Uo0pqZyUcYubNAQC7hPYE2ZMTZ3iHRSUpj1wxbqebB7VggAgoNRkJjm5WTGl2oyNZw1CXrvFJPSNFq4677KfVvh5-HjqVN8p5kHJL/s1600/20181029_133818_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZWx94GHL7LaMjOD5nW4juV6Ecao8GqYD-4zOvNM3Uo0pqZyUcYubNAQC7hPYE2ZMTZ3iHRSUpj1wxbqebB7VggAgoNRkJjm5WTGl2oyNZw1CXrvFJPSNFq4677KfVvh5-HjqVN8p5kHJL/s400/20181029_133818_HDR.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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We thought we'd have to make some adjustments after testing things out, but so far we're happy with our current set up. </div>
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We're looking forward to getting back out on the lake again, but Winter came early and we're currently experiencing rain, high winds and high temps in the 40's .. damn it. We're supposed to be in the mid-70's here in Louisiana!</div>
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With the current conditions, the rigger had to cancel replacing our standing rigging and we haven't gotten back on the lake. We also had to put other boat projects on hold, and we're hoping that we can get back on track soon.</div>
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Hasta luego .. until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div>
Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-73075359105897290252018-10-23T07:30:00.000-05:002018-10-23T07:30:01.635-05:00New Stainless Bimini Frame!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPzBfxea44_nbNkYJLbT6mezhfwpru4IVVybm4FqFRyVjZefAvPsXFiRxMjTO8i0DrbHCPwJVrW-yVDfKPcx7CNhWXEZMv22rYTSWsvbxxFsYCcrds2WIT1ofPWx3scmxWdfnAz__S8hCW/s1600/20180921_085950_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPzBfxea44_nbNkYJLbT6mezhfwpru4IVVybm4FqFRyVjZefAvPsXFiRxMjTO8i0DrbHCPwJVrW-yVDfKPcx7CNhWXEZMv22rYTSWsvbxxFsYCcrds2WIT1ofPWx3scmxWdfnAz__S8hCW/s640/20180921_085950_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Several years ago we had <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2013/07/nirvanas-new-bimini.html" target="_blank">a new bimini</a> sewn for our bimini frame. As with our Tohatsu and dinghy, our new Sunbrella bimini went into storage. Now that we were ready to remove our tarp and bring out our ole "new" bimini, we wanted to replace our flimsy aluminum bimini frame with stainless steel tubing.</div>
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We thought this would be pretty easy, but finding someone to bend stainless steel tubing to duplicate our aluminum bimini frame was no easy task! We called every place we could find from New Orleans, LA to Biloxi, MS. They all told us that they'd sell us a new frame AND bimini, but they wouldn't bend stainless to duplicate our aluminum frame. We couldn't bring ourselves to purchase another bimini when we had a brand new one in storage! Who knew this would be so difficult?!</div>
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Finally, we found "<a href="http://www.thecanvasmanllc.net/index.html" target="_blank">The Canvas Man</a>" in nearby Mandeville, LA. After our experience with calling other places, we thought we may have better luck if we talked to the owner in person .. and with our frame. So, we loaded our aluminum frame into our truck and brought it to the owner, Jeff. He was willing to duplicate our aluminum frame with stainless steel tubing .. without a new bimini top! </div>
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A couple of weeks later, we picked up our new stainless steel bimini frame. It's nice to have a frame that's not only much more stable, but shiny too! (The photo below didn't have the stainless steel tube installed at the rear yet .. thus the yellow strap).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQKhVcGiB2bnrrcifVkbUC5dBY0MUN17qX8nbYU07B_jMXurG3_Hw7Lv7udOH2sifQf90vbStMbXNcHYo3pRFhrd7gFLllwpg_XYLoY8_u23WwvULrkqjZCgF3lYZwWkkAyBd0Gm60v6VV/s1600/20180919_160624_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQKhVcGiB2bnrrcifVkbUC5dBY0MUN17qX8nbYU07B_jMXurG3_Hw7Lv7udOH2sifQf90vbStMbXNcHYo3pRFhrd7gFLllwpg_XYLoY8_u23WwvULrkqjZCgF3lYZwWkkAyBd0Gm60v6VV/s640/20180919_160624_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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While our bimini doesn't fit quite as tight as it did on our old aluminium frame, we're happy with the results. If you look closely in the first photo, you'll see a black clip tightening the loose back corner of the bimini. We have a clip in all four corners, and we'll get the corners sewn tighter in the future. It's no big deal considering the money we saved by not starting completely over with a new bimini top!</div>
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Since this photo was taken, we've added black straps to the front corners of the bimini, and stainless tubing at the rear corners.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMD2bQHXLfjDr50Suh18lcVPOSSKKjqgYVxfpUlylgJ9cV4pak-gsQUqi-GmFiZ8Yo9YUk0TDX_nAEb3I8oHdW-NMUej-csL3XfOpL1KRplGTYPmqQ_ByXsSLjx8xPhtgBsr_g4vk8QJVv/s1600/20180919_152651_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMD2bQHXLfjDr50Suh18lcVPOSSKKjqgYVxfpUlylgJ9cV4pak-gsQUqi-GmFiZ8Yo9YUk0TDX_nAEb3I8oHdW-NMUej-csL3XfOpL1KRplGTYPmqQ_ByXsSLjx8xPhtgBsr_g4vk8QJVv/s640/20180919_152651_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here's the rear stainless supports that we added ...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix91vRZCVaSScrQRi_dedBOgroWxdHJWygoC54JGG8BoeX2zUNQ14E0q7gB1636FNkST8vwrcA_QvmyqGLlHqPS7MXtl0N5Vi_znfs6RkUNbmb8-R3FcbgM3aadOzauAp_-SIU6IhYb6N4/s1600/20181017_144742_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix91vRZCVaSScrQRi_dedBOgroWxdHJWygoC54JGG8BoeX2zUNQ14E0q7gB1636FNkST8vwrcA_QvmyqGLlHqPS7MXtl0N5Vi_znfs6RkUNbmb8-R3FcbgM3aadOzauAp_-SIU6IhYb6N4/s640/20181017_144742_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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and here's a view of the stainless frame.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJGCdJgupB5teHqordE83pvrThvPW1NcCbPqq2nG0Mwl3avN9Sr28zCf794G4DL254LR-2MFJQAHprWBJwcXpfjkEy1-gMxsfzORQt3BpuyQH6yo9W5adjK0GL7I94CuUkfq0EQVY57eM/s1600/20181018_160223_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJGCdJgupB5teHqordE83pvrThvPW1NcCbPqq2nG0Mwl3avN9Sr28zCf794G4DL254LR-2MFJQAHprWBJwcXpfjkEy1-gMxsfzORQt3BpuyQH6yo9W5adjK0GL7I94CuUkfq0EQVY57eM/s640/20181018_160223_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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It's great to have shade again, and when we're spending all of our days living at anchor we're gonna be glad we have it!</div>
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Hasta luego .. until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div>
Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-40072665730428762592018-10-18T07:30:00.000-05:002018-10-18T07:30:05.580-05:00New Running Rigging!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUqCf4Mf71vWNvbgiuoz5rZYbyeshCdWHLHAFqq__22wuGDZOr23icrW1glkLIYCItBauunO_ArWVPpzp8WYt2BG0O_0FSfyJykf5ecbX5mr7unYbtgZMGsiKt2P7RdoSpJIff3QHWu6dm/s1600/20180919_144759_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1131" data-original-width="1600" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUqCf4Mf71vWNvbgiuoz5rZYbyeshCdWHLHAFqq__22wuGDZOr23icrW1glkLIYCItBauunO_ArWVPpzp8WYt2BG0O_0FSfyJykf5ecbX5mr7unYbtgZMGsiKt2P7RdoSpJIff3QHWu6dm/s640/20180919_144759_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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After <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/09/cajun-rope-for-your-boat.html" target="_blank">replacing our halyards & topping lift</a> with new ones from Cajun Rope, we were ready to get rid of the ugly, worn lines on the rest of our boat. The photo above shows our new lines on the boom (outhaul & boom vang) and traveler, along with our new Garhauer double clutch on the port side. (Check out our $5 vinyl tablecloth that I've attached to our traveler! This prevents us from having to use our companionway boards every time we're in & out of the boat. It may not be canvas or pretty, but it works & we love it!)</div>
