Royal Caribbean Cruisers -- How Are Things Where You Are? (was "Routine" ​ 😁 ​day in lockdown... how was yours?)

[Sunshine3601]

1 hour ago, 1ANGELCAT said:

@Sunshine3601  Stay safe. Lots of tornadoes in your area. Bucks county warning right now (Iveyland)

Thank you.  I heard from a friend lots of down trees in her neighborhood and shes right on the border of Ivyland and Warminster.

[Ocean Boy]

We have heavy rain coming tonight from the storm. Hopefully, wind won't be coming, too.

[bobmacliberty]

More about my just ended golf trip.  This is an annual trip of 12+/- guys.  The organizer and myself are the only 2 left of the original group that would take trips to Myrtle Beach every year in the 90s.  We eventually migrated from MB to Florida where we would play the same courses that the pros play (where possible).  We've played Bay Hill (Arnold Palmer's course) near Orlando, Doral Country Club in Miami, PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Innisbrook outside of Tampa, TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, and Hammock Beach in Palm Coast.  We've also been to Kiawah Island, home to the spectacular Ocean Course.  We've been to a few of those places twice and decided to expand to other parts of the country.  This year, we chose the Big Cedar Lodge resort in the Ozarks in Missouri.  I'm guessing that @Sea Dog and others from Missouri, or those who are outdoor enthusiasts, will be familiar with Big Cedar Lodge.

 

Big Cedar Lodge is owned by Billionaire Johnny Morris (current estimated net worth at about $7B US).  He also owns Bass Pro Shops (which purchased Cabela's), Tracker Boats, and a few other properties/attractions in the same area.  His is an interesting story.  He was an avid fisherman as a boy and sold specialty tackle out of his father's liquor store.  He turned that into the multi-billionaire success that he is today.  The resort is advertised as "rustic luxury" and I would agree.  There are a lot (and I mean a lot) of things to do at Big Cedar Lodge that are mostly outdoor focused, but also include a spa and great restaurants.  There's also nearby Branson with it's many attractions.  We however didn't do any of that.  We were only there for the golf.  Flew in Thursday, played 18 holes on Friday, 27 holes on Saturday, 18 holes on Sunday, and 18 holes on Monday morning before flying home late Monday night.  Yup...that's a lot of golf.

 

Big Cedar has 3 full golf courses, each of which are world class, and a couple of par 3 courses, which are also world class for a par 3.  What really put Big Cedar on the golf map was the opening of a new Tiger Woods designed course called Payne's Valley (after Payne Stewart, a hall of fame golfer who was tragically killed in a plane crash in 1999 only 4 months after winning the US Open and is from nearby Springfield, MO).  There was a made for TV match played at Payne's Valley last September with Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas playing against Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose.  Since a lot of golf tournaments were cancelled in 2020 due to Covid, "The Match" got a lot of attention and was broadcast by NBC.  It was a stroke of marketing genius as golfing there booked up very quickly.

 

All 3 courses sit atop hills that give views for miles.  The natural beauty, combined with the man made rock formations and waterfalls are truly breathtaking.  It's amazing what you can do when you have a billion dollars.  A somewhat unique feature of Payne's Valley is the 19th hole...an extra little par 3 carved into the mountainside with caves and waterfalls behind it.  It also has a fun 10 minute ride from the 19th green at the bottom of the mountain, zig zagging back up the mountain thru the caves and waterfalls to get back to the clubhouse. All of the course were in great condition and the weather cooperated mostly, although it was HOT (90F plus every day) and we got a bit of rain after we finished playing on Sunday.

 

More to come tomorrow with fewer words and more pictures/videos.

[bobmacliberty]

37 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

I think that in a previous life I might have been part of his court. Did he mention me in your conversation?

 

He might have, but unless you were called Ocean Boy back then, I wouldn't have known.

[Sunshine3601]

7 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

We have heavy rain coming tonight from the storm. Hopefully, wind won't be coming, too.

