Trips of Discovery

Make the best of your journey, make some memories.

Author: Kazaz

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Milliarium Aureum – Golden Milestone

Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes – SBFL* Stop 0 – PLANNING – The Milliarium Aureum, also known by the translation Golden Milestone or Zero Milestone, was a monument, probably of marble or gilded bronze, erected by Emperor Caesar Augustus near the Temple of Saturn in the central Forum of Ancient Rome. All roads were considered to begin at this monument and all distances in the Roman Empire were measured relative to it. It is believed to be the literal origin for the maxim that “all roads lead to Rome.” On it, perhaps, were listed all the major cities in the empire and distances to them, although the monument’s precise location and inscription remain matters of...

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Slow Boat to Florida

Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes – SBFL* – THE START OF A DREAM – Years ago, I remember asking my local boatyard owner and trusted mechanic if we could go from our home port in the northern Chesapeake Bay to Florida with my then first powerboat, a 25’ Rinker Cruiser, Happy Time.  His response was, “Sure, why not?” That surprising answer provoked a strong exclamation from me, saying, “Really!?” and sparked a huge curiosity on my end. I said, “Do you know of anyone who did that with a 25’ powerboat?”  His response was even more surprising. He said that in the late 60’s and early 70’s, some people actually went to Florida with their 16’...

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To have a power or sailboat

Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes – Now, we’re on really sensitive territory! For me, sail boating wasn’t part of my dream, ever. I love and adore sailboats, I love looking at them and visiting them, but they are not for me. To have my kind of fun, I would need a 45’ – 50’ sailboat, but then dealing with it would no longer be fun for me. As far as I am concerned, it is too much work to pilot a sailboat.  I deeply respect those who are doing it. Although they have fuel engines, they are primarily designed for wind, need I say more?  Sailboat Race on the Chesapeake. The Wednesday Night Races on...

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A lost colonial town

Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes – Recently, a Scottish Weekend program took us to a fascinating spot on the banks of the South River in the Chesapeake Bay. (North 38 degrees 56’ and West 76 degrees 32’) We didn’t realize until much later that we could have gone by boat and docked there, rather than driving. We discovered a lost colonial town that we could do a day trip to with our boat. Back in its day, the town had up to 300 dwellings, a tavern, and a ferry boat that crossed the Chesapeake Bay’s South River.  Apparently, ferries were a critical link in the colonial transportation system. By the 1730s, nearly every road in...