#i need you to appreciate that i drove over an hour in cross-town traffic to see you

[palmtreepalmtree]

Why are people so bad at making plans!? WHY?

[call-me-little-sunshine84]

Coming Home (18+)

Minors DNI

summary- Moving back home isn't as bad as you thought after an encounter with Chief Hopper

pairing- Jim Hopper x female reader

word count- 1354, cross posted on AO3

warnings- 18+, smut, oral sex (m), unprotected sex

AN- I am really new to this, I'm definitely not a writer but I can't get enough of this man

So this is what starting over feels like you thought as you drove your car down the main road in Hawkins, Indiana. Thirty years old and moving back to your hometown was an idea you were still getting used to. After getting out of a horrible relationship that had lasted way too long, you decided it would be a great time to uproot everything and move back to your hometown.

  Truth be told, you were really tired of living in a big city. Too many people, too much traffic, just too much. You needed a change, and craved the quiet of a small town. Your dad had even found an apartment that you could afford until you found a job. You were hoping this would be just what you needed to get your life together. 

  As you pulled into the parking lot and made your way to your apartment, you started to feel excited. You needed something that was just yours. You spent the next few days unpacking and decorating, and by the end of the third day you were completely wiped out. You needed a break,  so you took a quick shower, put on some jeans and a nice shirt and made your way out. There was a bar not far down the road and honestly a drink sounded amazing. When you got there you sat down at the bar and ordered a jack and coke. 

  You looked around at the ten or so people that were inside, and your eye caught on a very familiar looking man. It had been years but you would recognize Jim Hopper anywhere. Well, it was Chief Hopper now. You had always thought he was a very sexy man, but had never really even had a conversation with him before you moved away. He saw you staring and made a small wave in your direction. You were sure your face turned at least four shades of red, especially when he got up and came over toward you. He sat down at the bar beside you and you could feel the butterflies in your stomach already. When he spoke it was like the breath left your lungs. “Hey, don’t I know you?” he asked with a smile. “Maybe, it’s been a while since I’ve lived here,” you replied shyly. “So what brings you back to Hawkins? It’s usually somewhere people are running away from, not coming back to,” he said. “I needed a reset, a change of scenery. So here I am, back where I started,” you replied ruefully. “I can appreciate that,” he said, and you could feel yourself relax.

  You continue talking to him, the conversation coming easy. The problem was that your drinks also kept coming and before long you could feel yourself slipping into a warm haze. He could tell also, and he offered to drive you back to your apartment. You took him up on his offer and got into the passenger seat of his truck. When you got back home, he walked you in. You were feeling really drunk and he was uneasy leaving you by yourself. When he offered to stay the night to make sure you were okay, you didn’t know what to think. Was this really happening? You didn’t know what to do but in the end you relented. He offered to sleep on the couch so you went off to take a shower and get in bed before the inevitable alcohol headache kicked in. 

  When you got out of the shower you threw on a nightshirt and passed out in the bed. Upon waking a few hours later, you got up to go to the kitchen to get a glass of water. Walking past the living room, you almost jumped out of your skin when the side table lamp turned on and you saw a man on the couch. It took your sleep-addled brain a minute to remember what had happened the previous night, to realize that it was Hopper on the couch staring at you. That’s when you also remembered that you only had on a nightshirt and you felt your face blazing. “How are you feeling?” he asked, and you told him you were much better. His gaze kept raking over your body and you felt rooted in place, staring back at him. Were you imagining the lust clouding his eyes? It didn’t take long to find out. 

  He patted his leg, wanting you to come over to him. You cocked an eyebrow, questioning. “Oh come on darlin, am I supposed to pretend I didn’t see the way you were looking at me last night?” he asked, and you wanted to die from embarrassment. Was it really that obvious? Apparently so, even before you had several drinks in you. You could feel your feet betraying you, and you started walking slowly toward him. You felt like a marionette that someone else was controlling. Your body knew what it wanted, and it was him. You reached him and sank down, straddling his lap. You inhaled the scent of him, smoke mixed with whiskey, and so delicious. He ran his large hands up your bare thighs and around to grab both of your ass cheeks. He groaned with pleasure when he realized you were only wearing a thong under your nightshirt. 

  You could feel your body reacting to him immediately and you began grinding your aching pussy against his leg. How had this man managed to have you completely undone in a matter of seconds? He pulled your nightshirt off and tossed it to the side, leaving you in only your thong. You didn’t have time to feel self-conscious though, because he immediately found your breasts, gripping one in his hand and another in his mouth. As he licked and sucked on first one nipple, then the other, you felt your eyes roll back in your head. “Please, I need you to touch me, Hop,” you hear yourself begging. He chuckled. “Anything for you,” he replied, moving your panties to the side and inserting a thick finger inside your slick folds. 

  He gave you a second to get used to it before giving you a second finger. The obscene noises your body was making made him rock hard. You ran your hands over his cock but quickly became irritated at his pants being in the way. You pushed off of him long enough for him to undress. You then sank down on your knees in front of him and started stroking his dick. He practically growled and laid his head against the back of the couch. You licked up and down his shaft, loving the feel of him in your mouth, and knowing you were the cause of the sounds he was making. You looked up at him, and his lust blown eyes almost pushed you over the edge. 

  “Come up here, I want you to ride me,” he said and you practically jumped in his lap. You straddled him, aligned with his tip and sank slowly down onto him. You couldn’t believe you could actually take him all. You took it easy as you adjusted to the sheer size of him, but once you started rocking back and forth, you lost all control. He couldn’t take his eyes off of your bouncing breasts. You didn’t know that sex could be this good. He kept his hands on your hips, his fingers digging in with delicious pressure. When he moved one hand to start circling your clit, that was all it took. You felt the coil in your center that was already tight just snap, your orgasm overtaking you. 

  You tightened down on his dick, causing him to roar at you again. This man will be my undoing you thought as he switched positions, laying you against the couch and relentlessly pounding into you, chasing his own ending. You sank your nails into his broad chest and yelled his name over and over as his thrusts became faster and faster, and he came inside you with a loud groan. Damn you thought with a smile. It’s good to be home.

[ushidoux]

Be My Last - Iwaizumi x  Reader (Pt. 4)

Summary: You have trouble getting over a past relationship and it’s preventing you from moving forward. (~1.7 words)

Warnings: questionable fidelity, angst, but otherwise tame

A/N: There isn’t a lot of action in this chapter but a whole lot of feelings.

Part 1|| Part 2 || Part 3 || Part 4 || Part 5

-

You awoke to the sound of Iwaizumi’s careful shuffles around your bedroom as he got dressed for the day. Rising slowly to a sitting position with a stretch and a yawn, you noticed he was a little more dressed up than usual, his usual polo shirt and khakis replaced with a pair of sharp trousers, a nicely pressed shirt and a tie.

“Good morning, baby,” you murmured, voice still heavy with slumber.

Iwaizumi’s eyes shifted from their focus adjusting the sleeves of his shirt and smiled as he watched you rub the sleep out of your eyes, walking around to your side of the bed to kiss you on the forehead - a soft brush of the lips.

“Good morning, love. Did you sleep well?”

The smell of a gentle cologne drove you forward, intending to lean your face against his chest, but he was already back to his side of the bed to gather his things before setting out for the morning.

“I did… I can make breakfast if you’re not in a hurry!” You offered, eyes following the young man as he quickly exited the room.

“I’m alright!” He called, voice distant now. You could tell he was already rummaging around in the kitchen, and the smell of freshly brewed coffee wafted in your nostrils in sharp contrast to the toothpaste you were using to rid yourself of morning breath once you trailed behind him.

You glanced at the time on the wall clock, leaning against a wall opposite the inlet to the kitchen. He wasn’t exactly late for work, but he was rushing out faster than usual. 

“Is everything okay?” Your voice was muffled between spittle and mild concern.

He glanced at you, hesitating for a split second before smiling. 

“I’ll see you tonight,” he replied without answering your question, and then the door closed behind him.

There was a subtle sense of your blood cooling very slightly, a tinge of worry settling in your chest. Venturing back into the bathroom, you finished brushing your teeth, paying exquisite attention to your tired eyes in the mirror as though your reflection was the issue. 

Maybe you were overreacting. Things had been a little tense since your argument, but it was nothing that couldn’t be smoothed over. 

It was only after you’d settled back onto your side of the bed with your open laptop and your screen flickered on to display your ex’s Instagram page that your heart started to race.

You closed it shut again, wincing.

He didn’t see it. He couldn’t have. He would have said something. The argument would have started right up again. It wouldn’t have ended until one of you was sleeping on the couch or you were sleeping in each other’s arms.

You let out a deep breath, taking a few moments to let your self-defensive thoughts sink into your skin. It was nothing serious after all.

Overreaction after overreaction. The only thing that mattered right now was that you opened your laptop and spent your Friday off of work on getting ahead.

---

As luck would have it, Iwaizumi was stuck in traffic.  Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise that he’d wanted to escape your apartment as soon as possible and make it out early. He’d actually intended to leave before you woke up. 

As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he was still angry. 

Not at you. Never at you. At himself.

He remembered the words he had said to you at the start of your relationship, what felt both like just yesterday and ages ago.

Use me if you need to.

He gripped the steering wheel and grit his teeth, trying to maintain composure despite the fact that he’d been in the same spot on the road for the past ten minutes and people were laying into their horns around him.

What kind of stupid shit was that?

It had sounded good to say it at the time, like most things a guy says to woo a pretty girl. Use him. You’d fall in love with him later, in due time. He believed it was true then.

He hated that he was starting to lose faith in that now.

He hated the idea that someone else, who really wasn’t doing anything but simply existing in proximity to you was doing such a number on him. He couldn’t fault him either. Ushijima had loved you first. 

Did it matter if Iwa loved you more?

---

You’d given yourself that you weren’t allowed to leave your apartment until you got your work done, lest you come up with another excuse not to finish, which meant by the time the clock neared six p.m., you had laid sprawled in nearly every corner of your apartment typing and by now were cross-legged on the kitchen counter, your laptop balanced on your knees.

But you were finally done.

You sighed with excitement. Now to put that behind you. 

Saving your work, you slipped off of the countertop and back into your pair of slippers, moving back to your bedroom to change into a just as comfortable but more presentable pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt.

You were running out of snacks, as evidenced by the frequent trips to the kitchen over the past eight hours. What better way to treat yourself for a job well done but with a walk down to the convenience store to stock up?

Maybe you’d grab Iwa a bag of his favorite chips as a peace offering on the way too. 

---

“We’re already out, young lady!” the cashier teased the moment you crossed the store entrance, setting off the bell. 

You pout but still glance over to the row of baked goods, where your precious melon bread is normally stacked neatly in clear packaging, waiting for you. It’s a little bit embarrassing that he knew you would never pass up on it, but you’d lived here long enough that it wasn’t inconceivable that it’d become your defining trait.

“I’m absolutely devastated, sir!” You called back dramatically, making your way to the back for ice cream instead. They had what your favorite in stock, plus a limited edition flavor so you had more than enough consolation.

Satisfied, you closed the freezer door after picking your selection only to meet eyes with Ushijima, whose hand closed tightly around the handle of a fridge door. He stood a good distance away, but his eyes had been on you and remained so; the very slight part of his lips betrayed the fact that he had been trying to come up with something to say for the past couple of minutes.

He did say your name, something like a greeting, out loud, and you reflexively looked away, heart pounding. Granted you didn’t own this corner of town, but what were the chances he’d only chosen to go here?

Quickly realizing you still weren’t interested in talking, Ushijima pulled out a large bottle of water and closed the fridge, deciding not to bother you further.

It was suddenly a good thing that a text message to you on his phone was in drafts only, him not having the heart to send it. It wasn’t for a lack of courage… it was more so due to shame. Even if he felt like he had to apologize, there wasn’t much he felt he could say that would make it better, not worse.

His shame and your discomfort only intensified as he ended up queueing up behind you. Timing was never on his or your side it seemed.

Ushijima watched you tense up ever so slightly, your shoulders hunched as your arms overflowed with snacks, including the freezing tub of ice cream. Normally he’d offer to help with your load, given that he wasn’t carrying much more than the water but again, boundaries.

He’d set that distance himself.

In reality, he probably should have chosen another running path to discharge energy after practice had ended early today. However, it had been long enough that alternative courses didn’t come immediately to memory and he’d been willing to take that chance.

And here you both were.

He hated this, the obvious residual feelings bubbling to the surface after having been repressed for so long, the fact that he couldn’t justify any of his actions, the fact that he hated older him.

The fact that you won’t even look at him. 

Just say something. Anything. 

Is closure every really needed, or is it just an excuse to refuse to move on?

He opened his mouth to speak, yet again, but you beat him to it.

You turned towards him, smiling, albeit a weak imitation of what you’d always offered him, back when you loved him recklessly, with your whole heart.

“I… um, don’t want it to be awkward,” you said in a small voice. The sound of your voice, directed finally to him, unprompted made his own beat speed up.

Was this an olive branch you were extending that he didn’t deserve? He pondered this, steeling himself for the worst.

You kept your friendly expression as steady as possible. You weren’t sure what you were trying to prove, to yourself and to Iwa.

You didn’t love him. And for that reason, you had no right to be bitter or cold. Right?

“It doesn’t have to be awkward,” you continued.

Ushijima was at a loss for words now, watching you carefully with his normally sharp, hawk-like eyes but now more like the hawk’s prey, assessing the threat before it. Could he get his hopes up? “We can be friends,” you decided.

It’ll only hurt for a short bit of time, you told yourself. And soon things will be back to normal. As they should be.

A part of Ushijima wanted to reply, I don’t want to be friends. He’d finally realized this, no matter how selfish of a thought it was. However, he was content to nod only and swallow that thought. 

“I’d appreciate it.”

He watched you pay for your items and leave, unsure of what friendship would entail.

---

As you dug into your tub of ice cream a couple hours later, you realized you weren’t so sure what that entailed either.

If only to make it worse, then came the buzz of your phone with a single message, I miss you.

[that-otome-potato]

One Good Ride

I AM A THIRSTY POTATO! I have no regrets for that which you have chosen to click on and read.

Pairing: Kokuyou x Reader

Rating: Explicit/NSFW

Word Count: ~3700

Notes: THIS IS SMUT.  No real story, just me quenching my thirst

Summary:  When you have a boyfriend like Kokuyou and he invites you on a bike ride with him, who would say no? Especially when the ride turns spicy before you even make it to your destination!

Thank you @lancermylove for the inspiration and help with lore and such XD

‘Ding!’

The sound of an incoming message drew your tired eyes from your computer screen to your phone next to your keyboard.  The sender read: ‘Kokuyou♡’. You immediately felt a rush of energy fill you and an excited smile to form on your lips.

When you leaned away from the keyboard and opened the text message, what you saw made your smile grow.

‘Grab your gear.  Five minutes.’

You stretched and rubbed your eyes before closing down the Starless project you had managed to convince Unei to let you help with, and rushed to your closet. Inside, you changed out of your pajamas and into a pair of cute cut off shorts, a short sleeved t-shirt and running shoes. Looking at yourself in the mirror inside your bathroom and applying some light makeup, you grabbed your personalized helmet and jacket that Kokuyou had given to you the previous Christmas, and hurried out the door, locking it behind you.

When you reached the front door of your building, you skid to a stop when you caught sight of Kokuyou. He was a sight to see, leaning against his bike with his legs and one arm crossed while his other elbow rested on the bent limb, holding a lit cigarette near his lips with a fingerless-gloved hand.  He took a drag from it as he watched other people pass by, eyeing them surreptitiously, ever cautious. You admired the way the smoke curled and undulated through the air as he exhaled before being taken by the light breeze that tousled his blood-red hair. It was an image that only a lucky few could see outside the covers of a high-end magazine.

Your eyes trailed from his short, flowing hair, down his leather clad arms, admiring the peek of pectoral muscles from where his black shirt was v-cut low.  His silver belt-buckle caught a ray of sunlight that fell on him from above, dappled by the trees that lined the sidewalk. The buckle was definitely his style - you knew for a fact that if the need arose, he could use the piece as a weapon to defend himself. Dark blue ripped jeans encased his long legs, with black biker boots to finish off the look.

Unconsciously, you licked your lips at the delicious sight before you. “Hey, you,” you call to him as you exit through the glass front door of your building.  This drew his attention and you felt his carnelian gaze on you like a flame licking your flesh as he looked you over from head to foot as you had just finished doing to him. When you stop right in front of him, you can see his pupils flare in appreciation, even as he smirks down at you and keeps up his tough guy façade. “Like what you see, tough guy?  I certainly do.”

“Alright, you.  Let’s get going already.” Kokuyou stepped to the side and motioned for you to get on first. Without further prompting, you hopped onto the back, yanked your helmet onto your head and threaded your arms through the sleeves of your protective jacket and faced him. This earned you a deep sounding chuckle from Kokuyou as he reached towards you to check the straps on your jacket and helmet to make sure you would be safe.

Once completed to his satisfaction, he gave you one of his rare looks filled with tenderness.  “Beautiful.” 

He continued looking at you on his bike for a few moments before he put his own helmet on and turned to lift his leg up and over to straddle his prized Aprilia, causing a flash of heat to move from the top of your head to your lower belly. 

It wasn’t just him mounting his bike that caused this feeling in you - it happened all the time now.  From watching him perform on stage to watching him as he worked around the tables in the shop. What was it about his movements that you found so attractive?  You didn’t know, but it affected you greatly - and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

You were glad that your helmet was securely in place, lest your lover saw your blush and teased you for it.

Several minutes later, you were speeding out of the quiet part of town that you lived in, arms wrapped securely around Kokuyou’s muscular torso, his warmth seeping into you through your fingertips, his muscles under his shirt flexing as he drove expertly through traffic from one town to another, taking scenic routes and side streets that allowed slow, arching turns.  You could even feel the rapid beat of his heart as it raced with the adrenaline and joy riding brought him.

There had always been something about moments like this that you enjoyed, that had affected you physically. So much so that it had been after a winding ride with Kokuyou that you had succumbed to the desire you felt for each other and had slept together in a room at a small hotel at the end of your trip before returning to Starless.

That felt like such a long time ago now, and yet the memories of that trip and others since then were as fresh as the day they happened.

You groaned, the sound muffled by the helmet you wore. The memories were proving to be so vivid that, between clinging to Kokuyou and the feeling of the revving engine between your legs, your arousal was settling hard and low in your belly.  When Kokuyou stopped at a stoplight, you could help but pull closer to him and roll your hips a little, just for some friction to relieve some of the tension building up in your body.

“You ok back there?” You nearly jumped at the sound of Kokuyou’s voice, low and raspy in your ear. 

‘Shit.  I forgot that there was a Bluetooth mic in my helmet.’ You chuckled slightly at getting caught.  “I’ve been better.”

You felt, more than saw, Kokuyou shift to turn his head to look at you from the corner of his eye through the visor. But you had other things on your mind.  Like how you would be more than willing to rip everything off of his body and fuck him senseless when you reached wherever he was taking you, if not sooner. 

When he started driving after stopping at yet another red light, the revving of his Aprilia to accelerate with traffic, you nearly whimpered when the fire in you flared, your arms constricting around him again to press yourself harder against him. 

You had enough.

“Kokuyou, we need to stop.”

“Why? We’re almost there.”

“This can’t wait.”

“What, do you need to piss or somethin’?”

A frown formed on your face at the sound of a smirk on his voice.  ‘The bastard knows…’

“Just find somewhere private.”

Your short conversation had only been a few sentences long, but the sound of his deep, whispered voice sent directly into your ear made it all the more intimate and erotic.  As if he was whispering directly into your ear again, saying all the things he had planned to do to your body to give pleasure as he thrust into your giving heat.

Kokuyou turned back to look at you from the side again, his eyes meeting yours through the visor, peering deep into your own as if he was confirming his suspicions.  You refused to be the one to break eye contact, trusting his driving and knowing he wouldn’t let anything happen to his motorcycle or you.  You watched his carmine eyes widened slightly, surely seeing the desire shining in your own. Your heart gave a hearty thump at the sight of the red of his eyes getting eaten by the black of his dilated pupils and the sight of his Adam's apple bobbing under the edge of his helmet as he attempted to swallow.

Your lover quickly turned back to face the direction of the road and quickly found a deserted alley, driving as deep into it as he could before stopping and extending the kickstand with a flick of his booted heel.

You, on the other hand, had already pulled his shirt from his pants and snuck your hands up under it to caress the taught muscles of his stomach and upper torso, pinching one of his small nipples at the same time you rolled your pelvis against his ass. This caused a shiver that racked his entire body and a growl escaped his soft lips - you felt your body respond in kind.

The reaction you always felt to that sound had never happened with anyone but him. Whenever Kokuyou released one of his growls, especially when one or both of you were aroused, there was just something in the animalistic sound of it that created a need to copulate deep within you that you always answered.

With slight difficulty - you could, and had, spent hours exploring his large broad body and it was always difficult - you removed your hands from under his shirt and climbed off of his bike.  Without delay, you took off your helmet, then his, before he even had a chance to bring one leg over the bike to face you.

Once he had moved one of his powerful legs over, you gripped the sides of his face and crushed your lips against his, drinking from him over and over like a woman without drink for far too long.

Kokuyou’s large, scarred hands came up to rest on your hips and brought you closer between his legs, his thumbs rubbing gentle circles on your flushed skin under the hem of your shirt. You could feel the hard ridge of his arousal every time you rubbed up against him. When you groaned, enjoying the taste of his lips, he pulled you even closer and you wrapped your arms around his neck, dragging your fingers lightly along the scar on the left side of his neck he received when he was younger. This rewarded you with another shiver and a growl from him.

Suddenly, Kokuyou’s strong grip grew more so as he lifted you up by your hips and you instinctively wrapped your legs around his waist and sat in his lap.  A giggle escaped you before he took over the kiss, making you gasp and giving him the perfect opportunity to thrust his tongue past your plump lips.

Kissing Kokuyou was like having sex - not just emotionally, but by the way he thrust his talented tongue past the barrier of your lips over and over, to toy with your own and touching every part of your mouth.  When he got in the mood, he would take your mouth and ravash you without even removing any clothing, leaving you hot and bothered if it was all he had time for in between performances or while on break from working in the shop.

But he always made up for any discomfort you felt from your shared desires later, sometimes multiple times and over the course of an entire night.

When you two finally parted, panting for breath you’d both denied each other, you ran your lips along his left jaw, leaving behind slow, sensual kisses along the way - his scar as your destination.

“What brought this on then?” His question came out raspy with the desire for you that you could feel growing even more. 

“Does there… need to be...one… when your body calls to mine… on an inexplicable...level?” You ask in between kisses and nips, taking the flesh there between your lips and leaving small red marks behind.  When you finally reached the sensitive mark, you dragged your tongue along the length of the old wound before taking the end closest to his ear between your lips and sucked on it.  Hard.

 “Fucking hell!” He growled at the same time he lifted one hand gripping your hips and brought it down smartly on your ass as light punishment. 

You might have believed it almost even hurt, due to his angry tone, if not for the way his hips pressed against your own rolled up against your heat at the same time.  The ridge in his pants definitely told you that he was enjoying your treatment of him very much.  As it had before, when you heard the rumble escape him and vibrate through his chest, you could feel it ratchet up your lust for him even higher than before, nearly burning you alive from the inside out.

You were so close to climax, so close to feeling such bliss as you had never felt from another person in your life. “Kokuyou -” his name came out on a breath when the hardest part of him rubbed perfectly against your clit through your shorts and panties. Just...a...little bit...more…

He dug his fingers into your skin to hold your rocking hips still. “You still haven’t told me what all this was about, rubbin’ yourself against my back like a bitch in heat.  How are you planning on fixing this?” He emphasised what ‘this’ was by pulling you back against him with increased strength and pressing his covered shaft against where you needed him most.

“You’ll see…” You gasped. Kokuyou was too good at making you feel sexy and desired.  He knew all your weaknesses, where to touch you, where to kiss and nibble. You knew he enjoyed exploiting all of them, taking joy in seeing all of your reactions, claiming them as his own.  

Kokuyou used his grip on you to lift you up into his lap, placing both knees on either side of his hips.  This made it easier for you to teasingly move your hand down his hard torso, feeling every one of his muscles he’d worked hard for over the years. Your journey halted when you reached the ridge in his pants his cock had created. Using deft fingers you had gained from as long as you had been with Kokuyou, you unbuckled his belt even with the zipper of his pants being wedged against it by the crown of his manhood. 

