In-Between

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Floyd's Barbershop and Snappy Lunch in Mount Airy, North Carolina

While it was set in Mayberry, the one and only Snappy Lunch and their famous pork chop sandwich was and is right here in Mount Airy, North Carolina. This was the birthplace of Andy Griffith and the inspiration for the fictional Mayberry on his TV show called “The Andy Griffith Show,” which ran for most of the 1960s. Not only did it put small-town America on center stage, but it also propelled Floyd’s Barbershop into a cult status that has endured for the past five decades. We were able to have breakfast at Snappy Lunch, but it was too early for a pork chop sandwich, and although the sign says open at Floyd’s, it wasn’t yet as someone apparently forgot to flip the sign before locking up the day before. Two weeks before our arrival, the real Floyd the Barber passed away at age 92, Don Knotts passed away in 2006, and Andy Griffith died just four years before. Only Jim Nabors and Ron Howard were still around the day of our visit to the town, which catapulted their careers.

Caroline Wise and John Wise in front of a Welcome to Virginia state sign

Here we are on the Fancy Gap Highway at the Virginia and North Carolina state lines. We’ll continue north to Fancy Gap, reconnect with the Blue Ridge Parkway, and meander across southern Virginia to see what its countryside looks like.

Near The Saddle overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia

This was somewhere near The Saddle Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We’ve moved up into the clouds.

The Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia

It’s beautiful out here in the solitude and quiet that the fog helps create. Without much of a horizon and the fact we are here before the summer season on a Wednesday, it feels like the world is ours and ours alone. The great thing about days like this is that when we come back someday it will appear as an entirely new place.

Moogfest wrist band

Yesterday, I mentioned that this was a pivotal 48 hours in my life, so here’s another part of that change. On May 4th, I was diagnosed with diabetes. On that very day, I made an appointment with a dietitian for May 12th, the day before leaving on this vacation. In the eight days between diagnosis and my next appointment, I made a radical change in my diet and started walking. Over those days, my blood glucose went from about 300 down to the 140s, and with that, I told the dietitian that I was refusing to go on insulin and that I asked her to bear with me as I showed her trending graph of where my blood glucose levels appeared to be heading. Reluctantly, she agreed but asked that I go get a Fitbit and start tracking how much physical activity I was getting. Caroline got one, too; as a matter of fact, you can see it on her in the background of this photo.

Caroline initially didn’t want to spend the extra money on a Fitbit for her, but while we’ve been back here, we have been making a game of getting more steps than each other. When we stop for gas now, she’ll jump out and pace back and forth to accumulate more steps, which prompts me to set the tank to fill and then start racing around the car myself. While we may look like loons to others as we walk around in circles, we are hoping it will continue to have a positive impact on my diabetes. All of the BBQ also plays well into this, as I’ve cut out sugar, rice, potatoes, pasta, bread, and, to a large extent, fruit until I get this under control.

Speaking of BBQ, dinner tonight was at The Pit in Durham, North Carolina. [Now closed]

Tomorrow’s blog entry will detail the third part of this monumental change in my life.

Williamsburg to D.C.

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

The different stages of a piece of silver that is being hammered into a ladle on display at the silversmith in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Oh, the luxury of it all, another day in Colonial Williamsburg. Not quite a full day, but enough that we will accomplish more than we had hoped for. Breakfast was on Duke of Gloucester Street at the Bakery – this is a misnomer and is probably my biggest gripe about Williamsburg if I were to have one. The “Bakery” is a small shop with absolutely nothing freshly baked; there are no ovens on the premises, not even a microwave to warm the cold plastic-wrapped muffins we are about to consider breakfast. Ok, enough complaining; next stop was the apothecary, where we would not find a remedy for our poor first meal of the day but rows and rows of beautiful jars, bottles, and other vessels containing oils, powders, ointments, herbs, pretty much everything that an apothecary-surgeon could have used or prescribed back in the day.

