INVITE US AT YOUR OWN RISK…WE JUST MIGHT COME TO VISIT

Yep, you invited us!

If you are ever in _______________, you should look me up.  We hear this QUITE A BIT on our Facebook and Instagram posts.  It is always a friendly offer.  But, guess what??  Invite us at your own risk…we just might come to visit! (Especially if you play pickleball!)

Hot Shots Espresso, Morganton, NC

TODAY we surprised Cory, our son’s former basketball coach at his new drive-through coffee stand HOT SHOTS ESPRESSO in Morganton, NC. On a random Facebook post he said, if you are ever in North Carolina, look me up.    Sean said, “Hey, we are heading that way.   Let’s do it!”

AND WE DID!

Cory and Sean at Hot Shots Espresso

The look on his face was priceless as he saw us walking towards the order window!  “They’re from Oregon!” he exclaimed to his wife, Elizabeth. Who would have thought that a random comment on a Facebook post would result in a visit 3000 miles away?

Hometown Hero Opens an Espresso Stand

Cory is a basketball hometown hero who returned to his North Carolina roots to open Hot Shots Espresso with his wife, Elizabeth.

In the Pacific Northwest, coffee kiosks are practically on every corner, but here in the South, we’ve only seen kiosks for ATMs or ice.  As a result of the HUGE numbers of ice kiosks we’ve seen here in the south, we’ve deduced that ice must be a necessary product for daily living .   Money, I get that, but for an Oregon girl, I think, ICE???? Hmmmmmm…interesting.  My point is that they are bringing a little piece of Oregon culture to NC and they are killing it! 

Pickleball brings people together

July found us in Sequim, Washington, for a glorious week of playing my favorite sport, PICKLEBALL! Sadly, on our first morning there, Sean fell and broke his shoulder. OUCH!!! Have you wondered what you do when you are living in a truck camper and you injure yourself? YOU HUNKER DOWN AND HEAL! As a result, we spent the next 6 weeks in Sequim. While Sean was healing, I was playing TONS of pickleball, which is where I met Stu.

Mulege in the Winter

Stu spends 7 months of the year in Mulege. Go there and you will understand why. Mulege is a charming Oasis in Baja Californa. Because it sits at the junction of the Mulege River and the Sea of Cortez, it sports AMAZING fishing, and has the perfect climate for growing all kinds of citrus fruit . Plus there are palm trees EVERYWHERE!

Come play pickleball with me in Mulege,” Stu invited. I warned him, invite us at your own risk…we just might come to visit. So of course, I did! Fast forward to December. Sean and I spent a fun-filled week with Stu, where he showed us the Mulege sights, introduced us to the local characters in bars and on softball fields, and brought us to the best taco stands in town! We had so much fun we stopped on our way north too!

Friends Finding Me on the Road

In the past few weeks, we have also seen the reverse to be true.  People are where we are and are inviting us to visit them on the road!   I have had two old friends from the States message me that they were in MY neck of the woods and they would love to get together!

Mimosas on the Penthouse Patio with Susi in Cabo

Mimosas with Susi

Susi was my daughter’s preschool teacher MANY YEARS AGO!!! Susi is a ray of sunshine: her smile lights up the entire room, she’s HILARIOUS, and always UPBEAT. Imagine my excitement when she said she was heading to MEXICO! Of course, the visit called for some champagne.

Mimosas in the penthouse suite in Cabo?     Yes, please! (We may never leave! LOL!!!)

We had such good time reconnecting.  With good friends, you pick up right where you left off and that strong connection is always there. 

Tres Palapas Pickleball Resort

A couple of days later, I got a message from my pickleball friends, Pat and Brian. They were vacationing in Los Barriles, a small town  halfway between Cabo and La Paz. Guess what? We were in Los Barriles! Sean and I booked a few weeks here so I could once again get my pickleball fix!

Los Barriles is fast becoming one of Mexico’s leading pickleball destinations as it hosts a beautiful new club, Tres Palapas. In addition, to pickleball, Los Barriles offers world class kite-boarding, stunning views, and delicious food. 

Play more pickleball???? OH HECK YEA!!

Besides playing pickleball, we searched out the best tamales, and cheered on the local talent at open mike night at La Fogata. It was so great to catch up, play pickleball with old friends, and make new memories! 

Keep an eye out for Gladys! Invite us at your own risk…we just might come to visit!

Sooo, you can see that Sean and I are NOT SHY!!! If you like dogs (welcoming Sophie is a must), are between here and there, and you offer, “Hey, if you are going to be in my neck of the woods, look me up,” BE SURE YOU MEAN IT!!

Invite us at your own risk…we just might come to visit!  

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