Finally, you released his cock from his pants and you smirked up at him when it sprang free of its confines.  “No boxers, huh?  Were we hopeful?”

He answered your smirk with one of his own. “Not so much as hopeful, but knowing.”

You just growled as you wrapped your hand around his hard shaft and began pumping it, using your other hand around his neck to bring his head towards you into a passionate kiss. Somewhat distantly, you could feel one of his hands move from your ass along the side and under the hem of your shorts to probe at the entrance to your womanhood past the edge of your panties. With one quick movement, he sheathed one finger, then two, inside your body and moved them easily with your arousal.

Your back bent away from him out of reaction at the feeling of his long, thick fingers moving inside you, the callouses on the tips of them creating a delicious friction along your inner walls. This gave him the perfect opportunity to latch onto your pebbled nipples trying to poke through your thin shirt and bra. It took everything in you to keep your hand around his cock as he thrust his fingers in you, scissoring them back and forth to get you ready for him while running his tongue around one nipple.  He bit down on it slightly and tugged before releasing it and going to the other to give it the same treatment. 

Pleasure was making your body absolutely sing at the slight sting he left behind, to the point you could feel your orgasm right in front of you. With one more thrust of his two fingers inside your body, you felt your release wash over you.  You nearly screamed from how it came over you, but Kokuyou nuzzled your chin up and took your lips to keep quiet. When you finally settled, you looked at him, puzzled.

“Public, remember?”

A furious blush bloomed high on your cheek bones as you buried your head in his shoulder in embarrassment while panting for breath.  How could you have forgotten?!  “Oh my god.” 

Kokuyou chuckled again and kissed your temple. “You good?”  

His deep voice rumbled into your ear and awoke your arousal once more, helped along by his fingers still sheathed in your body and his hard shaft still in your hand. 

“Yeah, I’m good.”

“Then let’s finish what you started.  It’s because of you after all.” He removed his fingers from your heat and brought them up to his mouth to begin licking them clean of your arousal, not once breaking eye contact. “Mmm, delicious. Never been with another girl that tasted as good as you do.”

“...Bastard.” That same vibration from the top of your head to the tips of your toes returned at the sight of him enjoying your essence.  He gave you a chuckle as a reward, but you abruptly cut it off when you lifted yourself up on your knees against the seat of the bike. Gripping his shaft with renewed strength, you steadied yourself with your other hand and, using his cock, moved your shorts and panties out of the way so that you could impale yourself on him in one swift downwards motion until you were sitting flush with his lap.

Both of you needed a moment once your bodies were joined, yours so that the burn of your walls to accommodate could abate, his so that he wouldn’t finish right then and there. After a few moments, you began rolling your hips back and forth slowly, the feeling of him moving inside you exquisite with your steady rhythm.

When you started fucking yourself on his shaft, he spread his feet wider to give support so as to avoid toppling the bike. Everytime you lifted yourself up, his grip on your hips brought you back down harder and harder, the crowned tip of him running across the spot along your walls that always caused you to melt as no other man had gotten you to.

Was it because he was longer and thicker than anyone else you’d been with, in every way?  Or because it was Kokuyou and everything about him was stimulating in some way.

Soon, though, all those thoughts and any others turned to white noise as you started moving against each other faster, guided by his hands.

“Fuck, you’re tight.  But so wet.”

Heavy, panted breaths escaped as you instead of the moans you felt in your throat.  You used your legs to move on him, controlling the pace of your pleasure, trying to keep in mind where you were currently copulating.

Right as you started feeling your body toeing the line between pleasure and the bliss of climax once more, your walls constricting around him as he moved inside you, Kokuyou used his superior strength to bring your movements to a stop with his hands on your ass.

A whimper escaped you unbidden. “Kokuyou!  Why did you stop me?”

“You were too close and I was a little too generous of your playtime.  Now it’s my turn.”

Kokuyou stood with his hands under your rear, his cock still inside you, and turned to go around his motorcycle to press you against the building he’d parked next to.  You gasp at the contact of the cold brick wall against your back.  Using that same wall, Kokuyou moved his hands to your thighs and hooked his hands under your knees to bring them up, revealing where you were connected to the world, if it weren’t for his large body blocking anyone’s view. He looked down and you could feel him twitch inside you before he began moving again, watching his shaft slide in and out of you easily with your juices coating his cock.

Your new position also gave him the opportunity to hit you deeper and from a slightly different angle, the head of his manhood rubbing you perfectly along the ribbed flesh of your g-spot, knowing it would bring you to climax faster. You wrapped your arms tightly around his neck, bringing him as close as possible and he placed his forehead on your shoulder as if to concentrate as his pistoning hips moved harder and faster, becoming more erratic as he chased his own orgasm. You could feel the knot in your lower belly tightening again more and more the more times he filled you and retreated.

“Koku… I…” Kokuyou’s attention was drawn up to your face, to take your lips in a passionate kiss. As he devoured your lips and played with your tongue with his own, he brought your legs back down to wrap around his waist. Once you were securely wrapped around him, he placed one hand on the wall next to your head and the other hand under your rear to make sure you stayed right where he wanted you.

“Touch yourself.  I can feel how close you are.  Your sweet body has my cock in a vise grip and it’s taking a lot of strength just to fuck you, you’re so tight.  Why don’t you go ahead and come for me again, _____.” You find a way to nod and he gives you a hungry smile. “Then do it. Come.”

You bring your hand down between your legs and begin rubbing your clit in time with his thrusts and it didn’t take long before your second climax came over you, rocking your body, your throat feeling raw from trying to keep from screaming out loud.

“That’s my girl,” Kokuyou whispered right into your ear before sinking his teeth into the tendon of your shoulder and groan, feeling his cock twitch inside you with his own release.

For several moments, your shared panting filled the alley.  When Kokuyou lifted his head from your shoulder, red eyes met yours and they held such tenderness as he looked at you through slightly damp bangs.  You looked down at him, a rush of love for the Team W leader filling your heart.  You carded a hand through his hair to push it from his eyes and Kokuyou sighed at your touch.

“Feel better?”

“Much.”

“What was that all about?  You don’t usually come on to me that strongly in public.”

You just chuckle and place your forehead on his.  “What can I say?  You’re hot, it’s hard to keep my hands to myself sometimes.”

[a-winchester-fairytale]

What Would You Wish For?

Summary:  A stranger gives the gift of one wish, but all magic comes with a price.

Word Count: 4798       

Warnings:  little angst maybe, some fluff - none really

A/N:  This was written for @covered-byroses​ Myths and Magic Challenge.  My prompt was Three Wishes. Thank you for a really fun idea.  It ended up being lighter than I first imagined, but I hope you like it. 

Thank you for reading and please feel free to let me know what you think :)  

“We are almost to the intersection with I95.”  You said from the back seat as the impala continued down the dirt road.  “After that, it looks like about 7 hours to the bunker.”

You heard Dean groan and you knew he was looking forward to being back in the bunker after several days in the dollar motel.   It seemed like since the brothers had found the bunker, those motels just weren’t as comfortable as they used to be.

“What’s that up there?” Sam muttered.  As the car got closer you could see that it was an older model pickup sitting on the side of the road with the hood up.  An man who appeared to be in his 70s was anxiously standing next to it with his hands on his sides.

“Maybe we should stop and help him, or give him a ride to town.”  You said sympathetically.

“Come on, Y/N.  We still have so far to go before we make it home.”  Dean argued.

“Dean!  He’s an old man.  We can’t just leave him out here.”  You argued. “Sam?”  You added, glancing to his younger brother for help.

“It may not take that long.” He added, hopefully.  Dean grumbled the word fine and slowed down the impala.

You watched as Dean took a look at the man’s truck.  You had always enjoyed watching him work on cars.  The concentration and care he showed made you adore him more than you secretly already did.  With a few adjustments, he was able to fix the truck without much time lost.

“There you go.  Should be good now, but I’d have somebody take a look once you get where you are going.  You may need to replace that part altogether.’  Dean said to him, shaking his hand when he offered it.

“You have done me a kind service today.  Allow me to repay you.”  The stranger said, holding out a large gold coin to you.  

“You don’t have to pay us anything.  It was nothing.”  You told him, but he held it out further.

“This is not a monetary payment.”  He started to explain.  “It is a wish coin.  I am offering a single wish to each of you.”

“A wish coin?”  Sam asked, unsure if he heard him correctly. The stranger nodded.

“Please take it.”  He begged, offering it to Sam and Dean when you didn’t move.  “Just hold it tightly and say your wish and it will come.  There are very few exceptions.”

“You’re telling me that if I hold this coin in my hand and say I wish, then whatever follows will just magically appear?”  Dean asked, taking the coin from him and turning it suspiciously over in his hand.

“Yes, that is exactly what I’m saying.  But be careful what you wish for Dean.  It may not turn out exactly the way you think, and you will have to deal with the consequences of that wish.”  The old man told him, raising a finger for emphasis.

“I think the cheese has slid a little far off your cracker man.”

“Dean!!”  Sam shouted.

“What?  This is ridiculous, even for us.”  He said, turning to face Sam impatiently.

“You believe in all manner of supernatural beings, but you refuse to believe that I could grant you a small token of appreciation?”  He challenged.  

“Yes.”  Dean insisted.  You glanced between them, the old man grinning slightly at his certainty.

“May I ask why?”

“Because….I’ve spent my whole life scraping by, fighting for everything we had – and everything we didn’t. Now - you expect me to believe that it is as simple as saying….”

“Dean…don’t!”  Sam shouted, but it was too late.

“I wish for 10 million dollars.”  The words flew past Dean’s lips before either of you could stop him.

“Well,” the stranger began, a sly grin on his face.  “If you won’t take my word for it, just open the trunk of your car.”

At the mention of his precious baby, Dean’s eyes narrowed and he glared at him.  Sam glanced to you, but you only shrugged and watched as he carefully made his way to the impala.  When he popped open the truck, he found several bags laying on top of the false bottom.  He unzipped the first one and saw that it was full of money.

Dean finally broke his stare when he heard you gasp.  His face lit up and the stranger was momentarily forgotten as the three of you opened the remaining bags to find more strapped cash.  Although you didn’t count it, there was no reason to believe it was anything other than 10 million dollars.

“How did you…?”  You began, but stopped when you turned around to an empty street.

“Where did he go?” Sam asked, but there was no trace of him ever being there.  Dean glanced down at the coin still sitting in the palm of his hand and then back up at the two of you.

“We’re rich.  We really are rich!”  He exclaimed, laughing in disbelief.

“Dean, where did this even come from?  I mean, we can’t just take this money like that.  I’m telling you, something terrible is going to come out of all this wish nonsense.”

“Oh yes, we can.  Is it selfish? maybe.  Will it come back to bite me tomorrow?  Probably.  But just for one night, I want to know what it’s like.”

“What what’s like?”  You couldn’t help but ask.  Dean had never really struck you as someone fixated on money.

“To not have to worry about whether or not the credit card will work, or if we will have enough for dinner and a motel room, or if the guys I’m playing pool against are too stupid to realize we are scamming them for gas money, or whether I’m going to get caught stealing peanut butter and sent back to a boys home.”  He answered you.

“I guess I never really thought about it like that.”  Sam said, looking down.

“That was the point, Sammy. You weren’t supposed to worry about stuff like that.”  Dean said, his voice softer.  “I don’t regret any of it.  I did what I had to, and I’d do it again.”  He added, patting Sam’s face gently with his hand to reassure him.

“Okay.”  You reluctantly agreed.  You hadn’t been with them when they were children, but you had heard stories. You knew enough to be able to picture John leaving them alone for days to fend for themselves.  

“Look, if I had known it wasn’t a crock, I would have wished for something different - Making the monsters of the world go away or world peace or something meaningful.”  Dean said.  “But I can’t change that.”

“It’s not what you wished for that worries me.”  You admitted. “It’s more about the ‘consequences’ he mentioned.”  

“I know.”  Dean said, flipping the coin over a couple of times and then handing it to Sam.  “Here, take this thing.  Let’s just get going.  We can figure all of this out later.”

Dean paused when he finally got the interstate until you both raised an eyebrow at him.  “What’s wrong?”  You asked, worried.

“What if we stopped in that big city for tonight?”  He asked, turning in the seat so he could face you both.

“I thought you were in a hurry to get back to the bunker.”  Sam told him. Dean shrugged.

“I was, but come on man. We could use a vacation.  When was the last time we did anything that wasn’t about hunting and was just fun?”

“It has been a while.” Sam admitted.

“Okay, let’s do it.” You encouraged.

“That’s my girl.” Dean exclaimed, making your heart skip a beat as he put his arm around your shoulders and hugged you against him. Sam just laughed.

Dean drove into the city and the three of you spent the evening doing whatever you all felt like doing. At the end of the evening, Dean spotted a high class hotel and you could almost see the light bulb flash in his eyes.

“No way are we staying in another ratty motel tonight.”  He said, pulling into the driveway.

Dean pulled a handful of cash from the bags, setting on the counter in defiance when the front desk clerk pompously told him the price of the penthouse suite he requested.  It was hard not to laugh when the clerk almost choked on his own words while Dean causally asked, “Does that about cover it?”

After that, it was all “yes sir, let me help you with your things sir”.  Although you could tell that Sam felt awkward about all of the extra attention, he kept quiet and just let Dean enjoy it.

It had three bedrooms, two oversized luxury bathrooms, heated floors, waterfall shower, swimming pool, game room, private bar, floor to ceiling windows with the most beautiful view of the city below.  There were marble floors, private elevator, two living areas.

You spent extra time in the bathroom, knowing that for once it was all your own.  Afterwards, you slipped on the cozy soft bathrobe and slippers, stepping out into the bedroom and jumping up onto the feather bed.  At first it was fun, but after a while it was too quiet and you couldn’t relax enough to feel sleepy.

You wandered around the penthouse suite, looking out at the city and wondering about the people living in the houses below.  You heard a car horn and tires squeal below, grabbing your attention.  You thought you saw a shadow crossing the road below, but when you looked again it had disappeared into the night and traffic had resumed.  You told yourself that you would never get used to being in a large city, thankful no one appeared to have been hurt.   You turned away from the window and could see the light coming from Dean’s bedroom, the door slightly ajar.  

You snickered under your breath to see the fearless hunter chilling on the king size bed in his bathrobe, a large pizza and beer sitting next to him.  

“All that money, and you are still eating pizza and beer.”  You teased.  Dean just shrugged, but you could see the color come to his cheeks briefly.

“24 hour room service.” He replied.  “You want something?  They have everything you could possibly think of.”  He told you, picking up the leather bound menu and holding it out toward you.

“No thanks.”  You replied, stepping into the room and stealing a piece of pizza from the box.  Dean laughed and moved the box so you could climb onto the bed next to him. “Where’s Sam?”  

“Oh, he went to his room. He is determined to find something about that coin.”  Dean replied. “Hey, check this out…”  He exclaimed, pushing a button on the remote to make a huge flat screen TV lower itself from the ceiling.  You couldn’t help but get a kick out of seeing him act like a little kid at Christmas.

He flipped through the channels, raving about how many there were to choose from.  “Wait…”  You told him. “Go back a couple.”

Dean did as you asked, stopping on The Princess Bride, just as they were about to enter the home of Mad Max.

“I love this movie.” You said, laughing at Max and his wife argue over what Wesley had said.

“So do I.”  Dean admitted, setting the remote aside and the two of you watched the rest of the movie, occasionally quoting the lines together.

You were so engrossed in the scenes on the TV, that you didn’t notice that Dean had stopped watching the screen and started watching you until it was almost over. “What?”  You asked, blushing as soon as you caught him.

“You know, you really are beautiful.”  Dean said, watching you intensely.

You looked at him, shocked to hear those words and unable to look away from his gaze.  For a moment, you wondered if it the wish coin could hear wishes inside your head, but then you remembered that you had yet to hold the coin in your hand.  No, this couldn’t be the thoughts you constantly had running through your mind.

Dean leaned forward and kissed you.  The instant his lips touched yours, all of your thoughts went silent.  You could hear the end of the movie and the words written about the greatest kiss of all time as you leaned into his kiss and returned it eagerly.  

“Hey Dean…”  Sam said as he entered Dean’s room and the two of you flew apart like shrapnel.  “Y/N, good, you’re here too.”  He added, not noticing.

“Yeah, Dean was just showing off the big screen tv.”  You lied, glancing over at Dean.  

“Did you find something about the coin?”  Dean asked.

“Not exactly, but I think there is something weird going on not far from here.”  He began.  “Now where did I see that?”  he muttered, flipping through the book he was carrying in his hands.

Dean leaned close to your ear while Sam was searching for the page and whispered, “next time we will have to remember to close and lock the door.”

You simply nodded, biting down on your lip to try and keep calm.  Your body still felt warm where he had touched you and you felt a tingle when he said ‘next time’, excited at the idea that he wanted to do that again.

“Here it is.”  Sam said, flipping the page and laying the book down on the end of the bed so you could both see it.  

“Says there is a myth about a creature that lures small children from their homes.”  You read out loud.  “says she is usually seen along the Interstate 95 corridor during the month of September.”

“Right.  And it’s September, and that is the I95 running right outside.”  Sam pointed out.

“Okay, but that also runs over 1100 miles either way, Sam.  What makes you think that this myth is real and that she is near here?”  Dean asked.

“Because, I just heard on the news that there are 3 kids missing in Rawlee all within the last 24 hours.”  He replied.

“That sounds familiar.” You said, thinking back to the map you had been studying in the car.  “Wait, that’s only about 100 miles further north.”

“Exactly.”

“We’ve certainly looked into cases with less to go on.”  Dean sighed, looking around the room.  “Guess this vacation will have to wait.”

The three of you packed up and headed down the road to start in Rawlee.  By the time you arrived and got settled, it was early morning and you split up to interview the families and the police.  Sam was able to determine that you were hunting a Splinterwaif that would have to keep the children alive for several days before killing them and feeding on their spirits.  That meant that the three of you had almost a week to find them.

Although it was good news that no more kids went missing, it also didn’t give any of you much to go on. It had been a long week, with little sleep, and lots of ideas that didn’t pan out.

“We’ve been at it for days, man.  We officially have less than 2 hours to find those kids and we are still nowhere close to figuring this out.  There has to be something we can do.”  Dean said, slamming the book closed.

“Well there is one thing…” Sam said, reaching in his pocket and pulling out the coin.

“I thought you didn’t want to use any more wishes.”

“I don’t, but I don’t see any other way, and I can’t just let this happen.  Besides, maybe this is only a gift.  I mean, we have had that money for a week and nothing has happened.” He said, sounding more like he was trying to convince himself.

“Let’s do it.”  Dean encouraged.  You thought about for a second and then nodded in agreement.

“I wish we could save those kids before the time is up.”  Sam said, squeezing the coin tightly in the palm of his hand.

Just like it had done the first time, the wish came true immediately.  The three of you were standing in front of the impala outside of a cellar door several hours away.  Dean broke the lock on the doors and pulled one side open so the three of you could climb down to the bottom.

You immediately saw the three kids and breathed a sigh of relief when they began crying for help. Even though the legend said she would keep them for a week to prepare before killing them, you were terrified that you would be too late.  

“Shh…”  You warned the children.  “It’s going to be ok.  We are going to get you out of here and back home.”

You began working on the lock the keep them caged when the door opened again and a woman descended.

“it’s you….”  She hissed when she saw the three of you in the cellar.  “I thought I got rid of you when I left you back at that motel.”

“Motel?”  Sam asked, his brow scrunched.

“Yeah.  Everyone knows to stay clear when you see that car of yours. It startled me so much I froze. Good thing too, I would have been hit by a truck if I had kept walking.  Guess I should thank you for that.”  She added, sounding anything but grateful.

“So you get a few days and this is what you do with it?  Take a bunch of little kids?”  Dean growled. She glared at him.

“Well, a girl’s gotta eat.” She replied, arrogantly.

Dean lunged forward, swinging the angel blade in his hand as he did.  “Damn it, I can’t get a shot.”  Sam mumbled, not wanting to hit Dean accidentally with the way the two of them were dancing around each other.  

“Keep trying.”  You yelled, working the lock on their cage loose. When it finally broke, Sam insisted that you take the kids outside and rushed forward to help Dean fight her.  

You led the children out of the cellar and into the impala, giving them water and snacks from the cooler in the back seat.  Sam and Dean rushed out of the cellar a few moments later and jumped into the impala where you were waiting with the kids.  

The children, although a little shaken, were fine.  You waited with them at the local sheriff’s office until their parents arrived to pick them up and then you returned to the motel room with Sam and Dean.

“We are only a few hours from the bunker.  Let’s just go home.”  Dean was saying when you walked in the door.

“Are you okay?”  You asked immediately, noticing the way he was shielding his eyes from the light and holding his head.

“It’s just a headache. I’ve had worse.”  He answered, but one glance at Sam’s face told you it was more than he was letting on.  

“He got thrown across that cellar and hit the wall pretty hard earlier.”  Sam explained.

“Come on, Sam.  Stop worrying.”  Dean begged.  “I just want to go home to my own bed and if it isn’t gone in the morning I’ll call Cas to come heal me.  Okay?”

“Fine.”  Sam agreed reluctantly.  

Sam drove the impala back to the bunker while Dean stretched out in the back seat, his arm covering his face.  You kept him talking to be sure he stayed awake in case of a concussion.  He was coherent and you could see Sam start to relax, convincing himself that Dean was right about it just being a headache.

When you pulled into the garage, however, Dean was unsteady getting out of the car and before either of you could ask him if he was alright, he collapsed.  Sam took him inside to his room and you immediately called Castiel.  

You watched nervously beside Sam as Cas studied Dean with his angelic powers.  Finally he took his hand away and shook his head, letting out a deep sigh.

“I don’t believe he is suffering from the fight with the Splinterwaif.”  Cas began. “There is no physical damage for me to heal.  This feels more……magical.”

“Magical?”  Sam asked him in disbelief.  “How is that even possible?  We haven’t been anywhere near a witch for months.  Not since we stopped that coven in Washington.”

“I don’t know, Sam.  I just can’t find anything that I can fix in his head.”  Cas admitted.

“Well, if it’s magical, then we call Rowena.  She can fix him.”  You told him, reaching out to squeeze his hand for reassurance.

“I’ll find her.” Cas volunteered, happy to be able to do something and he disappeared.

“Do you think it has anything to do with that coin?”  You couldn’t stop yourself from asking.  Sam shrugged.

“I don’t know.  I never could find anything out about it. Maybe Rowena will know something.” He answered.

It didn’t take long for Cas to return with Rowena.  “Samuel, you could just pick up the phone.  You know I don’t like to be summoned here like this.”  She complained, straightening her dress and pushing her hair back from her face.  

“Well, it was no picnic for me either.”  Cas replied sarcastically before turning to face Sam again.  “I’m going to talk to a few angels in Heaven and see if I can find out anything that might be helpful.”

“Look, I’m sorry but we are desperate.”  Sam began as soon as Cas disappeared.  “Dean collapsed and Cas says it has to be something magic keeping him from waking up.”

“Well, if the angel says it is magical it probably is, but without knowing what happened I don’t know how much help I can be.”  She replied.

“What about this thing? Do you know anything about it?” Sam asked, pulling the coin from his pocket and holding it up where she could see it.  Rowena gasped.

“What is….that’s a leprechaun’s wish coin.  Where did you get that?”  She asked, her voice both wary and curious.

“Well, that explains the disappearing act.”  You mumbled.

“That is dangerous magic you are playing with.  You best be careful.”  Rowena warned.

“It’s a little late for that, but thanks.”  Sam replied, rolling his eyes.  “I just don’t understand why it happened to him.  I’m the one that made the wish.”

“Can you fix Dean – wake him up?”  You pleaded. Rowena started to respond, but stopped herself.  She went to pick up the book of the damned that Sam had laid out for her and started flipping through the pages frantically.

“I can try dearie, but I don’t think so.”  She mumbled.

You pushed away the tears of frustration pooling in your eyes.  In all the years you had known them, in all the fights they had been backed against the wall, and now the man you loved would be beaten by what – your good heart?  It was more than you could take.  You glared at the coin in Sam’s outstretched hand, hating it and yourself for feeling sorry for the man standing on the side of the road that day.