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You can see how worn our lines were on our boom and traveler!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2IIYg5ZTF5gptwPb77P3dp4ZJhHfCnfOHJkgIl9g7NIr2UrENjNMb0XpXAqyWy3-F3CzU8C0W4Lj32-n9ydndmbKIKuZ9MFZsfcUFNCfhvQwMLUnHQi-DdHiCYXSMOWf3E7RqHMuAUqCo/s1600/20180915_102221_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2IIYg5ZTF5gptwPb77P3dp4ZJhHfCnfOHJkgIl9g7NIr2UrENjNMb0XpXAqyWy3-F3CzU8C0W4Lj32-n9ydndmbKIKuZ9MFZsfcUFNCfhvQwMLUnHQi-DdHiCYXSMOWf3E7RqHMuAUqCo/s640/20180915_102221_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjROpZJlCuNoC7AKcsgZj2gfKWBT2EQQpS0L5HyaJ3BWjXGjqfia7wA_Ax5QYvdywjYs_kUErRA9F-SA5Ng2wM1bOVjQ0xQ2TLFv6csMF4fzldLAFF2iQ6DxER8up3N0QOtfGM-5S9-cXKX/s1600/20180919_071442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjROpZJlCuNoC7AKcsgZj2gfKWBT2EQQpS0L5HyaJ3BWjXGjqfia7wA_Ax5QYvdywjYs_kUErRA9F-SA5Ng2wM1bOVjQ0xQ2TLFv6csMF4fzldLAFF2iQ6DxER8up3N0QOtfGM-5S9-cXKX/s640/20180919_071442.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Our new traveler lines look much better!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGa3pSHV-dA8uhZ024KuWcSWJHdU4cFDiRanQdeUUTdsH9dAHlic9pHpMStB1A4H-QOPIZ-K6Vbw0E8bA62xdVj4XjMnGqXiOcunPg_LcblKwKSwZfXv6ydscbOkKEDaOHUTLjhWplqTRx/s1600/20180919_151302_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGa3pSHV-dA8uhZ024KuWcSWJHdU4cFDiRanQdeUUTdsH9dAHlic9pHpMStB1A4H-QOPIZ-K6Vbw0E8bA62xdVj4XjMnGqXiOcunPg_LcblKwKSwZfXv6ydscbOkKEDaOHUTLjhWplqTRx/s640/20180919_151302_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We also added a new main sheet and two Garhauer single clutches on the starboard side of Nirvana. Why two singles? Well, we had ordered a single clutch a while ago then realized we wanted another and it was too late to return the single clutch so .. two singles!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn7bWRGJyr1keAPZgQFAw-andmigZsgM_2B5Sb35IDvbsUHLwpU3Xhyecy1-iDX_JsayrWlGdPXuqGsOXVUWIC_9ivzVImv44ll_o8t56eKh6D8yCPogS-0UrahjoX6C5taA5fLaRiPSAS/s1600/20180910_125402_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn7bWRGJyr1keAPZgQFAw-andmigZsgM_2B5Sb35IDvbsUHLwpU3Xhyecy1-iDX_JsayrWlGdPXuqGsOXVUWIC_9ivzVImv44ll_o8t56eKh6D8yCPogS-0UrahjoX6C5taA5fLaRiPSAS/s400/20180910_125402_HDR.jpg" width="225" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1gtrJ37UsHhaBGID7zYOm36fR5L3Qn7kMbASwl914Yq8ZW84gY8V9i_f9huIjhXbXGECKyskUvVbdKCco5pNow0mLQpWon5oxWvmuDXWhugQFCnJ9yTmaI5PVOnn2hFay2fLNU05js3_U/s1600/20180910_144956_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1gtrJ37UsHhaBGID7zYOm36fR5L3Qn7kMbASwl914Yq8ZW84gY8V9i_f9huIjhXbXGECKyskUvVbdKCco5pNow0mLQpWon5oxWvmuDXWhugQFCnJ9yTmaI5PVOnn2hFay2fLNU05js3_U/s400/20180910_144956_HDR.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzoezXgpUPzB3jqJOVL4uxXumc45Lw22zKoQKoK1dQ7lRyMKnfGZCuubbNxZS1tlo29rWkuW-qQm7iRhDLiwEaJKvirYomX0Q7KHdBLcpWcRv9pq8aR9OvQUBIjKM5ur1SkplVKSATLxzH/s1600/20180919_145804_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzoezXgpUPzB3jqJOVL4uxXumc45Lw22zKoQKoK1dQ7lRyMKnfGZCuubbNxZS1tlo29rWkuW-qQm7iRhDLiwEaJKvirYomX0Q7KHdBLcpWcRv9pq8aR9OvQUBIjKM5ur1SkplVKSATLxzH/s640/20180919_145804_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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You'll notice in one of the photos above that our boom is down. That's because we also replaced the line inside our boom, called the "internal outhaul". </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCbsAJEB4bFnXyF2G0UHoZ94sLbgQr3vtskCJZyHtKHOaE7__FWHeeZ0It7DtwwMVcJdA21Dt3Nt-9zuHvUfa1n5vksdYJJOCp7opKA99-LwvzrCHFlTRoI95GC8oYefew2PcTZmnKswh2/s1600/20180915_102316_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCbsAJEB4bFnXyF2G0UHoZ94sLbgQr3vtskCJZyHtKHOaE7__FWHeeZ0It7DtwwMVcJdA21Dt3Nt-9zuHvUfa1n5vksdYJJOCp7opKA99-LwvzrCHFlTRoI95GC8oYefew2PcTZmnKswh2/s640/20180915_102316_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEtXbNrmJk1yB375sySys2BPTGELnMb9bXNvlB40ALTKAFrCt7KP7DSxwiUUQCSmv3ef8bkQ0r7nBcW5YjbQFRs2JuCOMz7YMi5-SmynMBbvuRt-meFFRrw9yFu3sd_w9VpyXtKcN-cuZ/s1600/20180416_105520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEtXbNrmJk1yB375sySys2BPTGELnMb9bXNvlB40ALTKAFrCt7KP7DSxwiUUQCSmv3ef8bkQ0r7nBcW5YjbQFRs2JuCOMz7YMi5-SmynMBbvuRt-meFFRrw9yFu3sd_w9VpyXtKcN-cuZ/s320/20180416_105520.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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Here's a photo of the internal outhaul line & block inside of the boom.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVCPQWjzkGyhVrejy2tV0h6a0P4ijFE6FEwMnvSlbtPMx1oT_-ONWva654PBQuYKF8pSC81ekAlsDUM0BYSXZg-_Xn76tG357JEEIzbGAGeTAQ73NlfuVgeQjJ6P4UHKPbYn_N7pJdaq5/s1600/FB_IMG_1537194689077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVCPQWjzkGyhVrejy2tV0h6a0P4ijFE6FEwMnvSlbtPMx1oT_-ONWva654PBQuYKF8pSC81ekAlsDUM0BYSXZg-_Xn76tG357JEEIzbGAGeTAQ73NlfuVgeQjJ6P4UHKPbYn_N7pJdaq5/s640/FB_IMG_1537194689077.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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We also replaced our backstay with <a href="http://www.cajunrope.com/" target="_blank">Cajun Rope</a> ..</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykKCCdmEUnG_6JLtHBMuM9kbJq3ajguhfH175hHd8Kj8vH-LNN56-S2GLR97OC0OQ7R9WVpKmE2FMilWxiW7NYaV3Opgc-_ASUnPgXDTSTMJ8zXd8dCHqWJ0_2jdfXyGo2UnbxLNn4ZJz/s1600/20180919_152128_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="1600" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykKCCdmEUnG_6JLtHBMuM9kbJq3ajguhfH175hHd8Kj8vH-LNN56-S2GLR97OC0OQ7R9WVpKmE2FMilWxiW7NYaV3Opgc-_ASUnPgXDTSTMJ8zXd8dCHqWJ0_2jdfXyGo2UnbxLNn4ZJz/s640/20180919_152128_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Now that we've replaced our running rigging, it's time to install our new lazy jacks & <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2012/09/a-sail-pack-fitting.html" target="_blank">sail pack</a> and replace our standing rigging. We weren't planning on the expense of new standing rigging, but after our recent rigging inspection we're gonna deal with it. Stay tuned!</div>
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Hasta luego .. until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div>
Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-34297716342997977282018-10-12T07:30:00.000-05:002018-10-12T07:30:02.001-05:00New Mattress for Nirvana!<div style="text-align: center;">
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For the past year as <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/05/1st-year-as-liveaboards.html" target="_blank">liveaboards</a>, we've been sleeping on our original v-berth cushions, along with a <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2011/04/foam-mattress-for-v-berth.html" target="_blank">foam mattress</a> that we had cut and a <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2013/09/gel-in-our-memory-foam.html" target="_blank">gel topper</a>. While it's been much better than just the original cushions, my hips still ached by morning.</div>
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Ken & I had been planning on purchasing some sort of multi-layered foam mattress before leaving the dock, so when Amazon featured an 8 inch <a href="https://amzn.to/2mJVpE1" target="_blank">memory foam mattress</a> on "Prime Day" for only $107 bucks, we figured it was worth a try. The mattress was less than half the normal price!<br />
