Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

The $400 Laundry

Tuesday-Thursday December 17-19  2013
Sebastian Inlet State Park


 

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So where is the beach weather?

 

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The winds have continued to keep us away from the beach for another two days. And away from kayaking and biking too.  The last time we were at the beach was last Wednesday, December 11th, the last day of Ron Jon’s photo shoot.  He definitely has a connection.  The weather hasn’t been as good since he left.  It’s been over a week since we’ve been to the beach.

Highs have only been in the 60’s the last few days and with 15-20 mph winds it feels pretty darn cold.  I know, I know, those of you in the frozen North where highs are in the 30’s don’t have much sympathy and I don’t blame you but gee, we drove all the way down here to have some warm sunshine. whine..whine…

 

 

 

 

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This morning there was a lovely full moon behind me as I watched the sun rise.  I’ve had the moon behind me as I watch the sun set as well.  The recent sunsets have changed in the last couple of days.   The skies have not been cloudy at all and sunsets have been much less spectacular.  But like a sunrise, any sunset is a good one and being able to see them both over the water is one of the terrific things about this location.

 

 

 

Now about that laundry.

 

With not much else to do yesterday, I decided to do the laundry.  Not enough quarters so I thought I’d bike up to the office and get $5 worth.  The laundry here is fairly limited but the prices are right.   3 washers and 3 dryers in each bathhouse but two of the washers in the first bathhouse don’t work so anyone who wants to do more than one load has to go to the second. 

 

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I think I’ll hop on my bike to make the trip to the office a bit faster.  My bike is on the car, hope springs eternal for some biking possibilities.   David is busy.  I’m short.   I go out to get the bike off and it is not cooperating.  I finally manage to get it on the ground, bike up and get my quarters, do the laundry and when I come back David says.   “Did you have a hard time getting the bike off the car”?   And of course the answer is that I ALWAYS have a hard time lifting the bike up or down around neck height.  Seems somehow in getting it off I rammed a hole in the tail light which is a $45 part.  So the cost for doing the laundry just went up from $5.50 to $50.50

 

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So how did it become a $400 laundry?

 

Needless to say I was none too happy to see this.  We’ve replaced a different part of the taillight when David banged it with the bicycle in 2011.  That piece was over $50 too.   Over the past 3 years this Thule bike rack has rubbed marks on the trunk that we can’t buff off.  So this was the straw that broke the camels back.  I think I’m going to have no choicer but to throw some money at it.  We need a new plan for carrying bicycles.  

If anyone has any experience with Honda Accords and hitch racks, please share.   This seems like the perfect answer for ease of on and off except that we tow Ruby on a tow dolly which puts her at an angle and I’m not sure whether the whole  bike thing will be too close to the ground or whether that angle will be too much weight on the hitch. 

 

Swagman hitch rack

 

Of course if poor Ruby the sherpa didn’t also have to tote the kayaks then we could put the bikes on the roof.  But we both agree that we just don’t find the sea eagle easy enough to use or substantial enough for the places we like to go.   I like the swagman which runs about $200 and the hitch about $150 so now our laundry cost has risen to $400.   Anybody out there have a Swagman xtc-2?

 

 

 

 

We’re sure hoping the wind will lighten up for Carrie’s visit.  We pick her up on Saturday morning.  Temperatures look good and I suppose given that she’s coming from Maryland she’ll be thrilled with what we are guilty of taking for granted.

 

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But today was the day we’ve been waiting for.

 

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Hoo Ray!! We went back out to the beach today. The winds weren’t gone but they were manageable or at least we thought so although other than the surfers, we were about the only people on the beach. No going in the water for me this day. The winds still made the temperatures feel cool and we were out in long pants and long sleeves.

 

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The day was gorgeous, the skies were blue, the clouds puffy, the waves terrific and the surfers were fun to watch.   We named them the babe, the beau (they came together), fancy man (he did some pretty slick board flipping moves), long board (we’ve seen him before and he is really an excellent surfer who uses a particularly long board) and hat head (for obvious reasons-don’t think we’ve ever seen a surfer with a hat).

 

 

 

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We had a great time watching all the antics of all the creatures in and around the water today.   We’re hoping for a series of great days to come.  Carrie will be here day after tomorrow!!

 

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Here you are ladies – THE END!!

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23 comments:

  1. The last shot looks pretty good to me! I'm glad Carrie will be joining you, and I hope the weather is the best so far.

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  2. Love it, people watching on the beach. Just as fun as watching the birds. I have a bike rack that looks like the picture you posted, not sure of the manufacturer. It holds 2 bikes without any problems and they even fit with the spare tire being on the back of my RV. There is a curve in the bracket that lifts it up a little bit. I read something about making sure that the exhaust was not near the bikes. I purchased this rack around Christmas 2011 and there may be pictures on my blog. The only minor problems is the locks sticking sometimes. So, now I do not use their lock, I use a covered chain and lock.

