This past weekend, we traveled to the east coast for the first time since we moved. The nature of such a visit meant we crammed a whole lotta activities into a short amount of time. We knew it was gonna be a busy weekend going in, but I don’t think we were really ready for all the stuff we ticked off our list. Here’s a (not so) brief look at what we did.
- Friday AM flight through Chicago to Richmond
- Pick up rental car and drive 100 miles to Orange, Virginia
- Check into our hotel around midnight and rush to sleep
- Wake up at 8:30 (very early when you’re on Pacific Time), eat breakfast and check out
- Drive 15 minutes to Skydive Orange, so I can use a gift certificate from my mom
- JUMP OUT OF A PLANE AT 14K FEET (and cross something off my Life List)
- Drive 100 miles back to Richmond and check into the second hotel
- Grab some lunch and a beer… and leave my credit card in the bill where it mysteriously disappears
- Head back to the hotel to get dressed up for a wedding
- Attend Mike and Heather’s wedding at the Edgar Allan Poe Museum
- Drink mojitos, Mexican beers and shots of tequila at the reception
- Wake up a smidge before 8, check out and drive 4.5 hours to New Jersey
- Attend my niece’s sixth birthday party
- Watch the Flyers beat the Penguins before going out to dinner with the fam
- Sleep in our third bed in as many nights
- Wake up after everyone left for the day and cook/eat the scrapple my sister was nice enough to buy (it’s not available in WA)
- Drive to Philly to visit with one of my fraternity brothers, meet his newborn son Abe and see the rowhome they remodeled
- Drop the rental off at the Philadelphia Airport
- Fly home Monday PM through Denver
- Climb into bed at 12:08 am Tuesday morning, after setting the alarm for work
Mike and Heather’s wedding was great, making perfect use (credit: Mike’s mom) of the sunny 75 degree weather. I think they’re perfect for one another (something I told Mike more than I probably should have before they got engaged) and was really happy to see them make it official. Much of their wedding was unconventional, or perhaps just atypical for weddings these days, but it fit them well. The reception seemed to be a continuation of the bachelor party we had for Mike in New Orleans last month, only with all our wives there. [I don’t care what you say Mike, that was not music you could dance to.] I’m not gonna lie, I’m jealous of their honeymoon in France and a host of other countries. Anyway, congrats you two! We can’t wait to lobby you to move to Seattle. <grin>
The skydiving? It was definitely a life experience. I’ll write a separate post once I get the video online.
So, yeah… it was a nutso weekend. I felt a bit like the undead at times and I’m still recovering, but I regret nothing.