Sunrise on the beach at Punta Cana

What a fabulous vacation the four of us had last week in the Dominican Republic.  The weather could not have been more perfect while we were there.  It was 85 every day, and we didn’t see any rain.  The water was warm, and yes, it really is that beautiful turquoise color.

We got up each day at 7 and walked out to the beach with our towels.  You have to claim your beach chairs early if you want one.  Each morning after staking our beach area out, we took a walk.  The sunrise was gorgeous as you can see, and the exercise was something we don’t get enough of at home.  Long, barefoot walks in the sand is something I am not used to, and consequently, my calves were a bit sore toward the end of the week.  I have never been to a place like that the first week of January, and it sure beats the heck out of the snow and sub-zero weather we are having now at home.

I recommend this vacation to everyone.  It is very inexpensive, and relaxing.  Drop me a line if you want more details.

The Beach

Dinner Time

Just getting things packed for our trip to Punta Cama DR  the morning.   Nothing is better than a beach vacation in January when it is freezing and snowing back at home. At left is a photo of Chel and I that John took while we were waiting to eat dinner.  See more in this gallery.  Just a little reminder of what this week will be like.  We are leaving Shelby very very early.  Our plane leaves CLE at 6am!  We should touch down in Punta Cana (PUJ) around 10.  All food and drinks are included in our all inclusive vacation, which is the only way to go.  I don’t like always watching what I spend while on vacation, and on this trip it is all paid for up front! Just sit back and do whatever you want.

Anyway………more pics once we return.  Buenos Dias!

I am in Houston Texas this week working the National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC) with ATA and the America’s Road Team.  It has been a great week so far with a lot of wonderful drivers competing for the title of National Grand Champion.

I had the pleasure today of shooting a press conference with U.S. Congressman Nick Lampson, Incoming ATA Chairman Shorty Whittington, and America’s Road Team Captain Tony Sifford.  The NTDC was the perfect venue for the conference, as the subject was fuel prices.

Shorty Whittington, Congressman Nick Lampson, Tony Sifford

Yesterday was a beautiful day, and I made the most of it.  I got a call from Mark Friebel about going for a plane ride in his Piper Tri-Pacer. We had it loaded down with a ton of food for a church group outing he was having at his Put in Bay house today.  Also on board was a motor for his golf cart that just got rebuilt.  While Mark installed the new motor, I cut the grass.  We then drove around the island to test out the motor on the golf cart.  The island was packed full of summer tourists as it usually is on a beautiful weekend. 

After returning to Shelby, I checked out the first annual Shelby Cruise In.  It seemed to be a great success for Shelby, as the town is struggling to make a come back.  Main street was lined with dozens of restored classic cars and hot rods. The cars were cruising back and forth through town, and hundreds of people were having a great time.  I truly look forward to this event next year, as I am sure it will be bigger and better!

Last night I had the pleasure of traveling to Sandusky and boarding the Goodtime 1 ferry for their weekly Friday Night Party Cruise, or “Booze Cruise” as they refer to it.  The boat left from downtown Sandusky on it’s hour long cruise over to Kelley’s Island.  On board were several hundred partiers who were hell bent on having a good time.  The ship had a bar downstairs, and a DJ and Dancing upstairs, making this the perfect way to wrap up the work week, and tear into the weekend.

It was a beautiful night for a ride and most all of the passengers were on the upper deck of the ship enjoying some fresh air, sunshine, and after work drinks, while the DJ pumped out the music.  I saw at least 2 bachelorette parties, and scores of beautiful ladies dressed to kill.

Once we arrived on the island, the boat emptied quickly, and the party moved up to the clubs at the top of the hill.  I visited 3 of the bars while I was there, and had a great time at all of them.  My party and I experienced much of what the town had to offer.  There is something there for everybody.  We started off at an outdoor patio bar where we drank our Corona’s, and watched a Karaoke party.

Our next stop was an indoor bar that was packed wall to wall with people dancing, and drinking.  We finally finished the evening outside at yet a third bar where we sat at our table and munched on some hors d’evours and had some great conversation while watching a very intense lightning show off to the north.

At 11pm it was time to head back down to the dock for our return trip on the Goodtime 1.  The crowd was the same one we rode over with, and they were all quite loosened up by this time.  The music seemed louder, and the people were in the mood to dance the night away.  The lightning show intensified, as we could see the storm approaching, and rain setting in just as the ship reached the dock back in Sandusky.  The sky opened up and dumped so much rain on everyone as we were getting off the boat.

For an $18 round trip ticket, it was a great value for a Friday night out.  I recommend taking the trip to anyone looking for  a good time after work.  My photos of the trip can be found here.

Partiers deboarding the Party Boat

I have finally launched my website RandyBroderick.com.   This has been long overdue, since I’ve been using the email from the site for over a year now.  I really plan on putting some momentum behind my photography business this year and into the future.

I will be offering a wide range of products that includes more than just photo prints.  Magnets, buttons, business cards, and photo albums are just a sampling of my product line.  If you are interested in something, please contact me and I will almost certainly be able to produce it for you.

Comments and questions are encouraged, as it ensures that I stay on the right track with my customer base.