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The mattress came in a box, and was wrapped up tightly in plastic. We brought the box to our daughter's garage, where we took the mattress out of the box.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgblDKJV11ge_86ipD3Wwy7FcTAcB6x8rRvJDF7mTzwwpVm2lRZmqRFm7Ebsn-EK-qOW_TEKA44388d3TSzzQ_k9-jSaZKVqOX5yoJxtpnWo1X-6q0mOxmtuRPq1dC6iXbRMrws1FXUMY1d/s1600/20180826_132056_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1600" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgblDKJV11ge_86ipD3Wwy7FcTAcB6x8rRvJDF7mTzwwpVm2lRZmqRFm7Ebsn-EK-qOW_TEKA44388d3TSzzQ_k9-jSaZKVqOX5yoJxtpnWo1X-6q0mOxmtuRPq1dC6iXbRMrws1FXUMY1d/s640/20180826_132056_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We then removed the first layer of plastic and laid the mattress out. We then cut the second layer of plastic, which let air in and allowed the mattress to rise.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jw8UrzMdkxntxQb-1CV9HbVm18JQLGS5tB441Ft32_oIC8Q4daFHRCpovU3MuoK4NMEmvJaPnBA0d210onpjd3vcloz0xdxtDi-V5whBhbW9BQvdyAmhl0sJpW86j1y3DaH_eNYA8r5Q/s1600/20180826_132530_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jw8UrzMdkxntxQb-1CV9HbVm18JQLGS5tB441Ft32_oIC8Q4daFHRCpovU3MuoK4NMEmvJaPnBA0d210onpjd3vcloz0xdxtDi-V5whBhbW9BQvdyAmhl0sJpW86j1y3DaH_eNYA8r5Q/s640/20180826_132530_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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In just minutes the mattress was "inflated" and ready for cutting. Before cutting the mattress, we wanted to remove the zippered cover that it was in. However, the zipper didn't have a "pull", and we had to rip it open! We don't know if this was a defect, or if the cover wasn't meant to be removed. After removing the cover, the mattress was wrapped in another layer of fabric, so I'm thinking we had a defective zipper. The second layer of fabric wasn't meant to be removed, so we had to rip the seams. Oh well .. the covers would have a lot of excess fabric at the top of the mattress, so now I didn't feel so bad cutting that fabric off!</div>
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We brought our original v-berth cushions to use as a template. We ordered the "full" sized mattress, so the top corners would need to be cut off and added to the bottom corners.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJfTFe_hmeTcFX5zc7tJ6Er1AeD2ibSRdYvffWNeKnkkR9_fT6GQNs_ZS7qMx1W6wq7XTYmkTG1Trul-tqxUmqKMVp3HQdZKVrzldyi-ZvNo9kKA20WeWNLzooRYJAEwLqh0NurBhqoR8/s1600/20180826_134440_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1600" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJfTFe_hmeTcFX5zc7tJ6Er1AeD2ibSRdYvffWNeKnkkR9_fT6GQNs_ZS7qMx1W6wq7XTYmkTG1Trul-tqxUmqKMVp3HQdZKVrzldyi-ZvNo9kKA20WeWNLzooRYJAEwLqh0NurBhqoR8/s640/20180826_134440_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ken sharpened his machete and it cut the foam like butter!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTNjrQ-hQ00KIx6AO3szQ7o4UvRRgi8v4kaghtecfX6pomb5xHwfLzkKbl89bBGt0KFIKDSlR01V3VHxEZLhrwRhHxwc65fKWEpzrGCk9f4KiWNN4H8WxbjK5USEeFaHlHrWs66c5BAQmx/s1600/20180826_135807_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTNjrQ-hQ00KIx6AO3szQ7o4UvRRgi8v4kaghtecfX6pomb5xHwfLzkKbl89bBGt0KFIKDSlR01V3VHxEZLhrwRhHxwc65fKWEpzrGCk9f4KiWNN4H8WxbjK5USEeFaHlHrWs66c5BAQmx/s640/20180826_135807_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihtRaIVeGuMeU0HqTMemwkIIVEO9Yuq470ycrrZhtkSwiW8i8ZMTgZSJyec7BBP0PNV44nrYbtAWnp08m6FB53azviG1V2mbwB7uGD3EnH3WQLCcPKOWoG6QZlAe1zVsbt_s1cNRKezLEr/s1600/20180826_140353_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihtRaIVeGuMeU0HqTMemwkIIVEO9Yuq470ycrrZhtkSwiW8i8ZMTgZSJyec7BBP0PNV44nrYbtAWnp08m6FB53azviG1V2mbwB7uGD3EnH3WQLCcPKOWoG6QZlAe1zVsbt_s1cNRKezLEr/s640/20180826_140353_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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With the slope of the v-berth, Ken had to make sure that the top of the mattress was a little wider than the bottom of the mattress. He wasn't precise about this .. he just kinda winged it & figured he'd make the final cuts after the mattress was in place. After cutting the mattress, we wrapped it back up in the plastic to load in the truck and into our boat. We hoped it wouldn't be too difficult to get the mattress through our companionway!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihZ3bTMqyleO8wHGcKFZJoJAbRCZq-Xn8S0G1Su55ruef1vYT9B2ewUalpcIC30FksNMuXL1RBe9ieiksgshGZOGP-7MMga3_s7PQ5fLP0bZLUMjBMvoySG7UNcmaUGdtbH3MjcyMZPZWJ/s1600/20180826_142118_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihZ3bTMqyleO8wHGcKFZJoJAbRCZq-Xn8S0G1Su55ruef1vYT9B2ewUalpcIC30FksNMuXL1RBe9ieiksgshGZOGP-7MMga3_s7PQ5fLP0bZLUMjBMvoySG7UNcmaUGdtbH3MjcyMZPZWJ/s640/20180826_142118_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The v-berth was clean and ready for our new mattress!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5ZUj_YtoZxB9wy-9mPKw5G5DFT-zHGinJAht8RTT8O3Wx2F2dId0oKeisLVdIo5X3MVDV1QBcNwJ0uzCqLhxEsoct_1ORz8eTH8TXOKp9oJ9KiAzjGV91itiTTh5BIqrFKmBmpClQdKq/s1600/20180826_162414_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5ZUj_YtoZxB9wy-9mPKw5G5DFT-zHGinJAht8RTT8O3Wx2F2dId0oKeisLVdIo5X3MVDV1QBcNwJ0uzCqLhxEsoct_1ORz8eTH8TXOKp9oJ9KiAzjGV91itiTTh5BIqrFKmBmpClQdKq/s640/20180826_162414_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Luckily, our companionway is pretty large and the mattress went through pretty easily.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSIHRKroacx5sjQshOPllxhLDOw15cJW2QNVQk-LVAhxLlvGEZCFaW2wkF1zWmkdXGBXwi5GSlGn1ZyHSG7copaIXJaH6FARvViPPRLIvRT0JxgvOU61gXqQV7nDPhNfl36MFki8T6C1u/s1600/20180826_164855_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSIHRKroacx5sjQshOPllxhLDOw15cJW2QNVQk-LVAhxLlvGEZCFaW2wkF1zWmkdXGBXwi5GSlGn1ZyHSG7copaIXJaH6FARvViPPRLIvRT0JxgvOU61gXqQV7nDPhNfl36MFki8T6C1u/s640/20180826_164855_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The mattress fit pretty well in our v-berth, but needed a few more final cuts before adding the covers and sheets. Ken made these cuts with a filet knife. Also, after posting the photo below of our new mattress on our Facebook page, several of our followers were kind enough to share several suggestions on preventing mold from growing underneath our mattress. We needed to add something under our mattress to keep it off the bottom and allow it to breathe. We should have done this before adding the mattress, but better late than never!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mqTaH1HEX5rUGaesadSddcUvshA_udZwzOvnthMNsB0iiP1EqL69nQoVU-bQ9dZTcUWAL7jvKcaiHbTpe3MXHSB-KNw67QL_Pg3JmKO_-UsuubA7JhJNUwJoMe4QrmbdAFt4Z4XN2I-s/s1600/20180828_091814_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1030" data-original-width="1600" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mqTaH1HEX5rUGaesadSddcUvshA_udZwzOvnthMNsB0iiP1EqL69nQoVU-bQ9dZTcUWAL7jvKcaiHbTpe3MXHSB-KNw67QL_Pg3JmKO_-UsuubA7JhJNUwJoMe4QrmbdAFt4Z4XN2I-s/s640/20180828_091814_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Once Ken made the final cuts to our mattress, we took the advice of a cruiser and purchased a piece of foam board. Actually, Ken misunderstood me and didn't buy the white styrofoam board that was suggested. Instead, he bought a purple foam board. We did some research after he came home with the purple board already cut, and we think this will work just fine. It's highly waterproof (we left a piece in the rain to test) but we'll keep a close eye on it, especially when our a/c is gone.</div>
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Anyway, Ken had cut the foam into two pieces to add underneath our mattress. One piece for the port side and one for the starboard side. It will be hard enough to get to our water tank & storage area with a large foam mattress, but at least we won't have to remove all of the foam board underneath .. just one side or the other. We'll be sleeping with the "Pink Panther"!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXu_NpDvEbh7tXQJnYnm1B-Qz0KuGn03ZRXHaWcvrwIAT7E4INgeecpMd5Li8lUw_EPouR0woORfbF4-ua0vYGzzARB8il8Qxszdk-IHxY9BLRgsfQ4KbwpUifKIq29uTycScMp_D6S4fS/s1600/20180902_153552_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXu_NpDvEbh7tXQJnYnm1B-Qz0KuGn03ZRXHaWcvrwIAT7E4INgeecpMd5Li8lUw_EPouR0woORfbF4-ua0vYGzzARB8il8Qxszdk-IHxY9BLRgsfQ4KbwpUifKIq29uTycScMp_D6S4fS/s320/20180902_153552_HDR.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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The foam went in pretty easily, which was a relief.</div>