You angrily yanked the coin from Sam’s hand.  “I wish we had never seen that stupid man in the first place.”  You yelled as you reared back and threw the coin across the room in frustration.

The coin hit the wall with a pang and a shock wave shot out from it, the current throwing all of you several feet as it ran through the room.  You rubbed your head as you struggled to stand up.

“Are you okay?”  You asked Sam, who squeezed his eyes shut tightly and groaned as he pulled himself back to his feet.

“I think so.”  He replied.  He glanced to his left and then back to you, concerned.  “Where’s Rowena?”

The two of you scanned the room, but there was no sign of her.  Sam pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed her number as you moved to the corner of the room to see if you could spot the coin.

“Rowena, where are you?” You heard him exclaim when he picked up.

“Why Samuel…good to hear from you too.  I don’t really have time for a chat though.  I’m in the middle of some very intensive, shall we say physical therapy?” She replied and Sam made a disgusted face at the implication.  “Gotta go. Talk to you later.”  She added cheerily before hanging up the phone.

“She acted like she didn’t know anything about today.”  Sam answered. “Do you think…?”  He stuttered, pointing to the wall where the coin had landed.

You were stunned, letting his question sink in.  It would explain why the coin was gone.  Suddenly the two of you locked eyes as the same thought occurred both of you.

“Dean.”  You said simultaneously, turning and racing down the hall to the bedroom.

You burst in the door and saw him sitting against the headboard with the laptop on his legs. You leaped onto the bed, throwing your arms around him and Sam released the breath he had been holding for what felt like hours.

“Dean!  You’re ok!”

“Well, yeah I’m ok. Except that the two of you about gave me a heart attack.  What’s going on?”  He asked, his eyes flickering worriedly between you and his brother.

“My wish backfired, and I didn’t know if we were ever going to be able to wake you up, but then Rowena…” Sam started explaining, but Dean cut him off.

“Rowena?  Your wish?  What the hell are you talking about?”  He asked.  You pulled back from him to look him in the eyes, glancing over your shoulder to Sam who stood frozen in the doorway.

“You don’t remember any of it?”  You asked.

“All I know is that we got home from hunting a vamp nest in Mississippi last night and I spent most of the morning watching this trilogy that Charlie said was ‘a must watch’”  He explained, lovingly mimicking her voice. “I thought you two were just going on a supply run to town since we were out of stuff in the kitchen, but by the look on your face, I think I’m missing a lot.”

You looked at Sam and he shrugged.  He walked into the room and the two of you relayed the things that had happened over the last few days to Dean.  He listened intently, smiling a bit at the idea of a penthouse suite.  

“I wonder why the two of you remember and me and Rowena have no memories of it at all.”  He mused out loud.  

“I don’t know.  I’m just glad it’s over.”  Sam said, standing up and heading out of the room.  You stood up to follow, but Dean reached out and grabbed your wrist to stop you.

“Why do I get the feeling there is something else?”  He asked you. You turned away, trying to hide the blush on your face.  “tell me.” He insisted.

“Nothing.”  You lied, standing up once more and walked to the door.

It stung that he didn’t remember what had happened that night in the suite, but if giving that up was what you had to do to make sure he was safe then you would be grateful that you got to keep that memory.

“Y/N?”  Dean asked.  You paused, turning to see him set the laptop down on the bed next to him and stand up to move toward you until he was standing only inches away.

“What is it?”  You asked, concerned that maybe the three of you had been too hasty to think it was over.

Dean smiled then, reaching up and taking your face gently in his hands, and he leaned down to kiss you. It shocked you, and for a moment you froze.  Finally, you began to relax and kiss him back, your hands running along his sides and up around his back.

“Was that it?”  He whispered when he pulled back.

“Hm-mm”  You nodded, still feeling a little dizzy.  You slowly opened your eyes to find him watching you and you blushed again.  “Did you remember?”

“No”  he smirked.  “I’d been wanting to do that for a while though, and the way you hugged me, and the way you blushed when I asked.  I just took a chance and hoped I was right.”

“It was the first night, in the penthouse.”  You admitted. He leaned down and kissed you again, softer this time.

“Would you want to spend the night refreshing my memory?”  He whispered against your lips.

You smiled, pulling him closer and kissing him deeper.  With one hand, you reached out and pushed his bedroom door closed, locking it in response.

Read more from my Masterlist here

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[cilldaracailin]

A Kind of Magic

2

“Sometimes you have to stop thinking so much and just go where your heart takes you.”

Even though it was small, Dublin airport was a very busy place and as Taron walked through the arrival’s door of terminal two, he was quite lost and had to ask at the tourist information desk how to get to Robyn’s home town of Kilcreen.

“Once you get into the city centre, you can take a bus or a train to Kilcreen but the airport bus brings you directly to Busáras, the bus station and from there if you get the number one one five to Montclarey, that service goes right through Kilcreen.”

“And where do I go to get that bus to the city?” Asked Taron still completely lost.

“If you go out the double doors and walk across the pedestrian crossing, you will see all the bus stops. Look for the green double decker that says ‘Airlink’. It’s six euros one way and it will bring right to the bus station.”

“Thank you so much.”

“Oh, and just so you know, the buses here only take cash or a leap card.”

“Ahh, yes. That is some useful information. Thank you again.” Taron went to walk away but turned back to the lady behind the counter. “There is an exchange desk just around the corner.” Added the lady at the desk knowing what Taron was going to ask before he asked it.

“Thank you.”

“No problem.”

With some information now and after changing his America dollars into euros, making sure he was able to get some change too, Taron followed the directions he was given to the bus stop, glad to see a bus there waiting. He joined the queue and paying his six euros, dropped his bag with a grimace in the luggage rack and sat in the seat behind it, right at the window, a decision he regretted once the bus started to move as the sun glared in the window and even though it was only near nine thirty in the morning, the heat that came through the window was hot and sticky and not helping Taron’s developing headache. So much for the rain he was expecting, the sun was splitting the blue skies. He only wanted to watch the world as it went by, hoping the views would keep him awake as now that he was off the plane and the vigour he had left the hospital with was quickly fading and he was feeling rough and drained and the warmth through the glass at his face was making him feel slightly miserable.

The bus journey from the airport to the bus station took about an hour as it travelled through rush hour traffic in Dublin’s city centre. On the journey he called his mam to let her know he had arrived safely and was on his way to find Robyn and just managed to say goodbye before his battery died.

He found lifting his bag from the luggage rack a chore as the right side of his body really started to feel the effects of the constant travelling and sitting but he was determent to continue on with his trek so he walked into the bus terminal and to one of the ticket desks and asked about getting the one one five bus to Montclarey making sure to let the seller know he needed to get off at Kilcreen.

“And here is your ticket. The bus will be at bay number eight and is leaving in about five minutes.”

“Thank you. Do you know how long it will take to get there?” Asked Taron.

“It’s normally about forty minutes but with the traffic, maybe an hour? Kilcreen is the fourth stop.”

“Great. Thanks again.”

Another hour on a bus sounded like hell to Taron but it was a step closer to Robyn so he made his way to bay eight and showed the bus driver his ticket and put his bag in the hold under the bus. He took a seat on the left side, hoping this was the side of the bus where the sun wouldn’t shine and pulling his hat from his warm forehead he leant against the cool glass.

A few more customers came onto the bus but no-one sat beside him and within five minutes the bus set off. Taron was met with a sun free window and was actually able to enjoy the views of Dublin as they drove through busy streets, giving him something to think about instead of his developing pain. He counted each stop and watched for signs which were written in Irish and English. The bus moved onto a motorway and after a fifteen-minute drive the bus pulled off and onto their third stop. Taron knew the fourth stop was his, so he kept an extra look out for signs and as the bus turned a corner he was met with the view of a river beside a walkway and a black sign that read ‘Kilcreen’. Sitting up straight, he pulled his hat back on and after another minute drive the bus stopped at the stop.

“I just have to get a bag, thanks.” Said Taron to the bus driver and waited for the hold to be opened so he could pull his duffle out, the movement of doing so really starting to hurt now.

He waited for the bus to move and then took a look around where Robyn lived. He stood on a paved footpath behind which was the river which had a small wooden boardwalk on the opposite side, canoe polo nets overhead and a few ducks swimming on the water. A bridge was to his left and opposite him a row of businesses including a pub, chemist and hairdressers. It was a busy little town, with traffic moving constantly in front of him and a number of people were out and about enjoying the glorious morning sunshine, the weather warm and balmy. Nothing like Florida, but nothing like what he had expected the Irish weather to be.

Very much at a loss of what to do now, Taron figured his best bet was to go and ask in one of the shops across the road to see could they direct him to Robyn’s house. Waiting for the traffic to stop at the traffic lights at the top of the bridge, he then made his way across the road, passing the benches outside the pub. He walked past the off license, the butchers and chemist and chose to chance asking the lady at the counter in the hair dressers.

“Sorry excuse me, can you tell me where Poplar Road is please?” Asked Taron as he popped his head in the door.

“Sorry. Hold on!” The worker switched off the hair dryer. “Sorry what did you ask?”

“I am just looking for Poplar Road, please. I am here to visit a friend but I haven’t actually been here before and I am bit lost.”

“Sure.” The woman quickly explained how to get to Poplar Road and it involved quite a few right and left turns. “Wouldn’t it be easier for you just to use google maps? She asked explaining it for the fourth time to Taron, whose tired state was finding it very hard to retain the instructions to where Robyn lived.

Taron pulled his phone from his pocket. “Battery is dead.”

“Ok let me write it down for you instead.”

“That would be great thank you.”

Taron walked a bit further into the hairdressers and watched as the woman wrote down the directions for him.

“Thank you very much.” He said. “I think I can find my way now to Robyn.”

“Robyn?” Another woman walked towards him. “Are you Robyn Quinn’s friend?” She asked.

“Yeah I am. You know Robyn?”

“She gets here hair done here about twice a year, normally before she goes on holiday. Is she back from Florida?”

“Oh yeah. She got back on Saturday.” It was hard for Taron to say those words and he was ready to go and find Robyn so he turned to leave. “Erm thank you again for these. Have a good day.”

Taron had started to walk out of the store. “Oh wait!” The lady who knew Robyn walked after him. “Robyn won’t actually be at home though. She will be in work.”

Taron’s whole face changed. It was something that had completely slipped his mind. Robyn’s work which meant the directions in his hand were leading him to a road with four houses and no Robyn. He didn’t even know where Robyn worked, what time she would be finished at and suddenly felt his anxiety levels start to rise. So far, he had done well to keep calm and was surprised at the ease he had made to Kilcreen but he had finally hit a hurdle and it was the one he needed so desperately to cross at the moment. He was so close to seeing her.

“I can give you the directions to where she works though, if you want.”

His head lifted. “Robyn works here?”

“Well not here, but in Kilcreen, yeah she does. The creche she works in is in the town. I can give you some directions if you would like.”

“I would very much appreciate that.”

“Sure.” The woman grabbed another piece of paper and Taron watched her write the way to Robyn’s work which definitely looked more complicated than the ones to her house. “Ok here you go. So, go over the bridge and stay on the footpath on the right side of the road and follow that path all the way to the round-about. Keep on the footpath as you walk past the round-about and you will see an entrance to a road on the right-hand side that has railings and some signs on it that say Scoil Bríd with a green and red background. Go down that road all the way to the end and you’ll see the entrance to a housing estate called Green Hill. Robyn’s creche is number one. You will see it as you walk past the railings but you have to walk into the estate to actually get to the building. I have actually added a little map but if you stay on footpath the whole way around, you will be grand and find it easily.”

Taron took the paper from the woman. “Thank you for this.”

“No problem at all. Robyn used to look after my little girl.” That brought a smile to Taron’s face. “Rachel loved her.”

“Thank you again. Have a great day.”

Taron held onto the paper tight as he made his way out of the hairdressers and up the steps that led to the traffic light which also had a pedestrian crossing. He waited for the light to turn green for him and started to make his way across the bridge, crossing the actual bridge when he saw the green man again, making sure he was on the right-hand footpath as directed. He hoped it wasn’t too long a walk because he could feel the exhaustion quickly seeping into his bones and his left arm was getting tired from carrying his duffle and he knew he couldn’t use his right because of the stitches on his arm.

He had made it over the bridge and to the entrance of a housing estate called Royal Fields, when he had to stop and pull his hoodie off, his body sweltering in the morning heat. He shoved it into his duffle and picked it up again and continued walking down the footpath, the round-about in sight in front of him. Keeping to the right, he saw the black railings and the Irish words on the red and green sign and took the right turn as instructed. The black railings continued on the left-hand side, Taron now walking past a wall on his right but he kept going, even though he was really feeling the pressure of the travelling and walking on his body. He prayed he was getting closer because his bag felt like a weight and his head was really started to pound. He could hear voices in the distance, children’s voices and after another two minutes, he walked past a school behind black railing, the red and green plaque screwed to the railing.

Wiping some sweat from the back of his neck, Taron looked up to see if he was getting closer to the end of the road and there in front of him was a large two story house at the end of a row of houses with a blue and white sign on the wall that said ‘Happy Days – Play & Learn Childcare’ and Taron groaned with delight and somehow managed to speed up his walk.  The sign was located on the back of the creche and just as the hairdressers had described, he had to walk into the housing estate called Green Hill and then back along the footpath to actually get to number one.

As he walked closer to the creche, Taron could feel his heart starting to race and his nerves build fast and he had to stop for a minute to calm his breathing down. He had been so desperate to get to see Robyn and now that he was finally here, he was absolutely doubting his decision.

He had plenty of time to think, almost over think everything on the way over and it had taken every ounce of his strength to hold his emotions in on the plane, having to close his eyes tight on many occasions to stop the tears from falling. He hadn’t lied to Doctor Hart when he said he believed Robyn was the only one who could understand how he was feeling, who could relate to the emotions he had bubbling under his skin but standing in the baking sun, he didn’t know if had made the right decision to come to Ireland to find her. What if she didn’t want to see him? What is he had come all of this way for nothing, to be met with a blank face and refusal?

Dropping his duffle on the ground, Taron had to sit on the garden wall behind him, his hands going to his face as he struggled to take some air into his lungs, a sudden dread completely overpowering him. His hands were shaking and his side was on fire with the effort of trying to control his breathing. That doubt was engulfing him and his hat was soon on the ground beside his bag and he was pulling at the neck of his t-shirt as he felt constricted and tight.

He closed his eyes and placing his hands on his knees, he inhaled through his nose and then out through his mouth, once again that technique that Robyn had taught him coming to his rescue. He took a few more scrappy breathes, the exertion of which was absolutely killing him in every way possible. Sweat was starting run down his back and head and his wiped at his temples, immediately wincing as his fingers rubbed the grazes on the right side of his face. He could feel himself crumbling very quickly, just like he was in the 7/11 and it was Robyn who had wiped his tears every time, easing his fears and calming his mind. Robyn was so close to him and he had travelled all the way to see her. He closed his eyes tight and tried to imagine her in front of him, her hands on his face, talking him through his panic and with some laboured breathes at first, Taron finally regained control but he was paying the price for taking so long to regulate his breathing as he felt physically and mentally exhausted and drained. Whatever hesitation he had felt before was completely gone and picking up his bag and hat, he started to walk down the rest of the footpath to get to the front door of Robyn’s work place. He just needed to see her, he needed to talk to her and he needed her comforting hand in his because he had to believe that the Robyn he knew wouldn’t blank or ignore him.

There was a woman sitting behind a desk in the front left window and he saw her look up as he walked by. He stood in front of the door and rang the doorbell, standing back, waiting for the door to be opened. It only two about three seconds before it was and he was met with a kind looking lady with blonde hair in a pixie cut, wearing a black pencil skirt and purple blouse.

“Hi there, how can I help you?”

“Erm hi, I was just looking for Robyn?”

“Robyn.” Asked the lady, tilting her head to the side, taking in the frazzled appearance of the man in front of her.

“Yeah Robyn Quinn. She works here right?”

“Yes, she does.”

“Would I be able to speak to her please? My name is Taron and I won’t take up much of her time. I literally just need a minute, if she is here.”

As soon as the lady heard the man say his name was ‘Taron’, she stepped back and opened the door fully. “Why don’t you come in Taron. I’m Emma.”

Taron was surprised as he was invited into the creche, but took the step in and moved so the door could be closed behind him.

“Do you want to just step into the office here.” Said Emma and she walked into the room behind Taron that was set up with two desks and a large filing cabinet. “It’s ok Taron, you can come in.” She assured as the man hesitated in the hallway. Taron cautiously walked into the office. “Why don’t you drop your bag under the desk and sit down.” She watched as her visitor grimaced as he placed his bag on the floor and pushed it under the desk before awkwardly sitting down on the swivel chair nearest the door. “I will go and get Robyn for you, ok?” She saw a complete change in his face when she mentioned Robyn’s name, his features becoming more awake.

“Please.” Was all Taron could manage in reply and Emma walked past him and out into the hallway, opening the gate to the stairs, knowing Robyn was upstairs dealing with a disgruntled staff member.

Emma had no intention of letting the man at her door into the creche, until he mentioned his name and she knew exactly who he was and why he was standing at the door looking like he was ready to fall down with exhaustion.

Emma was thrilled to have her supervisor back on Monday morning but got the shock of her life when she took in her tired appearance and bruised face. Emma has been expecting Robyn to be refreshed and full of excitement after her time away but she was met with a very different woman and she had listened with disbelief as Robyn had explained to her what had happened, shocked at how she had spent her last night in Florida.

She also knew Robyn hadn’t told her all of the details of what exactly had occurred in the shop as she watched how Robyn became more withdrawn, tense and tired as each day passed but Taron was the name of the man that centred around her story and when he had suddenly arrived at Robyn’s place of work looking just as shattered as her supervisor was, Emma knew there was something that brought Taron all the way from Florida to Kilcreen so she took no time in running up the stairs to get Robyn.

“The policy is there for a reason and we cannot have phones in the room for that child protection reason. If you need to make a phone call, just ask me or Emma and you can use the creche phone. Personal phones need to be locked in lockers and can only be taken out for use during your lunch break.”

“Robyn.” Emma gave her slight nod with her head. “Can I grab you for a second.”

“Please put it back in your locker Valerie. Thank you.”

Robyn walked out of the preschool room upstairs and looked to Emma. “What’s up.”

“There is someone downstairs to see you.” Emma saw the confusion in her face. “Just come downstairs with me.”

“Sure. If it’s my mother, I swear…” Robyn followed Emma down the stairs but stopped to open the window on the stairs. “Here was I thinking I coming back to the cold and rain but we’re in the middle of a bloody heat wave.” She continued down the rest of the stairs, turning to close the stair gate behind her. “Emma, I have the rest of these policies signed by the girls and I am going to put them in…”

Robyn stopped in her tracks, her converse squeaking on the floor as she stopped so suddenly and looked to who was sitting in her chair in the office, dropping the pages she was holding in shock.

“Taron!”

[nancypullen]

Good Grief, Where Do I Start?

The ol’ laptop has been repaired and is in fine working order and we’re back in our routine here at home, which means that vacation already seems long ago.  Don’t you hate that?  It seems like weeks ago instead of days ago that we were winding our way along roads sandwiched between brightly colored trees.

We put over a thousand miles on the rental car.  We flew into Portland, then drove an hour and a half up to Camden to a cottage that served as our base for exploration.  Bangor, Bar Harbor, Bath, Belfast, Blue Hill, Boothbay Harbor, Bristol, Brunswick, Camden, Damariscotta, Ellsworth, Freeport, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Lincolnville, Ogunquit, Port Clyde, Portland, Rockland, Rockport, Searsport, St. George, Stockton Springs, Thomaston, Trenton, Wells, Wiscassett, York....and so many more that I’ve failed to list.  We traveled north to Acadia National Park and hiked beautiful trails.  We traveled south and crossed the border into New Hampshire and stayed a couple of days, even scooting into Massachusetts to spend a day in Salem.  There wasn’t a single day that we didn’t enjoy.  Here are some of the highlights of a mighty fine trip.

We made a second swing by Pemaquid Point Lighthouse since the first time was right after a doozie of a storm.  That first visit was all gray skies and angry ocean.  A couple of days later Mickey was able to get this shot.

Love that reflection!  I wandered around and snapped other (safer) perspectives.

 I wouldn’t mind rocking the day away on the front porch.  Not a bad view.

Further north, Bar Harbor was such a charming town.

Acadia was simply beautiful, but I’ve already posted some of those pics.  Mickey went up Cadillac Mountain to get a sunrise shot, so I’ll share that instead. 

We visited York’s Cape Neddick and the Nubble Light.  It’s always a treat.

I walked around snapping photos while the mister sent his drone up for more dramatic footage.

Did I mention he used his drone a lot ?  Here’s a shot of Camden.

 Sorry, I’m all over the map.  

We visited Cape Elizabeth and the Portland Head Light. I walked around taking crooked photos while the mister...you guessed it...flew his drone.

When I was giving this one a pat I looked up and noticed a stray piece of rainbow overhead.  I may have found the pot of gold.

I’m going to fast forward this because I’m probably boring you to tears.  It’s late and I’m apparently fresh out of witty banter.

We shopped in Freeport at the LL Bean flagship store (I think I mentioned that in a previous post) and made our way to Portsmouth.  We’re big fans of New Hampshire, it’s Maine’s tidier cousin.  Our hotel there was the launching pad for a full day in Salem!   Salem,Salem,Salem! In years past I’ve buried you in photos of Salem, describing every magical inch of my favorite city.  I won’t do that today.  Instead I’ll share a few that made me smile.

No big deal, just some crones waiting for a trolley.

And here are a couple of witchy-poos getting some advice at the visitor’s center.

Raising those kids right! Speaking of visitors, Salem, which was originally Shalom, meaning peace - makes sure that everyone feels welcome.

I followed a leaf strewn path all over town, hitting all of my favorite haunts (pun intended).

The mister and I had an agreement - this was my day, I would not be rushed, I would not spend all of my hours waiting for him to snap a photo or fly a drone, and I would probably throw money around all day.  He rented a bike and left me to my own devices. 

We checked in with each other hourly.  I was almost always in a shop or walking to the next shop.  He was...wait for it...taking photos or flying his drone.

 We met for a delicious lunch (OMG, CRAB NACHOS!) and parted ways again.  I’ve yet to find the words to describe the joy I find in Salem.  I’ve always visited in October, maybe I’d feel differently if I dropped by in January or July, but I doubt it.  It’s so much more than their October festivities, although this sure doesn’t hurt.

Every shop window and every door stoop is a nod to the season, and to the magic in the air.  Harry Potter fans will appreciate this one.

I made the most of my day and the mister kept his word, we left when I was good and ready.  Who am I kidding, I’m never ready to leave Salem.  But as the sun was setting we pointed the car north back toward Portsmouth. Our last day was simple - taking in some favorite sights around York and Kennebunkport, and returning to Wells, where we stayed a couple of years ago.  We had one reason for being there - Billy’s Chowder House.  We’d eaten there before, more than once, and the fare is deeeelicious. My last lunch in Maine was perfect.

You guys, that was the lunch special - just $15!  You’d pay that much for a lot less at Panera.  Lobster, fresh green beans, baked potato...I didn’t need another meal for days.  I mean, it didn’t stop me, but I didn’t need one.  That gorgeous lobster seems like a good place to end this rambling blog.  I may share another picture or two as I wade through vacation shots.  I have a whole collection of the back side of Mickey in various places, and plenty of him blocking traffic or risking his life for a photo.

I’ve also got an album of failed selfies, most of them like this - my windblown hair and tired face and the mister in position.  I may make him a calendar.

Seriously though, we had a GRAND time.  We saw so many beautiful sights and laughed ourselves silly most of the time.  We’re fortunate enough to travel well together and allow for each other’s quirks.  We plan an itinerary that will make us both happy and at the end of the day we have a lot to talk about.   Another successful vacation is in the books and this gal is happy to be home and prepping for Halloween.  Time to get my spook on! XOXO

[leswansong]

Marichat May - Kitty Cats & Ballet Shoes

Day Twenty: Pranks

[ A03 ]

   Adrien stared at the gramophone, Master Fu had made it very clear that he wasn’t going to be handing out any more of the very limited Miraculous he had in his possession. He knew the code to the secret compartment, the old man had taught it to him in case one day he wasn’t around, Plagg had explained it as him being taught the old ways of the ancient order of the guardians, a flattering thought back then now it was useful information.

