The Final Countdown

TrvlJohn · Post by **TrvlJohn** » Wed May 08, 2013 9:48 am

It is time for our yearly pilgrimage to the best rock in the world.
We have finally made it to the top of the "Forum members on island" calendar.

We arrive Friday and will be on island through the 26th. A couple of firsts this year. We are flying First Class for the whole trip this year. In the past, I have upgraded (if possible) at the airport if the price was reasonable but this year we took the plunge and saved our 'bank mile awards' and booked it. TrvlKaren is so excited. I am afraid I am creating a monster and she will never fly coach again... Also, after several years of bad experiences with taxi drivers on St. Thomas we called Miss Rachel this year and she is going to pick us up. I am so relieved that I won't have to be crammed in a taxi and be forced to endure the scenic route around St. Thomas....

We are not big planners so we usually just get up in the morning, get in the Jeep, flip a coin for a left turn or a right turn at the bottom of the hill, and drive til we want to stop. We did schedule a day sail on Pepper out of Maho with Fred and Renee. We have known Fred and Renee for several years and have never done the sail with them. Since Maho is closing, I thought now might be the time.

We are staying in the same villa (4th time) in Coral Bay and have found over the years that we gravitate more towards Little Lameshur, Vie's Beach, Francis, and Maho. We go to town less every year. I am so ready for this view again...

St. John 2012 by JRSIII, on Flickr

I usually try to do "Live from the Rock" reports while I am on island. I will continue that tradition this year. It is actually much easier now with the Tapatalk app for iPhone - I don't have to worry about uploading the pictures and getting the link and inserting the link into the post - Tapatalk takes care of all of it.

I am also going to map some trails with the EveryTrail application on my phone. I have used it before on trails here in NC-it is a very helpful app. I will post a link when I get the first one posted.

I also have a STJ blog that I created several years ago. It is mostly for my enjoyment, but I usually upload videos and pictures while I am on the island. It is stjusvi.com if you are interested in checking it out.

If anyone has any questions while we are on the island feel free to PM me and I will try to answer them.

Hope to see some forumites on the island.
-John

jimg20 · Post by **jimg20** » Wed May 08, 2013 1:28 pm

TrvlJohn wrote:We are staying in the same villa (4th time) in Coral Bay and have found over the years that we gravitate more towards Little Lameshur, Vie's Beach, Francis, and Maho. We go to town less every year. I am so ready for this view again...

St. John 2012 by JRSIII, on Flickr

-John

That's quite a villa. I didn't know there were villas that were convertables.

Since we have overlapping trips, we will never get to the top of the list this year.

Let's get together again at the BB on 5/19.

We are packing and counting down too.

JIM

TrvlJohn · Post by **TrvlJohn** » Wed May 08, 2013 1:51 pm

jimg20 wrote:That's quite a villa. I didn't know there were villas that were convertables.

Since we have overlapping trips, we will never get to the top of the list this year.

Let's get together again at the BB on 5/19.

We are packing and counting down too.

JIM

I wish that was the view from my Villa. Maybe if I sleep in the ruins...

BB on 5/19 sounds good. I will bribe Karen with flavored rum drinks to get her to go to town.
-John

loria · Post by **loria** » Wed May 08, 2013 2:50 pm

your trip trajectory sounds very similar to ours-- i rarely, if ever get into town once i am over the hill--francis is about as far as i get...lameshur, vies, saltpond, haulover........have a great time.

54b · Post by **54b** » Wed May 08, 2013 5:22 pm

Congrats, TrvlJohn...we leave in a month and have also found that we spend more and more time on the Coral Bay side each trip.

Since you're taking requests and because you mentioned walking trails, I'd like to get your opinion on how green the island looks compared in comparison to your previous trips.

On my trip last June, I thought the island looked noticeably browner than I'd remembered it in the previous trips and I'm hoping the vegetation has bounced back.

mbw1024 · Post by **mbw1024** » Wed May 08, 2013 6:12 pm

Enjoy! Tell Rachel Mary Beth and Charlie are counting the days

SandyPants · Post by **SandyPants** » Thu May 09, 2013 8:28 am

Eagerly awaiting your reports! (Am especially interested in the weather--and the possibility of skeeters--as we will be there right on your heels!)

Happy trails!

vacagirl · Post by **vacagirl** » Thu May 09, 2013 9:20 am

TrvlJohn: Can you tell me where this ruins is located. I have not seen this one yet and since I am a photographer I can see lots of photo potential there. I would like to visit it the next time on the rock. Thanks and have a GREAT vacation!!

TrvlJohn · Post by **TrvlJohn** » Thu May 09, 2013 9:50 am

vacagirl: The picture is from Little Lameshur. It is a long ride if you are in Cruz Bay, but it is a great beach (don't let the dirt road and the potholes scare you...just go slow). It is always quiet and there are lots of hiking opportunities from the beach. there are several trails in the area - Tektite, Yawzi, Lameshur, Europa, and you can take the Lameshur trail to the Petroglyphs if you have the time and the stamina.

There are some other StJ ruins pics here: https://secure.flickr.com/photos/kipspa ... 139536519/

54b · Post by **54b** » Thu May 09, 2013 11:14 am

vacagirl wrote:TrvlJohn: Can you tell me where this ruins is located. I have not seen this one yet and since I am a photographer I can see lots of photo potential there. I would like to visit it the next time on the rock. Thanks and have a GREAT vacation!!

Vacagirl...I'm not a photographer, but I'm big fans of those ruins shots juxtaposed with the blue water as well...that one on Lameshur that TrvlJohn took is probably the gold standard because of the framing and proximity to the bay, but I'd also recommend the ruins overlooking Waterlemon Cay on Leinster Bay.

About a mile down the Leinster Bay trail where it curves around passed the beach and forks, the left side goes along the coast to where people like to enter the water to swim out to the cay and the right side begins the Johnny Horn Trail and modestly steep ascent. Well you have to go up about 100 to 200 yards and you'll reach the first set of ruins. Then there's a switch back and in another say quarter mile there's a little trail leading off to the left where you'll find a really neat set of ruins that offer similar shots as Lameshure, especially on a sunny day.

Other favorites are Annaberg, which is easy to get to (at the start of the Leinster Bay Trail), the Windmill Ruin on the top of Peace Hill and the little stone house on the cobblestone beach on Whistling Cay near Francis/Maho Bay.

TrvlJohn · Post by **TrvlJohn** » Thu May 09, 2013 11:26 am

This is the view that 54B was talking about.
I spent about an hour taking pictures from here overlooking Leinster Bay-it is amazing. I think with the right photographer (not me - no talent!) you would get the best shots on the island. The little spit of land on the right is Waterlemon.

St. John by JRSIII, on Flickr

This is another shot from the Johnny Horn trail I took last year.

St. John by JRSIII, on Flickr

John

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