On to the silversmith shop, where we watch a demonstration of how a silver cup is made from a thin flat sheet of silver; pretty cool. The silver ingot on the left above shows how a flat piece of metal was hammered into a ladle.

Silversmith Shop in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

While it may be difficult to make out, the tools needed for forming silver into cups, bowls, and spoons are right in this photo.

Raleigh Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Walking up the street, we stumble upon an open door where a tour is about to begin: the Raleigh Tavern no longer serves food and drink but is still used for special occasions. We join the tour which allows us to visualize the different aspects of an old-style tavern – food, drink, and lodging. I walk away, knowing that the term “Sleep Tight” may have originated from the time prior to the invention of box springs when mattresses were held aloft by ropes woven back and forth across the bed frame. To minimize sag, the ropes would have to be tightened from time to time.

Fine Millinery in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

The Fine Millinery welcomed us and taught us about making hoops and petticoats.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Neither yesterday nor on our trip back in May do I feel I properly represented the exterior of Colonial Williamsburg due to the poor lighting of overcast skies, but today looks to be different.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

There are more than a few buildings here that seem to be acting as nothing more than facades to lend to the sense of authenticity of walking through the village as it would have appeared more than 200 years ago.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Some shops open early while others seem to operate with limited hours and only on certain days, no matter as there is so much to do and see here.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Hey, management of Colonial Williamsburg, how about a behind-the-scenes after-hours tour?

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Should you want to get deeper into the moment, here at Tarpley & Co., on the Duke of Gloucester Street you can find all the 18th-century fashion you desire.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Another one of those moments when modernity was kept at bay.

Blacksmith at work at Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

At the blacksmith’s, we were mesmerized watching the smith making nails while another smith worked his hammer and anvil.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Maybe there is too much to see and learn about here in Williamsburg.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

So far, we’ve not encountered a living history presentation, such as this one at the Printing Office, that wasn’t worth the time to visit.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Should we ever have the opportunity to stay in Williamsburg again, our planning will have to be perfect in order to see and hear everything.

Chowning's Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Over at the corners of Queen Street and Duke of Gloucester, you’ll find Chowning’s Tavern.

Chowning's Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Looks like a great place for lunch.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Stopped in here at the Courthouse to watch a presentation; by the way, when a Grand Union Flag is posted outside a historic facility, it means that they are open.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Visited the Magazine where the arms for common defense were stored.

Shoemaker in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

This guy is not only the shoemaker but somehow looks exactly like I’d imagine a shoemaker to look like.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

At the Mary Dickinson Shop, Caroline bought some fabric; it’s the India Garden piece up top.

Update: this shop is no longer a part of Colonial Williamsburg.

Jessica Aldridge in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Armed with an oversized red purse and a rifle, as long as she is tall, Jessica is ready to shop to the death. The gunsmith wasn’t selling, nor was he buying her baloney as he jumped over the counter and wrestled his gun back from her – I swear, I can’t take my kid anywhere. From out of her red bag, she just as quickly pulled a .45 and, putting it to the gunsmith’s head, demanded the rifle back. We left peacefully – with our new souvenir.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

The Governor’s Palace is further away than it looks, but we’ll get there.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

The Bruton Parish Church.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Many of the buildings are unmarked as to their purpose or history, as far as I could tell.

After so much walking around today, it was high time to cool our heels, so we dipped into the Play Booth Theater. We joined the performance midway, and before we knew it, the actors exited the stage, and we, too were exiting the theater.

The Governor's Palace Gardens at Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Just around the corner, we made for the Governor’s Palace Gardens – much more beautiful under the light of the sun (it had been a bit cloudy yesterday).

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Time to get out of Dodge, oops, that’s in Kansas, time to get out of Williamsburg.

Roadside Virginia

In our horse-drawn carriage, we obviously won’t be needing any gas here at Grigg’s Store on Route 14 through King and Queen County, Virginia.

Roadside Virginia

We are continuing our trek into American history, and such a journey wouldn’t be complete without at least a small bit of farmland under cultivation.

Roadside Virginia

While not out on the Great Plains, this solitary home surrounded by some kind of crop fits the image.