   Master Fu would know that he had taken one, the thought of sneaking one of the many pieces of jewellery out of the box crossed his mind several times, Adrien was a good thief but not good enough to trick the old man and even begging for a second chance would not help, he even thought about admitting that he wasn’t able to steal his latest target when in actuality he’d given it to Marinette but he drew a metaphorical line through them all.

   He was stuck between his duty and friendship. He raised his cup back to his lips and watched Fu out of the corner of his eye. He wasn’t used to being summoned by the old man, normally he got a very strange text from the man when he was needed, this was the first time the green Kwami Wayzz had come to collect him.

   Fu flipped through his stack of papers until he found the one he was looking for. He spun around and handed it to Adrien to inspect it. Adrien squinted his eyes a little to read the tiny worlds on it, the suit always had that effect on him, it was a cat’s natural ability to zoom in that caused it, his eyes moved a little too quickly for him at times and his body compensated it by squinting and forcing his eye to focus on what he wanted to see.

   The words slowly came into view, the words were mostly a description of several different Miraculous, his eyes quickly found the highlight words. Butterfly, Peacock, Lion, Bear, Ladybug… Quite a few more were below them, he looked at Master Fu in confusion, it was a list of all the lost Miraculous. He reread the page looking for an explanation but found none.

   “We need to collect them as fast as possible, the Ladybug Miraculous most of all since this…”

   “Hawkmoth,” Adrien corrected. The villain’s infamous public speech a week ago informed everyone what his plan was and that included his name. The guy they were up against had a little bit of a flair for the dramatics, they almost five-minute-long speech had included a small demonstration of his so-called power.

   “Yes… he has made his intention’s very clear, the Ladybug Miraculous is our top priority but first I have a lead on the Bear Miraculous.”

   Another paper was removed from the pile, this one was much smaller, a lot smaller, Adrien quickly took it from him and his eyes quickly found the words. It was an address and judging by the postcode it was down near Montpellier, it was quite a lot further than all the others had been an hour or so away from home.

   “Master Fu? You never explained why they are all in France.”

   “Ah… Yes… Well, this country was always planned as a safe haven in case anything went wrong. There was always a plan to bring them here, the order was growing too large in our home country but that never came to pass, many of my brothers escaped with one or two of the Miraculous, I was the only one who escaped with a box but I lost two along the way. The Ladybug Miraculous was still with its wielder at the time so it wasn’t in the box at the time if it- if it had been two days later then it would have…” he was getting off track. “Many of my brothers… have… passed… The Miraculous they need to be recollected.”

   Adrien nodded and looked back at the page. “I’ll go… But I made a promise to Marinette, she is my partner, I won’t go without her.”

   The old man didn’t seem happy with the sudden inclusion. He sighed and headed over to the gramophone, his hands typed in the familiar code and the mahogany box revealed itself from the dark interior.

   “I will choose this time,” Fu said.

   Adrien stuffed the last suitcase into the back of his SUV, he had never appreciated his father’s extensive collection of cars before now. His small little black Mercedes was traded in for a much larger black Mercedes SUV. Marinette handed him her two large suitcases, he let out a sigh and looked at the pile of neatly stacked bags he had packed, he had packed a little too much and she had packed a little too… well… little. He picked up her suitcases and added it to the growing pile.

   “Tell me why do I have to come?” Marinette whined, her arms were wrapped around her to fight off the very early morning cold that was still left over from the extremely cold night before. About an inch of snow was still left on the streets from the late night snowfall but it was still good to see her back on her feet.

   “You don’t have to but I thought you’d like to come,” he explained, “Did you want me to take that?” he asked gesturing to the large bag on her shoulder.

   She shook her head and opened the back door, he heard it hit the leather seat and the door was quickly shut.

   “So how long is the drive?” she queried.

   “Long…”

   “How long?”

   “Very… Long…”

   “Chat!” she whined.

   “Okay, Okay, Okay,” he said waving his hands in front of him, “Six, maybe seven if there’s traffic, besides it’s a nice drive and I plan to stop several times to take in the views.”

   She nodded in agreement and opened the back door again, he frowned at the sound of her ruffling through her bag. He stared at her until he saw what she had been looking for, a large camera was clutched tightly in her hand, it was a professional grade with a large landscape lens.

   “I planned ahead,” she called before she stuffed it back into its case.

   He chuckled and finished packing the rest of his stuff back into the van.

   “But the one thing I don’t understand is why are we leaving so soon after Christmas. It’s only been two days.”

   He shut the back of the car, he checked the road before he opened the front driver side door. Marinette jumped into the passenger side seat next to him.

   “I didn’t have a choice in that respect, Master Fu…” he realised that she didn’t know who he is, “the older man-“

   “The one with that god awful drink?”

   “Yeah that one, it’s his mission.”

   “Oh…” she replied sounding a little surprised, “I didn’t think he liked me much…”

   “He doesn’t trust a lot of people; he just needs time to trust you…”

   She nodded and pulled out her phone to check the time. He revved the engine a little, the car rolled forward and he pulled away from the curb. Marinette waved to her parents as they drove away from the small corner bakery.

   “So where are we going exactly in Montpellier are we going?” she inquired.

   “Not sure yet, I need to find out exactly what the layout in the town is like first,” he explained as they came to a stop at a red light, “Don’t worry Marinette, I have everything planned out.”

   The light turned green and they continued towards their destination.

   Adrien looked back over at Marinette, her head was resting against the glass window, it rocked slightly as they went over the small bumps in the road. He smiled and leaned over to the glove box, his pranking materials sat snuggling within. He spied a gas station up ahead and a plan formed in his head.

   He pulled the car into the station, he checked his fuel cadge and estimated that he could drive a few more hours before needing to fill it back up. Plagg was still asleep in the back seat curled up on top of Marinette’s discarded scarf, Adrien knew the Kwami wasn’t as antisocial as he made out to be but he didn’t push the small cat to socialise with Marinette, he knew Plagg would eventually open up to her. With a sad smile, he exited the car and accidentally woke Marinette up.

   “Where are we?” she asked through a yawn.

   “Nevers,” he replied, “what do you want,” he asked gesturing to the gas station.

   “Uhh… anything?”

   He shrugged, “Okay then,” he started towards the gas station.

   “Wait!” she called.

   He turned back towards her.

   “What time is it, my phone is flat,” she showed him her dead phone.

   He pulled out his own, the time was displayed proudly on the screen, “Eight-thirty, roughly.”

   She nodded and returned back to her previous sleeping position.

   Entering the store, he grabbed a couple of packets of junk food, as well as two bottles of a soft drink her knew Marinette liked. He walked up to the counter, he snuck a straw off of it and quickly got to work while the cashier rung up his purchase. Years of growing up alone had inspired several pranks that he one day hoped to play on someone and walking back to the car he saw his unsuspecting victim drawing in a large sketchbook.

   He made sure to open the drink before he handed it to her and to act like nothing was wrong, he wasn’t the best actor but Marinette wasn’t exactly paying attention to him when he got back into the car.

   “Here,” he handed her the drink.

   He watched carefully as she took a big long sip but nothing entered the straw. She frowned out of confusion and he did everything he could to swallow the wide smile forming across his face. She tried again before she pulled out the straw and inspected the other end, the small piece of sticky tape that sealed the end of it was clearly noticeable. He didn’t hold his laughter back even when she muttered something under her breath.

   “This means war…” she told him.

   He started the car and pulled out of the gas station to continue on their way.

   Adrien stared at the long stretches of highway that lay before them.

   “Hey… Marinette?”

   “Hmm?” she replied not looking up from her sketchbook.

   “Did you want to go for a more scenic route, you know… not on a highway?”

   “Up to you,” she shrugged, “I don’t really mind.”

   He nodded and made a plan to stop at the next gas station to refuel on snacks and gas. They were about five hours into their trip and were making good time, they could afford to take the more scenic route to their destination and they would still arrive just a little after midday.

   Adrien pulled into the empty gas station, there was not a car insight apart from the employees one. He got to work refuelling the car.

   “Hey… Adrien,” it had been a while since she had called him that and it still sounded odd to hear her call him that, “how do you change the settings on this?”

   “On what?” he enquired.

   “The radio, I want to set a station on it.”

   “Oh… it’s in one of the setting panels, the handbook is in the glove box.”

   “Thank you!” she called.

   He chuckled and put the nozzle back. Marinette handed him his wallet out the window.

   The electronic doorbell chimed at his arrival into the store, he picked up a basket and slowly wandered through the store, several more bags of chips and lollies were added to the basket as well as several drinks, they had gone through all the previous items he had bought way too quickly.

   With the gas and items paid for Adrien returned to the car, a flash of pink caught his eye and he cautiously approached only to realise it was Marinette.

   “You ready?” he asked, he wasn’t expecting her to be out of the car.

   “Yeah! Just needed to stretch my legs, hop in I’ll join you in a second.”

   He shrugged and got in, he waited a moment to make sure she hadn’t changed his seat settings as a prank before he turned the car back on. His hands immediately went to cover his ears as the stereo started up but that did little to protect his ears from the extremely loud volume coming from the speakers, bravely one of his hands reached for the sound wheel and he gave it a sharp turn instantly silencing it. He could only just hear Marinette laughing loudly, normally this would be music to his ears but he wasn’t sure he was hearing her correctly because his ears were also ringing; he looked over to see that she was indeed laughing and was also using the car as support because she was laughing so hard. He smiled, he knew then that the little prank war he had started was not going to end quietly, he was going to get her back, he just didn’t know how.

   “Alright, you got me, now get in.”

   She nodded and wiped the tears that had formed in her eyes while she clambered back into the passenger seat, she struggled to hold back the rest of her laughter but she did try to.

   He cleared his throat, “Now I was going to ask you if you wanted to drive along the beach or see more countryside but I guess I’ll decide,” he said trying to be serious, the smile on his face, however, gave him away.

   “There wouldn’t be much of a beach to see,” she replied, “its winter so…”

   “There wouldn’t be snow Marinette.”

   “I know but it just wouldn’t be as nice as it is in summer.”

   “Okay, we could head towards Lyon, maybe see the alps?”

   “You won’t be able to see that much of them. You’ve clearly never been,” she joked.

   He sadly nodded, “It’s why I insisted on driving, I always fly and I thought a road trip would be nice.”

   She smiled at him, “We could see how much longer it would take to pass by them if you want, then decide if it’s worth it, that is of course if we’re not a timeline or something.”

   He shook his head, “No, no timeline just reconnaissance.”

   Her mouth formed an O and she quickly got to typing, she seemed to have an answer in a matter of seconds which furthered his reasoning for asking her to be his partner, “seven hours…” she didn’t seem happy with the result, “not including traffic or snow conditions.”

   “Anywhere else?”

She returned to typing, “how close do you want to get?”

   “Nice scenic shots?” he wasn’t sure; by the way she was explaining things he would take what he could get.

   “We could go to Grenoble,” she offered, “that’s only five hours.”

   “Away?” He asked, he hadn’t expected it to be so far.

   “No… I’ve done this all wrong sorry. If we go right up to the alps that’s an extra four hours, Grenoble is only two, we’ll still see them…”

   “Why do I sense there’s a but?”

   She smiled, “But, I don’t know how much we’ll see, I haven’t been to Grenoble.”

   “Sounds like an excellent way to find out then.”

   Slowly he pulled out of the gas station while Marinette returned the radio back to its original settings, he couldn’t ignore the excitement bubbling away at his insides.

   Adrien’s excitement grew when he started to see the tops of mountains slowly appearing in the distance.

   “I wish I could spend the week…” he whispered to himself but Marinette heard him.

   “Good luck, its most likely all been booked out for the winter, lots of people enjoy skiing.”

   “Yeah…” he replied dejectedly.

   “Maybe next winter,” She sounded hopeful.

   “Maybe…”

Made for @marichatmay

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[mwcowan]

Mark & Georgia’s 2018 Road Trip

Day 1: Graeagle to Big Bar, CA, 242 miles

Ready to roll. We packed our camper and truck very well. Minimalist as Mark is and as a minimalist wannabe I am, we did very well.  For clothes and shoes, I, Georgia, continue to fail on my minimalist efforts – I just have to have 7 extra shirts, 3 extra shorts, and pants, and undies, and socks, etc,. Our packed supplies will keep us clean, warm, healthily nourished and hydrated (on both sides of the spectrum of health?) for at least 2 weeks. Packed all organized by activity, coffee and breakfast, anytime cooking, anytime dining, anytime bath, anytime grilling.

On the road! Big Bar wasn’t a real destination but a layover between home and the coastal redwoods parks – that’ll be tomorrow’s update. When we reserved the site at the Del Loma RV Park the gentleman on the phone warned us that if we needed gas or groceries get should them in Weaverville as there’s nothing in Big Bar. Good advice, he was absolutely correct. The drive here was uneventful, Mark kind of likes going slow (max speed with a trailer is 55 MPH but the roads we traveled were generally slower). Road construction slowed us down some, seems like everyone wants to finish their road project before winter sets in. Just west of Redding we entered the Carr fire area. Unbelievable devastation, you could see what used to be homes, what used to be autos, the town of Shasta was pretty much gone. To give you an idea of the size of the fire we drove through over 20 miles of burned forest before we reached the other side of the fire area. Very sad. Reached our RV park about 4 pm, not a bad place but kinda creepy (think Deliverance, banjo music, and all that…). Lots of people seem to live here at least semi-permanently, sort of a community with neighbors visiting each other and such. Funny thing is that everyone seems to retreat into their big RV’s around dinner time, to cook, eat, and watch TV (they all have satellite dishes). We’re trying to maintain some pretense of camping so we’re eating outdoors and enjoying our campfire and a glass of wine or two. Looking forward to day 2!

Day 2: Big Bar to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, 146 miles

On the road promptly by 10:00 a.m., as planned. Today was an example of how you can drive 146 miles in over 6 hours, an average of about 24 MPH. We’d gone less than a mile from last night’s camp when we pulled over to soak in the view of the Trinity river canyon. We wound around with the river for about 60 miles, stopping frequently to take in the vistas, walk to the edge and peer over into the steep canyon, feeling vertigo. Thinking that there’d be many places we’d like to come back and fish. At the RV park this morning we saw (and followed, and asked questions of) a number of men coming back from the river with salmon. They were all complaining of the lack of fish and the small size, but the fish were all much bigger than the trout we catch, bigger than our biggest trout!

After arriving at the coast we drove north through Redwood National Park, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, and finally to our campsite in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. What magnificent trees! You can hardly appreciate their size, definitely too big to take a picture of them. Our campsite in Jedediah Smith CG is on the Smith River, among old-growth redwoods.

We tried fishing on the river, and saw fish – salmon? – jumping but we just aren’t equipped with the waders and other gear you’d need to go after them.

Anyway and back to the trees, to give you an idea of their size one in our campsite took me 23 paces to walk around. At around 2 ½ feet/pace, that’s over 55 feet in circumference! How old is that tree, how much history has it lived through? We, and the span of our lives are so tiny…

Driving through miles and miles of a forest of California redwoods is awesome and unique, knowing you will not see this anywhere else in the world.  Ending the day at Jedediah Smith CG, to be camping and sleeping inside this canopy of majestic and towering redwoods, alongside a breathtaking river that “runs through it” is as amazing as it can be.  All this, with the clean toilets and coin showers of JSCG, very nice, a “must see”!

Coming into Crescent city in the afternoon we wanted to find some fresh salmon and asked some locals in a gas station if they knew a good fish market – they “didn’t think there was anything like that around here….”, with the wharf right across the street from them.  Georgia used Yelp to find a market out on the wharf, and we bought a nice piece of fresh King salmon for dinner. Yummy!

Day 3: Redwoods to Prospect, Oregon, 135 miles

Today’s drive was an easy “positioning” run to get us outside the south end of Crater Lake National Park, which we’ll visit tomorrow, ending the day in another camp just on the north side of the park. Leaving our campground we said goodbye to the California coastal area, and now followed the Smith River upstream in a northeasterly direction. We had fewer miles today and didn’t set another slowness record, but pretty close – we barely got out of our campground when we pulled over for a great view of the Smith River.

Into Oregon pretty quickly after that, still following the river for the next 50-60 miles. Once we turned onto Hwy 62 towards Crater Lake, we picked up the Rogue River which we’re still following and will continue to do so until we make the final turnoff into the park. After crossing one of the many bridges with a pretty view we pulled over and walked back to a nice park where people were fishing for steelhead – and quickly found wild blackberries which we snacked on until we couldn’t eat any more!

Late update: we’d heard a woman in a campsite across from us saying that it was going to rain tonight, didn’t pay much attention as the skies were blue and calm. While we were cooking dinner a ferocious wind came up and the skies were suddenly gray. I looked at the internet forecast and it said 30% chance of rain – shouldn’t be a problem. Well, we should go to Vegas because the 30% odds hit with a violent thunderstorm and strong rain, had us scrambling to get all the things we didn’t want to get wet back into the truck. Nice and dry, we had our first dinner inside our cozy camper!

Day 4: Prospect, OR to Diamond Lake, OR, 60 miles (+Crater Lake NP, about 35 more miles)

On the road by 9:30 am with most of the packing done and forced the night before by the onslaught of rain.  Cozy and warm through the night, we thought in the morning that this little camper beats the h**l out of tent camping! We agreed that a simple breakfast of coffee, a piece of toast and a shared fruit would tide us over for a heavier lunch of a “sandwich”, very non-Asian for Georgia but fitting (or not so tight in the waist) for a day of driving and sitting ahead of us.

Our first stop was to fuel up at a station in Prospect which, not surprisingly, was the only one in town and only had one pump; at least they had diesel.  We were told that “self-service” was not allowed in the state and so received personal fill-up service.

We arrived at Crater Lake National Park at about 11:00 a.m., and the entrance to the park was free courtesy of Mark’s senior card (definitely benefitting from this park friendly card as most of our entrance fees were either half off or FREE!). Crater Lake boasts of the bluest, the clearest and the deepest lake in the U.S. Although it was mostly a cloudy day, giving it a somewhat mystical feeling, it did not disappoint with being the bluest and the clearest.

We didn’t test its depth claim as it is, at its peak of 8700’ elevation, also very supposed to be very cold!!  We entered the lake from the south end, circled it 360 degrees via its rim, stopping at most of the vista points, then exited the park to the north. This took us over 3 hours to go about 30 miles, a new slowness record for this trip.

We proceeded to our next RV campground stop which is Diamond Lake, just a few miles north of Crater Lake. It’s interesting that RV camping at this time of the year leaves you camping with seniors that have all the time for RV’ing, and camping in these ‘rigs’ that dwarf our little T@B, much like a Bichon amongst an army of St. Bernards, but we are happy with our Bichon.  The more St. Bernards, the less traffic in the restrooms and showers.  These campgrounds also tend to have grandma and grandpa types running it so the toilets and showers tend to be very clean, some almost sterile, and cozy (a bench, a heater, lots of wall hooks, bright light and a private changing room).

Our campground is very close to a pizza house and we decided to go there for our Day 4 dinner of pizza and hot chicken wings with celery sticks, with our choice of a side dip of blue cheese.  When the order arrived, the celery sticks were missing so after Georgia asked about it—they got handed over a minute later with apologies…. two 2-inch sticks delivered by hand… definitely one of the highlights of the day!! Enjoyed all of 2 short pieces of the celery sticks, the double pepperoni pizza was one of the best we’ve had plus the Buoy IPA on tap wasn’t bad!

Day 5: Diamond Lake to Goldendale, WA, 235 miles

A real cruisin’ day, I think I’m (Mark) getting used to this. The first day I was a little nervous driving with the trailer (remember, all of our camping trips before this were within 20 miles of our house), trying to keep it centered between the lines, watching my speed on the curves. Now I’ve realized that the little trailer just happily follows the truck along, just have to drive pretty normally, look back now and then to confirm it’s still there. It, and the truck are starting to look like real road warriors (dirty!) especially after the rains and wet/dirty roads that resulted yesterday morning. Bought some 409 today and will try to shine it up a bit.

Today we drove mostly north, from Crater Lake through the Umpqua National Forest. 60+ miles of pine trees, but unlike Graeagle they’re pretty short and scruffy – to Bend, where we stopped for a sandwich, fuel, and potty break. After Bend, the landscape changes dramatically into rolling hills of ranches and wheat fields, amber waves of grain. Ok, the grain had all been recently harvested, but the stubble was at least amber. And how’d that picture below get into this blog? 

Georgia’s family’s viber hotline was busy early morning amidst the sad passing of the youngest boy of close family friends, the Conejeros.  We are saddened by this news and reminded how life can be fleetingly short, that family and friends do remember your happy moments, that there is an end and that we should really make the most of each day.

As Georgia reflected and said her prayers today, grateful for this trip and the gift of life, the “Lord’s Prayer” hit home a little differently….”Give us this day our daily bread..”  Wait, why “bread” specifically and why not; “Give us this day our daily rice..”  Yes, Georgia is beginning to crave rice at Day 5 after daily doses of bread... (Georgia, remember the amber waves of grain thing? – MC)

Camping tonight just across the border in Washington, with the Columbia River as our backyard. That’s one wide river! Must have some huge fish in it…once again our Bichon looks happy at Day 5 flanked by St. Bernards.

Day 6: Goldendale, WA to Coeur d’Alene, ID, 271 miles

Just as we left our camp on the Columbia River we noticed a round stone fortress looking thing up on the top of a hill. I thought it looked like Stonehenge and we definitely needed to go up and take a look. It turned out to be Stonehenge, or at least what the original non-ruin Stonehenge probably looked like. Correct in all the details, even with a chart of the sun and moon risings occurred during significant annual events. A plaque inside explained its existence, it was built from 1918-1929 by one of the town’s founders to honor local men who gave their lives in WWI. The things you find on the road.

We made it to Idaho! Our longest driving day so far, driving through WA in a day, and I think this will be so until one of our last days when we blast across Nevada in one day. After Stonehenge we drove upstream (east) along the river, following the trail of Lewis and Clark for some 60 miles. What a sight this broad river must have been to them! 

Our riverside highway dead-ended at US 395, and for the first time on this journey we joined an interstate which was to take us to Coeur d’Alene (we’re trying to stay on state and local highways, except where it’s not really practical). Getting out of the truck for a fuel and lunch break at Kinnewick, the wind almost ripped the door off the truck when I opened it – it was howling! Luckily the heavy truck and the light trailer are very stable, I hadn’t noticed the wind while driving. Re lunch, Perry’s comments about fried chicken stoked another craving in Georgia and we ended up at KFC…

After Kennewick we found that the combination of high winds and freshly worked field results in dust storms. We drove for the next 170 miles, through Spokane and all the way to Coeur d’Alene, in limited visibility from dust, sometimes a bad as a thick fog. About half way I had this flash that the front window in the trailer was cracked open (we do that so damp towels etc. will dry out while we’re driving). I pulled over at a rest stop, and sure enough everything inside was coated with dust. A good shake-out and wipe-down was required once we pulled in to camp. We’re in a great camp at the east end of beautiful Lake Coeur d’Alene, and the forecast was for the wind to abate by 9:00. It’s 9:02 at the moment so the forecasters are wrong as usual. We’ll give them until he morning.  Camp Coeur d’Alene (Camp CDA) looks like another “must experience.”  If we owned and ran a campground, Camp CDA will be a basis for its design (fishing, playground, kayaking (they provide kayaks and canoes for anytime use -  free for all guests, not just for seniors!), choice of tents, cabins and glamping all in one big campground).  Each site is designed to have a unique natural view, with community/group cooking and dining areas with big outdoor kitchens, multiple sinks and tables if you choose to use.  One nice park perk---free firewood!

Day 7: Coeur d’Alene, ID

Happy to report that the wind and the dust were gone and we woke to a beautiful sunny day. Today was our first off day, to take a break from driving and enjoy the lovely town of Coeur d’Alene. We needed to go to the market to replenish our supplies; I was also planning to look into Tumblr to make this a real blog. We decided to go fishing instead. After breakfast we headed to a local fishing/hunting shop, bought Idaho 1-day licenses, and got filled with advice about where to go. Lake Coeur d’Alene is a noted fishing spot for trout, chinook and mackinaw salmon, pike, and smallmouth bass. But, it’s a large lake and to go after the big fish you pretty much need a boat. Another option was to try a smaller lake, Fernan Lake, which is located just on the edge of town, with public fishing piers.

