Wednesday, December 16, 2020
Travel Day | Monument Lake, Everglades, FL to Bonita Springs, FL
ODOMETER: 80,806 | TODAY’S MILES: 71 | MILES TRAVELED: 2,861
by Grant
It’s another beautiful morning in the Everglades. The sun’s shining, birds abound and the insects have abated with the sunrise.
We have our usual early morning coffee and catch up on some ‘housekeeping’ for work and projects. Jana and I take the dogs for a leisurely stroll and meet some young guys, Jake and James, who are traveling in a Prius and camping in tents. We chat a bit about their trip and ours. Us on a 40’ RV with four humans and three dogs. Them in a Prius with two pup tents, their fishing rods and bikes.
We also bumped into Chris and Debra, the campground hosts, and had a couple of chats as they did their ritual circuits around the campground. They try to get in six laps of the campground across the AM and the PM, for a total of 3 miles. They’re lovely people and love this spot. It is a great, quiet, and picturesque campground and we have really enjoyed it (sans the biting insects).
The next leg of our trip is only a short one so we take our time getting mobile. Usually we try to travel 4-5 hours on each travel day, but we want to visit Naples and Sanibel Island so we’re heading up to Bonita Springs which is a short hop from the Big Cypress Preserve.
Jack cracked out the drone to get some footage of “Thelma and Louise” in motion as we headed out onto 41 West. We then turn onto 29 North (not to be confused with Charlottesville’s 29 North) and across to Bonita Springs and the Sanctuary RV Resort.
Bonita Springs is north of Naples and south of Fort Myers. Sanibel Island is WNW of Bonita Springs. So we’re essentially smack dab in the middle of all the places we’d like to see, but maybe not in the optimal spot persey.
We get set up and head over to Bonita Beach. On the way there, we stop for some takeout sushi at Tako in Bonita Springs. This is in a little strip mall, but they did a great job with fresh, beautifully presented sushi, poke bowls, Boba Teas and more.
When we get to the beach, there is a strong scent in the air. Turns out there’s a red tide and a lot of small fish dead on the beachfront adding to the pungent odor. We’ve heard about these algal blooms, but to experience the acrid odor and the fish kill resulting from this byproduct of global warming is compelling.
The blooms are dangerous to fish life and crustaceans, and they can be harmful to humans as well. There is a number of organizations tracking and working on this issue, but it really needs a more global approach to the overall problem. Locally, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission track blooms and provides local warnings. Sadly, the undersea populations are not connected to the internet, so they’re flying blind.
We hang out for a little bit as the sun’s dipping over the ocean in the West, but the air quality is not great. The beach is nice though and has lots of seashells and as it nears sunset the light is lovely and we’re happy to be near the ocean again.
We all are a little bit tired, so we decide to pack it up and head back to the RV park. Jana and I need to do a big laundry and a grocery run. Jack and Ellie need to do some catching up on school work as it’s a snow day from Virginia. Seems strange, a snow day in Florida! Another byproduct of virtual school.
4 loads of laundry and an overflowing shopping cart later, we’re ready to reset for the next 10-day stint on the West Coast of Florida.
Jana and I have started watching “The Crown” , so we settle in for an episode before crashing. Jack and Ellie have the night shift with the dogs, which seems to suit them. We offered them the early morning shift but they turned us down. ?
When we get to the beach, there is a strong scent in the air. Turns out there’s a red tide and a lot of small fish dead on the beachfront adding to the pungent odor.
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♥️🎈21🎈♥️
Father’s Day 2025
Mount Jerusalem National Park
Happy Birthday to My Greatest Adventure Partner!
Happy 20th Birthday, Jack!
Grant’s built homes, companies, and communities, but the most beautiful thing he’s built is the life we’ve gotten to share for more than 21 years now. It’s a life grounded in love, kindness, and deep gratitude for our family and all the experiences we get to have together, thanks to him.
I love Grant’s integrity, purpose, passion, and his heart-centered generosity of spirit — whether he’s working on visionary wellness communities or transforming an abandoned shack into our next family home.
Right now, I’m so grateful for Grant’s support during the hardest health challenge of my life, whether it be helping me walk down the stairs, dressing me, driving me to endless appointments, or reminding me of my own strength when things get scary. He holds space for all of who I am, supporting the choices I make for my healing, and supporting my dreams with unwavering belief in me, in sickness and in health.
At the same time, Grant is the best dad to Jack and Ellie. Watching him with them, celebrating their gifts, supporting their journeys, and being their safe harbor is a blessing and a joy. He parents with empathy, kindness, an open mind and endless patience, and show them, every day, what it means to be a man who leads with his heart.
At work, Grant is a force of nature. He inspires positive change, connection, and makes the world better, one project at a time. But beyond his impressive accomplishments, it’s his humility, his servant leadership, and his genuine care for people that truly set him apart. Grant doesn’t just work to improve businesses, he works to improve lives.
He’s taught me that true success is measured not by what we achieve but by how much we care. And Grant cares so much; about his family, his friends, his community, and this planet we all share.
Grantly, thank you for being wild and free, for embracing life’s chaos with open arms, and for loving me and our family unconditionally.
Happy Birthday!
Today, as you begin your twenties, we want to pause and celebrate the beautiful human you are. Your authenticity is a light, shining through in everything you do. You live your truth with a courage that inspires all of us. Your creativity is captivating, lifting the spirits of those who witness it. We admire your dedication to your own art and your profound connection to music, film and art in all forms.
Your unwavering selflessness, kindness and compassion are strengths that move quietly but profoundly, touching lives in ways you don’t always realize. The warmth and care you extend to others is a true reflection of your being. It’s a gift to watch you uplift those around you, always consciously mindful, always compassionate.
As you continue on your artistic journey, know that we are with you, supporting you always. We believe in your art, unlimited by commercial constraints and free from the mainstream’s narrow definitions of success. Your authentic vision, your voice, and your perspective are important and needed in this world.
Keep following your passions. Keep being you—because who you are is truly a gift to this world. Here’s to more years of creativity, joy, and the pure expression of your true self.
We love you so much, Jack. Happy 20th Birthday!
With all our love and admiration,
Mum & Dad
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We are currently sailing the South Pacific to Australia.
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