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After the foam board was added underneath, it was time to cover the mattress and add the sheets. I decided to re-use the inner cover that came with the mattress then add a second waterproof cover that I purchased. I had to do some acrobatics to get the first cover under the mattress and over the top! Once I had the cover in place, I secured the cut side & top with safety pins. Here's a photo of the first cover ...</div>
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I then added the second waterproof cover over the top, which was easy compared to the first .. especially since I bought a "King" sized cover. The larger cover allowed me to easily cover the entire top of the mattress. I just tucked the excess underneath. I then added the sheets that we already had been using .. they're also "King" sized, and they're flat sheets. Forget buying expensive, fitted sheets for a v-berth! Just buy larger, flat sheets and tuck on the sides!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHlL76Y5_HPfsHsYOB2Sf9zLg7doYC_DYbekchD9C8g9R0phlWt5ywjSKsl8jN20shyphenhyphenQCWzGbE4oifPI56FQcnj1_1hWQiOCkrFu_L-g1ybi_hcQFB_YhPJbaAZYWorcFa2u5KbIyYKid-/s1600/20180902_184907_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHlL76Y5_HPfsHsYOB2Sf9zLg7doYC_DYbekchD9C8g9R0phlWt5ywjSKsl8jN20shyphenhyphenQCWzGbE4oifPI56FQcnj1_1hWQiOCkrFu_L-g1ybi_hcQFB_YhPJbaAZYWorcFa2u5KbIyYKid-/s640/20180902_184907_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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After sleeping on our other mattress for over a year, we were anxious to sleep on our new mattress. We hoped it was gonna be more comfortable .. and give my hips some relief! I have to say that after sleeping on our new mattress for over a month, we're happy with our decision. The mattress is still a bit firm, but we can't handle super soft mattresses. It isn't as firm as our other mattress, so my hips aren't hurting anymore. If you're looking for a new mattress without breaking the bank, I'd recommend <a href="https://amzn.to/2mJVpE1" target="_blank">this one</a>. Sweet dreams!</div>
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Hasta luego .. until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div>
Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-59472033437396484442018-10-09T09:30:00.001-05:002019-11-06T12:54:05.690-06:00Wiring for 12 Volts!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiajjxPnA_2HbeI5wR5q1Ia2v-ifyT2U8a_TE6qM01okKkcd7wj8k4I4xZd7z4jMEZC5O9i-2alUILKMHfZZsvnz5Hay2hSrA9A4zBWOliFd8eLiqPxpf_x1t14zudp2XNdACQJBIHSm9FM/s1600/20180507_122612_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiajjxPnA_2HbeI5wR5q1Ia2v-ifyT2U8a_TE6qM01okKkcd7wj8k4I4xZd7z4jMEZC5O9i-2alUILKMHfZZsvnz5Hay2hSrA9A4zBWOliFd8eLiqPxpf_x1t14zudp2XNdACQJBIHSm9FM/s640/20180507_122612_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is what it looked like when we added wiring for 12 volts! Living on a boat means constantly moving stuff, especially when doing boat projects. Ken had to get behind both settees, through the head (bathroom) cabinet, through our closet, under the galley (kitchen) cabinets, under the aft cabin, and through a few bulkheads to run the wires to our navigation station.</div>
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We added three <a href="https://amzn.to/2x5VlTN" target="_blank">Caframo fans</a> to Nirvana, which have really helped in keeping cool. Ken hard-wired one in our v-berth (bedroom) and one in the salon (den). The third fan plugs into our salon's outlet, and can be moved around if needed. That fan can also be turned towards the galley, which has been awesome when I'm cooking! We also have another 12v fan in the salon, which came with the boat and can be moved around as needed .. probably to my side of the v-berth!</div>
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While the boat was torn apart, Ken also replaced our speaker wires and our stereo. We purchased the stereo from West Marine, which allows us to play our iPod, CDs, and has a USB port. We plan on adding a couple more USB ports on the side of our nav station to charge our phones.</div>
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Ken installed several 12 volt outlets throughout the boat .. one in the v-berth, one in the salon (we already had one in the salon, so now we have two), and one on the side of our navigation station for our <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001SNWCFO/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001SNWCFO&linkCode=as2&tag=midlifecruisi-20&linkId=5bd23e900606cc3bdf7b547516249948" target="_blank">Engel fridge</a> to be plugged into. The fridge can be either AC or DC, so we were able to use the fridge with the AC outlet before installing the 12v (DC) outlet.</div>
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One of the outlets in the salon will be used for our 12v television, which also can be plugged in either an AC or DC outlet and was being used with an AC outlet before this project. Our television is installed over a storage cabinet, so we can still store stuff behind it.</div>
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Notice the lighting over our settee? We replaced all of our lights with LED lights .. more about that in a future post. With the wires run, LED lights installed, and <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/10/new-battery-system-for-living-off-grid.html" target="_blank">a new battery system</a> .. we are now looking into solar panels. Who knew living simple would be so complicated?!</div>
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Hasta luego .. until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div>
Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-65229006138677624902018-10-05T08:08:00.002-05:002019-11-06T12:53:18.850-06:00New Battery System for Living Off the Grid!<div style="text-align: center;">
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When Ken & I thought of getting new batteries for Nirvana in order to anchor out most of the time, we had no idea how much there was to learn! Since owning Nirvana, we've had one starter battery & one house battery. Since we've been in project mode and plugged in at the dock, we didn't need to rely on our batteries much. We just turned the main switch to "1" for the house bank and that was it.</div>
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After reading the related chapters in Nigel Calder's "<a href="https://amzn.to/2uMWXla" target="_blank">Mechanical & Electrical Manual</a>" a dozen times, I realized there was a lot more to creating an "off the grid" system. (We highly recommend this book, and will be referring to it many times in the future, including when we add our solar panels soon). Ken had a basic understanding of batteries, but it was all foreign to me. There were so many things to consider .. not only the batteries, but the cables & terminals, the wire size, the alternator, the regulator, the isolator, the charger, the battery monitor .. whew!<br />
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The first thing we needed to do was figure out how many amps we expected to use on a daily basis. Since we don't have a watermaker, we've replaced all of our lights to LED, and our 12v Engel fridge only draws 2 amps, we figured around 100-110 amps per day would get us by.<br />
