Thursday October 16: Richmond and Williamsburg, Virginia
After a great night's sleep last night and a leisurely breakfast this morning, we got cleaned up, dressed, and struck out in the car for Cary Street in downtown Richmond.
The purpose for this leg of the trip was to spend some quality time in Big V with grandchildren Ava and Jack, the only grandchildren who had not only not been inside Big V, they had never seen it. The timing of our trip coincided with Mike and Kelly's 6th wedding anniversary, so it was only natural that we take the grandkids for a few days and let the kids enjoy their special time together.
Now, an adventure like this doesn't happen without planning, but we all did our homework...we arranged to find an RV park with a heated swimming pool, and Mike and Kelly did a great job of preparing Ava and Jack for a few days away with Gramsy and Gramps.
With all our ducks in a row, we drove to Cary Street to enjoy a family meal at one of our favorite restaurants, Thai Diner Too. We got there first and decided to order some appetizers (we usually let Mike and Kelly do the ordering, since they know what they are doing, but we were feeling particularly adventurous today). And, while we were at it, decided to take some photos (surprise, surprise!).
After awhile, Mike, Kelly, and the kids showed up. We ordered our meal and then visited while we waited for the dishes to arrive. Jack had just waked up from a nap and wasn't sure about all this, so he stayed pretty close to Mike.
After a fun lunch and a great visit, it was time to switch cars (we didn't want to have to move car seats and all the kids' stuff to our car, so we traded cars for a few days), loaded the kids into their seats, said goodbye to Mike and Kelly, and we drove off for new adventures while Mike and Kelly returned to work.
The first thing we did when we got to the RV park was take the kids' photo with Big V. Jack was more interested in looking at the trucks passing by (for him, eveything with wheels is a truck).
And then we got Ava and Jack inside and showed them their new living and sleeping spaces.
Later, our friends Rod and Ruth Kunkel stopped by for a visit. We first met Rod and Ruth in 2007 when we worked with them helping to build a church in Lady Lake, Florida. We became fast friends and always try to get together whenever we are close to each other.
The kids played and explored while we talked...
And then we all went to the clubhouse to explore the game room...
And continue our visit with Rod and Ruth...
Pretty soon it was time for our friends to leave, but not without a group portrait.
We were all tired from our day's adventures, so it didn't take long after supper to get showers for the kids (they did much better than we expected), and turn the living room into a bedroom for Ava and Jack. Mike and Kelly have the kids on a good daily routine, so there was no argument when it was finally time to turn out the lights and get some rest.
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Friday, October 17
Everyone woke up in a great mood this morning. Jack and Ava each had their morning drinks and then we all worked together to make banana pancakes from a recipe that Leah gave us last summer to use with Alexander, Abby, and Jimmy. It's pretty simple...mash a banana, stir in an egg, and give to Gramps to cook the mixture on the griddle. Ava ate about half of her recipe, but Jack wasn't so sure about it once it was made, so he went with his traditional breakfast.
Then it was movie time...
This morning seemed like a good time to hit the indoor pool...
And then return to Big V for lunch...
Followed by a nap and some more play time in Big V...
Jack likes lounging around in his swim suit and sitting in Gramps' chair...
This evening we all got dressed up (kind of) and went into Williamsburg to meet former Liberal students Phillip and Kim Roth. Phillip is an Air Force officer, stationed at Langley AFB, and Kim is in graduate school. One of our great pleasures is hooking up with former students when we travel, and tonight's visit was a real treasure.
To say Ava and Jack were tired would be an understatement...They were gone before we got out of the parking lot, but what troupers they were today!!!
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Saturday, October 18
We were all so worn out from the late night we had last night that we slept in this morning. Jack finally got us all going with his usual playfulness. After breakfast, we just had some fun time in Big V.
Both kids were really good about keeping up with their things and putting them away when they were finished playing.
Today was laundry day for all of us. While Barbara started the wash, I watched Ava and Jack in the game room. Barbara joined us when she had the washing machines going though she had to take care of the bills. Some things have to be done even if you're not at home!
The kids even helped move the wet clothes from the washers to the dryers.
While the clothes spun around in the dryers, we explored the playground...
When the work and playing were done, took time out for lunch and naps...two very important events!
Mike and Kelly came by this afternoon. They had decided to spend their special weekend in the area and then meet us on Sunday to pick up the kids.
After a short visit in Big V, we all drove the few miles to Sonic to enjoy a very informal meal.