Pretty good trout fishing we were told. So we packed lunch and spent a pleasant afternoon on the dock, and yes we’re having Idaho trout for dinner. Not a ton of action but enough, 2 nice fat trout (the smaller one will be plenty for our dinner tonight), many nibbles, and a few that got away. Fishing appears to be a very popular sport here.  In the 3 hours we were at the dock fishing, we saw a couple of local young folks with their fishing poles and bagged lunch and dressed in office clothes – long sleeved dress shirts, black slacks and black shoes… Made it to the store on the way home, of course we had to get a big Idaho potato to accompany the trout (we did miss the Walla Walla onions in WA!). And some rice. Good eats on the road!

Day 8: Coeur d’Alene, ID, to Garrison, MT, 227 miles

Being that our next stop is “Bernie and Sharon’s Riverfront RV Park”, unusual for an RV park name, we were a little apprehensive.  Leaving Lake Coeur d’Alene, we followed the river climbing the Rockies to the Continental Divide and into Montana. Beautiful forest, mostly pine, fir, and spruce, with now-golden aspen and poplars providing a striking highlight against the multiple shades of green. A pleasant drive through Montana, eventually linking up with the Little Blackfoot river and arriving in Garrison, about 20 miles west of Butte, and the home of Bernie and Sharon’s RV Park.

We met a most friendly Sharon, learned that Bernie had passed about 3 years ago, and learned a bit more about the campground’s history and the plan for its future.  Also learned that there was some great fishing in the Little Blackfoot river that ran just behind the park. After settling in, we grabbed our poles and walked to the river, which I’d really call a creek rather than a river. Georgia started fishing while I was walking to another spot; I heard a whoop and saw Georgia with her pole bent over… she soon landed a nice 15” brown trout!

I fished for another ½ hour with no luck, and getting cold I was just about to call it a day when I got a bite and hauled in an even fatter 16” brown! Amazing that this little ‘river’ had some big fish in it!

This was our first very cold outdoor experience of this trip.  The trout would have partied with Georgia’s crisp frozen fingers if they found these more delectable than worms or Powerbait!  For this evening we used our camper heater for the first time to keep warm.

Day 9: Garrison to Columbus, MT, 246 miles

We had gotten some snow overnight, and the higher peaks around us had a dusting of white. The terrain stayed about the same, mountainous, forested, and with the accents of fall color from the aspens, poplars, and the occasional maple. Driving through Butte and then Bozeman we climbed up the snow-covered mountains; luckily the road was clear and dry. Finally descending we drove into central Montana, where the land became rolling hills, with a mix of cattle ranches and farms growing mostly wheat. It stayed much like this all the way to Columbus, where Mark’s nephew Chris has become a land baron, with over 60 acres where he has plans to build a house in the next year or so. Columbus is a small town in Stillwater County, MT, with about 2000 inhabitants. Chris’ property is not exactly in Columbus though, it was another 8 or so miles up gravel, dirt, and sometimes mud roads to his place. Chris had flown up to meet us there – he’s a captain with United Airlines so gets to fly anywhere, anytime – and welcomed us to his beautiful ranch.

Definitely off the grid up here, no electricity other than the solar panels we have for our trailers, no water other than what we bring, but at least there’s a cellular signal so you’re not totally cut off from the world. Lots of stars in the big sky, and no restrictions on the size of the campfire you build!

Dinner under the stars of chicken adobo, grilled chicken, and both Idaho and Montana trout were delicious. We agreed that the Idaho trout were a bit tastier.

Day 10: Columbus, MT

After a hearty breakfast of thick-cut bacon and one of Georgia’s excellent camp omelets with sausage and veggies (yes, we’re eating too much, too well), we headed out for the day. First a tour of Chris’ estate, and then the 30-acre frontage on the Yellowstone river owned by his homeowner’s association, then into Columbus for lunch. Didn’t we just finish breakfast? Never mind, at the 307 Bar and Grill and Casino (Columbus has about 2000 residents but at least 4 casinos…) we split a delicious French dip sandwich that could easily have fed 4 people.  Georgia noticed that casinos are everywhere in the state of MT….

After a few errands we headed to the Stillwater river for some fishing. Neither Chris nor Mark had any luck but Georgia caught 1 ⅛ fish. You just can’t give her full credit for the first one, but the second was a decent-sized rainbow.

Back to the ranch for campfire and dinner we were all too full for a real dinner but managed to share a locally-raised steak (simply seasoned and perfectly cooked medium rare by Chris!) and some veggies. Tough life on the road…

Day 11: Columbus, MT, to Island Park, ID, 225 miles

Saying goodbye to Chris and setting off from the wilderness of Montana, we head towards out next destination, Yellowstone National Park. Since Columbus was the easternmost point on our route, we first backtrack about 60 miles to Livingston, MT where we pick up US Hwy 89 and head south, following the Yellowstone River all the way into the park. This is a great drive up through a picturesque river valley, with the fall colors vibrant all along the broad river.

We entered Yellowstone at the north gate and quickly arrived at the Mammoth Hot Springs area. Georgia saw her first elk, as a herd of 25 or so cows and one lucky bull were grazing on the grass in front of the visitor center. Just like the deer at home who are surrounded by abundant food but prefer the green grass on the golf courses (and the shrubs in our yard…). We took a walk around the hot springs area, seeing the huge terraces built by the minerals in the hot water. At places, various bacteria that can thrive in the hot water turn the pools many different colors. One of the largest terraces, Jupiter Spring is no longer active – a sign explains that the thermal features in the park are constantly changing, and this particular spring stopped flowing in 1998. Mark remembers that in his first visits to Yellowstone, around 1970 and ’78, the spring being very impressive. I have to see if I can dig up some old pictures.

We drove slowly through the northwest corner of the park, not too far before we saw buffalo, another first for awestruck Georgia (Georgia has only seen these animals in movies or on slot machines – BUFFALOOOOO!, what a sight to see these awesome creatures up close!). We snuck around, feeling safe in a dense thicket of trees, avoiding stepping on their scattered mudpie shaped poops, to get some up-close pictures of the grazing animals. Driving on, we encountered our first “buffalo jam”, with three buffalo ambling slowly down the middle of the road, backing up traffic in both directions. 

They seem to know that they have the right of way, and besides they’re way bigger than you are! Each time they veered from one side to another one or two cars could get by. When we got our chance to pass, a buffalo on Georgia’s side was close enough to the truck that she could have scratched it between the ears, but she declined to do so and just got some close-up photos (and a video to be shared soon). Georgia did personally invite these “bufffaaalloows!” to Las Vegas and to Reno for the “Buffalo Gold” rallies.

As it was getting late in the day we exited Yellowstone to the west, into the tourist-town of West Yellowstone and its overabundance of motels and souvenir shops. We kept going a short way to Island Park, Idaho, the location of our little cabin. Yes, we’re abandoning the trailer for a mid-trip break in a VRBO rental house. Real beds, showers, kitchen, and most important a washer and dryer! Nice cozy place, with a view of Henry’s Lake out the front. A perfect base for exploring Yellowstone.

The cabin provided an extremely comfy bed, clean linen, an immaculately clean toilet and shower, fresh towels, and the ability to wash, dry and fold all our dirty laundry.  The smell of freshly dried clothes, the bathroom mirror and the after-shower mist made us realize that we not only smelled smokey and dirty—we also looked it.

In the next 2 days we will be visiting the Yellowstone National Park daily, entering it from its west entrance and then coming home to our cabin.  Each time we enter and exit to come home, we transverse through 3 states, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, all within 10 miles of driving—how is this possible in the US with all this land?

Day 12: Yellowstone NP

A beautiful day with blue skies and puffy white clouds… but a little chilly, it had warmed up to 33° by the time we left the cabin at 10:00. Back into the west entrance to the Madison junction where we turned south towards the Old Faithful area. Our first stop was along the Madison river to take in its beauty.

Moving on we quickly got into another buffalo jam. They do seem to like to use the roads to move around, they must think it’s the express lane compared to the fields.

Just before we got to the first thermal area we encountered a herd of elk in a meadow. The herd, comprised of around 25 of these huge animals was moving slowly along, seemingly led by the largest female. A single bull with an impressive set of antlers brought up the rear, probably making sure nobody else messed with his harem.

We parked and walked into the Upper Geyser Basin, where we viewed a number of colorful hot springs, and were treated to the eruption of nice little Clepsydra geyser.

As compared to the summer when it’s absolutely packed and crazy, it seemed that there were few people in the park, but at our next stop to see the Grand Prismatic Pool (a big, colorful boiling hot tub) the small parking lot was full and 10-12 cars were waiting for a spot. We drove on to Old Faithful instead.

The Old Faithful area is a big complex with a visitor’s center, restaurants, shops, and of course the elegant Old Faithful Lodge, the grand hotel of the park. Everything is centered around the geyser of course, and walking into the visitor’s center there’s a big digital sign telling everyone the only thing they want to know – when the next eruption is expected. We had about an hour to wait so we got a front-row seat and ate the lunch Georgia had packed for us. About 10 minutes before the expected time the geyser started teasing us with little burps of steam and water. The crowd was getting restless; one little boy near us must have asked his dad a hundred times “when’s it going to erupt?” Finally, right at the appointed time the geyser sprang into action and sent a column of water some 100’ high into the sky. Unfortunately, right at that time the breeze shifted and blew all the steam directly at us, so we saw mostly steam and not much geyser. Oh well, that’s Mother Nature for you. At least Georgia got to see Old Faithful, a must for every visitor to Yellowstone.

Day 13: Yellowstone NP

We awoke to a dusting of snow on the ground (snow was expected on and off all day), and drove back into the park. The snow, and the accompanying low temps, gave the park a new, wintry look and feel. Our first stop was to see the Grand Prismatic Pool which we had missed yesterday. Very few cars in the parking lot this time, and after a short hike we saw… mostly steam. Makes sense that the colder the air gets the more steam the hot water (up to 190°F!) generates. When the steam shifted you could get a glimpse of the turquoise water, surrounded by vibrant orange, yellow and brown deposits. The deposits, and even the blue tint of the pool, turn out to be due to different types of bacteria that thrive in the extreme conditions.

We pressed on past Old Faithful and up towards Grant Village. This took us along the shores of Yellowstone Lake, the largest high-altitude lake in the U.S. We had planned to stop at the village and have lunch in one of the restaurants but found it closed for the season, including all the restrooms! Never unprepared (food-wise) Georgia produced some hard-boiled eggs to tide us over until we could find a place for lunch. That turned out to be in Canyon Village, another 20 or so miles up the road. That trip was interrupted by what was to be a short stop to see a bubbling mud pot along the roadway. There was also a longer, steep trail going to a few more mud pots which we weren’t going to do, but then a young woman coming down the trail told us we really should go up as a herd of buffalo was warming up at one of the hot springs. So up we went and sure enough there was a very contented and apparently warm herd.

The trail was a loop, and as we rounded the pool where the buffalo were, there was one eating right next to the boardwalk. Not enough room to safely walk by, we waited and waited for him to move but he seemed quite content to graze just where he was. Finally getting cold we retreated the way we’d come.

Reaching Canyon Village, one of 3 eateries was open, and we found some pretty good chili and a chicken/broccoli/garlic noodle bowl. Nice to have some hot food on a chilly snowy day!

At Canyon Village we’d just passed the drive along the rim of the “Grand Canyon of Yellowstone” so we backtracked a few miles and took the drive, stopping at every overlook and walking every trail. It may seem a stretch to call it the “Grand Canyon” when you consider the real thing in Arizona, but even on this cloudy day the beauty we saw, in the colors, the dramatic geology, and the river below, it truly earned the name, and seeing it was a fitting end to our adventures in Yellowstone.

Day 14: Island Park, ID, to Jackson, WY, 85 miles

A tad sad to be leaving the homey comforts of our beautiful Idaho cabin by the lake, we packed up the trailer to get on the road again after our 3-day layover. Nice and brisk this morning, an inch or so of snow on the trailer and 27 degrees when we pulled out shortly before 10:00. A short cruise today over to Jackson, through the Targhee National Forest, lush green punctuated by stands of golden aspen. We made a rapid descent into Ashton, ID and were immediately into rolling farmlands of wheat, and of course, potatoes (saw several seed potato silos and some vodka distilleries along the way). Following small state highways, we passed through many nice towns, seemingly prosperous as judged by the modern amenities available in these towns of less than 2000 residents. Passing into Wyoming, we joined Hwy 22 over the Teton Pass. One of the scariest mountain drives ever (well, maybe not counting most anything in the Philippines…), a very curvy road with 10% grades both up and down. Very happy to have the power and control of the big truck pulling the little trailer!

The plan was to check into our RV park around noon, then head towards Grand Tetons National Park, which you enter only 4 miles north of Jackson. We took a quick stop at the town square in Jackson, with its famous elk antler arches (there are 4 of these, on each corner of the town square). They are something to see and to be photographed with. Plaques explain that all the antlers were collected in the late 1950’s by slave labor (Boy Scouts).

On to the Tetons. We’ve had this weather system the last couple days, with snow flurries and low clouds. The Tetons are very high mountains. Low clouds + high mountains = low clouds. So unfortunately we didn’t have a view of these impressive peaks, but the mists gave what we saw a mystical appearance. Amidst the sun peeking through the flurries of snow and the clouds, you see glimpses of all of Teton’s grandness and its steep canyons separating the peaks’ ridges. A few times, Mark said: “Trust me, the grandeur of those mountains are really there…just covered today.” A good animal day though, we saw deer and antelope (no, they weren’t playing together), elk, and the big catch – a momma moose with her baby (baboose?).

On the way out of the park we took a drive to a Mormon settlement from the 1890’s, that still has a number of original log homes and barns standing. The cold wind with nothing to block it made you think of the difficult life these pioneers had (notice Georgia’s winter wraps? There are 3 more layers underneath!).

Heading back into town we had to stop at the “Million Dollar Cowboy Bar” where Georgia saddled up for a round! Glad we have a not-so-difficult life!

Day 15: Jackson, WY to Park City, UT, 250 miles

We started off with a nice drive down the gorgeous Snake River canyon, running through the Targhee National Forest, for about 60 miles. Beautiful country, especially this time of year with the fall colors against the evergreen forests, the river below, and the white peaks above. We travelled generally south, going through six states in one day! Wyoming, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Wyoming, and Utah. Does that count as six? Anyway it was hard to keep track of which state we were in.

Coming out of the forest around Afton, WY (home of the world’s largest elk antler arch!) the terrain transformed into the ‘high plains’ of mostly ranch land, bordered by high, recently snow-covered mountains. There are a lot of cows here, must be a cow for every person in the U.S.

We ended our travels for the day  pulling into an RV park just a few miles away from Park City, UT. Taking little time to unhitch and set up the trailer, we drove back to Park City. How it’s changed! Mark was last here in 2006, and it was pretty much Main Street and a few adjacent streets. 

Now the malls and condos start miles away, we had to pull over and use Google Maps to find the old Main Street. Thankfully that colorful area hasn’t changed a whole lot, maybe gone a little more high-end, but it’s still a nice walk along many shops, pubs, and restaurants. We took some time over a local brew to research the best place to have buffalo for dinner, that’s on the list for tomorrow, after a visit to Salt Lake City.

Day 16: Local Visits – Salt Lake City and the Great Salt Lake, 167 miles

On a quest to try bison…

Beyond bison, our plans for today were simple; to learn how Salt Lake City came to be (knew we had to have an understanding of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints or the Mormon religion for this), to go to Salt Lake and either float on it and/or taste it’s brininess, and finally, to have a nice dinner in Park City and satisfy our curiosity about the taste of buffalo meat.

Our morning was unhurried (at least Georgia’s was…) and slept in a bit. Although we did use the furnace to keep the trailer cozy during the night, sunshine and blue skies greeted us by 7:30 am for a change.  We left our camper at the CG and drove to Salt Lake City’s Temple Square which took us about ½ hour.  Not having a detailed plan on how to tackle the Mormon immersion part of the day’s mission, we went into the first open entrance which was along North Street (next to the West St., of course) and went inside the North Entrance Visitor Center. Inside this was at least 3 floors of what we can only describe as America’s Vatican, with a modern twist.  The different types of media they made available for the visitors were remarkably well thought out—paintings, sculptures, videos, narrations, private reflection areas, exploration of the Book of Mormon could be availed through areas with headsets, videos of their history, presentation of its founder Joseph Smith, testaments of missionary work, etc.  We took 1 ½ hours reading, watching and listening.

We got hungry and ended up at Blue Lemon across the street from the Temple Square’s South Gate.  We enjoyed our freshly prepared and well-seasoned veggie wraps and tacos. After lunch we went back into the Temple Square through, and admiring, the square’s middle manicured gardens and had a chance to compliment the 2 young ladies who were on active duty.  We then proceeded to their tabernacle which was open, sat down and listened to the colossal pipe organ being played by this young man, the crescendos meant to vibrate the floor, your seat and your coronaries.

We then made our way to the South Entrance visitor center thinking this would be a smaller version of the North’s visitor Center.  Naaah—this building showcased how Brigham Young led the “flock” to Salt Lake City and how the site for the Temple of our God came to be, how the temple was erected, the tools, the wagons, etc.  Mark noted that one cannot enter the Temple unless you are a Mormon.  Well, this building had a 10 foot replica of the outside structure as well as the inside structure, its rooms and furnishings. Next to it you get to see videos of the actual rooms—WOW!  The furniture and design of the inside is meant to have the purest (think clean, white, gold), most beautiful adornments, best materials, best workmanship, it is after all built for “our God.”

Mark and I agreed that taking the time to understand the Mormon religion a little, the foundation of their beliefs and their history were worth the time. A must do if in Salt Lake City!

Next was a drive to the Great Salt Lake at Utah’s Antelope Island State Park.  The feel of the water – nothing different, the taste of the water – very salty after licking the dried salt crystals on your skin (note from Mark: been there, done that, didn’t feel the need to get crusty  – only Georgia’s skin touched the water this time!), the smell in the air – a lot like a lot of dried shrimp, the walk to reach the water - looong!  But still a must do if you have the time.

Buffalloooooo! We proceeded back to Park City for our dinner of buffalo, and since they didn’t have buffalo steak, Georgia opted for the only steak option in the menu, sirloin steak, while Mark went for the buffalo burger.  The burger didn’t disappoint, had the tenderness of wagyu beef with less fat and the sirloin steak was as tender and flavorful as any steak we’ve ever had.  We have to say the beef in Montana, Wyoming and Utah are certainly the best and that buffalo burger meat is indeed better than beef burger meat.  After researching on beef quality and flavor, we are convinced that the secret to finding good flavorful beef anywhere in the US is finding the right store, one that specializes and takes pride in the fresh meat they sell.

Day 17: Park City, UT to Baker, NV, 221 miles

This was a Blue Bird morning in the language of skiers, even though the ski season has yet to start. White peaks against that cloudless bluer-than-blue sky. We followed US 189 down through the Heber Valley, then through Utah’s Deer Creek State Park. We’ve seen this throughout this trip: snow-capped peaks with green flanks, orange and golden aspens, rivers and lakes. We’re fortunate to live in a place with similar beauty, but to see it over and over with different mountains and rivers and lakes is something we never tire of.

We descended a long grade into Provo, UT, a modern and clean looking place with that college-town look, being the home of Brigham Young University – lots of trendy places to eat, lots of outdoor recreation, flanked by the impressive Wasatch mountains. After Provo the country changed into rolling farm and ranch lands (more cattle) for some time – thinking of all that fresh beef we started looking for a local butcher, drove past the Ashton Farms Burger Barn and Meat Market in Delta, UT (burger of the month: double cheese burger with a crispy chicken breast!) – a quick U-turn and we bought a great looking rib-eye and some elk andouille brats that may make it home or may not…

Soon after Delta, we began our drive through the Great Basin. We already mentioned that the Great Salt Lake was a remnant of Lake Bonneville, a huge ‘ocean’ that covered much of western America. The Great Basin is the bed of this massive lake which is now mostly flat, arid country

We followed US 6 westward for some 60 miles, the road so straight it went on forever; when you reached forever it kept going straight as far as you could see.

We crossed this first part in 60 minutes before we came to a range of interesting mountains – I had the thought that while interesting to me, what did the immigrants think, after days trudging thought this dry land, about these menacing hills? “Interesting” was probably not in their vocabulary. And then, after a steep climb and descent (with the road we traveled blasted through the rock to make it less steep and curvy) what did they see? Another 60 or so miles of the same flat, dry country ending in an even more imposing mountain range. Wow, the immigrants had hope, faith, and perseverance that we’ll never know. This country has a strange, arresting beauty. In some ways the straight flat road tells you to speed up and get across this as fast as you can; the beauty begs you to slow down and take it all in.

After a short prospecting stop – Georgia read about ‘rockhounds’ and wanted to see what it was all about, although neither of us would recognize a precious stone if it hit us in the head – we arrived in Baker, NV, population 68 (people, many more cows). The owner and hostess of the Whispering Elms Motel and RV Park is also the bartender in the saloon, apparently the hopping place in town. Why are we here? Baker was about a 4-hour drive (our standard day) from Park City and is the nearest town to the Great Basin National Park, on the schedule for tomorrow.

After about 10 days in very cold weather we appreciated the warm temps in Baker, put on our flip-flops and set up an outdoor table and chairs as we prefer to do. Poured a glass of wine, got dinner ready, started a fire, had some music going, all the stuff of a nice evening. After dinner as we were cleaning up, a strong, cold wind came up suddenly. Not strong, but STRONG! Got us hurrying to put everything away and get back into the cozy little trailer. Score one more point for trailer vs. tent (which would have been blown into the next county). For the first time Georgia thought our bichon could be flattened easily by that small tree if it fell on us.

Day 18: Baker NV, Great Basin National Park

Winter followed us from Park City to Baker, after last night’s warm start we woke to 20-degree temps and a strong wind that cut right through whatever you could wear. Our 2-gallon water jug was frozen solid!

Great Basin NP wouldn’t ever have been on my bucket list for National Parks to visit, but as it was about half way between Park City and Reno, it was a natural stop and one more NP to check off my list. Very undeveloped, only one paved road into the park, from Baker to Lehman cave. We took a 1-hour ranger-led tour into the caves, which were spectacular, even after many cave visits to more well-known caves such as Carlsbad and Mammoth, these were among the best and most well-preserved cave formations I’ve seen. And that’s after the early years of private exploitation, where the going rule was “if you can break it, you can take it”. Thankfully the formations must be pretty tough and there are a lot left for us to enjoy today, and more that are still forming for future generations.

Great Basin NP is also about the Great Basin. Geologically, it’s recently the leftover lakebed from Lake Bonneville, which covered most of Nevada and much of Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming, as recently as 12,000 years ago. The Great Salt Lake is the last remnant of this drying lake, but we can see the tale of the ancient lake in its lakebed (now flat and arid valleys) and in the foothills and mountains, once islands in the lake. This has left us with great vistas, wide-open spaces.

We’re most thankful for our leaders who have made efforts to preserve these natural treasures we have, for us to enjoy and for all the generations to come. I’ll probably never make it to every National Park, but I know I’ll enjoy each one that I do see. More to come on the next road trip!

Day 19: Baker NV, to Reno, NV, 383 miles

This was our ‘blast across Nevada’ day, the longest day of driving in this trip. I’d really expected one long, mind-numbing drive across featureless desert. I guess my Nevada geography was off a bit. We started by rounding the northern edge of Great Basin NP, with a great view of 13,065’ Wheeler Peak and the other dramatic peaks in the park.

Up and over the Sacramento Pass and down into the valley below. Across the flat valley and up and over another range, down into another valley, and rinse and repeat... I finally remembered a lesson from a book I read last summer (Hard Road West by Keith Meldahl) which is a history book written by a geologist. It follows the trail of the immigrants to the California gold fields in the 1850’s and ties in how the geology of the land they were traveling over affected their journey, and how the land came to be the way it is. The part that came back to me today was about travel westward through the Great Basin. “Basin” is a hydrogeological term describing how water entering the area doesn’t get out (doesn’t flow to the sea) rather than describing a flat area like the bottom of a wash basin. Anyway, the part that affected the immigrants is that many millions of years ago the basin was indeed flat, and also the west coast was much further west than it is now. The Pacific plate of the earth’s crust moves eastward, sliding underneath the western US plate, pushing California eastward. This compressed the Great Basin causing it to “wrinkle”, forming north-south running ridges – the photo here is looking north into a flat valley between two parallel ranges to the east and west.