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  3. Don't think of it as a $400 laundry, think of it as a chance to get a better bike carrier:) We use a Swagman hitch mount that holds three bikes and have yet to damage the car.

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  4. Nice day at the beach.... and a great view for everyone!!

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  5. Glad you finally got back on the beach. The Swagman is a decent rack. We have an excellent hitch rack by Raxter, but that would make your laundry day even more expensive!

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  6. Oooohhh la la! What a yummy final photo!

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  7. Sweet! I think I need to get to a surfing beach.

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  8. Sorry Ruby got a boo, boo;o(( Hey, it was 31 degrees here in sunny South Carolina yesterday...can't wait to get to Florida!!! Know you are excited about Carrie's visit and the warmer weather that will greet her. Merry Christmas to all:o))

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  9. So excited that you will finally get to see Carrie! You didn't mention the operating system issue so either you've got it fixed or else knew you couldn't discuss it without x-rated language and after all, this is a family blog! LOL! We have a Saris Thelma bike rack that we absolutely LOVE. WIth rheumatoid arthritis, I was unable to load or unload my bike on any other type of rack that required me to lift my arms over my shoulders. The Saris has been PERFECT and we have not regretted it for one minute. We used it with our Kia Spectra, so would be similar to Ruby.

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  10. No experience with bike racks, so I can't give you any input. But I do like your beach day ... with or without the surfers for entertainment ;-)

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  11. Sherry, you made no mention of your browser/blogger issues, but I came across this today and thought it might answer some questions for you ... http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/2013/12/internet-explorer-updates-and-use-of.html

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  12. Whew. I was almost sure you were going to say your bike was stolen. A new bike rack was a relief in comparison.

    Glad the wind is settling down enough to enjoy a day at the beach. Those surfers must be pretty avid to be in that cold water with no wet suits. Love the shots.

    Carrie for Christmas is a big yay. We will not be with any of our four children again this Christmas and have vowed to make different plans for next year.

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  13. We have that bike rack, but on the back of the fifth wheel. The only thing is that movement on the road causes the upper supports to rub on the bike and have rubbed the crossbars down to bare metal :(. We have used some foam over the crossbars to help. Anyway... Your beach day looks fabulous! It is going to be 82 here today..yay!

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  14. Thanks for the surfer BABE pic, I may have to drive down to that beach for my own pics now. With this cooler weather, we have been taking long walks on the island, where there is almost no wind. It was a nice Sunrise this morning with all the scattered clouds changing colors as it progressed. Hope you enjoy today and the weather should be great for your daughters Christmas visit.

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  15. We have a Swagman and it can rub the frame of your bike raw. We use a 4 inch piece of noddle wrapped on the frame to prevent any damage. I can't address the issue of the angle while being towed on the dolly but it does make your car longer. I didn't even think about tree behind me as I backed up. Only happened once! I'm much more aware now.
    Syl

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  16. Haven't been in the water here, only 54 in the water, but we have been enjoying walks or bike rides on the beach everyday, temps headed to the 70's & 80's for a few days. No advice on the bike carriers, I carry the bikes on my truck, uses the hitch mount. Enjoy your time with Carrie, Merry Christmas to you all.

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  17. The wind makes some pretty good waves for those surfers but it does make the beach colder for the watchers.

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  18. We have the Swagman on the back of a Honda Fit. We love the rack for ease of getting the bikes on and off. As already mentioned, it will rub the paint on the top bar of the bikes, so we cut a short length of old inner tube and taped it onto the frame area at the contact point. Other than that negative, I like the bike rack. (Note: our Fit is towed 4-down, so I don't know how the angle of your car being towed on a dolly would effect the clearance between the bottom of the bikes' tires and the road surface.)

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  19. Or you could just upgrade to a new pickup truck to put the bikes in the back. Then it would be a $40,000 Laundry... ;c)

    I'm sure David, the mechanical genius with devise the perfect solution, and for a lot less than $400!

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  20. I'm glad you finally got a good beach day. When we've been on the east coast of Florida during the winter months, I always found it really cold on the beach. It would be lovely a block away, but that wind blowing onshore would make it so cold. I think you'll find it much better on the Gulf coast. Less wind coming off the water so you'll be warmer. At least that's my experience.

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  21. Another nice "ending" to your day. Thank you!

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  22. Oh how annoying that the light cracked! Those names for the surfers are so funny! How entertaining they are. Finally a good beach day :) Great bird pictures - especially, the pelican! Beautiful moon :)

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