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The next step was choosing our batteries. Although we only needed about 100-100 amps per day, we don't wanna drain our batteries below 50%, and we probably won't charge them to 100% daily .. meaning we needed to get as many amps as possible in our small space. We really didn't want to go below 300 amps in batteries. Golf cart batteries were a good option, but when faced with six of them it wasn't gonna work for us. After a fair amount of research, we decided on AGM batteries wired in parallel, specifically Firefly batteries. These batteries would fit our small space, and they have great reviews on fighting the problem of sulfation. However, after weighing the high costs of these hard-to-find batteries (they are often on back-order), we decided to continue searching for options.<br />
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While researching our battery options, Ken tackled the easy stuff. He installed the Sea Dog <a href="https://amzn.to/2JVLuEj" target="_blank">switch panel</a> that we ordered onto our navigation station. The new panel allowed us to add six circuits, which we used for our <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/05/the-propane-project.html" target="_blank">propane tank's</a> solenoid, our <a href="https://amzn.to/2LB6Agh" target="_blank">Caframo fans</a>, our new 12v outlets, television, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001SNWCFO/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001SNWCFO&linkCode=as2&tag=midlifecruisi-20&linkId=5bd23e900606cc3bdf7b547516249948" target="_blank">Engel refrigerator</a>, and one extra for a future item. Ken then installed the Victron BMV-712 <a href="https://amzn.to/2LAVSGB" target="_blank">battery monitor</a> onto our nav station. We'd heard good things about this monitor, and we were looking forward to hooking this up to our new batteries. We're happy with the location of these items, as they are easy to view & out of the way. We even have room for one more switch panel if we need it.</div>
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After a long search, we finally decided on four <a href="https://www.samsclub.com/sams/duracell-agm-deep-cycle-marine-and-rv-battery-group-size-31dtmagm/prod3590232.ip?sprodId=prod3590232&selectedTab=allProducts&_requestid=1847889" target="_blank">Duracell Platinum</a> Deep Cycle Group 31 AGM batteries ... three for the house bank & one for the starter bank. These batteries were at our local Sam's Club and are made by East Penn. They're pretty much the same battery as East Penn's <a href="http://www.eastpennmanufacturing.com/east-penn-introduces-group-31-intimidator-agm-battery/" target="_blank">Deka Intimidator</a>, which was confirmed when I called East Penn. The woman I spoke with at East Penn was very helpful, and she even emailed me the installation pamphlet. These batteries have great reviews, and the Sam's Club price of $179 was quite a bit better than the Intimidator at $263 or the Duracell Platinum at Batteries & Bulbs for $265.<br />
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Like all AGMs, these batteries can be placed on their sides. This was a big plus for us in order to store a total of four of these batteries in our little navigation station's battery area. We decided to add a shelf for two batteries laid on their side, and below would be two more batteries placed upright. Three of these batteries run in parallel would give us 315 amps for our house bank .. about 115 usable amps. The fourth battery would serve as our starter battery.</div>
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In order to install a shelf in our tiny battery area, Ken cut (and coated with epoxy) some wood for shelf supports. He then screwed the two side supports to the interior of the battery area. He also epoxied a piece of wood to the back of the battery area to mount a new shunt (came with Victron battery monitor) and Blue Sea <a href="https://amzn.to/2LDRnXP" target="_blank">4-stud busbar</a>.<br />
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Busbar on top of wood, shunt on bottom ...<br />
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If you notice in the photo above, we had our charger installed on the right side of our nav station. <span style="font-family: "times new roman";">When installing our new batteries, we needed to tie everything together .. the alternator, regulator, battery switch & battery charger. These items had come with the boat, and we needed to make sure they worked properly. Our main concern was our battery charger, as it seemed really old and sometimes got pretty hot. With about $800 invested in new batteries, we were stressing over the charger and if it would fry our investment! While moving forward with the battery installation, we kept wondering about our charger .. more about that in a bit.</span></div>
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Now that we'd decided on our batteries, we learned from Nigel Calder's book that the battery cables should be as short as possible, and the same length. We also needed to determine the size of the wires & connectors for the cables, and then either make them ourselves or order them. Since we're doing so many projects ourselves, we decided to pay a little extra & order the cables online at <a href="http://bestboatwire.com/" target="_blank">BestBoatWire.com</a>. We chose #2 AWG tinned marine grade wire along with heavy wall tinned copper lugs and heat shrink. We also ordered some fuse blocks for terminal fuses & blade-style fuse in-line holders. We spent just over $200 bucks, and our order was shipped the next day!</div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">To protect the separate battery bank, we purchased the Blue Sea's </span><a href="https://amzn.to/2OefXRo" style="font-family: "times new roman";" target="_blank">SI-ACR</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">, an automatic charging relay with a start isolation. This little device automatically connects our batteries when charging, isolates our batteries when discharging, and temporarily protects the house bank during engine cranking (optional, which won't work with our battery switch). The ACR is the little black and yellow box to the left of our charger.</span></div>
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Another piece of original equipment on board was our Guest "Smart Switch", which we wanted to find more information about. Luckily, we were able to find the owner's manual in a binder left behind by Nirvana's previous owners. The switch has always seemed to work fine, so we decided to keep it .. money saved!<br />
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Then there was the alternator regulator .. a Xantrex 150 amp. After contacting the manufacturer, we were able to get the owner's manual emailed to us. The internet makes things so much easier! We felt good about our alternator regulator, and also decided to keep it on Nirvana.<br />
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Now that everything had been installed, it was finally time to install our new batteries! Ken made sure that they were all fully charged before installing them, and then put the two lower batteries inside of their strapped battery boxes. He attached the cables, fuse blocks and <a href="https://amzn.to/2PUlsWw" target="_blank">fuse holder</a>, then the shelf was added. Ken cut the shelf in half to easily remove it when necessary. He also cut a hole in the shelf to connect one of the lower batteries in parallel to the two top batteries.<br />
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Oops, gotta add some wooden strips to keep the two top batteries in place!<br />
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Ken added the two batteries on the shelf and made his own battery trays out of plastic bins that he cut to fit.<br />
