Author: John Kelly

A Monday afternoon in San Diego CA. I’ve had a few weeks to settle in (47 days to be exact). For now, my new Residence.

After leaving Savannah, Georgia it was down to Jupiter FL. I was so close to the famous/Infamous. Mar-a-Lago I had to see what it was all about. The history of the place is so much more than its current resident. Built nearly 100 years old. Donald Trump has owned it since 1985.

Florida can be so humid. My goal however was to get down to the Bahamas and see the incredible blue waters. Staying in Ft. Lauderdale for a few days and then a once in a lifetime sea-plane ride (round trip) to Bimini for a few more days and what I hoped would be an afternoon of scuba diving with the sharks in the fantastic blue waters off the coast. A half day of instruction (scuba diving) and the following day scuba diving a shipwreck and then another 45-minute dive with The Reef Sharks of Bimini (The real reason I came). Up close and personal with the reef sharks. The experience did not disappoint. “I doubted if I should ever come back”. -Robert Frost. I would recommend it to anyone who likes a unique adventure. It is intense. We were told that the sharks would/could possibly bump into your arms as they swam by. They were close enough to touch many times, but I can’t imagine anyone being dumb enough to attempt it. What a fantastic experience.  The biggest ones were well over 8 feet long. There was no quick darting back and forth. They simply would swim right up to you and beside you effortlessly. If you ever want to get some sense of what it is like, Google “swimming with Sharks in Bimini”.  There are a lot of different dives you can do but for me It Was the Sharks. After 3 days in Bimini, a 22-minute sea plane ride back to Ft. Lauderdale and the long 6-day drive (2650 miles) to San Diego (the hottest 6 days I’ve ever spent driving across the country). My total trip this time around the U.S. was nearly 8000 miles, beginning in My hometown of Missoula, Montana.  Now we’ll see if I am fortunate enough to be able to get a job working back by the Pacific Ocean. My wants are few in this world. I’ve already been so blessed.

I don’t have any plans to travel extensively for a while but there is a thing called a one-year Cruise around the World. It’s actually 274 days (the one I’m looking at). 62 ports of call in 9 months. It usually leaves out of Miami in January, and yes it goes around the entire world. It’s just a thought …… for now.  Oh, and I still have 3 major league baseball parks left to hit (is that ever going to happen).

Thanks everyone for reading my Posts.

It started raining a little bit ago but no worries… Some would say 73 degrees and perfect. Checked into my hotel room a few moments ago. For the money I think I was just blessed. The woman at the front desk gave me a parking space for free ($30 per night for parking is the rate). That just is a rare thing in this day and age. Right outside my door (my car) and in perfect view. I’ll be staying in Historic Downtown Savannah for the next couple of days. Walking distance to where I want to be and what I want to see. Left Myrtle Beach S.C. at roughly 9a.m. this morning and missed almost all the heavy rain except for one 15 minutes of down pour that slowed traffic on the highway down to a crawl and could have been a disaster had people not taken precautions. My guess is that I’ll be heading into Florida within a few days and continue down the eastern seaboard. Three major league baseball parks left and right now it doesn’t seem like I have any interest in knocking out the last three (Tampa Bay, Houston and St. Louis) anytime soon.

Let’s go back and revisit the last three stops shall we. After I left Washington D.C. I headed to Ocean City Maryland for 3 Nights and over did the sunshine that my back and chest were willing to accept. Next was Virginia Beach, Virginia and finally it was to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for the last three nights. I think I’ve had my fill of beach communities for a while. Looking forward to checking out Savannah GA for a couple days now. Traveling can be exhausting and expensive. I have to remember that I’ll most likely never be down these roads and highways again. My door to my hotel room is open and I can sit and write and listen to the traffic outside, and for this moment in time at 3:25pm (Savannah GA time) on Monday the 19th of June 2023(the day after Father’s Day) I am at peace.

The rain has let up and I haven’t eaten yet so it’s off to find a nice spot and more reflection while I enjoy some southern cooking and count my blessings.   Thanks for reading.