Roadside Virginia

Add a bit of wetland, and it looks like we are covering all the bases of experiencing early America.

China Town in Washington D.C.

It was dark when we checked into Hotel Harrington, around the corner from the White House, off Pennsylvania Avenue. Sunday evening doesn’t offer much in the way of touristy activities, so we opted for another favorite – eating. Chinatown seemed like a good bet and we almost stopped at a Burmese Restaurant but thought the better of it upon peering in to find a few elderly folks in the mostly empty place and decided to keep looking.

Jessica Aldridge and Caroline Wise in China Town in Washington D.C.

Good thing we did; at first, we didn’t give it a second glance, but then through the steam-covered windows past the hanging ducks, we spot a restaurant full of twenty and thirty-somethings chomping away. This is the place, and with the noodles being made on the spot, we knew where dinner was going to happen.

U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C.

Stomachs full, we head out for what will surely amount to too much walking but with a limited amount of time, what’s better, sore feet or a missed experience? Seeing we walked to Chinatown, we had to backtrack, and from H Street and 6th Street, we walked back to 11th Street and then Pennsylvania Avenue for a view up the avenue to the Capitol Building.

World War II Monument in Washington D.C.

Over the Ellipse, we will only make it as far as the National World War II Memorial.

Washington D.C.

It’s now past 10:00 p.m. We’ve been going for more than 14 hours already, and it will be after 11:00 before we finish circling the Washington Monument.

White House in Washington D.C.

After a late-night view of the White House, we finally head back to our hotel.

Colonial Williamsburg

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

A room from the old psychiatric hospital, now a museum in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

It being Saturday, it was time for Jessica’s chains to come off so we could take her from the Public Hospital for some fresh air. She’s been making progress since thinking she had turned into a crab bent on dismembering her father, and her doctors felt it was a good time to allow her a small taste of freedom. This old hospital built in 1773 for the mentally ill is now a museum here in Colonial Williamsburg and was one of our first stops on a busy day. Someone had made the best recommendation for a great breakfast at the Old Chickahominy House, and I do mean great; their biscuits are otherworldly.

Governors Palace in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Arriving early we were offered the opportunity to miss the otherwise long lines that form to tour the Governor’s Palace. Just in case you were wondering, my daughter wasn’t really chained to the wall in a mental hospital; she was actually stuffed in the trunk of our car overnight.

Governors Palace in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

When Caroline, her mom, and I were here back in May, we didn’t have the time to visit the Governor’s Palace, which was unfortunate. On this visit, we learned that it was well worth buying the Colonial Williamsburg Admission Pass. The tour is conducted by guides in period dress who are very knowledgeable about the Palace and how it functioned in its day.

The last governor to reside here was Thomas Jefferson. Unfortunately, fire consumed the original structure, but the reconstructed palace offers a great feel for what had once been here.

Governors Palace in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

A close-up view of the wallpaper from the room above. This is the level of detail they’ve taken in these restorations. Speaking of the process of restoration and preservation, it was John D. Rockefeller back in 1926 who was inspired to take on the project of saving this important part of Colonial America.

Governors Palace in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

I can only imagine what it costs to maintain this herculean effort of preservation, so visitors have this opportunity to peer back into history.

Governors Palace in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

There is one downside to witnessing so much living history: can it survive capitalism? If the National Park system took over this historic district, it would likely strip the actors and reduce things to self-guided tours. Restaurants would be served by some ugly cafeteria-like contractor as it does with much of its food service. It is a kind of tragedy that a place like Colonial Williamsburg appears to be of not much interest to middle America. Maybe things would run better if it was more like the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite (rooms there are $1,000 per night). The wealthy would take a greater interest in ensuring it was well-funded into the future.

A living exhibit at the Governors Palace in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Seeing the kitchen at work really adds to the sense of the time some couple of hundred years ago.

Governors Palace in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

The gardens of the Governor’s Palace.

Servants quarters.