The kids were ready for some serious swimming activity tonight, so after Mike and Kelly went their way, we returned to the RV park, changed into our swim suits, and hit the indoor pool...Which resulted in a somewhat catastrophic event when I got so busy getting Jack ready to go into the pool that I forgot that my cell phone was in my bathing trunks pocket. Now, I never was much good at chemistry, but I can guarantee you that I know that NaCl + H20+ a cell phone = disaster!
Then back to Big V to get evening showers and change into pajamas before beginning the evening activities.
Before we left Mineola, Aunt TJ gave us some special gifts for Ava and Jack. Since she has never seen them, she wanted them to have something from their great-great aunt TJ and great-great-uncle Harry.
Ava received this Japanese doll...
And Jack got an antique truck...the perfect gift for him...
Both kids enjoyed their story time tonight...
But "free play" and a movie were the highlights of the evening...
It had been a long and busy day, so there weren't any complaints when Gramsy and Gramps announced it was time for bed...what a fun, fun day it was (well, except for the cell phone bit)!!!
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Sunday, October 19
Today was the last day of our Big V Adventure with Ava and Jack. We started the day as usual, with breakfast, games, and movies.
Followed by packing, loading the car, and a final few minutes at the game room.
When the car was loaded, we did a final inspection of Big V to make sure we had everything that belonged to the kids and then took time for a final photo shoot with the four of us.
And headed off to the far reaches of Williamsburg to catch up with Mike and Kelly at the Old Chickahominy House near the College of William and Mary.
The kids had a good time with Gramsy and Gramps, but were more than ready to be reunited with Mommy and Daddy!
Ava wouldn't leave Kelly, but Jack joined Mike and me for a three-generation guy photo.
After a wonderful meal (they don't serve any other kind), we all said our goodbyes and the kids headed back toward Richmond while we stayed behind to do some serious shop-looking.
When we finished at the Old Chickahominy House, we got back into OUR car, and enjoyed a leisurely drive back to the RV park, where we spent a quiet evening in Big V. Our time with Ava and Jack exceeded our highest expectations, but we had fulfilled our grandparent obligations...we enjoyed the kids, spoiled them for three days, and then sent them home with their parents!
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Monday, October 20
After a restful night, we took our time getting ready for the day's adventures; then got dressed, took some photos of us looking like real people, and left Big V to see what we could see.
In previous trips to this part of Virginia, we visited Colonial Williamsburg and Jamestown. Today we completed tours of the Colonial Triad by driving down I-64 to the Colonial Parkway and heading for Yorktown and the site of the Revolutionary War battle that ultimately secured independence for the United States and significantly changed the course of history for the world.
While we had expected to follow the Fall colors down the coast to the Carolinas, we found that they hadn't really begun to change in Virginia. Still, the beauty of this part of the state was inescapable as we drove along the highways and byways. And it didn't take long to discover points of significant interest along the coast.
The next point of interest was part of the Yorktown Naval Weapons Base. We were able to park in a turnout that allowed a distant view of the massive dock where ships anchor to load and unload weaponry that is distributed to U.S. naval forces around the world.
We took some scenery shots just because we could...
We drove down the Colonial Parkway to Colonial Yorktown and the visitors center at the battleground site. Using our National Parks Senior Pass (one of the best bargains in the country...several years ago we paid $10.00 for a lifetime pass to national parks...that purchase has more than paid for itself over the years), we entered the visitors center and began our education for the day.
The visitors center has a large number of exhibits, but we were particularly impressed with the mock-up of the USS George Washington, displaying aspects of shipboard life during those times.
Outside, we took a couple of shots of the area around the visitors center, the site of the British encampment.
We had purchased a CD to use on the auto tour, but even working together, we couldn't figure out how to pause the silly thing without turning it off and starting all over again, so we just listened to the first part and then followed the markers until we saw something that we thought was interesting.
Redoubts 9 and 10 (earthen bunkers reinforced with logs and stones) were captured by American and French forces, allowing the Allied troops to establish a battlefield presence for firing heavy artillery at the British troops at point-blank range.
Of course, it was important for me to make a close inspection of one of the pieces...
As it was in Gettysburg, the battlefield is now a showcase of nature's beauty, belying the horrific sights and sounds of the 9-day siege that forced British General Charles Lord Cornwallis to request a cease-fire to discuss terms of a surrender.
