Big Toe in the Wind🎈

[bigtoeinthewind]

New York Flashback

While I was in New York, my Photos app reminded me of this trip to New York in 2018. Here I am on the train with a fresh big chop. Looking at the photos from April 2018, I don't think I was in town a single weekend. The only thing I posted here seems to be a photo of a train bridge in Harlem on the way to Washington Heights.

I went to see Denzel Washington in The Iceman Cometh and added Drunk Shakespeare.

Between The Iceman and Drunk Shakespeare I tried to take an Uber to the Little Red Lighthouse. It's at a park off of Henry Hudson Parkway and the driver had no clue how to get there without crossing the bridge to New Jersey. It was a $94 nightmare that, thankfully, they didn't make me pay.

The next day, I ended up getting a ticket for Once On This Island from TodayTix and realized I had the name I was using on Facebook on my account.

I saw a Gray's Papaya hot dog shop and decided to go there. I did not know they only accepted cash and caused a whole commotion at the register. A nice stranger paid for my hotdogs though.

I can't even remember if they were good. I'm thinking that they must have been because I don't normally eat hotdogs.

I remember feeling strange about my two mishaps (Uber and no cash) but looking back, they both came out fine. I guess there was another mishap with my name. I'm glad they realized that wasn't a real name and didn't insist that my name match that.

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Broadway Tripping

Two years ago, I went to New York to do what I would call my normal weekend trip. I saw two shows (The Wiz and Home). We even did a boat tour.

I was miserable. I couldn't breathe and was struggling. I did a COVID test before going and it was negative. Little did I know that this was the beginning of a sharp decline in my health.

For almost two years, I haven't had the energy or focus to do the things I normally do. All of my symptoms lie somewhere between perimenopause and long COVID. I have been a passenger on a road trip or two but I haven't been traveling on my own for that long.

In November, I booked a trip to New York to see Don Cheadle in Proof. I found out that Taraji P. Henson and Cedric the Entertainer were also going to be on Broadway in Joe Turner's Come and Gone. I figured I had enough time to get my energy up until Saturday when it was time to get on the train.

I was having trouble focusing while packing a bag for a mere overnight stay. I don't know why as I put one outfit in a packing cube and in my mini wheeled suitcase and that was it. I was stressing out over comfort items (tea kettle, tea, etc.) and having to carry them.

After several obstacles including road closures for the Cherry Blossom Parade, I made it on the train.

I was able to check-in early to drop my bag off and that made everything easier. I saw my shows and even stopped by Junior's to get my cheesecake.

I even caught the subway. I will admit that I had been hesitant because I had never caught it alone. I've even had a coworker take me to exactly where I needed to go on the train but hadn't navigated it myself until just before the pandemic.

I enjoyed my trip and I wasn't exhausted the way I thought I'd be. So even though I'm not going to to be volunteering for any air travel right now, I might just be back!

[bigtoeinthewind]

More Cherry Blossoms

This is just a cache of cherry blossom photos. I went down there early in the morning before work for these photos. Otherwise, there would be people everywhere.

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DC Metro MINIs Cherry Blossom Run 2019

Very early in the morning is the best time to see the cherry blossoms without the crowds. I met up with the DC Metro MINIs car club in a parking lot in Alexandria while it was still dark to get there early as a group. I haven't done this in a while.

This date is wrong because this was the first time I used this dash cam.

I'm going to post some more cherry blossom pics since we're in that season.

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I hadn't noticed the monuments on Google Maps.

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Camping at Assateague State Park

These pics were from May 2024. I camped at the state park instead of the national park. The main difference is modern restrooms and warm showers.

We left earlier this time and were still thwarted by the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. It took at least four hours to cross. So we still ended up putting up the tent as it was getting dark, this time while it was also raining.

The next day, the horses came through while we enjoyed the afternoon.

Sunset was pretty.

The people beside us were several families who reserved several spots. They were so loud that this was my least enjoyable experience camping, except for the restrooms and showers.

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Camping with Kia Soul at Janes Island State Park in Maryland

This was from April 2024 at Janes Island State Park in Maryland.

I slept in the Kia on a car mattress from Amazon. Looking up through the panoramic sunroof is why I got this car.

BF slept on an air mattress inside the tent. He was going to sleep in the car but forgot the battery for his CPAP and had to sleep near the electrical cord we were using at the site.