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We finally had our new batteries hooked up, along with our new Victron monitor and ACR .. we're ready for our "beach bum" friends!<br />
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Since this was such an important and rather expensive project, we decided to pay a marine electrician referred by our local West Marine to look over everything. He checked Ken's battery installation, as well as our alternator, regulator, wiring, and connections. We were relieved to hear that Ken did a fantastic job and he didn't see any problems! I wasn't surprised, as Ken put a ton of thought and effort into this project. The mechanic did recommend that we heat shrink some wires near our engine, but that's easy enough!<br />
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About a week later we decided we weren't quite finished .. we were going to buy a new battery charger. We found out (thanks to the folks at <a href="http://www.charlesindustries.com/main/marine.html" target="_blank">Charles Marine Group</a>) that our battery charger was over 23 years old and no longer made. So, we decided that it'd be worth spending about another $300 on a new battery charger. We decided to go with the <a href="https://amzn.to/2KA4V6b" target="_blank">ProMariner ProNautic 1240P charger.</a> This 40 amp charger automatically charges, conditions and maintains the batteries based on the type of battery indicated .. in our case AGM. It's easy to check the status of the batteries at a glance, and I love that there's also a temperature monitor as well!<br />
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Ken was aggravated with himself for not making this decision when installing everything, as he had to re-do a few things. But, once all was complete we were both glad that we no longer have to worry about our old charger.<br />
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Now that this battery system is complete, it doesn't seem so bad. But at the time, it was a really stressful project for us! Finding a system that provided at least 100 usable amps and that could fit in our small space was tough .. not to mention learning about all the different components involved! As long as we have a boat, I have a feeling we'll never stop learning .. or being challenged. It's a real drag sometimes, but it's a good feeling when a problem is resolved.<br />
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A quick tip if you have a navigation station like ours with a top lid .. add a little hook on the side to keep the lid open when working. Ken's a genius!<br />
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Now that this project is done, we've got plenty of other projects waiting for us. We need to replace the lines on our traveler, boom & backstay with our new ones from <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/09/cajun-rope-for-your-boat.html" target="_blank">Cajun Rope</a>, add a couple of clutches & mid-ship cleats on deck, then add our sails & <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2012/09/a-sail-pack-fitting.html" target="_blank">sail pack</a> that have been in storage for way too long. We'll also be adding retracting lazy jacks .. and then we can sail again. It's been a long time!<br />
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We've also got lots to research and buy .. solar panels (another fun installation with all of its components), a new bimini frame, a Mantus anchor, chain & rode, and a windlass to name a few. Oh, and we also have to install an auto-pilot and learn how to use our <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2012/03/installing-lowrance-chartplotter.html" target="_blank">Lowrance chartplotter</a> that we bought and stored a few years ago. Time flies when you're having fun!<br />
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Hasta luego .. until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div>
Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-76093744781371849462018-10-02T07:30:00.000-05:002018-10-02T07:30:03.725-05:00Steppin' Out<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With my recent posts about boat projects .. and more to come, I figured I'd share a little of what we've been up to other than boat work. During the past couple of months we celebrated a few things. In the photo above, we were at the city's Mayoral Ball. Our daughter's father-in-law is now the Mayor! It was fun to dress up for a change. I mean, I rarely step out of flip-flops, so wearing a long dress and heels made me feel like a princess! Obviously, I didn't have a long dress hanging around the boat so I went to the local Dillard's Outlet and bought my dress for .. $18 bucks! Ken wore his suit that he bought for our daughter's wedding, which he keeps in our daughter's closet. My new dress now has a place there too.</div>
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We got ready at our daughter's house, and she curled my hair for me. I enjoyed getting ready with her .. she did look like a princess!</div>
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So who is that guy with me in that first photo? That's my Dad .. can't you see the resemblance?! He and my step-mom were also at the ball. Here's a photo of us with our daughter, son-in-law, dad and step-mom.</div>
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The new mayor was a lil busy, but here he is on stage with our daughter & his son watching the balloons drop.</div>
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Later that month (July), we celebrated our daughter's graduation .. and her Master's Degree in Education. Both of my parents and step-parents were there, as well as our daughter's in-laws. Teaching full-time while pregnant and going to school is quite an accomplishment!</div>
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If you follow our blog regularly, you know that we took <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/07/road-trip.html" target="_blank">a road trip</a> with our daughter & son-in-law to Indianapolis for her graduation ceremony. Those are some pretty cool dudes!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUsCvqZzeCMJ0WCAmBgK4RAkMdOYVZuSISTHavUCsuCptxS2BxY-76mKDrULw4Z2JzAQKKgYYKYKCq5GOTJzy98CkrJaMlczYxLhxhB_JwRo8bSv6t0qcp10c3ZXeJa0WtZtrADpelinmd/s1600/image000000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUsCvqZzeCMJ0WCAmBgK4RAkMdOYVZuSISTHavUCsuCptxS2BxY-76mKDrULw4Z2JzAQKKgYYKYKCq5GOTJzy98CkrJaMlczYxLhxhB_JwRo8bSv6t0qcp10c3ZXeJa0WtZtrADpelinmd/s640/image000000.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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When back on the boat, we got busy with boat projects but still took time to enjoy the gorgeous sunsets at our marina.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaeglNtB3ObcRSuUIMV66wwp5xFLhmlHncysu6LKznvU2HoeHJtycdlko59EePERTnpJpMx_2rfc9XpmI0akmLKTHKmp-CdDjjEIzXoWQTSN5ClyKM6JFUV1wMX377XlyI_JROkRnwcWMj/s1600/i0000010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaeglNtB3ObcRSuUIMV66wwp5xFLhmlHncysu6LKznvU2HoeHJtycdlko59EePERTnpJpMx_2rfc9XpmI0akmLKTHKmp-CdDjjEIzXoWQTSN5ClyKM6JFUV1wMX377XlyI_JROkRnwcWMj/s640/i0000010.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We even had a rainbow!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjclFBpSL2DniMVZJseH1MCPTiMA65Csb-52GkwTb_yI_3oH1EkvcTr8-t-ZXw5g_Ey9rB9bLGlUfntrZG6gaNKLEtgwFMbbltJjfZVGrGkFzvtg-9p_SpOiKLLQRnvYzPgJEbQbgvXucQG/s1600/20180817_083005_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjclFBpSL2DniMVZJseH1MCPTiMA65Csb-52GkwTb_yI_3oH1EkvcTr8-t-ZXw5g_Ey9rB9bLGlUfntrZG6gaNKLEtgwFMbbltJjfZVGrGkFzvtg-9p_SpOiKLLQRnvYzPgJEbQbgvXucQG/s640/20180817_083005_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We also continued to have fun with our dock neighbors ...