An art exhibit piece at the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

The DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum is entered through the Public Hospital. This was another item missed when we were here with my mother-in-law earlier this year.

An art exhibit piece at the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

We spent two hours sifting through the exhibits and could have easily spent another few hours had time allowed.

An art exhibit piece at the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

This stoneware jug from either Cologne or Frechen, Germany, was made between 1550 and 1575 and gifted to Adam Winthrop, who gave it to his son John Winthrop, one of the first governors of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He brought it to America in 1630 after leaving England that year.

An art exhibit piece at the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

The Abbey Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum is part of the DeWitt and adds a great sense of the personal creativity from those colonial times that helps round out our museum visit.

Back on Duke of Gloucester Street we stop at the Weavers Shop and watch a demonstration of spinning fibers to make yarn. This didn’t last long as we were once again hungry and shortly on our way to the King’s Arms Tavern for lunch.

Interior of the Capitol Building at Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

The next stop is at the Capitol Building, where, earlier in the year, we were able to enjoy a harpsichord concert by candlelight. Taking the tours and listening to the guides walk us through the history of the period really helps capture a better feeling for the place we are visiting. Don’t skimp trying to save a few dollars when visiting Williamsburg by listening to some other websites out there that say you can see plenty on your own; the admission pass opens up the history that is on offer here.

Notes that could have been annotated to my photos sure would have been helpful so I could describe the purpose of this room in the Capitol building.

“We are here to negotiate the release of one of your prisoners.”

Jessica Aldridge behind bars in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Yeppers, my daughter, ended up in jail. I posted bail, and lucky for her the judge let her off easy. What did she do to deserve this, you ask? She was seen in public kissing fishes; some old law on the books forbids public displays of intimacy with ectothermic piscine life; who knew?

Woodworking shop in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

The evening is quickly approaching. We have visited a number of small shops and woven our way through the streets of Colonial Williamsburg.

Draftsman at Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Visiting the draftsman will be the last stop on this leg of the day as we’ll start moving toward our dinner reservation.

A fife and drum marching band on parade up Main Street in Colonial Williasmburg, Virginia

Our feet are beginning to hurt, and hunger is approaching, but still, we are willing to rush from one corner of the historic district to the other end as cannon fire draws our attention back toward the Capitol Building. We arrive at a fife and drum marching band parading up Duke of Gloucester Street. Caroline ran ahead to capture the ceremony on video as Jessica, and I limped along at a snail’s pace before reaching the still-playing band. There is way too much to do here in a mere day.

A candle lit table at Shields Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

We are sitting down in Shields Tavern for a candle-lit dinner in another historic setting, with staff donning clothing from colonial times.

Caroline Wise and John Wise at Shields Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

While the food is decent, it is the ambiance and the entertainment that has us wishing that we, too, were dressing for the occasion and not wearing casual 21st-century clothing. Make reservations early for the Taverns, as you could have quite the long wait if you were so daring as to try to get a table at the last minute. After dinner, it was time for an organ concert at Bruton Parish Church, which we thoroughly enjoyed. While the church is located in the middle of Colonial Williamsburg, it is not actually part of it, and anybody can attend services or concerts in this historic church, which was built in 1715, although the parish history dates back to 1660.

Playing Shut the Box game at Chowning's Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Not wanting the day to end after the concert we step into Chowning’s Tavern for some drinks and games. Hot tea all around, we know how to party – not. On a nearby table, some folks are playing a game. We watch, and then the girls grab one as it becomes free. A member of the bar staff is snagged and asked how this works, and in moments, Caroline and Jessica are playing Shut the Box. The game, also known as Canoga and Klackers, originates from at least the 12th century. We sipped our teas, listened to the live music, played more Shut the Box, and with eyes growing ever heavier, we called it a night and walked back to our hotel.