I havent seen it rain this hard this steady in a long time.  We dont have wind just pop up tornadoes.  Last I heard on phone alert we are under watch till midnight.  Rain to stop early morning.  

[Ocean Boy]

14 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

He might have, but unless you were called Ocean Boy back then, I wouldn't have known.

Henry used to like to chat about sending people on cruises up the Thames... to the gate leading into the Tower of London.

[Sunshine3601]

5 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Henry used to like to chat about sending people on cruises up the Themes... to the gate leading into the Tower of London.

Thames?

[Ozark_Kid]

Speaking of the Royal family, On our walk back to our rental I think we passed a fan’s car.  Never have seen this before.

 

[Ocean Boy]

1 minute ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Thames?

Yes.

[Ozark_Kid]

There is a band playing 70’s music down town.  I think the way the wind has really picked up here has inspired one of the songs they elected to play…… Against the Wind.   Good song but not one that will stick in the mind.  They also played Somebody to Love by Jefferson Airplane/Starship.  That might stick.

[Ocean Boy]

4 minutes ago, Ozark_Kid said:

There is a band playing 70’s music down town.  I think the way the wind has really picked up here has inspired one of the songs they elected to play…… Against the Wind.   Good song but not one that will stick in the mind.  They also played Somebody to Love by Jefferson Airplane/Starship.  That might stick.

Against the Wind.... Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band.

[Ocean Boy]

16 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Thames?

And you caught it in time for me to fix my mistake. Thanks!

[John&LaLa]

8 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

And you caught it in time for me to fix my mistake. Thanks!

 

Interesting that it doesn't show you edited it🤔

[Ocean Boy]

9 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Interesting that it doesn't show you edited it🤔

Ever taken a cruise up the river to "the gate"?

[Sunshine3601]

19 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

And you caught it in time for me to fix my mistake. Thanks!

Thank you.  Glad to hear it didnt upset you.   I know I do a lot of typos on here, sometimes auto-correct is my enemy.

[mets07]

Water filling our street.  Northern New Jersey.

[Sea Dog]

1 hour ago, bobmacliberty said:

I'm guessing that @Sea Dog and others from Missouri, or those who are outdoor enthusiasts, will be familiar with Big Cedar Lodge.

Yes I've stayed there before. Beautiful place. Never played gold there even though I hear the course is nice.

[Ocean Boy]

4 minutes ago, mets07 said:

Water filling our street.  Northern New Jersey.

Good luck. It will be here soon.

[mets07]

Just now, Ocean Boy said:

Good luck. It will be here soon.

Thanks and good luck to you. May it just stay out of our basement. 

 

 

[John&LaLa]

11 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Ever taken a cruise up the river to "the gate"?

 

Other than a layover in Heathrow, I've never been to England 

[Sea Dog]

Stay dry my friends in the northeast. I'm thinking about you.

[akcruz]

All upon the Northeast stay safe, have seen pics and videos from friends and family from Annapolis up through PA and NJ, looks like it will be a long night ☹. It is amazing how strong this storm still is.

[Ocean Boy]

9 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Other than a layover in Heathrow, I've never been to England 

London is an awesome city. It is a bit like Rome where the new and the ancient intermix with each other.

[BonTexasNY]

1 hour ago, George C said:

We can add shooting at schools to this list several so far in brand new school year , my niece youngest girl who is just 16 changed high schools this year , because of the shooting at her old high school last year . I currently live in a crazy state that just passed a law that anyone can carry a gun concealed or not without a permit . Will hopefully see my niece and her children this weekend.

When I read the headline to that news story I honestly thought it was a joke.  It wasn't.  But then as  Candace Bergen said in the movie Ms. Congeniality: "This is TX.  Everyone carries a gun in Texas.  My florist has a gun". 

 

Hope everyone impacted by Mother Nature's wrath stays dry and safe.

[lenquixote66]

58 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Stay dry my friends in the northeast. I'm thinking about you.

There is a Flash Flood Warning for our area till 12:30 AM .Friends our ours living in an apartment building in NJ on the first floor have water inside their apartment.