Arrived in Silver Spring Maryland 2 days ago after leaving New York in my rear-view mirror. Good to get out of the rat race of the big city. Today, Friday June 9th, 2023, marks 44 years that my Grandpa Kelly passed away. In 8 days, it will be a year since my Uncle Mike Mcgowan passed away. When I think of all the friends and loved ones that have died it motivates me to keep going forward. I’m not sure where I will end up and haven’t over thought it (That Much). It still crosses my mind, however. Getting down to the Caribbean is kind of where I’m heading eventually, I think. We will see if that suits my mind and schedule.

Today I’ll get my laundry done and get the oil changed in my car, also try and find a car wash. I’m lucky to be driving a beautiful car around the country.  I left Missoula 17 days ago. approx. 3000 miles of driving and a 413-round trip on a train to Toronto and back from the vicinity of Detroit (Windsor Ontario Canada).

Yesterday I took a Lime Scooter from my Hotel to the Capitol Building in Washington. D.C.  8.5 miles away. Once again, I saw the sights and for the first time, I went to Arlington National Cemetary. Seeing the Tomb of the Unkown Soldier and the place where John F. Kennedy is buried was special to me. Yesterday there were 24 Buriels taking place (at Arlington). Thats actually somewhat common (from what I understand). I am a veteran but will choose to be cremated. I’m not even sure I would qualify to be buried there. I’ll never know. Every day I feel blessed but am somewhat concerned as to where I’ll end up living the rest of my life. Thankfully I don’t have to make that decision anytime soon.

Tomorrow its off towards Ocean City Maryland for a few days. 149 miles and then probably look for a hotel near the beach. My guess is they are all near the beach (looking at a few maps of the area) LOL.

My energy is good. I feel somewhat fit.

Thanks for reading. Leave a message. I read them.

Arrived at New York after deciding not to stay in Detroit after arriving from Toronto on the train. Does that make sense? You see I started that day out having to catch a 12:15 train out of Toronto Canada. The train was late getting into Windsor Ontario from Toronto. Then the hassle of getting back to my car. Getting back over the border to Detroit. Getting through Detroit and just deciding to keep driving. A few miles down the road, a cheap hotel for the night. Next morning and 585 miles later I would pull into New York.

I was thinking I would spend 3 or 4 nights in New York or more precisely Staten Island (I did).  In the morning it was up and out the door to catch the city (Staten Island) bus to take me to the Staten Island ferry and into Manhattan for the day. My days would have to be worthy, and they were. A helicopter ride to Brooklyn, down the Hudson River and past the Statue of liberty. Seeing Yankee Stadium from a helicopter is something in itself. The ride was approx. 22 minutes long (as Advertised) and I was lucky enough to be able to sit in the front seat with the pilot. Paying $319.00 for a 22-minute ride is not something I take lightly. It is a lot of money and I had considered it a few times previous, but this time decided to take the opportunity. I don’t know as I’ll ever come back to New York again, so I wanted the experience at least once.

In the 3 1/2 days I spent in New York I also traveled the subway a few times, took in Time Square again and of course the Ground Zero-911 Memorial. I also took what was a unique 95-minute scooter ride over the Brooklyn Bridge only to ride through Brooklyn far enough to see a sign for the Manhattan bridge back over the East River and through The Lower East side, Soho, etc. and eventually I found my way back to Fancy Apple scooter rental. It took some doing and was a good experience. The cost of the scooter was $44.00. I lost track of the slices of pizza I consumed in the last 3 plus days, but it was less than ten LOL. It is now Wednesday morning 10:40am June 7th, 2023.

I ask myself often, what is the point of this life? Best I keep moving forward. Next, it’s off to Washington D.C. for 3-4 days. I’ll look for another scooter rental place and try and see the White House, the Capitol, the Lincoln Memorial and all the city has to offer.

Thanks for reading.

Simply trying to become a better writer.

