Addicted to travel

Feeling the wheels touchdown at an unfamiliar airport, jumping on a train before the doors close to debark, cruising around with friends in their cars, rocking and rolling on a shrimp boat headed offshore, walking to the back of a motor home as it speeds down the interstate, toasting with home brew in the back of a limousine, navigating my way around Denver on the network of buses, and using a compass to navigate underwater while diving - all in the last few weeks! I'm officially addicted to the traveling lifestyle! It took a major adjustment to living without my own car but it has now been six months since I totaled the white rhino and I am extremely pleased at how easy it has been for me to get around. I'm traveling more with less expenses... I'm not sure how long I will choose to stay without a car but at least now I know it can be done!

So after diving offshore with the gentleman of fortune I flew up to Denver for Levi's wedding. Levi, Joe, and I were roommates back when we were in the Navy. Joe would be arriving via his 29 foot R.V. from Seattle; and as soon as he picked me up at the airport I was home sweet home. The R.V. didn't fit under the maximum clearance sign at the arrivals area, but as he had cars behind him he cautiously continued and inevitably scraped the top of the R.V. and caused a little damage. After putting my bags in the back and then climbing in the navigator's chair to catch up with Joe and help get us out of the airport, he asked me to inspect the back for damage... that was when I learned the R.V. was carrying very special cargo...

(Insert Video)

Obviously I was excited to see Tavo! I was getting a bit homesick for Seattle and I was stoked to get to share this adventure with two of my best friends! After a delicious breakfast and a few makeshift repairs to the R.V. we headed west to meet up with our old shipmate Nick and shower at his work - a 24 Hour Fitness. He sent us on our way with with directions to his place; Left on Long Ave. Right on Long Dr. and right on Long Cir... who named these streets! Confusing to say the least... We managed to get focused and find the place and after the R.V. screeched to a halt it was finally time to crack open a home brew! After a month of withdrawals I was excited to see 50 wine bottles full of home brew (10 Gallons!); a perfect wedding gift for Levi.

We didn't have long to relax though as Levi's bachelor party was that night followed by his wedding the next day. We moved the R.V. to a shop in Loveland, CO that Levi's family owned which was where the bachelor party would get crackin' in a few hours. It's nice bringing our home with us everywhere we go; just plug in and we're good to go! We swapped stories with all of Levi's family and friends and tried to finish off the two huge coolers of beer that was supplied for the party. We presented Levi with our home brew but lacking a corkscrew we ended up driving a bolt into the corks and used pliers to pry them open... Many bottles were passed around the crowd and even though this is definitely a Coors Light town our dark porter was a hit! I didn't sleep the night before so I thought I could sneak off to the RV for some shut eye - but soon found Tavo laughing as he poured water on me and even after shaking that off and returning to my beauty rest I awoke to a rack of fireworks exploding on my chest... Good times guys; I'll get the last laugh!

So when everyone else was hurting in the morning I awoke refreshed and ready to tackle the day; Nick's wonderful girlfriend Ericka arranged dates for Joe and I so I wanted to be able to function at a semi-decent level. At breakfast Nick took one sip of his orange juice and soon found himself jumping up and rushing to the bathroom; returning with a sweaty brow and pale face... He would have to recover quick because the partying would continue for several more days while Joe and I are still in town. Luckily the wedding wasn't until the late evening which gave everyone plenty of time for the well known remedy 'the hair of the dog that bit ya'.

As I was in the best shape I dawned the coveted captains hat and hit the gas til we arrived at the Country Inn near the University of Northern Colorado where the wedding would commence. All of the groomsman were wearing their snow white collared shirts and cracking jokes on each other while waiting in their room to be called for the wedding pictures. The limo arrived and started shuttling everyone to the campus, and giving our respect to the wedding party Joe, Tavo, Nick and I would be the final four to arrive; while our tastefully dressed dates waited patiently for the crazy sailors they knew very little about. We smiled and introduced ourselves to our special lady friends and even dawned matching lei's... I happened to be sporting a backpack full of clinking wine bottles and rushed in as everyone was waiting for us to start the wedding. Literally 10 minutes later they were hitched and we were on our way to the reception! Levi's new wife Christine was radiantly beautiful in her dress; and they make such a perfect couple.

This was a wonderful start to an incredible trip ahead of us. Joe and I will continue on to St. Louis, New Orleans, and then back to Seattle with numerous stops in between over the next 6-7 weeks. Who knows what the road will bring next!