I posted a video about the camping experience here:

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Ballooning in the Shenandoah Valley

I'm trying to make sure I have a post for any photos I have in my header. So here are photos from that time I went hot air ballooning for my birthday.

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This video was from December 2024 and has been sitting in my drafts that long. I decided to post it since last time I was near there, the SkyView ferris wheel had been disassembled due to a lightning strike.

SkyView Atlanta closed for repairs after being struck by lightning

SkyView Atlanta will close temporarily for major maintenance and repairs.

SkyView Atlanta back up and spinning after lightning strike

SkyView Atlanta was closed for more than a month for repairs and maintenance, but the iconic part of the city's skyline is back open, just i

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Botany Bay Beach Videos from the 360° Camera

Here are some videos from my 360° camera. The full video is over 40 minutes so these are just a few clips.

Driftwood up close

Tiny world

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Botany Bay Beach

At the beginning of 2020, I went to a driftwood beach on Jekyll Island in Georgia. I never posted here about it because the world was turned upside down soon after.

Wait a minute! I did include it in a post here:

Guess What I Saw On My Georgia Lighthouse Trip

Guess What I Saw On My Georgia Lighthouse Trip Lighthouses? Of course! But you see a lot of other things while visiting lighthouses. These a

When I saw that Edisto Beach in South Carolina also had a driftwood beach, I had to go. You can only go there at low tide. I would love to know what it looks like at high tide, though. The entire beach is likely flooded. I'd imagine that the marshland that you have to walk through to get to the beach would be flooded as well.

Like the other driftwood beach, it looked surreal. I wonder what makes ocean currents deposit certain things in certain areas.

These little birds were enjoying themselves.

These pics are on the way to the beach.

The AME denomination's presence in South Carolina dates back to 1818 in Charleston, but it was suppressed after the 1822 Denmark Vesey conspiracy. It was re-established in the state in 1863 when AME missionaries began operations in coastal areas, including Edisto Island.

The walk is about a half mile from the parking to the beach.

Here's a stalker pic of me. lol

I will also post some videos from my 360° camera in another post, as I walked most of the beach with it.

[bigtoeinthewind]

First Sunset of 2026 at Edisto Island Beach

This was the first sunset of 2026 at Edisto Island Beach in South Carolina. I do love traveling during the off season.

I tried to do some 360° video as well but ending up turning one of the cameras off. This is what I got.

The audio for both videos is awesome.

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Morning Timelapse by bigtoeinthewind via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4eVV5OJUmI

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Random Panoramas

I just found these panoramas that Google Photos made from my photo library.

Click on the photos to see the full view.

Arizona State Line

Andrews, South Carolina

View from Smithfield Station in Smithfield, Virginia

Centennial Park, Atlanta, Georgia

Saint Paul, Minnesota

Providence, Rhode Island

Utah State Line

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Innovations in Flight at the National Air and Space Museum - Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center These are snapshots from the video I recorded walking around the event. via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpTLAdDuXqU

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I Stayed In A Lighthouse!

Well, it's faux lighthouse but still.

The lighthouse is modeled after the at Hooper’s Straight Lighthouse which is located at Chesapeake Bay Marine Museum in Saint Michaels, Maryland.

I stayed in the Captain Sinclair Suite (top floor) in the Lighthouse at Smithfield Station in Smithfield, Virginia. When you stay in the top suite, you get access to the lighthouse stairs and cupola.

Some of the things I enjoyed were the spiral staircase in the middle of the room, the light at the top, the sunlight from all directions in the daytime, and the panoramic views from the 6 dormers and the 360 degree views from the top.

There's an actual lantern at the top!

These are photos from the bed. Even at night the view was dramatic.

I want to move in! It was definitely a unique experience that I would do again.

[bigtoeinthewind]

I Stayed In A Lighthouse!

I Stayed In A Lighthouse!Well, it’s faux lighthouse but still. The lighthouse is modeled after the at Hooper’s Straight Lighthouse which is

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Holland in Virginia

I was all set to go to a farm to see and pick tulips but I didn't buy the tickets right away. When I went back to buy them, they were sold out. I even woke up early to get same day tickets and they sold out while the tickets were in my cart.

But then I saw that the Netherlands Carillon area had tulips too! You can't pick them but you can see them.

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Here's the view from the grounds of the Carillon.