What day is it?  Let’s do the math… So today is another beautiful day in Toronto Canada. My train leaves in another 2 hours back to Windsor Ontario. Then from there back across the border into Detroit, Michigan. Went to the Toronto Blue Jays game yesterday. A 1:10 pm start was nice. A beautiful stadium and a near sellout crowd. It was kids’ day at the ballpark so you can imagine what that was like. How cool to get out of school for a day at a major league ballgame. I don’t ever remember hearing of that when I was a kid, but then I was from a smaller town in Montana U.S.A. so I guess it could have happened in the bigger cities. The Blue Jays won 3-1.  I would have gone to the game the night before, but my train arrived 45 minutes late pulling into Toronto, so I decided to check into my hotel (Fairmont Royal York) and just walk the city for a bit. The history of the Fairmont Royal York hotel is incredible. (I’ll read about in on the train ride back to Windsor). It’s not often I would stay in such a high-class place. The cost alone is more than my budget should/would allow. The beauty of staying in a one-of-a-kind place is that the location itself is nice as well. ten minutes to the water by walking, 5 minutes to the CN Tower by walking and 8 minutes to the Rogers Centre (home of the Blue Jays). I suppose I could try and justify staying at the Fairmont because I never used any transportation while I was in Toronto. Which is to say I walked everywhere. I stay in better shape while traveling because of all the walking. I did however take a short ferry ride to and from Hanlan’s Point Beach. The view of the City of Toronto from the ferry is worth it. I thought the train ride would be a little nicer because of my previous rides on trains (mainly San Diego to Los Angelos and back a few times) in the past. No worries though. The luxury of not having to deal with my car and parking etc. was worth it. Plus, my train departs from across the street from my hotel. Union Station in downtown Toronto. The term Location, location, location. could not be more appropriate. So the day before the Train Ride to Toronto I stayed in Windsor (across the River from Detroit). A chance to go over the Ambassador Bridge (The largest international suspension in the world, 7500 feet). Now back to Detroit and then onto Washington D.C.  I think.

A shout out to my drinking buddy Sean, from Ireland. I now have 3 major league ballparks left… St. Louis, Houston and Tampa Bay.

all for now. thanks for reading.

I always thought that I’d eventually make it to the Indy 500. It happened Yesterday, Sunday May 28th, 2023(finally). I paid $40.00 for a $115.00 ticket from a guy. Scalpers were everywhere. Until you are in the company of some 325,000 people at the biggest sports gathering in the world you have no idea what it looks or feels like. I’m glad I booked my hotel when I did because when I finally got in town (at 7pm) the night before every hotel had been sold out. I stayed in the heart of downtown Indianapolis (Hilton Garden Inn).  50 yards from The Soldiers & Sailors Monument. Look at a picture of the Monument when time permits. The day before I arrived in Indianapolis, I was in Kansas City at a Royals game. The Royals lost 12-10 to the Washington Nationals (Friday the 26th of May). The last thing I wanted to do was get up Monday morn. and drive to Detroit. I opted to stay another day/Night in Indianapolis and am glad I decided to. My goal was to learn how to ride a LIME scooter. I did. A total of nearly 2 hours of riding around the Racing Capitol of the World. I highly recommend it. The city was much quieter Monday morn. Whatever major city’s you may visit in your life, learn to ride the scooters if possible. I saw 10x what I would have normally seen. Tomorrow it’s off to Detroit and then a train ride to and from Toronto for a game between the Blue Jays and the Milwaukee Brewers (Tuesday Night). I’ll spend at least 1 night in Toronto Canada and see how I feel after that. It was a tossup as to whether I would go to St. Louis next or Toronto. I have 4 major league baseball parks left to hit and Toronto and St. Louis are two of them. What can I say about traveling around the country yet again. It gives me purpose and helps me to keep moving forward in a world where I don’t have all the answers yet (most likely never will). Big cities are BIG and they can be Cold, lonely and cutthroat places for people. It sometimes makes me sad. Best to remind ourselves how lucky we are. There are homeless everywhere.  I’m Blessed. Thank you for reading my post(Leave a comment if you’d like, I read them all). Now it’s off to Toronto in the Morning.