The significance of this lesson was lost until today as we repeatedly crossed a 10 or 20 or 40 mile-wide flat valley floor, then an imposing mountain range with a 7500+ foot high pass. Then another, then another, 8 or 9 in all, I lost count, all the way across Nevada, until you come to the baddest wrinkle of all, the Sierra Nevada.

Can you imagine what the immigrants felt when they finally fought their way over a pass, only to look west and see yet another valley and mountain range?

Much of the drive through the Nevada Great Basin was on US 50 – signs appropriately called it “the loneliest road in America”; miles and miles of long stretches of straight one lane roads, repeated after crossing another mountain range. Georgia theorizes that Reno grew to the big city that it is (in comparison to the much smaller and less developed towns we saw along the way) because some immigrants just couldn’t go through another mountain range crossing nor another big lonely valley to trudge through to reach California. It had a little something to do with silver mining noted MC. But, Georgia could not imagine women immigrants traveling this trail… 6 months of wagon camping from the Midwest seems unhealthy with so many environmental challenges to contend with—Reno perhaps was a compromise, as all good relationships require?

Bottom line is that crossing the middle of Nevada was much more interesting than we thought it would be. We’re very thankful we weren’t among those immigrants!

Arrived in Reno a little after 4pm (after 9am start), selling out to the comforts of a shower, clean bed, and a celebratory dinner at the Silver Legacy. That shower felt great (nice when you don’t have to worry about touching the walls or having to balance so your feet don’t touch the floor), and our Sushi dinner was a treat, not just because we haven’t eaten well on the road but it’s something we don’t have at home.

Day 20: Reno, NV to Graeagle, 61 miles

After sleeping in, another shower, and a big breakfast we hitched up the little trailer for the last time on this trip, and made the uneventful 1-hour drive home. The last time we drove home from Reno with the trailer was the day we bought it; I was nervous and checking my rear-view mirror every 2 seconds to make sure it was still there. I feel like a pro now!

A little sad to be ending our adventure, but it’s softened by coming home to beautiful Graeagle. A perfectly blue and warm October day, with the aspens in the front yard a brilliant yellow. Maybe the best way to get over the sadness will be to start planning our next road trip…

[withabackpackandcamera]

March 25th, 2021

Day 2: Chasing Waterfalls on the Road to Hana

Today was supposed to be an early start for our Road to Hana day trip… But we didn’t get up as early as we intended. After we got ready, we headed over to Baked on Maui in Haiku for a quick breakfast that was supposed to be eaten on the road but ultimately eaten on the patio there. For breakfast, we enjoyed their ham and tomato eggs benedict and cinnamon knot (as they didn’t have any cinnamon rolls available). We scarfed both down and quickly started our trip, hoping to get as much of a head start on everyone else as possible before traffic and crowds picked up. 

What we had read about the Road to Hana was that it was literally a road trip to the town of Hana, located in the southeastern part of the island, a trip that usually takes up an entire day. Usually, people make tons of stops along the route to Hana to see the scenery, which consists mostly of waterfalls and other tropical island sights, and to try different foods from different stands and food trucks along the road. 

Our first stop of the day was at Twin Falls, located just a short drive south of where we were staying. When we got to the site, the owners of the private property on which the waterfall flowed said that access to the waterfall was closed. So instead of being able to walk right up to the waterfall, we enjoyed a view of it from a distance before moving along to the next stop, which was the Bamboo Forest Hike to the Na’ili’ili-haele Four Waterfalls. 

When we arrived at the location marked as the Bamboo Forest Hike, we found a lot of cars parked along the road so assumed it was the right place to be. I found a spot to park in but was wary of it because there seemed to be a large hole in the ground between the road and the trees that looked troublesome to park next to. However, in the next moment, I saw some tourist heads pop out of the hole. Must be the entry/exit point to the hike! We stepped down into the hole in the trees and found ourselves standing beneath a canopy of bamboo trees with a muddy dirt path leading through the forest. 

We followed the path and the tourists in front of us as we wove down a hill and through the trees until we reached a creek. At the creek, we spoke with one of the other tourists on his way out of the area. He informed us that there was a waterfall hidden further into the forest that was definitely worth seeing and that it was only a short hike away. With that information, Cynthia agreed to cross the creek and follow the trail a little further until we reached the waterfall. We crossed through the creek and hiked a bit further, slipping past thick brush and climbing over fallen bamboo trees until we spotted the waterfall located upstream of the creek we had just left. We again crossed the cold creek at a deeper upstream area until we had a good view of the waterfall from a distance. 

Cynthia and I took a short break on a boulder to enjoy the views of the waterfall and surrounding area before we turned back and retraced our steps back to our car. Supposedly, only afterward did we find out that we only saw the first of about four waterfalls (Na’ili’ili-haele Four Waterfalls) that fed into each other in this area, not realizing that there was more to be discovered at the end of the hike before turning back. Oh well. It was already hard enough trying to hike into that first waterfall in flip flops. Don’t think it would’ve been possible to push much further with better footwear. 

Our next stop was at a roadside grove of Rainbow Trees, also known by its real name Eucalyptus degulpta or by its common name, the Painted Gum Tree. These trees are well-known and well-photographed for their colorful tree trunks, which look like they have been painted in a myriad of colors, from lime green to rusty orange. A very unique sight indeed.  

Because we couldn’t get much closer to the trees than to see them from a distance, we quickly returned to the car and drove off toward the next stop: Waikamoi Waterfall. Instead of hiking to the waterfall, we drove past the trailhead and arrived at a little parking area located a couple hundred feet away from the waterfall. The first thing we noticed when viewing the waterfall from the car: lots of people sitting around the edge of the plunge pool and other people standing above the pool near the ledge of the waterfall preparing to jump in! This totally reminded me of cliff jumping and canyoneering in Cebu and I started to get excited! 

Cynthia and I hiked down to the plunge pool and stood there for a moment, enjoying the sight of people happily jumping from the cliffs into the water probably 20-30 feet below. For a few minutes, I wasn’t sure if I was going to join in on the fun. One, because the water was a bit cold. And two, I was a little nervous since it’d been a little while since I stood up to my fear of heights and jumped off a cliff into the water. But after standing there for a few moments and going back and forth about whether to jump or not, I finally decided, what the hell. Why not! I’m in Hawaii on vacation and what better time to jump from a cliff next to a waterfall than here and now? So I left my shirt and flip flops with Cynthia and climbed up the rock path to the ledge. I stood there for a couple of minutes as I watched a father and son duo jump ahead of me. Again, I was a little nervous, so standing there for a moment allowed me to catch hold of my tucked away courage before I jumped. I could feel my heartbeat beating a tad faster than usual as I got ready to jump. And just like that, I jumped, feet first into the oh-so-cold water below! Even though it was nerve wracking, it was also thrilling and fun, just as I remembered it being when I jumped so many times in Cebu that one day a little more than a year ago. At first, the cold water was cold but it quickly became a refreshing escape from the humidity and heat above. As I swam back to the rocky shore to meet Cynthia, I couldn’t help but be pleased with my decision to jump. 

After briefly drying out in the sun, we continued our road trip and made a brief stop to check out the free admission Ke’anae Arboretum. We did a quick one mile stroll in and out that was highlighted by more Rainbow Eucalyptus trees. But other than that, there wasn’t much else to see there. So we left and drove only a short distance before we hit our next stop, which was one of our most anticipated stops of the day: Aunty Sandy’s Famous Banana Bread shop. 

We had read online about how good banana bread was in Maui and found that many travelers especially enjoyed the fresh banana bread made at Aunty Sandy’s, located right off the Hana Highway. Because some time had elapsed since our last meal, we made a quick pit stop here to enjoy their fresh, warm loaf of banana bread. And it hit the spot! Though it was a hot day, the warm banana bread was delicious and we really enjoyed it, even if it was lacking a scoop or two of ice cream to complement it. Cynthia and I only made it through half of the banana bread before we drove off down the side road to check out the Ke’anae Lookout Area where we watched the crazy waves beat against the rocky coast for the first time this trip. But we didn’t stay too long, knowing that there was still a lot of distance to cover before the end of the day.

Our next few stops were all waterfalls. Upper Waikani Falls was the coolest of them all, with three good-looking lower waterfalls next to each other that you could appreciate from the road and a veil-like waterfall streaming down from above that looked pretty cool too. We also saw Pua’a Ka’a Falls, Hanawi Falls, as well as Makapipi Falls, which was also cool in a different way. 

The last stop that we made before reaching Hana was the Hana Farms Roadside Stand and Restaurant. We checked out their merchandise and pondered buying a cookie (that we ended up not buying) before finally driving into Hana. We tried to visit the Hana Cultural Center to culture ourselves but unfortunately they were closed. Instead, we stopped at a little parking lot where a few food trucks were parked and bought ourselves a late lunch at Ae’s Thai Kitchen. Lunch was not Thai food (since it didn’t look great) but fish tacos and fried chicken quesadillas from the food truck, which weren’t terrible but not fantastic. To refresh ourselves after a heavy lunch, we bought a nice smoothie made of liliko’i, mango, kale, honey, and coconut water which we enjoyed in the hot, humid weather. 

Rejuvenated, we drove through town to the Road Past Hana to check out one last site: The O’heo Gulch and Pools of O’heo. This site was located within the southernmost part of Haleakala National Park so we had to pay for our entry ticket (which would be good for tomorrow as well) and see what we needed to see and leave the park by 5:00pm. So we quickly hiked in to see the O’heo Gulch, which was pretty dry, and hiked back out so we wouldn’t get fined for leaving late. Funny enough, as we walked to our car and were about to drive off, I spotted two people with familiar faces hidden under their masks walking by us. It was Peter Nguyen and Karen Nie, my former residents at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center! What a small world that we would run into them randomly on the way out of a national park in the most isolated part of an island during a pandemic at closing time! 

We only caught up briefly before Cynthia and I headed back on the road to slowly make our way back to Haiku. By this time, the sun was starting to set. Because we wanted to avoid as much driving in the dark as possible, I really made an effort to drive as quickly and safely as possible to get back. We only briefly stopped by Wailua and Paihi Falls on the way back to take a couple of photos before driving two hours back to the AirBnB with the occasional car-side glimpse at the other waterfalls we had visited or missed on the way in. For much of the trip, we were stuck behind slower cars but I guess it was good since it made me drive safer. 

By the time we arrived back in town, it was getting late and food options were slowly dwindling. Because we really wanted poke and most places that offered it were already closed, we ultimately decided to grab some of that pre-mixed poke and rice we saw yesterday at Safeway. The food wasn’t bad and we finished it up at home before cleaning up and preparing for a very early morning at Haleakala for sunrise. 

5 Things I Learned/Observed Today:

1. Liliko’i is the Hawaiian passion fruit. It is slightly different from the passion fruit we most commonly know because its outside is yellow compared to the purple passion fruit that is normally seen in various places. The lilko’i flavor is seen and used everywhere in Hawaii, especially as shaved ice flavoring and in smoothies and drinks. 

2. On Maui and on the Road to Hana, they sell a product called the Hana Tonic that is a drink or elixir with the active ingredients of organic ginger, pineapple, B vitamins, lemon, and cayenne that supposedly helps with the motion sickness associated with zooming through the Road to Hana. I wonder if it works...

3. Jeep Wranglers are the rental car of choice in Maui. And they come in all colors, from red to yellow to blue to black! Must be fun to drive in but I’m sure it’s way more expensive than my little compact car... 

4. There are tons of honor code fruit stands dotting the roadside along the Road to Hana and in Hana itself. At these fruit stands, you pick up fruit and you leave money. I hope that we tourists have been trustworthy! 

5. Even though the Road to Hana is all the way out there and not a prime tourist area, beware of the police. Even though it’s so far away from most big towns and cities on the island, there are still police that lurk in the area finding reasons to catch you off guard and ticket you. Don’t be that guy we saw who got ticketed for parking his car right in front of a waterfall and a sign that read “No Parking.” 

[fanficksandimagines]

I love your writing!!I was wondering if you could do a gray imagine where he's extremely jealous over you and a guy friend of yours BC you two are always hanging out. Then one day he loses it and gets so mad that they break up? But the reader keeps coming back to him but he's sort of a dick and ignores her, only to find out that the reader goes to her guy friend to comfort her BASICALLY GRAY STOPS BEING A DICK and realises that if he doesn't stop being jealous hell lose her entirely?

“Jealous.” -G.D

“Jealous.” Grayson Dolan.

A/N: here’s your imagine, I hope you’ll like it!

Word count: 1827.

Warning: strong language; sad imagine.

Feed back always waited!

-with love Sammy

“Is it just me, or does your boyfriend hate me?” Nathan, yourbest friend since 2 years of age, asked. “He doesn’t hate you.” You said backkicking the ball towards him. “To me, it seems like he does.” Nate kicked backthe ball. “He just gets jealous easily, that’s it.”

“Well, have you explained to him that I’m no competition?”he kept the topic up. “Not really like that, but I’ve told him not to worryabout it.” You kept talking, kicking the ball once more. “He’s a cool dude, don’tget me wrong, but he has some serious trust issues.” Nate said kicking the balltowards you. “Other than that he’s hot.” He added and you kicked the ball withmore force, it hit Nates face. “Okay. Got it.” He said holding his face as youlaughed. Your phone started ringing. You took it out of your pocked and checkedthe caller ID. It was Gray. “Hey, babe!” you greeted answering the call. “Hey!What are you doing right now?” he asked the smile in his voice noticeable. “I’mplaying ball with Nate, in the backyard. What about you?” you asked back. “I’mbored, so I thought we could get away, somewhere.” He said trough the phone. “Okay.Let’s do that. Pick me up in 10?” you asked smiling to yourself. “In 5, if the trafficis good.” He said. “I need a shower. So I kind of need those 5 extra minutes.” Yougiggled. “I don’t care I’ll be there in 5. Bye!” he laughed in the phone. “Seeyou then.” You laughed and hung up the phone. “What was that?” Nate saidstanding up and throwing the ball your way. “That was a sign for you to go home,dumbass.” You said and threw the ball back, Nate frowned playfully. “But I don’twanna.” He whined acting like a child. “I mean you can stay and watch me makeout with Grayson, but I don’t think he’ll approve that.” You joked walking tothe back door of your house. “We could plan an orgy.” Nate kept the joke going.“Bitch the door!” you shouted at him pointing to the door. “Okay, okay. I’mleaving, but tell him that his hot!” He said walking out the front door as youhad walked through the house already. “Bye, bitch!” he said walking down thefront porch and throwing a middle finger up in the air towards you. You showedone back and closed the door locking it. It was only 4pm so the house was empty;parents don’t get a summer vacation from job for up to 3 months, sadly. You ranupstairs to your room to grab some clean clothes before walking in thebathroom. You didn’t worry about Grayson, because he knew that the back doorwas left opened for him.

After the quick shower you walked out of the bathroom,making your wet hair in a messy bun. “Gray?” You shouted through the house. “Thekitchen!” you heard from downstairs. You walked down skipping to the kitchenand immediately hugging Gray who hugged back. “We can go?” he asked peckingyour lips. “yeah.” You answered smiling. You locked the door and got into hiscar, and he drove off. “Where are we going?” you questioned. “I have a place inmind.” He smiled putting his free hand on your thigh. “How have you been?” Heasked intrigued since you hadn’t spent any time together for the past 3 days. “Great.I went hiking with Nate on Monday. We got lost in the woods and couldn’t getout for like two hours. We had to call his dad to find us.” You laughed at the memory.“Also, on Tuesday, we went to get ice cream and while we were walking to thebeach, Nate fell and dropped his ice cream in the sand. That was a horrible dayfor him, because later he had to run away from a granny who thought that he wasa thief.” You kept laughing, “You should’ve seen his face.” You giggle untilyou realized that Gray was getting tensed up, and wasn’t laughing with you. “What’swrong?” you asked now calm. “Hum? Nothing.” He said keeping his eyes on theroad ahead. “Anything else happened?” he asked to get your attention off ofhim. “Well yesterday we went shopping, I got some new stuff. That’s about it.” Youfinished off. “Shopping, with Nate?” Gray asked a bit confused. You justnodded. “Well did you do anything without Nate for these past 3 days?” he askedjealousy obvious in his voice. “No, I guess.” You shrugged. “great.” Was all hesaid. “You’re not jealous, are you?” you questioned. “No.” he mumbled. “Gray,he’s my best friend. Of course I will spend time with him. Besides he livesjust a cross the street.” You kept talking knowing that Grayson was jealous. “Iknow, juts to me, it seems like that’s all you do, when I’m not around. Everytime I’m out of town or busy you spend time with Nathan.” He said, his jawclenching at times. “What else am I supposed to do?” you asked getting kind ofangry, “Do something with your girlfriends. I’m sure Vanesa would appreciate that.”He said his words coming out kind of harsh. “Vanesa is in collage on the otherside of the country. I spend every minute with her when she’s in town. What’syour deal?” you were getting pissed with every second passing. It wasn’t thefirst time Grayson would get jealous, and it wasn’t the first time you wouldhave an argument over this topic. Grayson stopped the car in a parking lot nextto forest.  You had just passed the cityborder. The argument soon grew into a shouting rage. You were done listening toGrayson complaining about your friendship with Nate, you unlocked the seatbeltand turned your body towards the door. “I dare you to get out of the car, Y/N!”he shouted at you. “Call me when you’re done with your child’s play!” You shoutedback and got out of the car, walking back to the city.

When you got home, you called Nathan, ignoring the missedcalls from Grayson. “Hey, Y/N! Wats up?” he asked. “Come over.” You said andhung up. In a few minutes you heard a soft knock on your door. “Come in.” yousaid and the door opened. “What happened?” Nate asked closing the door behindhim and walking over to you. You weren’t crying, you were just sad and hurtthat your boyfriend didn’t approve of your friend. You explained the wholesituation to Nathan, who kept you in his arms the whole time. “Mean girls?” heasked after you were done talking, you nodded in response. He put the movie onand you laid your head in his lap while watching it. The next day you tried tocall Grayson, but he wasn’t picking up. That wasn’t the only time, because ithappened the whole week. You’d try to get in touch with him, but he neveranswered. Nathan took your phone from you. “What are you doing?” you askedtrying to get the phone back. “Calling that asshole.” He said but you got yourphone. “No way.” You got a little mad. “I have his number on my phone anyways.”Nate said. “Please don’t!” you pleaded. “You need to talk to him! He needs to apologies!“Nate kept on going and pressed the call button on his phone next to Grays number.“Ugh!” you exclaimed and buried your face in your pillow, as Nate put the callon speaker. After a few rings he picked up. “Hello?” Gray asked. “Hey, asshole!It’s me, Nathan! I’m just calling to inform you that you’re a dick for beingrude towards Y/N. Also I’m really confused why you would be jealous since I’mnot into girls, but that’s just a fact. Oh yeah, and If you won’t change yourattitude, I’ll get Y/N a date and she’ll be over you in a few days, believe me.I can do it!” he said sass filling his voice and hung up. “What the fuck didyou just do?” you asked rhetorically. Before Nathan could answer your phonestarted ringing. Worry filled your head when you saw that it was Graysoncalling. “Pick it up!” Nate pushed the phone towards you. You answered thecall. “Can we talk?” Grayson asked immediately. “Sure, when?” you asked clearingyour throat. “I’ll be by your house in 5” he said and you nodded. “Okay.” You mumbledremembering that he can’t see you. You hung up the call and turned to Nathan. “Iswear I will kill you.” You pushed his shoulder. “I’m out!” he said standing upwith his hands in the air.

You were sitting on the front porch when you saw Graysonpulling up on the side of the street. He mentioned you to get in the car, andyou did. “So?” you asked as Grayson started driving. “So.” He said looking atyou, before turning his gaze back on the road. “I fucked up.” He mumbled aftera brief moment of silence. You just cleared your throat. “I fucked up big time.Now I just feel stupid.” He started, “why didn’t you tell me that he was gay?”He asked. “So that’s what we’re going to talk about now.” You said disappointmentclear in your voice. “No. I-I just. Goddammit! I fucked up and I’m so fuckingsorry, alright/ I’m just an idiot. No! How Nathan said, I’m an asshole! I don’tdeserve you you’re too good for me! That’s why I always get so jealous,alright? It’s because I love you so damn much that I can’t even- ugh!” Heexclaimed gripping the staring wheel. “I love you Grayson, okay. I would neverthink of another guy. Nathan’s my best friend; he has been since I was little.He’s like a brother to me, nothing else. You don’t need to be jealous.” You explainedunderstanding that Grayson couldn't find the right words to say. “I forgiveyou, just please don’t be so jealous all the time.” You kept going. Grayson turnedhis face to look at you for a moment. “God, what would I do without you Y/N?”he asked, trying to hide the small smile on his lips. “I love you Y/N.” hesaid. “I love you Grayson.” You said back. You never thought that it could beyour last I love you, but it was. Suddenly another car came in the view as itwas coming towards, driving on the wrong line. Gray turned the wheel to theside, but it was a bit too late as the two cars collided. 

Y/N died on spot.Grayson was fighting for his life in the ambulance car, but his heart was tooweek, and after a few more beats it stopped.

[2019dclmed]

Naples - Monday, May 27, 2019

Naples - Monday, May 27, 2019

My alarm went off at 6:15am (on a “vacation” day?!) I only slept 11pm-4am for no conceivable reason, and I felt bad about the alarm because Kara’s Port Adventure (PA) left an hour later than mine. The weather was again dark, cloudy, RAIN, and then the wind kicked up.

As a reminder, here are the PAs we booked. Details on them can be found in THIS POST.

Amalfi by Boat & the Splendor of Sorrento (NP41) - Gayle only

9.5 Hours to 10 Hours 

Timeless Pompeii and the Flavor of Sorrento (NP06) - Kara only

8.5 Hours to 9 Hours 

I (Gayle) arrived at D Lounge at 7:30am. We loaded on a charter bus and set out for Sorrento. On the way we learned about the 3 tunnels carving a path down the coast literally through the mountains. For safety there is a camera at the start of each tunnel and if you surpass the speed limit and exit the tunnel too soon, the camera snaps a photo of your license plate and mails you the ticket! They also have escape doors in case something happens that requires the tunnel to be evacuated. Our tour guide was (say it with me Italian accent-style) Rosario.

Our journey began by passing Mount Vesuvius. 

Very soon we stopped at a cameo factory. (It was obvious we stopped here in an agreement tourists might buy things in trade for pre-emptive use of the incredibly clean bathroom facilities.) It was amazing how tiny and detailed everything was made by hand-carving.

As we traveled from Naples from Sorrento, we tried to appreciate the views. We could only imagine what it would look like on a beautiful, sunny day. :(

Wondering why I snapped a photo of an industrial crane? 

It says “Fincantieri”. Why is that significant? Fincantieri is a large ship-builder. In fact, this group crafted both the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder! (The newer/bigger ships were made by a German firm.)

Arriving in Sorrento we were dropped off at Cuomo’s Lucky Store and provided a demonstration of how they hand-carve wood to craft tables, jewelry boxes, lazy Susan's, etc. with in-laid patterns. The multi-game tables were amazing! The special for the day was to consider price tags being in US dollars and large items included shipping anywhere in the world. Every pattern you see was carved and in-laid by hand! No lasers!

I then ventured to the main square of town and found the only other recommended store. It was basically a larger version of the first with lace & jewelry. I wandered down a couple of small alleys with tiny street shops. The larger better know shops weren’t yet open. It was already raining, so I put my rain jacket on over the backpack, which provided additional security from potential pickpockets as a barrier to the latches & zippers - not that I needed it as I have a Travelon backpack (& PacSafe purse at home). 

The rain started getting heavier, so I went back to the first store, which was also our meeting point. I was back so early I spent 30 minutes just standing in the storefront window with protection from the rain. This definitely wasn’t how I envisioned my visit to Naples/Sorrento. Check out the rain (via link):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fuiaa422u3cmymt/Sorrento%20rain.MOV?dl=0

Kara’s group showed up just as we were departing for lunch. 

Gayle’s group went to a nearby place that looked like Disney Cruise Line’s Enchanted Garden - a glasshouse Eden in the middle of an old, crumbling city. 

