JAM Tour 2021 - All Across America

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. 

Got up the next day, washed the truck and ALL of Jasons clothes to get the smell of hot springs sulpher water out. Glen is kindly letting us store some stuff in his barn so we will travel lighter as we end the trip and figure out our next adventure/ zip code.  Felicia made us breakfast, a perfect welcome back to the south with  bacon, biscuits and homemade preserves. Jason took me to the beautiful Naccaloola Falls and we hiked with Fern for about an hour or so. We then went to see Glen’s performance in “A Walk Back in Time”, an annual event in which living locals reenact as notable no longer living cemetary patrons and tell highlights of their lives to onlookers. It was the hands down most enjoyable way to hear true stories of the dearly departed, Glen and everyone we watched did a great job and we would have liked to have seen more.  From there we met up with Felicia (who had been hosting a friend’s baby shower) at Top o’ the River Catfish House for delicious fried catfi...

Woke up to find 2 cars got broken into at the hotel. Guess we got lucky that we look like hippie hobos and nobody messed with our muddy truck.  Drove one of our first not very scenic drives trying to make good time heading south for Jason’s job interview Tuesday in Birmingham. Here’s an old jail in Canon City:  Stayed at Sands Inn in Woodward OK. Highlight: we saw a tumbleweed and had donuts made as God intended. Thank you owner “Kim Kong” for learning the art of Apple fritter.  Heading towards Little Rock where my favorite cousin, Mark, lives but sadly is out of town.  Drove from Wherever OK to Wherever AR. Yawnfest.  Even the wind farms are dead.  Gas station advice: Beware any foods that look like what they will do to your body parts.    STEAK! Walked Fern at dog park near Holliday Inn downtown and then walked 1.5m in high winds and clouds galore to Doe’s Eat Place Jason has had “the best steaks of his life” at Does in Paducah, KY multiple time...

Drove “the Milkion Dollar Highway” to Durango and got a room at the Caboose Motel. Had Southwest/ Mexican for dinner and went to bed. Started the day in snow had breakfast at the Durango Diner- more green chili goodness and a Nate sticker!.  While in Pagosa heard the road ahead (and the only road) had been closed for weather. We decided to pony up for a pricey room at the Springs Resort & Spa. Took about 10 seconds for it to be worth every penny as we donned their thick robes, towels, hot tea in paper cups and headed toward multiple natural sulphery hot hot springs overlooking the San Juan River.  Soaked til our bones were soft, got showered and walked to Kips for dinner. Note to selves: make green chili stew. After dinner we put on wet bathing suits and robes again and soaked for as long as we could stand it. It might have been the perfect night with soft fluffy snowflakes all around. Like Orvis, the pools are only available to guests after 9pm, so we almost had them to o...

Visited with dear friends Shawn, Will and their dog Dixie a their lovely house. Did laundry there too but stayed at Tru Hilton Hotel on Main St.  Had burgers and beers at Handlebar brewery then Will and Shawn went to a fundraiser that night and M/J took naps at hotel. Dinner was sushi followed by tacos and lots of alcohol.  Met up with W/S next morning and hiked a while with dogs at Devils Canyon. Picked up beers in Fruita afterwards and said our goodbyes.  Driving on to campsite at Orvis hot springs - we got lucky with a cancellation. It’s a small family run operation that’s been there since we stole it from the Indians. Super nice springs and day soakers have to leave at 9pm.  We soaked in hot  warm and cool springs under a blanket of stars.  This place has several pools (no pics bc it’s clothing optional after 9pm lol) amongst low lights around a pretty garden. There are benches, snacks and lots of spring fed water to drink. It’s the most chill you will ...

Oct 7th, 2021 Jason took Fern for a pretty hike through the desert in the morning before packing up.  Took the most bizarrely beautiful drive ever on Highway 12 through Dixie National Forest.   Took Burr Trail from Boulder towards Bullfrog. Found a pretty dispersed campsite about 20m into a 70m drive (to Bullfrog) where someone had landscaped rocks around trees and the riverbank.  Monica added 3 to the collection- one for each of us.  Monica made Jason get up to see a pretty sunset outside tree range at our campsite. Killer sunset was enjoyed by all. J: find a town I want Doritoes and cream cheese.  M: that’s the devil talking. J: I like the devil. He gives good advice.  ****Places we were advised to go but couldn’t but want to in the future:  Spooky slot canyon PeekABoo slot canyon  Half Calf something…