actthreedotnet

If only I could bottle the smell of salty air and marry it to the white crests of waves crashing to shore, I’d be able to visit my favorite sanctuary more often.  Relive Tybee Island beach with me …

Something about the ocean draws everybody in; well, almost everybody, other than my husband. He’s not the beach, bike, walking kind.  We’re a perfect pair; while I take out my bike and tool around the island, stopping for a long walk along the beach – he stays in Mr. Bus to organize stuff and shop for supplies and groceries.  My text to him sums us up:

Me:  “sitting on the pier, staring at the ocean and eating my apple.  Life is good.”  

Rick:  “found Wal-Mart.  Life is good.”  

Not kidding.

Tybee Island feels a bit like Cape Cod with its casual, unassuming style and its understated store fronts and restaurants, though its beaches are better for walking.  They seem to stretch forever, encouraging miles of wandering without bumping into rock jetties or “private property keep out” signs.  And today was a glorious cool one for the occasion.  Some pelican looking birds kept dive bombing into the waves and came up chewing.  Guess it was time for lunch and the fishing was good.

A number of people seem to live here full-time as neighbors congregate for updates on each others’ lives.  Many of the tourist shops are still closed, readying up for high season business.  And lucky for me that included ice cream parlors, preempting the testing of my willpower.

It’s a great island to bike.  Generous riding lanes line the main drag through town – highway 80- and narrow neighborhood streets meander in front of charming, colorful houses – Jimmy Buffett kinds of houses.

Island kitty

 Of course I had to stop along an alley to visit with this sweet young girl just spayed, her belly still shaved displaying big raw staples as souvenirs.  She couldn’t have cared less as long as sunbathing was available and some good loving from a stranger.  I’ve never met an animal I didn’t love.

My favorite stops in Mr. Bus are always the natural ones: national parks, oceans, woods, lakes, forests – that’s where I want to be.  I can hear myself think and my heart fills with joy.

A million ideas pop into my head and now with my cool iphone4S I can record them for playback in lieu of taking notes.  I love the snapshots of life and imagining what people do with their days and their lives in this home town – whichever home town it is.

Our bus offers that.  Slow travel.  Rich, vibrant travel.  I always say – where ever we go, people live lives there.

Tomorrow we play in Savannah.  It’s Rick’s BIG birthday so he gets to call all the shots.

Stay tuned …