Where once there was the thunder of artillery, the screams of men as battlefield surgeons amputated arms and legs, the crashing of trees being felled for use as fortifications, and the rumble of wagons carrying armament and ammunition to various battlefield sites, today we saw deer grazing in the meadows and waterfowl swimming unconcernedly in the waters of Wormley pond.
There was the Augustine Moore House, where officers from both sides met to negotiate the surrender terms for Cornwallis's army.
Surrender Field...On October 19, 1781, Cornwallis's army, more than 8,000 strong, marched onto this field and laid down its arms, thus ending the last major battle of the Revolutionary War.
George Washington's notification to the Continental Congress of victory at Yorktown...
General Cornwallis's notification of surrender to the Commander-in-Chief of British forces in America...
Captured British armament...trophies of war...
A stream crossing near the site of General Washington's headquarters...
The French Cemetery...
Wormley Pond...
The Siege of 1781 took a heavy toll on Colonial Yorktown. What had been a thriving community of 200-250 buildings and a population of 1,800, was reduced, by the end of the Revolutionary War to fewer than 70 buildings and only 661 residents.
The Second Siege of Yorktown occurred in the spring of 1862 during the American Civil War when the town was defended by Confederate forces under Major General John Magruder, utilizing refortified and extended remains of the 1781 British defense line around the town. Magruder and his troops were forced withdraw and the town served for the next two years as military headquarters for the Federal-held district of Eastern Virginia.
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With our visit to Yorktown completed, we left the park and went back north. We decided along the way to cross the York River toll bridge to see what we could see at Gloucester Point.
We found a delightful little beach area with a great view of Chesapeake Bay and the Intracoastal Waterway, complete with shipping traffic.
After crossing back over the York, we followed the river passed the massive Naval Weapons Station Yorktown...
Until we finally re-entered I-64 and worked our way back toward Williamsburg. Since we still had some daylight left, we decided to see what we could do about getting a new cell phone to replace the one I baptized in the swimming pool. A young man at Walmart sold us a unit that he assured us would be accepted by Verizon utilizing our current plan. After a half hour drive to the nearest Verizon store, we learned that the Walmart guy didn't know what he was talking about, but that Verizon would be happy to replace the phone for $600 (we still had until March on our current contract, and no one seemed to be willing to negotiate any deals).
So, we left the Verizon store and made the half hour drive back to Walmart to return the phone (and an additional half hour in Walmart until someone could be found who knew how to do a return.)
It was well after dark by the time we finished at Walmart, so we just drove back to the RV park, spent the rest of the evening packing and getting Big V ready for travel, and then went to bed and crashed.
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Tuesday, October 21
Big V in the morning...ready to depart from Thousand Trails Outdoor World in Williamsburg, Virginia...
We were up early this morning to make the final preparations before heading out of Virginia and beginning the trip back home. Part of our preparations included the ceremonial trashing of my multi-year old Reebok walking shoes that had served me so well, but that were beyond usefulness.
And the wearing of the new Reebok replacement shoes...
When Barbara had done her part of getting Big V ready to roll (slideouts in...interior doors and drawers closed and latched, jacks up, light check, etc.), I did a walk around inspection, took Barbara's photo, and then we were ready to pull out and hit I-64 toward Richmond.
The trip was, thankfully, uneventful as we negotiated a couple of loop roads to avoid Richmond traffic and crossed the James River before hitting I-95 South.
We traveled I-95 south to Petersburg, and then picked up I-85. Along the way, we noticed that the passenger side mirror assembly seemed to be shaking and bouncing, especially when we were on rough stretches of highway.
When we finally found a truck stop with good access to the fuel pumps for RV's, I pulled over to refuel and then drove to the rear parking lot to see what was the problem with the mirror assembly. What was wrong was that two of the four screws holding the mirror to the body (the two top screws, unfortunately) were sheared off, and there was no way for me to do anything about it. I went into the store and bought some Gorilla Tape with the hope of at least keeping the assembly from shaking too much and falling off the coach. Barbara got this picture of the intrepid shade tree mechanic as I was walking back to Big V.
Between the two of us, we managed to push the assembly as tightly as possible against the coach and put several layers of tape around it to hold it in place. Once we were back on a smooth highway, the patch seemed to hold, and we began to breathe a little easier.
As we reached the end of the Virginia segment of I-85, we crossed over Lake Gaston...
And, in a few miles, entered North Carolina...