DelMarVa Peninsula

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Caroline Wise catching the big one with Jessica Aldridge on the hook at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, Maryland

Caroline and I went fishing, and she hooked the damned ugliest fish I’ve ever seen. I swear, as that thing jumped out of the water, it was screaming, “Hey, I’m your long-lost daughter; take me home with you!” Stupid me kissed it, remembering the princess-and-frog story and thinking there might be an element of truth to this fish’s story, and instead, all I got was this cold, wet fish mouth of a kiss that smelled, well, like fish. Sure, I, too, was thinking, well, if this is my daughter, what am I doing kissing it on the mouth? Sorry, but there’s no explaining this one. Fairy tales coming true were not in the cards today, only a case for Sigmund Freud to try figuring out.

Jessica Aldridge the killer crab about to pop the head off innocent tourist John Wise at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, Maryland

Back on terra firma, I think the nightmare is over when, as I’m innocently walking down the street here in St. Michaels, Maryland, a killer crab scuttles toward me (sideways, of course) and soon has me in its claws ready to pop my head off. Oh My God, this even-uglier-than-the-fish crab garbles with a sinister crab voice, “I’m your daughter, big daddy; come on now, give me a big kiss so I can turn back into your loving daughter!” Just about then, Caroline came to my rescue and, with deft agility, tossed this sea monster into a pot of boiling water. I kept my head and, with a ramekin of drawn butter, sat down to enjoy a lunch of ugly crab.

Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, Maryland

While we didn’t get to visit an open Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, as we were too early for that kind of stuff, we did have fun with the photo antics, so there was that.

Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, Maryland

And there was this great blue heron that attracted our admiration, as they always do.

Driving south near the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland

We are driving south over the DelMarVa (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia) peninsula and will be taking our time about it.

Cattails at water's edge at the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge in Maryland

Sorry to disappoint you if you were looking for an incarnation of my daughter materializing in a cattail, but this story isn’t quite that absurd – seriously. This is just a plain old common cattail photographed at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland.

A pond at the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge in Maryland

It’s difficult to comprehend just how big the Chesapeake Bay is as it collects the waters of more than 150 rivers and streams from six states that feed the bay. As the biggest estuary in the United States, it makes sense that its size should be incomprehensible.

Bald eagle at the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge in Maryland

I know that this is not a great or even good photo, but it’s of a bald eagle. For those of us who live in deserts, seeing eagles is not a very common sight, so I have to leave this reminder here that we saw eagles while we were here.

Cranes at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland

The skies are gray, overcast, and dreary, but even with the pallor overhead, we are enjoying the bird watching. We spot cormorants, hawks, buzzards, a dozen small varieties of birds (no bird guide with us), and a lot of cranes. We linger a while, hoping for a break in the sky; we wait on eagles, hoping to see them launch from their perch on high, but under these placid conditions, the scene is a meditative one, inviting us to take a nap in the car within the wetlands we are touring. Sleep will have to wait, though; we have a destination in mind.

Buzzard at Blackwater Wildlife Refuge in Maryland

That buzzard is throwing us some stinkeye as we interrupt its delightful meal of rotting meat on the bone with a side of fur. Before it threw its attention on plucking out our tongues, we moved along.

Oops, I didn’t realize I was shooting this with a shallow depth of field, so maybe you can’t make out the sign behind Caroline and Jessica, but we’ve just entered Virginia.

Some things never seem to change much, and Susan’s Seafood here in New Church, Virginia, is one of those places. Not that we’ve ever been inside this establishment, but nine years ago, when Caroline and I were on our first cross-country road trip, we traveled this exact path, and between this photo and the one just above, you’ll see we are at the same two locations on that trip. Click here to see the old blog post.

Free-range pig?

The shell of this ruin suggests that this was at one time an incredibly beautiful home, at least in my purview. Why it was allowed to fall into disrepair is anyone’s guess, but if I were to venture to offer my 2 cents, it likely would have been due to economic reasons as we are too far off the beaten path, and small farmers are an archaic relic of the past.

I believe we were approaching the bottom of the peninsula at this time, but details are lost.

It sure is flat out here.

The crop that defined a large part of the southeastern United States and a snow-white blemish on our history: cotton.

