We found ourselves back at the Del Mar Fairgrounds during the Kentucky Derby, so this edition is all about a Rich Strike (both the horse and our own Rich Strike).
The Fast Horse
Here at the fairgrounds the Derby was broadcast on the track, so we had to take full advantage. In keeping with the day, we decided to dress the part. We grabbed the biggest hats we owned and adorned them with faux flowers, and we set out for the viewing party
While we both love the sport and have a family member involved in horse racing, we cannot for the life of us pick a winner. So, we do not actually gamble, we just talk about who we would have placed a bet on, and why. If you watched this live (or afterwards), you know the biggest longshot to win the Derby—at 80 to 1 odds—did just that. Our fictitious wager of $20 would have netted us an easily taxable amount of $1600. So, feeling like the winners that we are, we wanted to share our true “Rich Strike” with you.
The Good People
This post has taken a bit of time to publish, but for good reason. We left Del Mar and landed in the Tijuana River Regional Campground, again. We decided not to do an update for TRRC because our dear friends had written about it not too long ago, which is a fantastic read if you have not read it yet.
All right, fast forward to Del Mar for the Derby. We’ve been making the loop from here to TRRC and back to Del Mar because one of our duo (Shana) is in physical therapy to overcome nerve damage. Due to our Retired Military Health Care Plan, Tricare West, we had to stay local to not prolong care. Plus, Del Mar is centrally located to just about anything; with tons of activity here on grounds, we hardly ever have to use fuel.
Our “Rich Strike” is the care we have received leading up to and after Shana’s surgery in December, 2021. We struck it rich the first time when we found Alexandra Myers, DO, in the Torrey Pines area of San Diego last year. She is the sort of doctor who listens and asks the correct questions, not just to identify and diagnose, but to get to know us and how we move around. Now we understand why Olympians trust her with their bodies. After a visit with her, we have always felt ready for the next hurdle to clear.
In true fashion of the gamble, we doubled down on this strike. Dr. Myers prescribed physical therapy and pointed us towards Allison (McKenzie) Allen, PT, DPT, ATC, also located in Torrey Pines, who likewise does rehab for Olympians, professional athletes, and, I am quite sure, a couple of “Avengers.” Seriously, we cannot place a dollar value on our health nor the level of care we continue to receive.
Our rich strikes will always be the people we encounter along our journey and having the freedom to go to them. Finding these two humans makes us feel like we own the Winners Circle after finishing first.
When we set out on this journey, we never really examined the effect an injury or illness could have on our travel. Sure, we looked at health care and insurance, but we never took the time to evaluate the potential outcomes. This came as an epiphany to us when COVID struck us in the desert this past winter. As a team, we both have to be operational for this covered wagon to remain on the trail.
So, for now while Shana does physical therapy, we stay close to this beautiful place—with more exciting news to come.
Cheers, Friends! Drink plenty of water. It’s hot out there now.
Metal Detector Update
Beep, Beep, Beep … nothing to report, but we search on along this fun adventure.
💚🐎🏖💚
Do you have a gold dance organised for when you strike it lucky with the metal detector?
We do not have anything in stone, but seems like we should. I like this idea!