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American Spirit II - Day 473; Haircut, Elvis Presley, Laundry, Pictures & a Very Special Dinner at Chico's; Friday, April 24, 2015



New tracker information from Rally Control:



Now that the World ARC has finished, the rally reporting and mapping has also finished. Yourself, family and friends can follow the progress of American Spirit on your YB private page http://my.yb.tl/americanspirit



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One year ago today:



"Day 111; Stephen Kirk Last Day, Laundry, 1st Day Downtown, 3:00 PM Skippers Meeting, Rendezvous Party and Dinner in Papeete Rouletee (SP?); Thursday, April 24, 2014. Up at 6:40 AM. Breakfast at 7:20 AM. Stephen finishes packing and departs for home to Bend, Oregon.



Today is 'sheet' laundry day. The only items on the boat we can't really laundry ourselves because they're so big. I got to the laundry at the marina, which has 4 washing machines that hold 22 pounds of laundry; and one dryer. The cost to operate is 800 French francs (8 coins); and it takes 45 minutes for a wash cycle. My intention was to get to do laundry before anyone else got there. Even though there is only one dryer, it seems like that isn't a problem as a lot of boats like to hang out their clothes to dry instead of using the dryer. I stay in the laundry room, reading my kindle."



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Up at 5:35 AM, way too early. I guess I 'thought' I was going on watch to relieve Darlene at 6:00 AM.



In going over my emails I see that the World Cruising Club 'Drop Boxed' around 600 pictures to all of us; with each boat receiving pictures of their boat and crews plus all the other boats. A nice, unexpected touch by our Rally organizers. Thank you WCC.



At 8:45 AM Joel, Darlene and I go to our favorite breakfast restaurant, Two Friends Bar. David, our waiter, is super. Breakfast consists of items we never have on board: pancakes and French toast. During breakfast or right after it, Janet texts me and advises me that my AOL account has been hacked. Sorry to all the people who received my hacked email. If you clicked on the address in the email you probably shouldn't have.



After breakfast while Joel and Darlene head back to the boat I go to 'Bobby Shop' for a haircut. I get directions from Heather, and after a 15 minute walk I'm there. Its right off Duval Street and across the street from the Green Parrot Bar, Key West's longest serving bar. Once at the Bobby Shop (barber shop, get it?) I notice as I wait for Heather that a wall is covered in Elvis Presley pictures, posters and album covers. I take pictures of these and will send them to Darlene, maybe Elvis's biggest living fan, later in the day. The haircut is a good one and costs $20.00.



Around 10:30 AM Heidi from Enterprise Car Rental calls me and I relay the information to Joel. Joel has to take his passport to Custom's at the Key West airport because they need to actually see his new passport to make sure its properly entered into the Local Boater's Option program. Enterprise picks Joel and Darlene up and drives them to the airport to get a car. If they had taken a cab to and from the airport it would have cost at least $60.00 round trip; equivalent to the cost of one day's rental. In order to get into the Custom's office Joel had to call a number on the door for them to let him in. No cell phone, no get in. Talk about tight security. Welcome to Key West.



I'm back at the boat at 11:30 AM where I pick an item up and then I'm off again with the item to have it 'fixed' at a shop in town. I can't say what the item is because then everyone would know what it is. Top secret. Go figure.



After getting the rental car, Joel and Darlene stop at a Publix to buy some items for the boat. Actually, Joel drives to Publix to buy his favorite Mexican beer, Negra Modelo. And then Joel takes Darlene to a nail shop to have her nails done. Two nails have broken, so it is imperative that they get fixed.



Once back at the boat I take the laundry into the Galleon Condominium where 2 washing machines and 2 dryers await me. Each load costs $2.00 per wash and $2.00 per dryer; and I'll have 4 loads today as I'm washing a full set of sheets for the V-Berth and aft cabin. One washing machine and one dryer are already in use; and when they're both done the person who 'owns' those clothes chooses not to come deal with them for 30 minutes. From 2:00 PM until 4:45 PM I'm doing the laundry and waiting around so that I don't lose my place in line. The laundry machines are in an open non-air conditioned area so it's really hot; and there's no place to sit down. So I stand and read my Kindle. Once I'm done I use a cart to bring the clothes back to the boat, then separate them into 3 separate piles.



During the afternoon Joel is organizing our million pictures from out trip on his computer and putting together a slide presentation we hope to have ready for our welcome home party May 2nd.



At 5:30 PM I head to the pool to cool off, have a drink and relax. I'm successful.



At 7:20 PM we head off to Chico's on Stock Island. Chico's is owned by our friends Kent and Robin, of Enigma fame. Enigma was a 72 foot sailboat that Joel and I sailed on in 2009 on the race from St. Petersburg to Isla Mujeres, Mexico. The boat won line honors in being the first to finish the 456 mile race, but Robin's dad, who owned the boat and was its Captain, had a heart attack and died on the boat during the race. Tomorrow, April 25, is the 6 year anniversary of his passing. Rest in peace, Bob. Dinner at Chico's is maybe the best Mexican meal I've ever had.



After dinner we head to 'The Porch' for drinks with Kent and Robin. I call it a night at 11:30 PM and Joel and Darlene are back at the boat around 1:15 AM.



Brian Fox


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