Well, I left Missoula, Montana Tuesday morn. May 23rd, 2023.

First stop Casper Wyo. for the night. Next day I headed for Denver Colo. for the Colorado Rockies vs Florida Marlins. The Rockies pulled out a win for only their 21st win of the season. The Rockies sit in the basement of the National League west division. My guess is there were approx. 4000 in attendance. A sad amount considering it was a lovely night. Let me say something about the Colorado Rockies and their inability to see the obvious from This Fan of Major league Baseball. As I walked around the stadium (Tuesday night) a few times I couldn’t help but wonder why The Rockies organization didn’t have what I’d like to refer to as a “Goodwill ambassador”. With roughly 4000 fans on hand, it looked empty. It was empty. This is where a Goodwill Ambassador would be something special. I lost track of all the young families I saw that would have Loved to go and sit down in the lower level and watch the game from that location (a big deal for a child). A Goodwill Ambassador working for the Rockies Organization could/would be able to make that happen. They could simply walk up to some of these young families and invite them to move down into some of the open seats. Maybe give them a voucher for a couple free hotdogs and cokes (to be used at that particular game) etc. How about 5 young families every game for an organization that needs more support when they are struggling to fill even 25% of the ballpark (on many nights). You don’t have to give them game jerseys and all that. A simple gesture by a $ 1.5 billion dollar organization. I guarantee you this, the kids would not forget it and the Rockies would gain a few more young fans. Also, it would be the Right thing to do. The sports world would no doubt hear about it at some point as well. What a concept. I am not picking on the Rockies. This should be a League “Good thing to do” policy. I also found it strange that after the 4th inning you weren’t even allowed to move down into the lower levels. There were literally thousands and thousands of open seats, but fans couldn’t even move down and fill them after the fourth inning, and I was told that wasn’t ever allowed at the Rockies Games. I kept looking at these little kids with their oversized pops and half eaten hotdogs with nowhere to set their food down and Just Watch Baseball (Sad).  Some of this stuff is common sense. I also understand that it would not be possible in some cases especially in the bigger markets when the teams are in contention and the seating is limited because of the fan turnout and the team’s Success in any given year.

So as of the writing of this new blog/post I am in Kansas City for tonight’s Game between The Royals and The Washington Nationals. Game time is 7:10pm. Both teams are struggling with the Royals looking for only their 16th win. With any luck I will be heading to Indianapolis tomorrow for Sundays 107th running of the INDY 500. I am looking forward to seeing it for the 1st time. Over 300,000 fans are expected. I’ll have approx. 485 miles to travel tomorrow to get there for Sunday’s race. Until next time, Thanks for reading!

Today is Tuesday December 27th 2022                                                                                                        Where has the time gone? I started The Ultimate Year Over six years ago. I’ve owned the web site over 10 years. With the interruption of Covid and Family and Life in general, time has flown by. In the last six years I have traveled to the British Virgin Islands by way of The U.S. Virgin Islands and obtained 2 of my sailing certifications (ASA 101 & ASA 103). I passed the written test on my ASA 104 on a 56 ft. Beneteau Monohull (take a look at one of those someday). I have written 2 books “11 Good Things” and “Story Photo” they are currently available at 2 local book stores here in Missoula Montana.  Rockin Rudy’s and Fact and Fiction. I don’t currently have any plans to publish them in a bigger setting right now. I recently got back from another road trip to New York and back by way of Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, and Pittsburgh. Another 5120 miles of driving in 18 days. I currently have 5 Major League Baseball Parks left before I complete the 30 total. I now have traveled to all 50 states. I think I have become a better writer in the process. My intention is to submit some of my papers to a well known magazine and see if I receive a response. I would be surprised if I did but all I can do is try.