Our appetizers were an unknown meat, salad, puffs of ???, “ham & cheese” fried dough with pizza sauce, &... Fries - all served family-style. 

We were each then given entrees of penne pasta & a veggie lasagna wrap. Dessert was lemon cake. I ended up sitting with the “Gold Mickey�� couple and a young couple from Guatemala, who are both doctors taking residency in Alabama soon. 

Just as lunch ended we were told the boat tour of the Amalfi Coast  - THE reason I booked this PA - was cancelled! As expected, the poor weather made the seas too rough. We were told we’ve receive some unknown amount of refund. (I doubted this as Disney Cruise Line listed the Naples city tour as a sub if the boat tour got cancelled.)

At 1pm we headed back for a substitute city tour of Naples at 2pm. I did learn Rome is the largest city with about 5M, Milan with about 2M, and Naples at 1M. (Other documents during our cruise gave very different figures….) It was an epically boring drive around Naples with two cold & windy stops by 3:30pm. Additionally, it was tough to get around the downtown/Oceanside section due to them installing a subway system; traffic and construction were everywhere. They made another stop where 3 of us decided to stay on the bus. 

I was getting really frustrated, as this wasn’t how I wanted to spend my day. Had I been able to see it, I would have just walked back to the ship. We finally got back to the ship at 4pm (luckily not the originally scheduled 5:45pm!) The last straw was standing on the gangway in cold, blowing wind as an elderly couple couldn’t seem to clear the security scanner. 

I zipped up to our stateroom, as I’d gotten “chilled to the bone” (even with a sweater, jeans, & sneakers)! I cranked up the heat and got in bed. If I wasn’t already dressed for dinner (minus shoe change), I would have gotten in the shower to get warm! The next day was already a concern with a similar forecast and the issue I was slated to wear a light dress. 

Oh, we also has this as our VIP snack for the day. Even with the cover the bleu cheese was sticking-up the room, so I had it summarily returned (when Room Service brought more cookies!)

Kara: Before we tell you about dinner, I’ll recap my tour/day. After G left to meet her group, I got ready and then headed to Fathoms to wait for my departure at 8:30 a.m. It was clear from the get go that this was NOT an adults only departure. 

We met our guide, Pierlugi (Luigi for short), as we boarded the bus. It was raining lightly as we left the port. We took the highway from Naples to Sorrento. As we left the port, Luigi informed us the Port is the second largest in Italy. This area is also one of the most densely populated in all of Europe - Luigi used the word overpopulated a couple of times. As we drove, I was struck by the number of greenhouses and the amount of land in this clearly urban/suburban area that was used for agriculture. 

As we drove, we passed through three long tunnels - the last of which was 5 km long.  We also passed by a 900 year old castle with a stunning view that is used today for events like weddings.  

Our bus arrived at the farm - Colline de Sorrento - where I snapped a selfie and then got under shelter before the sky completely opened up.

The proprietor of the farm and one of the other staff VERY QUICKLY sort of demonstrated how three different kinds of cheese were made - mozzarella and ricotta and one type I didn’t understand but that tasted good. 

I sat down for the tasting at a table with a couple about my age. They were Katelyn and Bill. Katelyn and I both availed ourselves of the facilities on two separate trips. Bill and I chatted while Katelyn was gone. Then when I returned to the table, Katelyn says, “Are you Gayle’s friend?” She and G had “met” via the Facebook group for our cruise and G had mentioned I was on this tour. We all work in higher ed so my guess is it stuck. 

We shopped in the little farm store. I grabbed some limoncello and orange marmalade. This shopping trip I enjoyed as this is my kind of shopping. We loaded back onto the bus in the pouring rain. 

From the farm, we rode into Sorrento. You already know we also arrived at Cuomo’s Lucky store where I ran into Gayle. And because this photo is awesome:

I walked through Cuomos and then headed into Sorrento to stroll the cobblestone street.  The rain was just intermittent, so it wasn’t terrible. I ran into a group from my tour that was walking through town with Luigi so I followed them for a bit.  Luigi pointed us towards a great view of the Bay of Sorrento.

I had lunch at a little street cafe called Ristorante Sorrenti. I just ordered quickly with the Margherita pizza which I regret because I wish I’d had the carbonara or caccio a pepe while we were in Italy - neither of which I was smart enough to think through. The pizza was tasty.

I did a little shopping and browsing. This part of Sorrento was fun to just walk around in, although other than tourist shops there wasn’t much culturally significant. 

From Sorrento our group headed less than 10 km down the road to a parking lot at what turned out to be a limoncello factory with a store and cafe attached. There was a patio where you could look across the road and see another view of the Bay. It was so unimpressive in my mind, I took no pictures.

We loaded back up after our third stop, shop, move on stop and I was a bit over it. When we arrived in Pompei and our first stop was this Cameo factory (which had been on the tour description so I knew it was coming), I was pretty done. And yet, we still had Pompei to go which I hadn’t been looking that forward to. While I’m interested in history, this for some reason has never been a part of history that interested me. Looking back a few weeks later now, I actually am really glad I had the opportunity to see Pompei. 

I’ll get to a brief description of my highlights of the town. But for any of you who have been there - can anyone explain to me how the chariots drove through the streets with these three big pillars sticking up out of the middle of the street? I get the pillars allowed you to cross flooded streets - but I still don’t have a visualization of chariots that works in those streets. 

Okay - as for my highlights of Pompei - which I have to admit was much better now because the sun was out and it was nice and warm. I really enjoyed the Bath House as well as the main square. To think that the marble stage of the theatre is still intact is absolutely incredible to me. 

As we left Pompei we had about 15 minutes to browse the vendor stands or, do what I did, and grab a gelato. Definitely the best way to use that time. We turned to the port and, now, back to the rest of the story.

Gayle: Tonight was our first night in Rapunzel’s (for the Thug show). I couldn't wait to dine in Rapunzel’s even though the menu was questionable. Similar to the West Coast Repo cruise on the Disney Wonder, we were very near the stage (like at Tiana’s). Our head server even noted we could move the next time to the exact table we’d had in Tiana’s - on the main aisle with direct view of the stage!

The menu.

Video of Rapunzel! 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/spfwzrif6np6m16/Raps.MOV?dl=0 

Kara: Because we were so close to the stage, we had a rather long visit with the thug Vlad.

Kara: I’d also add here that this menu was not exciting.  If it weren’t for the stage show we wouldn’t have been thrilled with tonight.  I think next time I’m getting a kid’s chicken tenders and fries.

Having reviewed the menu, we noted nothing on the dessert menu of interest! So before dinner we’d pre-ordered Room Service for the White/Dark Chocolate cake and cookies for dessert. FYI Disney, when you say “cake”, Kara in particular has a vision for what that will be. THIS

Is NOT cake. THIS is mousse - which Kara doesn’t eat. (I had one disappointed BFF this evening!)

The new live-action Disney’s Aladdin film was being shown in the stage theatre tonight, but with the start time of 8:45pm and another early PA port time in the morning, we had to skip it. 

Disclaimer: I (Gayle) am a travel agent with Authorized Disney Travel Planner agency - Off to Neverland Travel. Contact me today for a no-obligation quote!

[eddiejpoplar]

Classic Drive: George Harrison’s 1984 Mercedes-Benz 500SEL AMG

A 12-year-old schoolboy watched the 1955 British Grand Prix at his local racetrack in Aintree, Liverpool, where Stirling Moss piloted his Mercedes-Benz W196 to the win from pole position, taking the fastest lap of the day. From that race on George Harrison was hooked. Formula 1 was to become one of his lifelong passions, that, and being the lead guitarist in a certain rock band, The Beatles, of course.

As it turns out, Harrison was also apparently pretty passionate about go-fast Benzes. When I learned that my rock music memorabilia and classic car collector friend Mike Pickles had acquired Mr. Harrison’s 1984 Mercedes-Benz 500SEL AMG and it was in wonderful state of preservation, I figured I’d ask Mr. Pickles if Mr. Harrison’s car might be available for a road trip. He said it would. I’ll give you one guess where I drove it to.

Looking at the equipment list, it seems Harrison ordered the car with the entire contents of the AMG catalog from Stratton’s of Wilmslow Cheshire on the 23rd of May 1984 with a sticker price of 84,000 British pounds. Options included a wired-in cell phone (a real luxury in the early 1980s), spoilers, leather steering wheel, rear passenger picnic tables, and blacked out chrome trim. The car is said to have been Harrison’s everyday transport and was often seen on the roads around Henley on Thames over 16 years and some 32,000 miles of ownership before he passed it on to fellow musician Ray Cooper. It even made a cameo appearance in the “Real Love” video featuring the three remaining Beatles in 1995.

Famous owner aside, the W126 S-Class—especially in 500SEL trim—was a high-status automobile, designed by a team headed by Bruno Sacco. Harrison no doubt relished the AMG-massaged, naturally aspirated 4973cc V-8 tuned to a reported 272 hp and 302 lb-ft of torque and a factory indicated top speed of 149 mph. My plan was to sample the car on a drive across England coast-to-coast, from the seaside town of Scarborough Yorkshire to the Fab Four’s home city of Liverpool. Where else?

The genteel resort of Scarborough on the North Sea coast would have been awakened by the screams of hundreds of teenage fans when the Beatles played their first show at the Futurist Theatre on Wednesday, December 11, 1963, so it was from the neon lit seafront where I chose to start my adventure. Sadly, the Futurist had been demolished just weeks prior to my visit, nearly 55 years since that sold out gig. The following morning, I headed west over the North York Moors towards Liverpool, 156 miles via the M62 freeway but a fair few miles further driving the Merc over mountain passes and the twisty rural roads of Yorkshire and Lancashire.

The SEL is a big car to ascend the narrow Rosedale Chimney Bank switchback hill out onto the moors. Power is there in plenty from the big V-8 and its steering is precise if a little lacking in feel. Despite the AMG updates, there’s a fair amount of body roll, which isn’t helped by the polished black leather seats with no lateral support. After reaching the summit, the road straightens out and I was able to appreciate one of the delights of the North York Moors—purple heather in full bloom and a 180-degree panorama of Yorkshire, Britain’s largest county—through a windshield with mercifully narrow A-pillars.

The only vehicle I passed was a team of gamekeepers in an old Land Rover preparing for the grouse shooting season on the Glorious Twelfth. Driving through the country town of Thornton-le-Dale, Mathewson’s Classic Auctions just happened to have a 1984 380SEL on their forecourt. After making a U turn on the A170 we took a look at the standard car sporting blue velour upholstery, a lot of chrome, and rather strange hub caps adorning the stock steel wheels. One thing’s for sure after taking a closer look at the 380: The AMG makeover did wonders for the W126.

Heading west, the road descends Sutton Bank leaving the North York Moors National Park and I pressed on towards another region of God’s own country, the Dales—no less beautiful than the roads just travelled but completely different. By this time, I was becoming accustomed to the car’s size. I had to pinch myself to think that I was sitting in the driver’s seat and cruising along the highway where a Beatle had sat. I tuned the Blaupunkt Paris sound system to BBC 2 in the hope of hearing a Fab Four track as I didn’t have a cassette to play in the period tape deck.

Needing a spot of lunch and some relief from sitting on the rather firm German seat for four hours, The Bolton Arms in the center of Leyburn provided an admirable English traditional ploughman’s lunch. It set me up for the drive through the Dales National Park. The topography is one of high limestone fells (mountains) and deep dales (valleys) hence the locals describe a journey as ‘up hill, down dale’. The area is one of my favorite parts of the UK, the country roads quite unique as the black top appears to have been poured over the landscape with little attempt to smooth out hills or corners. Added to the mix, almost all the roads have high dry-stone walls on both sides which makes for interesting driving in the big German sedan. The Mercedes handled well on its Goodyear Eagle 225/50R16 tires that made a low rumbling noise over the broken pavement, especially when the car was squeezed into one of the many passing places built in the walls for when you meet the inevitable tractor, milk tanker, or motor home.

Just about any road in the Dales will drive you through spectacular scenery. Piloting the car along the A684 to Hawes, I gazed at Harrison’s Hindu Om charm fixed to the leather AMG steering wheel and through to the three large analog dials and really did feel a oneness with creation. Exiting the quaint village, I turned onto the B6255 which offered a rare straight section of uphill road. I flicked the gearshift to 2b and gunned the accelerator, shifting to third at around 35 mph and on to 60 mph. For a heavy automobile it felt adequately rapid. This would be my only drastic stint of driving as it’s not a test car but rather a 34-year-old classic. More importantly, it wasn’t mine.

Just like the landscape which changes in a few miles, so to can the English weather, and as I crossed the Pennines heading west the temperature dropped and the blue sky with fluffy white clouds became gray and overcast. I made a stop at the Ribblehead viaduct, built in 1870 to allow the Carlisle to Settle railroad cross Blea Moor. This 440-yard stone structure is a spectacular example of Victorian civil engineering which enhances an area of outstanding natural beauty. It was tea time and I bought a brew from the snack van. Sitting in the back of the car I tried to use the optional picnic table. AMG might have been a whizz at engine and suspension modifications but the ergonomics of the tables weren’t great.

Crossing into Lancashire, traffic increased as I drove down the Ribble Valley and for the first time I cruised along motorways M6 and M58 in commuter traffic as I headed toward Liverpool’s waterfront. I planned to stop at a few spots with a hint of Beatlemania. My first was a chance encounter in Croxteth, with its large street mural of the band painted on the side of a blue-collar terraced house and brick wall. Try as I might, I failed in my bid to maneuver the car past numerous obstacles and high curbs to park close enough to it for a photo opportunity. From there it was on to Penny Lane, which was not only the name for Beatles song but a statement of the lives of those young men who grew up in post-WWII Liverpool. I never made it to a Beatles concert, but most of the early pop music I grew up with was part of the Mersey Beat scene that centered around the band.

It was early evening by the time I pulled up on the aptly named George’s Pier Head on the Liverpool waterfront. Most of the tourists were back at their hotels and the office workers in the Royal Liver building which overlooks the river Mersey were heading home in traffic so the place was deserted. The end of my road was a bronze life-size statue of the band by Andy Edwards funded by fans at the Cavern Club, commemorating the last show they played in Liverpool in 1965.

As my day-long journey ended, I wondered if Harrison had ever dreamt of buying such a posh set of wheels when he attended the British Grand Prix back in 1955. I know I never imagined traveling 337 miles on great roads through beautiful landscapes in his former automobile.

[jonathanbelloblog]

Classic Drive: George Harrison’s 1984 Mercedes-Benz 500SEL AMG

A 12-year-old schoolboy watched the 1955 British Grand Prix at his local racetrack in Aintree, Liverpool, where Stirling Moss piloted his Mercedes-Benz W196 to the win from pole position, taking the fastest lap of the day. From that race on George Harrison was hooked. Formula 1 was to become one of his lifelong passions, that, and being the lead guitarist in a certain rock band, The Beatles, of course.

As it turns out, Harrison was also apparently pretty passionate about go-fast Benzes. When I learned that my rock music memorabilia and classic car collector friend Mike Pickles had acquired Mr. Harrison’s 1984 Mercedes-Benz 500SEL AMG and it was in wonderful state of preservation, I figured I’d ask Mr. Pickles if Mr. Harrison’s car might be available for a road trip. He said it would. I’ll give you one guess where I drove it to.

Looking at the equipment list, it seems Harrison ordered the car with the entire contents of the AMG catalog from Stratton’s of Wilmslow Cheshire on the 23rd of May 1984 with a sticker price of 84,000 British pounds. Options included a wired-in cell phone (a real luxury in the early 1980s), spoilers, leather steering wheel, rear passenger picnic tables, and blacked out chrome trim. The car is said to have been Harrison’s everyday transport and was often seen on the roads around Henley on Thames over 16 years and some 32,000 miles of ownership before he passed it on to fellow musician Ray Cooper. It even made a cameo appearance in the “Real Love” video featuring the three remaining Beatles in 1995.

Famous owner aside, the W126 S-Class—especially in 500SEL trim—was a high-status automobile, designed by a team headed by Bruno Sacco. Harrison no doubt relished the AMG-massaged, naturally aspirated 4973cc V-8 tuned to a reported 272 hp and 302 lb-ft of torque and a factory indicated top speed of 149 mph. My plan was to sample the car on a drive across England coast-to-coast, from the seaside town of Scarborough Yorkshire to the Fab Four’s home city of Liverpool. Where else?

The genteel resort of Scarborough on the North Sea coast would have been awakened by the screams of hundreds of teenage fans when the Beatles played their first show at the Futurist Theatre on Wednesday, December 11, 1963, so it was from the neon lit seafront where I chose to start my adventure. Sadly, the Futurist had been demolished just weeks prior to my visit, nearly 55 years since that sold out gig. The following morning, I headed west over the North York Moors towards Liverpool, 156 miles via the M62 freeway but a fair few miles further driving the Merc over mountain passes and the twisty rural roads of Yorkshire and Lancashire.

The SEL is a big car to ascend the narrow Rosedale Chimney Bank switchback hill out onto the moors. Power is there in plenty from the big V-8 and its steering is precise if a little lacking in feel. Despite the AMG updates, there’s a fair amount of body roll, which isn’t helped by the polished black leather seats with no lateral support. After reaching the summit, the road straightens out and I was able to appreciate one of the delights of the North York Moors—purple heather in full bloom and a 180-degree panorama of Yorkshire, Britain’s largest county—through a windshield with mercifully narrow A-pillars.

The only vehicle I passed was a team of gamekeepers in an old Land Rover preparing for the grouse shooting season on the Glorious Twelfth. Driving through the country town of Thornton-le-Dale, Mathewson’s Classic Auctions just happened to have a 1984 380SEL on their forecourt. After making a U turn on the A170 we took a look at the standard car sporting blue velour upholstery, a lot of chrome, and rather strange hub caps adorning the stock steel wheels. One thing’s for sure after taking a closer look at the 380: The AMG makeover did wonders for the W126.

Heading west, the road descends Sutton Bank leaving the North York Moors National Park and I pressed on towards another region of God’s own country, the Dales—no less beautiful than the roads just travelled but completely different. By this time, I was becoming accustomed to the car’s size. I had to pinch myself to think that I was sitting in the driver’s seat and cruising along the highway where a Beatle had sat. I tuned the Blaupunkt Paris sound system to BBC 2 in the hope of hearing a Fab Four track as I didn’t have a cassette to play in the period tape deck.

Needing a spot of lunch and some relief from sitting on the rather firm German seat for four hours, The Bolton Arms in the center of Leyburn provided an admirable English traditional ploughman’s lunch. It set me up for the drive through the Dales National Park. The topography is one of high limestone fells (mountains) and deep dales (valleys) hence the locals describe a journey as ‘up hill, down dale’. The area is one of my favorite parts of the UK, the country roads quite unique as the black top appears to have been poured over the landscape with little attempt to smooth out hills or corners. Added to the mix, almost all the roads have high dry-stone walls on both sides which makes for interesting driving in the big German sedan. The Mercedes handled well on its Goodyear Eagle 225/50R16 tires that made a low rumbling noise over the broken pavement, especially when the car was squeezed into one of the many passing places built in the walls for when you meet the inevitable tractor, milk tanker, or motor home.

Just about any road in the Dales will drive you through spectacular scenery. Piloting the car along the A684 to Hawes, I gazed at Harrison’s Hindu Om charm fixed to the leather AMG steering wheel and through to the three large analog dials and really did feel a oneness with creation. Exiting the quaint village, I turned onto the B6255 which offered a rare straight section of uphill road. I flicked the gearshift to 2b and gunned the accelerator, shifting to third at around 35 mph and on to 60 mph. For a heavy automobile it felt adequately rapid. This would be my only drastic stint of driving as it’s not a test car but rather a 34-year-old classic. More importantly, it wasn’t mine.

Just like the landscape which changes in a few miles, so to can the English weather, and as I crossed the Pennines heading west the temperature dropped and the blue sky with fluffy white clouds became gray and overcast. I made a stop at the Ribblehead viaduct, built in 1870 to allow the Carlisle to Settle railroad cross Blea Moor. This 440-yard stone structure is a spectacular example of Victorian civil engineering which enhances an area of outstanding natural beauty. It was tea time and I bought a brew from the snack van. Sitting in the back of the car I tried to use the optional picnic table. AMG might have been a whizz at engine and suspension modifications but the ergonomics of the tables weren’t great.

Crossing into Lancashire, traffic increased as I drove down the Ribble Valley and for the first time I cruised along motorways M6 and M58 in commuter traffic as I headed toward Liverpool’s waterfront. I planned to stop at a few spots with a hint of Beatlemania. My first was a chance encounter in Croxteth, with its large street mural of the band painted on the side of a blue-collar terraced house and brick wall. Try as I might, I failed in my bid to maneuver the car past numerous obstacles and high curbs to park close enough to it for a photo opportunity. From there it was on to Penny Lane, which was not only the name for Beatles song but a statement of the lives of those young men who grew up in post-WWII Liverpool. I never made it to a Beatles concert, but most of the early pop music I grew up with was part of the Mersey Beat scene that centered around the band.

It was early evening by the time I pulled up on the aptly named George’s Pier Head on the Liverpool waterfront. Most of the tourists were back at their hotels and the office workers in the Royal Liver building which overlooks the river Mersey were heading home in traffic so the place was deserted. The end of my road was a bronze life-size statue of the band by Andy Edwards funded by fans at the Cavern Club, commemorating the last show they played in Liverpool in 1965.

As my day-long journey ended, I wondered if Harrison had ever dreamt of buying such a posh set of wheels when he attended the British Grand Prix back in 1955. I know I never imagined traveling 337 miles on great roads through beautiful landscapes in his former automobile.

[jesusvasser]

Classic Drive: George Harrison’s 1984 Mercedes-Benz 500SEL AMG

A 12-year-old schoolboy watched the 1955 British Grand Prix at his local racetrack in Aintree, Liverpool, where Stirling Moss piloted his Mercedes-Benz W196 to the win from pole position, taking the fastest lap of the day. From that race on George Harrison was hooked. Formula 1 was to become one of his lifelong passions, that, and being the lead guitarist in a certain rock band, The Beatles, of course.

As it turns out, Harrison was also apparently pretty passionate about go-fast Benzes. When I learned that my rock music memorabilia and classic car collector friend Mike Pickles had acquired Mr. Harrison’s 1984 Mercedes-Benz 500SEL AMG and it was in wonderful state of preservation, I figured I’d ask Mr. Pickles if Mr. Harrison’s car might be available for a road trip. He said it would. I’ll give you one guess where I drove it to.

Looking at the equipment list, it seems Harrison ordered the car with the entire contents of the AMG catalog from Stratton’s of Wilmslow Cheshire on the 23rd of May 1984 with a sticker price of 84,000 British pounds. Options included a wired-in cell phone (a real luxury in the early 1980s), spoilers, leather steering wheel, rear passenger picnic tables, and blacked out chrome trim. The car is said to have been Harrison’s everyday transport and was often seen on the roads around Henley on Thames over 16 years and some 32,000 miles of ownership before he passed it on to fellow musician Ray Cooper. It even made a cameo appearance in the “Real Love” video featuring the three remaining Beatles in 1995.

Famous owner aside, the W126 S-Class—especially in 500SEL trim—was a high-status automobile, designed by a team headed by Bruno Sacco. Harrison no doubt relished the AMG-massaged, naturally aspirated 4973cc V-8 tuned to a reported 272 hp and 302 lb-ft of torque and a factory indicated top speed of 149 mph. My plan was to sample the car on a drive across England coast-to-coast, from the seaside town of Scarborough Yorkshire to the Fab Four’s home city of Liverpool. Where else?

The genteel resort of Scarborough on the North Sea coast would have been awakened by the screams of hundreds of teenage fans when the Beatles played their first show at the Futurist Theatre on Wednesday, December 11, 1963, so it was from the neon lit seafront where I chose to start my adventure. Sadly, the Futurist had been demolished just weeks prior to my visit, nearly 55 years since that sold out gig. The following morning, I headed west over the North York Moors towards Liverpool, 156 miles via the M62 freeway but a fair few miles further driving the Merc over mountain passes and the twisty rural roads of Yorkshire and Lancashire.

