#FOWC – Page 14 – Tina Stewart Brakebill

Alarm Bells

October 22, 2018January 29, 2020 Tina Stewart Brakebill

Like the last two driving days, this one began with a pre dawn alarm. Coffee. Quick shower. Out the door. COLD! Wind chill in the 20s. Frost on the ground. BRRRRRR. But the early start meant we got to see another spectacular sunrise. This time over the flat vista of Indiana.

Still exhausted from our last two driving days–and with fourteen hours to fill–we knew we needed an extra boost. And for us that’s soundtracks. yes. We are car singers! Rocky Horror Picture Show started the day. Book of Mormon in the middle. And Hamilton got us through the last three hours. In between we listened to the entire pod cast– Dr. Death. Good. But scary.

Our food choices also seemed to be under the Influence of our exhaustion. Carbs. Fat. Sugar. Pancakes in Indiana. Blizzards in West Virginia. McDonald’s in Maryland.

Exhausted, sugar buzzed, and also exasperated by the thought of sitting in traffic after google warned us of a crash delay, we decided to reroute through West Virginia. Although longer, this turned out to be a top drawer choice. We got to see some beautiful and interesting stuff. Warning. It was hard to get pics. Moving car. Weird angles. Blurry. But I still caught a few things.

This power plant against the mountains looked like a castle to me.

We were in the middle COAL country but we spotted these beautiful windmills.

And on the subject of coal country, here’s a miniature golf course I’d love to play!

Best rest stop view I’ve ever seen. WOW!

And there was SNOW!

But as night fell the scenery was losing its luster. And it was getting harder to disguise our irritation about being in the car so long. So we were thrilled to see the city come in view. DC!!

A short walk. A quick drink. And an early bed. Only to be woke at 3:30!!! By a fire alarm. Ordered to evacuate the building for our safety we bundled in sweatpants and jackets and made our way down the stairs to the street.

Lucky it was a false alarm. But let’s hope it was the last alarm for a day or two!!!

Till next time.

History, Random Rants, Travel

Two Days BEFORE Dawn

October 20, 2018 Tina Stewart Brakebill

Can we do it?!

The Road Trip Triangle (as mentioned in previous post) had begun!

Back to back: 613 miles and then 627 miles

We shall see …

Day one began before dawn as we turned onto the highway–just a bit behind schedule– at 6:08AM!

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Eleven hours later we arrived in Birmingham after enjoying one fifty-song 1980s play list, one six-episode podcast (Dirty John), one Georgia diner lunch, one (not our) car-on-fire delay, one road unexplainably blocked by a crane, and one Eufaula, Alabama history lesson (conducted from the passenger seat by yours truly).

fullsizeoutput_532 BRIEF ASIDE FOR A SLIVER OF THE HISTORY LESSON: Evidence of Eufaula’s wealth (made possible by enslaved labor and its location on the Chattahoochee River) is still abundant in its well preserved historic district. But I found this abandoned motel a more compelling image. Glorifying remnants of the antebellum south challenges my fierce sense of outrage given the current state of our political and cultural landscape.

A few hours later, we arrived at our hotel just out of Birmingham. Exhausted but feeling accomplished! After a couple of beers at the hotel bar and 30 minutes staring at TV, we were out!

Good thing because …

Day Two began even earlier. We woke at 3:45 (which was 4:45 for our still-in-the-eastern time zone frame of mind) so we got up at hit the road. Which meant we got to see this beautiful sunrise over the Tennessee River in Alabama. (Disclaimer: picture does not do it justice. Moving car. Dark. …)

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Much like the day before we had a playlist (50 great songs from last ten years), a podcast (started season three of Serial), road side food, and a lot of bathroom breaks, which included the fanciest rest stop I’ve ever seen. It’s actually on the register of National Historic Places in Kentucky. Fancy!

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But finally, eleven hours after we left we arrived at our interim destination!! And there were boots!!!

AND wine!!!!

And visits with friends and family. And 25 MPH winds. And a wind chill of 35 degrees!!!

It’s been a couple of good days. But tomorrow we hit the road again. This time for a marathon 744 miles.

Can We Do It?!

We’ll see.

Haiku & Other Poetry, Random Rants, Travel, tutto e niente

Calling All Boots

October 17, 2018January 29, 2020 Tina Stewart Brakebill

Today’s prompt from FOWC inspired me (one could say it prompted me) to say a few words about the road trip that begins when my husband and I rise Thursday morning at the beautifully dark hour of 4:30AM and hit the road by 5:30.

“Where ya headed?”

Glad you asked. We are going north to escape the endless summer that has wrapped Florida in its deadly grip. We seek the Fall! Memories of cute boots and scarves and blue jeans and sweaters beckon.

“Come to me!!” They call.

“Wear me.” They tease.

“Wrap me.” They whisper.

I am tingling with excitement.

Oh and I get to see friends and family too. So it’s a win-win.

Of course this road trip includes a giant triangle of driving—South Florida to middle Illinois to Washington DC to south Florida—so it’s possible I’ll change my mind about the win-win. But for now I’ve got the pod casts downloaded and the play lists set.

Here we come autumn!

Updates to follow 🎃 but here’s a haiku to keep you warm till then. It’s not great but … BOOTS!!

As the moon falls low

We rise for a journey long

Seeking boots of fall

Thanks RonovanWrites

Flash Fiction, tutto e niente

Unlock Her Heart

October 13, 2018January 29, 2020 Tina Stewart Brakebill

“To find what you seek, unlock the castle doors. Precious beyond words. But only words will open the way.”

“Open sesame!”

“Abracadabra”

“Shazam”

No luck. Jane’s heart was trapped behind those doors and they’d made it a game. But she was good at games. Think! Hours passed. Then she remembered. Gandalf! Say friend and enter!

“Words!”

And her heart bound out the door.