We had gone only a couple of miles in North Carolina when we ran into a huge traffic jam, with vehicles stopped about three miles ahead of us and, before it was all over, extending two miles behind us. We found out later (and saw the wreck) that there had been a collision between a tractor-trailer and a car. The tractor-trailer was rolled over and jack-knifed on the opposite side of the highway, but traffic was blocked in both directions to allow med-evac helicopters to land and fly out with those who had been injured.
On the good side (for us) we were comfortable in Big V, with our own restroom, refrigerator, and all the other comforts of home living.
We made another fuel and lunch stop at a Flying J at Mebane, near Burington, and then hit the road again.
Just south of Greensboro, traffic backed up in all five lanes of southbound I-85...after playing stop and go with all the other cars and trucks, we came upon yet another wreck; this time a car that had left the highway to the right and rolled over about 40 yards off the road.
The rest of the drive toward Charlotte was relatively uneventful, giving us a chance to look at scenery that we have seen during the many times that we've made this drive over the years.
We did get edged out of the lane we needed when we got to Charlotte and had to make a detour through part of the city and passed the campus of UNC-Charlotte. It was interesting because although the school was here when I first began teaching in this area in 1970, I had never seen it. I'm sure it has undergone many transitions in the last 43 years, but it is a very attractive place now.
We finally worked our way through the Five O'clock Charlotte traffic and found our way south on I-77 to the South Carolina state line..
And into Carowinds Amusement Park, where we found our campsite for the next couple of nights at the Camp Wilderness RV Resort.
After getting parked and set up, I took Barbara to the laundry facilities and then returned to Big V to do some much-needed house cleaning.
When the laundry was done and the house was clean and ready for living in again, we settled down to a peaceful evening (except for the every 5-minute flyovers by planes headed into Charlotte-Douglas Airport.
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Wednesday, October 22
Jim: Our reason for staying in the Charlotte area this trip was to pay a surprise visit to a very dear friend, Betty Black, in Gastonia. When I first began teaching in 1970, I was at Stanley High School, a part of the Gaston County School school system. Just down the road a few miles was Mt. Holly, and the band director there was Bob Black.
Bob Black, for whatever reason, took me under his wing and mentored me through those early years of teaching. It didn't matter one bit that Stanley and Mt. Holly were bitter rivals, Bob was first and foremost a teacher...of all ages. When the Stanley and Mt. Holly high schools consolidated into East Gaston High School in the fall of 1972, Bob and I went as the music teachers...Bob as band director and me as his assistant, and me as choral director, with Bob as my assistant. We taught at East Gaston in the morning and then went to our respective junior high schools, which were the old high schools that had been renamed as junior highs.
For the next four years, Bob and his family were a surrogate family, welcoming Barbara Jean and me, and then Heather, as part of their family. In addition, Bob continued to teach me most of what I eventually learned about teaching. Bob was a master teacher...I've often said that if the powers that be in Washington wanted to know what a master teacher is and does, they just needed to come to Gaston County and shadow Bob Black for a few days!
Bob and I stayed in touch over the years after I left North Carolina in 1976, even through my years as an administrator, and he never failed to give advice to help hold me in check, reminding me that the job was ALWAYS about the kids first.
Sadly, Bob passed away six years ago on October 19, the same day that Mike and Kelly were married. Since then, we've stayed in touch with Bett, and through Facebook, have reconnected with two of their sons, Bobby and Greg, and their families.
Our first stop this morning was to see Bett at her apartment in an assisted living center in Gastonia, where we did manage to surprise her with a drop-in visit.
As always, Bett was beautiful and gracious, and more than willing to spend an hour talking about her sons and their families, and the good times we shared when Bob and I worked together.
Our next stop was in Mt. Holly, to see Greg, Bob and Bett's youngest son. Greg was the only one of the boys that I helped teach, and I hadn't seen him since the summer of 1976. After college, Greg eventually moved to New Jersey and established himself as a master of creating custom mouthpieces for brass instrument players, and now has major symphony players and musicians from around the world who request his mouthpieces. Greg and his family recently moved back to Mt. Holly to set up shop in his hometown.
Greg was somewhat shocked to find us at his shop door, but it took only a few seconds to begin catching up on the "lost" years.
We also got the grand tour of the shop and a brief explanation of the process Greg uses for making mouthpieces...
Followed by an introduction to Catherine, his wife, who dropped in for a few minutes.
