Bridges and Beers - Great Loop Adventure

 I have been hard at work on the boat the last 10 days. We finally got the port engine running. It was just a clogged fuel line. Replaced the line and she runs smooth and strong. Took her out for a couple hours on Saturday morning and it was a fantastic time. I went out by myself and was able to get her in and out of the slip with no issues. There is nothing like cruising from the fly bridge. It is so peaceful and fun and exciting all at the same time. I think that is where I will spend the majority of my time while driving the boat. See the video below. Friday night I went to Coles Point Tavern for dinner and met some really great people. We sat and talked about boats, the Great Loop, Florida, retirement, and just how to live your best life. The food and the staff there are great. If you are cruising through the area, be sure and meet the owners Chris and Anne. Anne works the bar and Chris is a fantastic cook. The picture is of me in front of the restaurant. It is located on the V...

 I left Austin at 7am 7/5 to make the 22.5 hour drive to the boat at Coles Point Marina, VA. I made it almost to Bristol, TN the first night. Arrived at the hotel a little after 1am EST, about 17 hours with stops for food. I got up at 6:30am and made the last 6.5 hours by 1:40pm to meet with Pete, the previous owner. He graciously spent over 4 hours walking me through many details of the boat and how to operate her. I have many videos and will be studying the videos all month. There is a lot to learn, and he is coming back later in the week to continue my education. I can't thank Pete enough for taking the time to make my voyage a success! I spent most of the evening cleaning the kitchen and unpacking the basics. I still haven't changed clothes from Monday! I didnt get much sleep as I havent changed out the mattress yet and still havent showered, but plan on doing so sometime this morning. The photo is of the sunrise on Wednesday morning on the beach next to the marina. To see ...

 Now that the excitement of finally purchasing the boat is calming down some, it is time to prepare for the Journey. Although the boat is beautiful, there is quite a bit of work to do to get her ready for the journey. Most of it is cosmetic to make the trip comfortable for me and for any guests that come along for part of the ride. So, I am loading up my truck and will be driving out to Coles Point Marina in Virginia in the next couple weeks to start working on the boat.  I will start with completely redoing the V-Berth bedroom (sleeps 3), including all the existing carpet and wall coverings, as well as replacing the old mattresses. I am taking out all carpet and replacing it with waterproof laminate that looks like hardwood. I have ordered all new furniture for the salon that is modular so it can be easily changed from a sofa, love seat, chairs, 2 single beds or 1 queen bed. This video is of the inside of the boat as it currently looks. I will be posting pictures and videos o...