Jessica Aldridge roadside on the Chesapeake Bay bridge and tunnel in Virginia

Here we are, thinking the third time will be the charm; hmmm, what is it about this Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel that Caroline and I are here either in the dark or on cloudy days? And why didn’t the engineers of this man-made phenomenon known as one of the seven engineering wonders of the modern world not build more pullouts for us tourists who want to stop and take crummy pictures of a bridge under gray skies? I did manage to get this one nice photo of Jessica at one of the two pullouts on this 20-mile-long four-lane bridge and tunnel highway crossing the lower Chesapeake Bay.

Caroline Wise at Christina Campell's Tavern in Williamsburg, Virginia

It’s almost evening as we arrive in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. After checking into the Woodlands Hotel we take aim for the historic district for our reservations at Christina Campell’s Tavern, where we’ll be dining.

Christina Campell's Tavern in Williamsburg, Virginia

There’s such great attention to detail for keeping things as authentic as possible. Hopefully, Williamsburg is never thrown to corporate profit monsters who will reduce this experience into the horror of money above all.

Jessica Aldridge at Christina Campell's Tavern in Williamsburg, Virginia

It’s kind of strange that my daughter has been living out here on the eastern seaboard and has never visited this part of the world.

A gentleman in period costume at Christina Campell's Tavern in Williamsburg, Virginia playing a recorder

The highlight of the evening was the entertainment provided by the gentleman above, who sang a wonderful song titled “Bold William Taylor” while he played his guitar. I do know the difference between a guitar and a tin whistle, but I didn’t have a nice photo of him playing the guitar, so you get this photo of him playing a tin whistle. Caroline really liked his particular rendition, but this version on YouTube comes pretty close (and has bagpipes).

Williamsburg – Mt. Vernon – D.C.

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Caroline Wise and Jutta Engelhardt - prisoners in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Up early in Colonial Williamsburg to capture some of the solitude the morning offers, and I found these two crusty hags in the stockade. I can only imagine the depths of their lurid crimes. The old town just isn’t what it used to be.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Nothing is open at this time of day, and due to my relentless need to rush from one place to another, we are only allowed the briefest of impressions. We don’t always move this way, but when we do, we sometimes end up wishing for some flexibility that wasn’t built into the plans. Such is the nature of wanting to share firsthand impressions of places with Jutta and trying to prioritize some things while effectively diminishing others.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Even before anyone else is stirring, we have to turn our focus on heading up the York River. From there, we’ll skip over to the Rappahannock River and finally trace up the famous Potomac.

Washington's Home in Mount Vernon, Virginia

We have arrived at Mt. Vernon to visit the home of the 1st President of the United States, George Washington.

Washington's Home in Mount Vernon, Virginia

Not only was he our first President, but he scored by being one of the early landowners in America on the Potomac River to be able to choose where to put his home.

Washington's Home in Mount Vernon, Virginia

The grounds are extensive, and it was soon abundantly clear that there’s no way I allocated enough time to do justice to what’s here to discover.

Washington's Home in Mount Vernon, Virginia

A hilltop overlooking the Potomac River may not be beachfront on Kauai, but if you had to live in the Eastern U.S. close enough to work so the horse and buggy might get you somewhere in a reasonable amount of time, well then, George Washington picked a mighty fine location that while only 16 miles from D.C., feels well removed.

Washington's Home in Mount Vernon, Virginia

I should point out that the original post from this day and those surrounding it were originally rather brief, and while the story will remain thin, I’ve added a good number of photos that weren’t included in the original posts. The exclusion of so many photos was due to the limits of bandwidth back then. However, when updating the posts, I often can’t really add any more context because I’m now so far removed from the events of those days.

Washington's Home in Mount Vernon, Virginia

The final resting place of George Washington, his wife Martha, is interred to his right. Time to head to our next stop on this whirlwind adventure.

Washington D.C.

Our hotel is but a few minutes walk around the corner from the White House. After check-in and parking the car for the next three days, as we will stick to getting around by foot and subway, we are off and soon walking by the home of Mr. Barack Obama on our way to the National Mall.