The visit was short, but very sweet, and then we left to drive partway around the block to see brother Bobby, who had graduated with the last class of MHHS in 1972. As with Greg, I hadn't seen Bobby since 1976, although I have talked to him on the phone over the years.
Bobby is married to Melanie, a former student who was in band at East Gaston when Bob and I taught there. Bobby and Melanie were keeping granddaughter Sadie today.
Our visit was over too soon, so we said our goodbyes from the front porch (as is ,still the custom in North Carolina)...
And then Barbara and I began the drive back to Carowinds and Big V (but not without stopping at McDonald's for some lunch), to rest, relax, and prepare for another day of travel tomorrow.
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Thursday, October 23 - Charlotte, North Carolina to Toccoa, Georgia
Big V in the morning at Carowinds Camp Wilderness RV Resort...
We had the luxury this morning of being able to sleep in and take our time getting ready for another day of travel. We had already made up our minds that we wanted to take a side trip to Toccoa, Georgia, site of the Georgia Baptist Conference Center where we used to do volunteer work before we were faced with Jimmy Clint's illness and subsequent death, and then care-giving for Mother.
It was our hope that we'd see Eric, the chef, and some of the crew we used to work with. And, if we were lucky this would be the week some of the volunteers we worked with might be at the center preparing for fall conferences and that we could spend a few minutes visiting with them. The worst case scenario was that no one would be there; our hope above hopes was that they would be there and need some extra hands for a few days. In either case, we'd at least get to take another look at one of our favorite places in the whole world.
But, before we could get to Toccoa, we had to work our way back into North Carolina, then South Carolina again, and then into Georgia, all the while driving a congested and sometimes not so very smooth I-85.
Step one was getting out of Carowinds and back onto I-77, I-285 around Charlotte, and then onto I-85 South. Luckily, we waited long enough for the heavy traffic to end and had a fairly easy ride to I-85.
One of the first sights we saw was the Catawba River, separating Mecklenburg and Gaston counties...it looked just like it did the first time I saw it in 1970.
We also passed by Belmont Abbey College...a great little school where one of granddaughter Jaycie's friends, Kiersten Cox, will attend next year on a tennis scholarship. It's a long way from Lubbock, Texas, but we know she will come to love this part of the country.
After passing through Gastonia, we continued a few miles and crossed over into South Carolina...again...
We stopped later at a Flying J Truck Stop near Blacksburg, SC, to take on a load of fuel, fill the propane tank, and grab a bite to eat. Traveling is a learning experience (or should be), and what we have learned is that Flying J's are very RV friendly, have lots of easily accessible parking space, and have delicious hot, fresh soups and pizza!
A little farther down the road we passed through Gaffney, South Carolina, with its iconic peach water tower. Fans of House of Cards will recognize this landmark as the centerpiece of an early episode of the series.
Just before we entered Georgia, we crossed over the Tugaloo River which feeds into Hartwell Lake on the south side of I-85. Several years ago when we took this route, much of what is now covered with water wasn't much more than sun-baked clay. It's much prettier today.
In a few more miles we reached Lavonia, Georgia, where we turned to the north for the 17-mile ride up to Toccoa. One of Toccoa's claims to fame is that it is the site of the first training base for the newly-formed airborne troops in World War II. The story of the Toccoa base is told in Band of Brothers. But, for us, the story of Toccoa is a story of new friendships and a spirit of family that has lasted over the years.
We had a sense of coming home as we crossed Lake Louise...
Continued up the road for a couple more miles...
And entered the Georgia Baptist Conference Center complex...
After finding a parking place for Big V and the car, we went to the dining hall to see if we knew anyone there...and sure enough, we ran into Eric, the dining hall manager and chef, who welcomed us as long lost friends (and potential volunteer employees). Eric said that a lot of the volunteers were already in place, but that we should check with Nancy Fairfax, the volunteer coordinator, to see if she needed extra help for the next few days.
We went to the main building and ran into Nancy, who was ecstatic to see us. A large number of volunteers had signed up, but several had cancelled and yes, she could put us to work for as long as we could stay...now that was music to our ears!!!
Knowing that we would be here for at least a week, we moved Big V to the campground entrance...
Drove up the narrow roadway to the RV sites, and went about setting up Big V for another great adventure.
While that wasn't the end of the day's adventures and excitement, this is where we will close Chapter 5. The volunteer experience that began this evening will be told in full in the next edition.
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At our Toccoa, Georgia, home,
Jim/Dad/Gramps and Barbara/Mom/Grams/Gramsy
