JAM Tour 2021 - All Across America

Sherry makes “bucci” coffee that involves real espresso and coconut creamer that will give you a reason to get out of bed. She learned it in Key West we are told and now we’re making it in Indy!! We got a fine send off with fancy coffee and biscuits n sausage gravy. Drove back to Indy feeling the feels big time. This trip was so much more than a vacation. This was about learning. Learning about our country. Learning about our relationship. Learning about ourselves, and what makes us happy. Not short term happiness, but what gives us lasting, sustainable happiness.  Spending 44 consecutive days in a pickup truck with the same person will, undoubtedly, give you  insight into each other’s weaknesses, but also into each other’s strengths. The most amazing thing exists in our relationship. We have disagreements, just like every couple, but we work hard to learn from every one of them, so that we just keep getting better. We work at eliminating expectations and love each other for w...

We got up early to hike the Walls of Jericho, a beautiful in/out hike not far from the house, but just across the state line in Alabama. It’s an all day hike if you aren’t camping out to make it in 2 days, with fairly challenging inclines.  We hiked 3.5m to the Walls, which is a gorgeous waterfall with clear, cool water going over, under and in between the boulders. Fern had to stay on the leash most of the time, but the weather was perfect and not too many people. Felt SO good to get exercise with all the eating we’ve done these many weeks. I’d hike here again in a heartbeat.  Drove back to the house just in time for the Alabama v TN Vols game and for Sherry & Jason to make a shrimp n cheese grits dinner and salad. Both were WELL above average in deliciousness. Sherry made her world famous pepper jelly and some chow chow while we were hiking and hooked us up!  Alabama won so Jason and Maw Jet were happy.  The Braves won too and will go to the World Series. We ha...

Picked up 6 lbs of fresh  shrimp to take to Tullahoma to visit with Jasons mom Sherry, Maw Jet (grandma) and stepdad Mancel. Had burgers on the road at Milo’s. They have amazing sweet tea and everything else.  Got to Sherry and Mancel’s place around 5p. It was SO great to relax and hanf out with them and pig out on fresh boiled shrimp and butter/ bread and all the yummy sides. Jasons sister April showed up later and had some too. We stuffed ourselves and collapsed on the couch to watch football, then later the Addams Family movie, which was good!  We fell asleep hard and fast and stayed that way til morning. 

Dropped Fern off at Rover sitter and headed to a orange beach where Jason didn’t listen to Monica and got slightly fried. Hung out for as long as we could there sitting in our Publix bought beach chairs/umbrella, then headed to Doc’s seafood to kick back a couple more Bushwackers and pounds of boiled shrimp with heads. They were delicious but not quite as good as last nights. Still…beggars/ choosers they were both 8 billion times better than anything in Indy!  From Doc’s we picked up Fern and went to the Fair Hope Pier to watch the sunset. Found a cool old bar “Bone & Barrel” for a nightcap. Speaking of caps, Felicia’s cousin is singer Grayson Capps, who is fairly famous all over but resides in Fairhope, AL. We saw him play City Winery in Nashville years ago but here in Fairhope he’s all over bar windows and cork boards.  Jason accidently picked up a thin crust crispy cooked pepperoni pizza at Dominos on our way back to the hotel. I pledged to eat only 1 piece which meant ...

We drove to Orange Beach and discovered that dogs are no longer allowed on the beach. Plan B   was to go to Fort Morgan State Park, where  dogs can run in a small section of the harbor side beach.  The old fort was cool to see but the beach had some trash and dead fish that made it somewhat less appealing. It was alllll worth our time though to see a huge pod of dophins feeding.  We ate our weight in the freshest most delicious shrimp- Carolina reds- I have ever tasted. Plus, buttered corn, hushpuppies and shrimp n grits with cheese and Conecuh sausage AND Bushwackers to boot. Went to bed at 7pm with very full bellies. Sorry Fern!!

Felicia made us another delicious breakfast and they both sent us off with hugs to Birmingham for Jasons job interview. Jason bought some interview clothes and nice shoes at REI. We ate dinner at Saw’s Soul Food in Avondale and stopped at the Brewery for a dessert beer.  Behold BBQ pork rinds with pepper jelly covered pimento cheese. Yes, you read that right!! ♥️👏 Early the next morning, we checked out of the hotel. Monica took Fern to a dog park and drove all over Birmingham neighborhoods while Jason was interviewing.  Once done, we went to the famous Dreamland BBQ which did not disappoint. Rode around to the new baseball stadium and Railroad Park and had a beer for the road at Good People Brewery.  Hit the road for Fairhope, AL where we’ll play on the beach and hope to be inspired about our future.  We checked into the Key West Inn and grabbed dinner at Sunset Point Grill.