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8shaoy9eEGuIyytL8txpbEVi0bOYksG7tjXq_nWK3JYYd4FR_rRlmuSpL5SrbmrafH38IgeyTL8AZY7_xISip-X8nFMy8cxFQa8isBf4pMlbx14DaMR31ygz4k95hvIWEAOETGBlwDlY/s1600/IMG_5006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8shaoy9eEGuIyytL8txpbEVi0bOYksG7tjXq_nWK3JYYd4FR_rRlmuSpL5SrbmrafH38IgeyTL8AZY7_xISip-X8nFMy8cxFQa8isBf4pMlbx14DaMR31ygz4k95hvIWEAOETGBlwDlY/s640/IMG_5006.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We spent some time with my brother & his kids to celebrate the birthday of my brother's grandson. It was also Ken's 52nd birthday! We celebrated with good boiled Louisiana seafood. I was in heaven!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgStzdUU-1gkNbIWGaJjtBgD11M2H9uEOqIJYh_pcthuLT8xBtRYdZJiIcPd56k22joGRndfmgj2rbwFYBvrZNTOTReeyCsh16VObkL4gnRy5ZZ55o_7D76OQG9p0ux0UZrB2nIWQ6QQefC/s1600/FB_IMG_1534769229622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="317" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgStzdUU-1gkNbIWGaJjtBgD11M2H9uEOqIJYh_pcthuLT8xBtRYdZJiIcPd56k22joGRndfmgj2rbwFYBvrZNTOTReeyCsh16VObkL4gnRy5ZZ55o_7D76OQG9p0ux0UZrB2nIWQ6QQefC/s400/FB_IMG_1534769229622.jpg" width="280" /></a></div>
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I've also recovered from my little <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/09/dodging-storms-and-cancer.html" target="_blank">skin cancer surgery</a> .. I've now got my war wound on my shoulder!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT6D72gyHF82Dz6W4HxVMLS0iPKjpLOjQqGaLKIUrUzYc_iQFRXC30E_KzPcpuJGfWiI5HP4F7MsREUuUhnbQ8zZq7vS8aC5pNoWspUcO5OfurCcLjja8oi-s61oygAK9qi6FxRVHuryuo/s1600/20180928_134231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1026" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT6D72gyHF82Dz6W4HxVMLS0iPKjpLOjQqGaLKIUrUzYc_iQFRXC30E_KzPcpuJGfWiI5HP4F7MsREUuUhnbQ8zZq7vS8aC5pNoWspUcO5OfurCcLjja8oi-s61oygAK9qi6FxRVHuryuo/s400/20180928_134231.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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With September breaking heat records and being even hotter than August, we escaped to the Mississippi Gulf Coast one night to get away from the heat. It was exactly what we needed, and now that we're in October we hope we've gotten through the worst of the heat. Here's a view from our hotel room the morning we woke .. so peaceful!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgl5uuA7Qv5pWfDda4SwqUExZe8bGISDNAWbWiKHYELTYY3ODE2vjfTURCmCbck5tM87KfK8Gh1ofVXx6fuvkaMf0o0ITK44MIv-ABvPkNlzPjZK1cvx1SkwqIKScL4rvlw-M5k-1DtB-/s1600/20180918_062408_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgl5uuA7Qv5pWfDda4SwqUExZe8bGISDNAWbWiKHYELTYY3ODE2vjfTURCmCbck5tM87KfK8Gh1ofVXx6fuvkaMf0o0ITK44MIv-ABvPkNlzPjZK1cvx1SkwqIKScL4rvlw-M5k-1DtB-/s640/20180918_062408_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We've been working on finding a good balance between making a little money, working on Nirvana, and having fun time too. It hasn't been easy, as we always feel we should be spending more time on one or the other. I guess that's why it's taken us almost 9 years to get to this point! It's about time to stop taking side jobs for extra income. I have one real estate deal I'm working, and Ken is wrapping his jobs up. Soon we'll only have our rentals to deal with (that's enough!) .. and cruising. Of course, the boat work will never stop, but hopefully we're knocking out enough stuff now to give us some decent cruising for a while.</div>
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We hope to start cruising before the cold weather comes to Louisiana in a couple of months, so we've been extra busy with projects lately. I've posted a few projects recently, and soon I'll be posting more about what we've recently done (12 volt wiring, a new battery bank, new stainless bimini frame, tuning our mast, new running rigging, new LED lights & a new v-berth mattress), in addition to what we plan on doing. On the agenda .. we plan on adding solar panels, replacing our standing rigging, adding lazy jacks, sails & a new sail pack, adding a new anchor with chain & rode, looking into a windlass, and adding an auto-pilot. Of course, we also have a ton of small projects to tackle & items to buy to get us outta here. Stay tuned!</div>
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Hasta luego .. until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div>
Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-56545772173556012252018-09-28T07:31:00.000-05:002018-09-28T07:31:28.627-05:00Cajun Rope - For Your Boat!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtidJlamCSOxs9z6vcysgJNLGojG03L9GIpf24vh0OFLcBPqPtzFDyXULoYETUpqXLBIwAayljP3SkFKdN72D4c8F3QBOSyMrdFrvz_cSPXu8HI9z6o8H_4K0IeK-j6nmzbPane-T0NcDx/s1600/FB_IMG_1523970578506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtidJlamCSOxs9z6vcysgJNLGojG03L9GIpf24vh0OFLcBPqPtzFDyXULoYETUpqXLBIwAayljP3SkFKdN72D4c8F3QBOSyMrdFrvz_cSPXu8HI9z6o8H_4K0IeK-j6nmzbPane-T0NcDx/s640/FB_IMG_1523970578506.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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When we decided to buy new halyards, we took the advice of several folks and ordered them online from <a href="http://www.cajunrope.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html" target="_blank">Cajun Ropes</a>. We ordered two <a href="http://www.cajunrope.com/store/p8/Halyards.html" target="_blank">"XLE" 3/8" halyards</a> .. one red & white (112') for our <b>main halyard</b> with a stainless headboard shackle, and the other blue & white (118') for our <b>Jib halyard</b> with a stainless snap shackle. Although Gary's prices were already good .. he gave us an additional discount in return for our review on his product.</div>
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After emailing Gary and receiving our order, we were very pleased with his customer service, pricing and product! Gary responded to our emails promptly, the halyards arrived quickly, and his work was well done.<br />
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We were so pleased with "Cajun Ropes" that we placed another order! We ordered a <b>topping lift</b> .. 115' of blue w/white 5/16" XLE with a stainless snap shackle, a <b>main sheet</b> .. 72' of white w/green 7/16" XLE with eye splice, 14' of red 3/16" <a href="http://www.cajunrope.com/store/p12/Spectra_Core_Line_-_Free_Shipping.html" target="_blank">Spectra Core</a>, and 12' of blue w/white 1/4" <a href="http://www.cajunrope.com/store/p9/Cajun_XLE_-_Free_Shipping%E2%80%8B.html" target="_blank">Cajun XLE</a>. Again, Gary was quick to respond to our email and we received our order promptly.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFbZeYtVhuacHN4hPweg5LYSdoxLHs0RP_-gHMEDgbBk4HiN1sQa9VghWTk5XvFxlKAm0wccws-zecQvsbVRhLoxfleBv42DG3Frx3mgzGoEIiqbRxaZrJ99S98Zb0ZNmUQZi3j04b4Lav/s1600/20180905_151030_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1009" data-original-width="1600" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFbZeYtVhuacHN4hPweg5LYSdoxLHs0RP_-gHMEDgbBk4HiN1sQa9VghWTk5XvFxlKAm0wccws-zecQvsbVRhLoxfleBv42DG3Frx3mgzGoEIiqbRxaZrJ99S98Zb0ZNmUQZi3j04b4Lav/s640/20180905_151030_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Shortly after receiving our second order, (another) Ken climbed our mast to install an <a href="http://marineledshop.com/marine-led-festoon-navigation" target="_blank">LED bulb</a> for our <a href="https://amzn.to/2oXk3lF" target="_blank">anchor light</a> & replace our spreader boots. While he was up there, we had him install our new "Cajun Rope" halyards and topping lift.</div>