Jutta Engelhardt and Caroline Wise in Washington D.C.

Next up, we pass the Washington Monument, hoping to reach the Lincoln Memorial before sunset.

Washington D.C.

Just before reaching the reflecting pool, we come upon the new World War II Memorial. The last time Caroline and I were here, construction wouldn’t begin for at least another year. The finished Memorial is beautiful and fits between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial as though it was always meant to be here.

Washington D.C.

Looking back from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool with the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument in view at sunset makes for a stunning image of our well-planned capital city.

Jutta Engelhardt and Caroline Wise in Washington D.C.

Sunset was just starting to finish its business as we stood below the towering Mr. Lincoln in awe of all the history surrounding us.

Washington D.C.

As the lights on the monuments come up, so does the desire to see everything in the evening, but we have a busy couple of days that demand we all get some sleep.

Washington D.C.

And so, past the White House, we go on the way back to our hotel.

Jamestown – Williamsburg

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

The bed Stonewall Jackson died in at Fairfield Plantation in Virginia

We departed Fredericksburg, Virginia, early in the morning and took a random small road in the general direction of where we wanted to end up. Not too far from town, we stumbled upon a sign pointing us to the Stonewall Jackson Shrine. Intrigued, we followed the directions to what nowadays is called the Stonewall Jackson Death Site, which is part of the Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park near Guinea, Virginia. Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson was a Civil War general on the Confederate side and contracted pneumonia after being accidentally shot by his own men during the Battle of Chancellorsville. The bed above is where the General died on May 10, 1863.

Coverlet from Stonewall Jackson Death Site in Guinea, Virginia

Update from Caroline: While the “death bed” has more historical significance, this other bed with a coverlet caught my attention. I really fell in love with the  “alien head pattern.” Little did I know that a few short years after this encounter, my first set of handwoven towels would feature the “cat tracks and snail trails” overshot weaving pattern. Here am I getting started, and these are the towels freshly cut off the loom.

In Bowling Green, Virginia, we left State Route 2 and transitioned onto U.S. 301, which runs all the way to Sarasota, Florida, but we are not going quite that far.

There’s a faster way to where we are going over on Interstate 95 that runs from Maine to Miami, but then we wouldn’t see things like this mossy Beetle.

Our 110 drive south is taking us past this historic building in Hanover, Virginia.

Did I learn about this in school? I have no memory of it, but right here in Hanover, Patrick Henry, who might be more famous for his quote, “Give me liberty, or give me death!” helped kick things into action regarding the colonies entering the American Revolution with a case regarding taxation and tobacco referred to as the Parsons’ Cause.

Continuing down small backwood roads, we meandered through the countryside before meeting up with the James River Plantation road that would take us to Jamestown. Back in 1607, this original English settlement was the seed laying the foundation for the Colonies and, ultimately, the United States.

It was almost 20 years after this first landing when the Pilgrims arrived and established the second successful English colony at Plymouth. Our visit on this day was gray with a light drizzle and occasionally heavier rains, but it lent an air of what it might have been like here, next to the river on the not-so-pleasant days.

The church here was reconstructed out of the rubble from the ruin of the original tower that was built back in 1639.

The wetlands surrounding Jamestown, Virginia

On days like this, the early colonists must have wondered why they were trying to live on this swampy land surrounded by Native Americans who were not appreciative of the intruders.

Our next stop was in Colonial Williamsburg. Middle Plantation, established in 1632, was the area that in 1698 would become known as Williamsburg, and later the capital of the Virginia colony after determining that Jamestown was not a suitable location.

In 1693, the College of William & Mary was established here, the institution where Presidents Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and John Tyler would be educated along with Chief Justice John Marshall, Speaker of the House Henry Clay, and 16 signers of the Declaration of Independence. From 1699 to 1780, Williamsburg served as Virginia’s colonial capital, but during the Revolutionary War, the capital was moved to Richmond as it was considered easier to defend.