The SEL is a big car to ascend the narrow Rosedale Chimney Bank switchback hill out onto the moors. Power is there in plenty from the big V-8 and its steering is precise if a little lacking in feel. Despite the AMG updates, there’s a fair amount of body roll, which isn’t helped by the polished black leather seats with no lateral support. After reaching the summit, the road straightens out and I was able to appreciate one of the delights of the North York Moors—purple heather in full bloom and a 180-degree panorama of Yorkshire, Britain’s largest county—through a windshield with mercifully narrow A-pillars.

The only vehicle I passed was a team of gamekeepers in an old Land Rover preparing for the grouse shooting season on the Glorious Twelfth. Driving through the country town of Thornton-le-Dale, Mathewson’s Classic Auctions just happened to have a 1984 380SEL on their forecourt. After making a U turn on the A170 we took a look at the standard car sporting blue velour upholstery, a lot of chrome, and rather strange hub caps adorning the stock steel wheels. One thing’s for sure after taking a closer look at the 380: The AMG makeover did wonders for the W126.

Heading west, the road descends Sutton Bank leaving the North York Moors National Park and I pressed on towards another region of God’s own country, the Dales—no less beautiful than the roads just travelled but completely different. By this time, I was becoming accustomed to the car’s size. I had to pinch myself to think that I was sitting in the driver’s seat and cruising along the highway where a Beatle had sat. I tuned the Blaupunkt Paris sound system to BBC 2 in the hope of hearing a Fab Four track as I didn’t have a cassette to play in the period tape deck.

Needing a spot of lunch and some relief from sitting on the rather firm German seat for four hours, The Bolton Arms in the center of Leyburn provided an admirable English traditional ploughman’s lunch. It set me up for the drive through the Dales National Park. The topography is one of high limestone fells (mountains) and deep dales (valleys) hence the locals describe a journey as ‘up hill, down dale’. The area is one of my favorite parts of the UK, the country roads quite unique as the black top appears to have been poured over the landscape with little attempt to smooth out hills or corners. Added to the mix, almost all the roads have high dry-stone walls on both sides which makes for interesting driving in the big German sedan. The Mercedes handled well on its Goodyear Eagle 225/50R16 tires that made a low rumbling noise over the broken pavement, especially when the car was squeezed into one of the many passing places built in the walls for when you meet the inevitable tractor, milk tanker, or motor home.

Just about any road in the Dales will drive you through spectacular scenery. Piloting the car along the A684 to Hawes, I gazed at Harrison’s Hindu Om charm fixed to the leather AMG steering wheel and through to the three large analog dials and really did feel a oneness with creation. Exiting the quaint village, I turned onto the B6255 which offered a rare straight section of uphill road. I flicked the gearshift to 2b and gunned the accelerator, shifting to third at around 35 mph and on to 60 mph. For a heavy automobile it felt adequately rapid. This would be my only drastic stint of driving as it’s not a test car but rather a 34-year-old classic. More importantly, it wasn’t mine.

Just like the landscape which changes in a few miles, so to can the English weather, and as I crossed the Pennines heading west the temperature dropped and the blue sky with fluffy white clouds became gray and overcast. I made a stop at the Ribblehead viaduct, built in 1870 to allow the Carlisle to Settle railroad cross Blea Moor. This 440-yard stone structure is a spectacular example of Victorian civil engineering which enhances an area of outstanding natural beauty. It was tea time and I bought a brew from the snack van. Sitting in the back of the car I tried to use the optional picnic table. AMG might have been a whizz at engine and suspension modifications but the ergonomics of the tables weren’t great.

Crossing into Lancashire, traffic increased as I drove down the Ribble Valley and for the first time I cruised along motorways M6 and M58 in commuter traffic as I headed toward Liverpool’s waterfront. I planned to stop at a few spots with a hint of Beatlemania. My first was a chance encounter in Croxteth, with its large street mural of the band painted on the side of a blue-collar terraced house and brick wall. Try as I might, I failed in my bid to maneuver the car past numerous obstacles and high curbs to park close enough to it for a photo opportunity. From there it was on to Penny Lane, which was not only the name for Beatles song but a statement of the lives of those young men who grew up in post-WWII Liverpool. I never made it to a Beatles concert, but most of the early pop music I grew up with was part of the Mersey Beat scene that centered around the band.

It was early evening by the time I pulled up on the aptly named George’s Pier Head on the Liverpool waterfront. Most of the tourists were back at their hotels and the office workers in the Royal Liver building which overlooks the river Mersey were heading home in traffic so the place was deserted. The end of my road was a bronze life-size statue of the band by Andy Edwards funded by fans at the Cavern Club, commemorating the last show they played in Liverpool in 1965.

As my day-long journey ended, I wondered if Harrison had ever dreamt of buying such a posh set of wheels when he attended the British Grand Prix back in 1955. I know I never imagined traveling 337 miles on great roads through beautiful landscapes in his former automobile.

[beardedwinnerobject-blog]

Roanoke Virginia Cheap car insurance quotes zip 24040

"Roanoke Virginia Cheap car insurance quotes zip 24040

Roanoke Virginia Cheap car insurance quotes zip 24040

BEST ANSWER:  Try this site where you can compare quotes: : http://salecarinsurance.xyz/index.html?src=tumblr 

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Roanoke Virginia Cheap car insurance quotes zip 24040

Roanoke Virginia Cheap car insurance quotes zip 24040

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indicate your age and if you have full coverage. I want to know if what I'm paying is average. I'm under 25 and I was involved in an accident.

Insurance sells up or down?

This is a question addressed to current ly licensed Insurance agents abroad; therefore, my question is concerning the economy crisis we Americans are facing right now and with that, is Life & health Insurance coverage on the fall or rise? I have been waiting to start this career but not too assured that right now is the best time for this.""

What is the average price of car insurance for a Volkswagen gti mark 1?

First time driver soon and my mum promised to buy one for me as a first car

List of top insurance companies in USA?

Can u pls list down top 20 US companies in each category of insurance ... Car Home Life Health Property Marine General etc.

Does one speeding ticket affect your insurance rate ?

i got my first speeding ticket , i live in Utah , and i have state farm insurance so will it affect my rate ?""

$600 Fine For Expired Car Insurance? BC Canada?

Today I got a $600 fine for a week expired car insurance and my car got taken away to an impound . Is that the right price for British Columbia, Canada?? Because I've heard that its supposed to be 100-200 first time, 300-400 second time, 500-600 third time? This is the first time I've ever had a ticket because of expired car insurance so why is it so dam expensive? Can I get some of my money back at least? Seriously $600 is way too much""

Why were the republicans threatening to collapse the country just to save the insurance companies?

If the costly disagreement was all about obamacare and the effect that its having or going to have on the insurance companies(not the citizens), it seems to me that the insurance ...show more""

I need some advice on car insurance...?

I am purchasing a used car, worth about $3,000.00 I am trying to decide what level of car insurance I should get. Money is kinda tight. Do you think full coverage is neccessary? What type of coverage do most people opt for on low value cars like this? I've always driven new ones.""

How online auto insurance works?

Registering a new car,not a transfer of insurance. I am planning on purchasing GEICO insurance but am not sure how process works. After reviewing registration steps it states the local agent has to sign and stamp RMV-1 form. How will that work if my insurance provider is online? Do they send an agent or do I drive out to closest office? Is the process longer with an online insurance?""

Medical insurance in Belgium?

Is there any medical insurance for short term in Belgium? We need just for 1 month. Funded insurance will be able to cover from May. Thx

How much have you paid for classic car insurance?

I have just bought merc e220 1993 and looking for cheap policy. Im over 30 female and got a wicked quote for fully comp with a named driver for 180. What have you paid?

Is this a good insurance plan?

This is all so confusing. I'm getting married June 15th and have to find my own health insurance for the first time.. Any input would be great! The premium for this plan is ...show more

How high will my insurance go?

I got pulled over the other day for going 59 in a 40. I have state farm. how high will my insurance go? ps. in pennsylvania

How much will my insurance go up??

i have 21st century auto insurance and i have been driving since february 2008 and i am 18 years old. i bumped a state vehicle (caltrans) but there was no damage done whatsoever to the vehicle...as for my car...there was a small scratch that i will not repair. however chp said since its a state vehicle they have to report it. how much will my insurance go up??

Looking for affordable health insurance for the sefl employed?

i cannot find any affordable insurance and i need assistance

Health Insurance for the self-employed?

After 13 years with my husband, he is leaving me. I have always been on his health plan because I am self-employed. Can anyone offer me any advice on where to find providers? I have no idea where to start.""

""How much is car insurance for a 25 yr,female primary driver-Owning and being insured for the first time-Canada""

This will be the first time, I own and insure a car. It will be a new model, either 2006 or 2007 sedan or SUV. I am 25 years old. I am a female. I have had my DL for 3-4 years now. I've only been insured under my mother's insurance (for short times, while visiting her in the States!) Upon, buying my own new vechile, in Canada, I was wondering, what the range would be for: A.) Myself being primary driver B.) Additional, second driver, boyfriend 24, new first time driver! C.) A + B If someone could help me out, I would be greatful on any information or links pertaining to Canadian information. Cheers, Jennifer""

What is cheaper in car insurance...?

An old fiat punto or a new fiat punto

How to get dirt cheap Car & Medical Insurance ??

Looking for a CAR with in $ 500, Car Insurance & Medical Insurance for 1 Male of 31 years, 1 Female of 26 years & a Child of 2 years. Should cover Medical. Vision & Dental not reqired. Looking for real dirt cheap insurance for Car, Family""

Roanoke Virginia Cheap car insurance quotes zip 24040

Roanoke Virginia Cheap car insurance quotes zip 24040

Do I need to have insurance to drive my parent's cars?

The cars have insurance but I don't. Do I need it!?

What's the average compression ratio for a car to be considered a sports car?

I know each insurance company has they're own compression ratio's for car but what would be the AVERAGE

Looking for a good insurance company to represent in California?

I'm a licensed insurance agent in California. I've been through 3 firms in 3 years and did not make much money at all. Now I'm working retail waiting to get back in the game while my license is just wasting away. Please, no AFLAC or World Financial Group referrals. Training is non-existent at AFLAC and the WFG people were absent of integrity. Could anyone recommend a good company to work for that is structured and has a good training program. Thank you.""

Is there a motorcycle insurance company that lets you have full coverage during the summer months?

and limited coverage during the winter months? I live in NY so naturally, I wouldn't be driving during the winter months, so why pay full? Thanks""

How much is car insurance per month?

i'm 19 years old, have had my license for about a year, i work two jobs and i'm buying a used car. How much would it be per month ? I am also, starting college in the fall. any help or suggestions? thank you""

How much on average is car insurance for young drivers in florida?

i'm a 20 yr old female just trying to budget to figure out how much i need to save for when I get my car. I plan on spending about 2000$ on a used car, but am trying to add in the price of tags, tax, insurance all those up front prices so I figure out how much i need to save up and how many hours i absolutely need to have per week. So, just a rough estimate like $100...$150...something like that. Don't feel like doing price check to price check online with the quotes since I have no clue on the car yet..don't want it to be anything under maybe a '95""

What can I do for health insurance for my child and myself?

I am contemplating quitting my job, which offers health insurance, to open a home business. I have been slowly building up my business and it's getting to the point where I have to either decide to quit my full-time job or stop developing my business. I have the potential to make much more with my own business than I do at my current job. Before I make the decision to quit my job, I am researching my options about health insurance, which is very important to me because my daughter has special needs and I do not want to jeopardize her health in any way. I also don't want to get myself into a tricky situation where I end up bankrupt because I get sick and don't have health insurance. I have contemplated taking COBRA after quitting my job, however that is very costly. My boyfriend and I toyed with the idea of him putting me on his health insurance as a domestic partner, but my daughter would not be included in that. We live in Minnesota and I'm wondering if MinnesotaCare would be an option for us, at least to tide us over until I can afford to purchase health insurance or my boyfriend and I get married and my daughter and I can go on his plan. However, I did read that to qualify for MinnesotaCare you must not have had insurance for the last 4 months and that's not a gamble I want to take. My daughter is already on TEFRA (MN disability health insurance) so I am wondering if she was dropped from my plan if TEFRA would cover her 100 percent. My worry about that is if another group health plan wouldn't accept her pre-existing conditions going forward because she would be off a group plan for more than 62 days. Does anyone have any ideas about affordable health insurance options that I should look into? Or know more about the HIPAA laws? And before someone suggests calling the state for information...I have and I'm waiting for a call back. Thanks!""

""Roughly, how much would it cost to insure a 17 year old for a motorcycle?""

Hey, I'm sixteen, and live in Birmingham, England. I'm thinking of buying a geared, 125cc motorbike for when I am seventeen. I have looked around for insurance quotes, but none are straight forward, and as I don't have a bike yet, I can't get a very accurate one. I understand the only way to get a quote is to simply ask an insurance dealer, but I just wanted a simple, rough figure to get a price range for my self. If anyone can give me any information on price or how to get insurance, that would be greatly received. Thanks if anyone can help.""

""How is it my insurance coverage costs go down, but not my yearly fees?""

I've only had my license a few years, so only had to pay this a few times, but the first time my car was insured for $15,500. The second time it dropped to $13,500. Yet both times I'm expected to pay $460 for the year. Cheap because I'm going through someone else's name 'cause it would cost me about $1,800. Why do the coverage costs go down but not the fees?""

My health insurance policy is too expensive. What shall I do?

My health insurance policy is too expensive. What shall I do?

How much my insurance will go up?

How much my insurance will go up? I had an accident which totaled my car. I am 100% at fault for that accident and my car worth 15000$. I have clear driving record and no tickets in past two years. How much will my insurance go up I am paying 900$ for six months

Whats the cheapest motorbike insurance i can get on a 125cc bike?

i am 17 years old and i want to buy my first bike. could someone please tell me a good cheap 125cc sports bike that i can get cheap insurance on ive looked on some websites but the lowest i seen was about 2000 and it went up to about 9000 and also were i can buy cheap bikes from.

""Cheapest method for car insurance for 17 year old male, UK?""

hy guys, im 16 at the moment, and 17 in november and desperate to pass my driving test ASAP, which is the cheapest way to go about car insurance? ive heard vans insurence is cheaper? or going on parents insurance? im looking to get my own car, not to share my parents. please help me out guys! thanks x""

How long does it usually take for insurance to approve surgery?

Im about to have chest surgery to remove cartilige due to horrible pains, and i was just wondering how long does it usually tai for insurance to approve surgery?""

""Insurance quesion, help!?

Cash value life insurance is more expensive than term insurance because a. it is usually sold to older people who have higher mortality. b. higher rates of interest are earned on term policy investments. c. whole life is subject to adverse selection. d. the whole life contracts include both a protection element and a savings or investment element. e. none of the above. Is this one C? Past efforts to address the growing imbalance between tax-paying workers and social security beneficiaries have included a. increasing the social security (FICA) tax rate. b. increasing the maximum income subject to the social security tax. c. increasing the normal retirement age. d. taxing part of social security benefits. e. all of the above. This one E? The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) contains provisions that a. allow continuation of group health insurance by employees and certain dependents upon the occurrence of designated events. b. apply to all employers offering group health insurance to employees. c. require an employer to pay the cost of continuing former employees' health insurance for up to 36 months. d. allows terminated employees to continue their group health insurance for up to 36 months. e. all of the above. This one E?

Is there an industry that does not utilize insurance?

I need to name one industry that does not utilize insurance. Please help! Thanks!

Kids Health Insurance?????

Which kids health insurance will pay for braces?

Are custom orthotics covered by health insurance?

I heard getting a pair is expensive but i need them for running uninjured

Auto insurance savings?

Hi Guys I was just googling and found progressive snapshot device which can save some $$$ if we drive wisely and less miles. But they havent introduced this device in CA yet. I drive about 12miles per day!!! Anybody having any idea on any other insurance company offering these kinds of device in CA?? or any suggestion on how can we save some $$$ on auto insurance??? I have comp insurance and just need to cover all so I dont want suggestion on limiting any of my coverage.. Also I checked with other insurance firms, their quote is coming little higher than what I am paying now!!""

""For Americans, How do you feel about your current health system?""

Reason I ask, I saw a segment on television of people in the states lining up in a showground to receive basic health care, instead of clinics, I was horrified, is this the norm? In Australia we have Medicare & Private health insurance, the main difference is one is a bit more comfortable than the other, I would really like to hear your views.""

So is there any health insurance for those with serious medical conditons?

My younger brother who's only 20 years old has a host of serious illnesses: crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, and a few more conditions that has constantly kept him sick for a good portion of his childhood. He's missed at least half a school year on a number of occasions, and despite his maturation he's still heavily affected by his conditions. Obviously, it's practically impossible for him to hold a steady job, he'll work for a while and then he'll have to take off a month or two just to deal with his illness, with that said he surely won't have employee health insurance. Currently, he's using our state's medicaid, however once he turns 21 he's no longer eligible for medicaid. With the health care system being the way that it is, is there any possibility that he could continue receiving health care despite his ineligibility? He takes a ton of drugs daily, and even takes some of the same medications that our grandparents take lol. I know some of you heartless conservatives believe he should provide his own health coverage, but how? His drugs cost thousands, and he's in the ER constantly, thus making his health-care only affordable to extremely rich individuals. When healthy, he does contribute as much as he possibly can, however for someone in his condition it would be downright shameful if he can't continue to receive any healthcare.""

How much would insurance cost?

i was looking to get a suzuki GZ250 motorcycle. i am 18 years old, and i have taken a drivers ed course and the motorcycle driving course. i was wondering about how much insurance would be. it has 249 cc""

How do i apply for medical insurance?

I live in santa ana orange county california. im 21 work part time and independent. what will i need?

""If you're car is stolen, will your insurance rates increase if you are reimbursed by your insurance?""

If you're car is stolen, will your insurance rates increase if you are reimbursed by your insurance?""

Can i put my car under my dad's name to have cheaper insurance?

if do, why insurance company do that, they should have known that this second car is for customers' child""

Roanoke Virginia Cheap car insurance quotes zip 24040

Roanoke Virginia Cheap car insurance quotes zip 24040

How much does getting insurance on a car cost?

im 17 and me and my mom are trying to get the CHEAPEST car insurance possible !! how much does it cost? what company?? thanks for your help

How much do you pay for car insurance?

I pay $525/month. Reason? I like playing bumper cars with real cars. Everytime it goes down, pow right in the kisser, pow right in the kisser, pow right in the kisser, pow right in the kisser, pow right in the kisser, pow right in the kisser""

Insurance with learners permit in florida?

Ok i'm 15 years old and i just got my learners permit. I need to know if i need to have insurance in order to drive the car with my parents or i only need insurance when i get my license. Please try an answer with evidence and what not, thanks in advance""

Education determining car insurance...?

Here in NJ (USA) auto insurance differs by your level of education. I have an associates degree but if I were to put on my insurance that I have a bachelors for cheaper insurance would that be alright? I have been in an accident once and used insurance once and they never asked to see my degree or transcripts.

How much would a 2005 car cost to insure about?

So i am 16 living in massachusetts and found a 2005 acura that i want to buy and its only $2750 so i can afford it. The only problem would be paying for the insurance. So im just wondering about how much my insurance would cost for the car, i just need a good estimate, thanks.""

""If you pay an annual sum for car insurance, can you get a refund on it if you buy a new car?""

I'm just wondering, let's say I bought some car insurance recently and paid the annual sum. If I decide to purchase a new car in a few months time (and I'm assuming insurance policies are tied to a particular car) would I be able to get reimbursed for the months of car insurance I didn't get (since I'd need to sign up for a new insurance policy on the newly purchased car)? Or is this why you should pay monthly instead (even though it costs more in the long term)? Don't know if it makes much of a difference but I'm also in Australia.""

What's the minimum auto insurance coverage I should have in california?

I'm not talking about the minimum required by law, but what's a good idea to have? Is 100/300/50 BIPD overkill? Are we just throwing our money away?""

""Do i need car insurance 2 do my drivers test even thought is not my car, is my brother car? (califronia)?

i want to take my drivers test using my brothers car. the car has insurance. i just want to know do i show his car insurance or do i need 2 get insurance on my name to use his car and take the drivers test.thanks

Individual health insurance?

DOes anyone have or know of any good individual policies? Im currently self employed and need health insurance. Looking for the best and cheapest!

My car was considered a loss. how do insurance co. determine how much to pay for the car? 2001 toyota carolla

A four door CE model. No major problems some small scratches and dents.

Will getting one speeding ticket increase my insurance bill? Will it show up at all on the bill?

I have Allstate if that matters at all..

17 years old and my car insurance is way too high...?

I'm 17 years old and I live in the state of New York. A few months ago I had a little accident with my moms cars. My father said he'll buy me a car if I pay for insurance... but my insurance would be 3600 dollars per year which I won't be able to afford making minimum wage. Is there anyways I could lower the price for insurance? I really need some help thank you!

What is Yearly renewable term insurance ?

My agent said that that the insurance that they offer has a feature of Yearly renewable term insurance? What is it exactly?

Accident damaged my car how much will insurance give me?

I have a 2004 Honda civic lx coupe and a truck back into me. It knocked off my bumper and I think did damage to the stuff that attaches it because the left side is detached at the headlight and won't pop back. Also the body part over and around the left wheel is bent under and is a danger to the tire. If I end up needing a new bumper and wheel well cover or whatever it's called how much will it cost and how much will i get. Also I have usaa butthe truck that back into me was owned and self insured by vons.

What is the best way to advertise my new practice as a licensed mental health counselor?

i've worked with very disturbed adolescents in a state public hospital for 30 years, and i just got licensed as a mental health counselor. I have an MA in child and adolescent psychology. I have applied to be on insurance panels, but I won't hear from them for about 3 months, .What is an appropriate way to advertise my practice?""

What is the average deductable on car insurance?

What is the average deductable on car insurance?

How much life insurance?

Married, no kids, will buy a house next year, anuual income = about 80K Options: 1x annual salary - free 2 x - $9.44/month 3 x - $18.88/moth 4 x $8.32/month 5 x $37.76/month Also, should I bother w/spouse insurance (about $5/month?)""

How can I find what insurance i had with car I dont have anymore?

After almost 7 years the DMV says that I owe them for a lapse in insurance. Car was repossessed and I didn't take the tag off. (my mistake) I'm pretty sure I canceled the insurance but I can't remember what company I was with or what dealer I got the car from. The DMV had no other information on the car other than the obvious fine. My renewal is coming up and I don't know what to do. PLEASE HELP!

18 year old full cover insurance?

I'm 18 and I have full cover insurance on a saab 97x but I pay 200$ I wanna see what I can do to pay less

What is the best dogs health insurance?

i have a few dogs, and need health insurance for them.""

What is the New York disability insurance rate and NYS Unemployment rate?

What is the New York disability insurance rate and NYS Unemployment rate?

Can i collect disability insurance?

Can i collect disability insurance? i was shot when i was 18 in the ankle and the bullit is stuck between the bone in my ankle. i have worked for a company for 10 years and quit my job two years ago to start my own business. but now as im getting older i can't stand on my leg without experiencing pain or climb up and down things like i used too can i collect disability insurance?

Why are my insurance quotes coming to 20-40k?

Ok so i know insurance in London will be alot for a student like me who is 17, but why is it my friends are getting insurance for 2k in london and when i enter correct information on quote websites (obvisouly acting as if i am 17) that my quotes are coming to 44k, what should i do when it comes to getting my own policy? thansk""

Totaled car w/no insurance please help?

ok bought a new car in oct 09 then it was stolen I made an insurance claim and they dropped me so I paid 3000 to get it fixed after that I didn't insurance back on it because I couldn't afford it at the time it was $412 a month so I finally was able to get insurance and no one would insure me had almost 8 pts I'm 23 and high risk finally my brother totaled the car and I have 17000left to pay and have not missed any payments should I tell the finance co? This just happed and it's still at the police impound he did not hit anyone I just have a fast car and he hit 3 light poles! Should I file bankruptcy? Get it off the lot? Tow it to the dealership? Tell the finance co please help what's the next steps I have no one to help

Do you know of any extremely low cost car insurance for cars?

Please dont say companies like Geico, progressive, etc. i am looking for something that I have not looked at already- that maybe someone on here has experience with. i live in NJ, but that really doesnt matter when shopping for auto insurance.""

Roanoke Virginia Cheap car insurance quotes zip 24040

Roanoke Virginia Cheap car insurance quotes zip 24040

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