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Our new halyard holding Ken up the mast!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBbiTfNwmVFoWE3EOpztPJYbVBOB8vFe5JoK4qBndeVtfuurBQRPjR9jgzQ8Lm9rylcZ9SDy1zTO3OakuuLwQJoJR5yqtzYYnlmj_-dvwBVNBzPY7vTPSA5NbFpbYFpdKqpHfJNdv1Wo71/s1600/20180622_181746_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1600" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBbiTfNwmVFoWE3EOpztPJYbVBOB8vFe5JoK4qBndeVtfuurBQRPjR9jgzQ8Lm9rylcZ9SDy1zTO3OakuuLwQJoJR5yqtzYYnlmj_-dvwBVNBzPY7vTPSA5NbFpbYFpdKqpHfJNdv1Wo71/s640/20180622_181746_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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If you're considering ordering halyards, dock lines, mooring lines, shackles, thimbles, anchor lines, dinghy braids, bungee cord, or anything else you can think of .. give "Cajun Ropes" a try! The splicing was very well done, and the prices are hard to beat. Not to mention .. free shipping and a 5% discount if you "LIKE" his <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CajunRopes" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>! </div>
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For future reference, "Cajun Ropes" will be permanently added on our <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/p/sponsors.html" target="_blank">"Products We Love"</a> page. While we may get discounts on products, or even freebies, you won't see the product on our page unless we recommend it! We appreciate Gary's generosity and he's now part of making our dream a reality! </div>
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Now we gotta get to work on adding the other "ropes" and sails to Nirvana!</div>
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Hasta luego .. until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div>
Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7580803911138944660.post-71357570466853041562018-09-24T08:12:00.000-05:002018-09-24T08:12:11.943-05:00Nirvana's Water Taxi .. or Dinghy!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyzkVfIQwA2JankTcAxrEKInsRY0l-YlNdqGJT8zE04zpIdo1s8EbtHD_ssXuErZAbOCZBM7PYTD_ETFlICJUsux-O289615O1L6hEvRJoSYnkMzoDHk-_e-M0KAlf0KwdTvFTizOY8Ae/s1600/20180715_173550_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyzkVfIQwA2JankTcAxrEKInsRY0l-YlNdqGJT8zE04zpIdo1s8EbtHD_ssXuErZAbOCZBM7PYTD_ETFlICJUsux-O289615O1L6hEvRJoSYnkMzoDHk-_e-M0KAlf0KwdTvFTizOY8Ae/s640/20180715_173550_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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A while ago .. over 7 years to be exact (wince!) Ken and I purchased a new <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2011/05/our-new-car.html" target="_blank">inflatable dinghy and Tohatsu</a> outboard motor. We were excited about "our new car" .. little did we know how long it would be in storage .. and that we'd have bought something different if we knew then what we know now! Inflatables seem to be a pain, and the fact that ours isn't Hypalon doesn't help but .. it's what we have for now, and more importantly .. it works!</div>
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For most of the 7+ years that our dinghy was in storage, it was in our closet. The dinghy was only in a hot storage unit for just over a year, and we hoped that the seams would not fail when we finally inflated our lil Zodiac again.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJk9isIphMFWe62uGYmRUaRHMGhPdmBvmhZBwyClY05-pfJWqeqf3UjKdcExfuPM-CmGsjwrY8BA4vigVNcKNBQ9bxpla_3PYbeGKHDIF8-iN8bvRPo48XeuR_KUCtEn5p0LU6WDEFZn-/s1600/20180715_131037_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJk9isIphMFWe62uGYmRUaRHMGhPdmBvmhZBwyClY05-pfJWqeqf3UjKdcExfuPM-CmGsjwrY8BA4vigVNcKNBQ9bxpla_3PYbeGKHDIF8-iN8bvRPo48XeuR_KUCtEn5p0LU6WDEFZn-/s640/20180715_131037_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We had forgotten how to inflate the dinghy, but it was pretty easy and luckily .. it held air!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDmGJ9dBtKOezRsiX9jw8ktroYXX7BL0odxM0F95QEZxfLLTu3IEOBFfJmW4bdMO2jlWHa4Tif0crI6mUVlFoFeC3TjLnqmixrotAAKNJjmQlJLutX0OH7myynhQXQxkdkNniNV8O_iid/s1600/20180715_133125_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDmGJ9dBtKOezRsiX9jw8ktroYXX7BL0odxM0F95QEZxfLLTu3IEOBFfJmW4bdMO2jlWHa4Tif0crI6mUVlFoFeC3TjLnqmixrotAAKNJjmQlJLutX0OH7myynhQXQxkdkNniNV8O_iid/s400/20180715_133125_HDR.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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After lowering the dinghy into the water, we used our <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/08/saving-our-back-with-motor-hoist.html" target="_blank">new engine hoist</a> to lower "Mr. T" onto the dinghy. When we ran our dinghy that one time seven years ago, lowering the engine was tough and we were lucky it didn't sink to the bottom of the canal! I don't think we wasted one cent purchasing the engine hoist .. it made the process so much easier!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3eSGF-1CwjtifLB3uVA2LtrrymSmrA_yX_tiHaSQid_yrMmWecokds7AhqhhZyCQpwH8WNpI1nYTyROQWHvvMmHniK1PPrdgifFgMjOTtB5wegMeThiBds5UDNdKBzEmwmfcR2kmmXl1s/s1600/20180715_151312_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3eSGF-1CwjtifLB3uVA2LtrrymSmrA_yX_tiHaSQid_yrMmWecokds7AhqhhZyCQpwH8WNpI1nYTyROQWHvvMmHniK1PPrdgifFgMjOTtB5wegMeThiBds5UDNdKBzEmwmfcR2kmmXl1s/s640/20180715_151312_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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After <a href="http://www.mid-lifecruising.com/2018/09/reviving-our-tohatsu.html" target="_blank">giving our Tohatsu some TLC</a> from sitting 7+ years, we still needed to break in "Mr. T". So, we motored around the canals for a couple of hours. It's such a great feeling to finally be back on the water on our own boat after all these years .. even if it's on our little inflatable! These are the same canals we rode the dinghy through all those years ago when we were still living in our house. We feel like we're making progress after all these years.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizc8ZtXo43YpiKOhWsqq1kD2akyHI6G0GR5z7SDHtGJazb9QrJ-3QcD-vy9BiN_lcZRT8Ydd3cQ7H4GtzntdIS5iv4hO9ie_6IJmL2hi7uO-Y6znhqUN-Ojc5u1uhhiCktjej-6ujcJLDT/s1600/20180715_165515_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizc8ZtXo43YpiKOhWsqq1kD2akyHI6G0GR5z7SDHtGJazb9QrJ-3QcD-vy9BiN_lcZRT8Ydd3cQ7H4GtzntdIS5iv4hO9ie_6IJmL2hi7uO-Y6znhqUN-Ojc5u1uhhiCktjej-6ujcJLDT/s640/20180715_165515_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We've taken our dinghy for a spin a few times since this day, and our Tohatsu is finally broken in for the next ride.</div>
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Here's a view of Nirvana that we hadn't seen in a long time ... from our dinghy!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNHGug537kBoVJs526W_neeD4QMPvxWPZZmv9C2fHD6p4Jyn3mEVK-PMkaUT9vld4EEGGWeF3K8MPgJ1CDfQQoqg00ym5JXrCv40OgaVJC1LIQWte2T9N1EUqbc9vmb1OwVY2-3A3QhI0/s1600/20180715_150750_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNHGug537kBoVJs526W_neeD4QMPvxWPZZmv9C2fHD6p4Jyn3mEVK-PMkaUT9vld4EEGGWeF3K8MPgJ1CDfQQoqg00ym5JXrCv40OgaVJC1LIQWte2T9N1EUqbc9vmb1OwVY2-3A3QhI0/s640/20180715_150750_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We're feeling good about finally having our dinghy and motor back on Nirvana, but we're already considering options for a more durable dinghy. I'm really interested in the <a href="https://www.porta-bote.com/porta-bote-vs-inflatables/" target="_blank">Port-A-Bote</a>, as it folds up and can be stored on Nirvana's stanchions .. leaving our view unobstructed and the deck free from obstacles. We'd really like to ride in one since we've heard they're a little "different". Anybody from Texas to Florida wanna give us a ride on theirs? We'd love to hear from anybody that has one .. even if we can't take it for a ride.</div>
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Hasta luego .. until then. Mid-Life Cruising!</div>
Ken n Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03930162790282267827noreply@blogger.com0