One hundred miles out of Tacoma WA. today I pulled over on the highway(10:21 am.) so I could witness the Solar eclipse of the sun.  A 65 mile wide path from Oregon to South Carolina. The eclipse I witnessed was said to have been not quite 100% but more like 92%. You would have to have been in that 65-mile-wide path to have witnessed the full visual feel of a total eclipse. Still it was worth it.  After all I had just Purchased a Venti-Quad-Mocha with just a half pump of mocha. There was no telling what I was capable off.  Who knows where I’ll be the next time it happens. Said to be April 8, 2024

So I’ve come full circle. I left Missoula Montana on July 2nd and headed east towards New York City. Many stops before I would arrive there but I had a plan, kinda, well not really but an Idea that could evolve into what may eventually become an assemblance of something resembling an Idea I had come up with over 8 years ago(did that make sense?). I could rewrite that but why.  What if I could go to at least 1 game at every major Pro Sports location in the United States. Why don’t I just start the trip and live one day at a time for awhile. Forty-nine days later I had traveled 12941 miles and was back in my home town. When I say my home town I always think of John Cougar Mellencamp’s “Small Town”. It will always be that way for me. I just love the song.

As I said 12941 miles in 49 days.  All 4 corners of the U.S.  Portland ME., Key West FL., San Diego CA., and Seattle WA.  19 major League baseball games in 17  M.L.B. stadiums.  Some 36 States in all, I think…  The 10 largest cities in the U.S. and then some.  Six states in 1 day. Did I mention some 10 hotdogs, countless pieces of pizza and an occasional beer. I met great people I’ll never meet again and had conversations that never would have occurred had I not taken this trip.  I also saw the epitome of over spending and indulgence (Washington D.C.), to the saddest place I ever saw in these United States(the Lower Ninth ward in New Orleans). 1091 miles is the distance between the two, and yet a World Apart.

So the question is what’s next? Only time will tell. Denver, Kansas City, St. Louis and then maybe Milwaukee. Or not. A few days to reflect, regroup and breath.

Check out INSTAGRAM :   #thats1luckycar   and/or    #theultimateyear.com

Thanks for reading.

-John Kelly

Friday night in San Francisco was a little bit disappointing at first because I had planned on stopping at Lefty O’Doul’s as I do every time I come to San Francisco(my 1st time was in 1979 with my Uncle Mike). Not this time however. Closed down. Talk of relocating this famous bar has happened in the past and it sounds like a dispute with the landlord has brought it up again. The establishment has been at this location since 1958. Anytime you try and relocate such an iconic place it never seems to be the same again. Is that even a realistic possibility.  What a disappointment.  The last time I was here was with my dad a year ago.

So about Friday nights game, Giants win 10-2 over The Phillies but loose Yesterday and today. Not the best season for The Giants. Take comfort Giants Fans in those 3 World Series trophy’s and those stunning World Series rings all on display for fans to see if they know where to look. They are there at the ballpark if you can just find out where. I did:)  To see the original trophies was the highlight of my night. More different kinds of food to eat at this ballpark than any park I’ve been to so far. That’s always a good thing. A cool San Francisco breeze in the evening was on tap. There is a line attributed to Mark Twain saying something to the affect, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco”.  Sorry Twain Fans but he never said it. He just gets credit for saying it. 🙂 That’s your history lesson for the day. You want more history? Fine.  The park opened on march 31 2000. The Ballpark was the first Major League ballpark built without public funds since the completion of Dodger Stadium in 1962. What a concept. Not to get to political but that is the reason San Diego is loosing there N.F.L. team. The Public voted against funding the new stadium(in San Diego).  The Chargers are in L.A. now. This is just one example. I’ll leave it at that.

Spent last night in Brookings, Oregon(population 6336) after a drive through the Redwood Forest. I had traveled this road once before but this time I spent much more time there.  An early start on this Sunday morning is what I was hoping for and it happened. Lunch in  Newport Oregon. A thriving little commercial fishing town(featured in Deadliest catch: Dungeon Cove). I knew that.  Thats the reason I stopped and had lunch there. Nothing like fresh chowder and the best BLT sandwich I have ever had.  Arrived in Tacoma WA. at 6pm.  A hotel for the night and tomorrow its off to Missoula Montana. It will be nice to get home.

Thank for reading.

-John Kelly