We had no idea how intriguing this enclave and re-enactment of an early American city would turn out to be as the internet proved to be a poor salesman of what Colonial Williamsburg was actually like. I seriously expected a rendition similar to the ham-fisted Knott’s Berry Farm version of the Old West, only this would be the East Coast Silly Place version. Nope, I was wrong. Dinner here at the King’s Arms Tavern seriously drove home the efforts being made to not turn this into a mockery of history.

Following our dinner, we had reservations for a candle-lit tour of a small corner of the historic district, dipping into a few of the buildings specially lit just for this visit.

I would have thought that work by candlelight was nigh well impossible at the blacksmith’s shop back in the day, but on the short days of winter, they’d still have to get things done.

Likewise, at the printing shop.

The warm light of the candles lent an authenticity to the sense of history that electric lighting would have stolen.

The Capitol building in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

We sat down at 9:00 pm for a harpsichord concert at the old Capitol building. Today, it’s a recreation of the original 1705 that was destroyed by fire in 1747. It was rebuilt but did not survive much past the American Revolution. This place is where the House of Burgesses would meet, including members George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and George Mason – tonight, it was our turn for a visit.

Virginia is for Tourists

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Jutta Engelhardt, Caroline Wise, and John Wise on the Virginia State Line

Late last night, Caroline arrived in Baltimore, Maryland, where we picked her up and took a short 54-mile (87km) drive to Frederick, Maryland, for the night. We intentionally overshot Washington D.C., not only to skip the traffic, but as this adventure progresses we have big plans in the nation’s capital city.

Jutta Engelhardt and Caroline Wise at Shenandoah National Park in Virginia

Today, we drove southwest to Front Royal, Virginia, to join the Skyline Drive National Scenic Byway in the Shenandoah National Park – romantic stories say that Shenandoah is Native American for Daughter of the Stars.

Skyline Drive Scenic Byway in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia

The curving, winding road over the mountain ridge took us up above the clouds and back down below.

Shenandoah National Park in Virginia

Speaking of being above the clouds.

Shenandoah National Park in Virginia

The Skyline Drive at the northern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway and paralleling the Appalachian trail did not disappoint; it surely stands out as one of the dozen most scenic roads in America.

Skyline Drive Scenic Byway in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia

With 75 overlooks and a 35 mph speed limit, the guidebooks that suggest allocating a mere 3 hours for this route do not allow an adequate amount of time to truly appreciate the drive, in my opinion. Maybe someday, this will be a bike-only tour in the warmer months.

Shenandoah National Park in Virginia

Along the way, we spied a fawn lying in the grass, gazed over beautiful vistas, and enjoyed the wildflowers.

Shenandoah National Park in Virginia

To the people who’ve already been down this road, things will only look familiar, but to those of us fortunate enough to wander far from home and, to a degree, off the beaten path, this feels like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for finding enchantment.

Shenandoah National Park in Virginia

Sometimes, that enchantment is found in little things…

Shenandoah National Park in Virginia

…and should be obvious to anyone not jaded enough to have stopped looking.

James Monroe's Highland in Charlottesville, Virgina

As we arrived in Charlottesville, we signed up for a tour that would take us by bus to the grounds of President Jefferson’s home later in the afternoon. Tip: sign up for tours before you ever leave home. To pass the time until then, we took the advice of the ticket agent to visit President James Monroe’s home, referred to as Highland.

James Monroe's Highland in Charlottesville, Virgina

Sadly for us, there was a band playing a mix of jazz and contemporary music for a wine tasting on the grounds that day. Tip: check the events calendar on the Highland website before committing to a visit.

James Monroe's Highland in Charlottesville, Virgina

The loud music, along with a tour guide who spoke far too fast and tried to include too much information for a tour that was trying to push us through the house in 15 or 20 minutes, made for a frustrating experience. We left before the tour was over and were kindly given refunds by the gift shop staff – a big thanks to those ladies for their understanding.

Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia

We’ve arrived at Monticello – the home of our third President and principal author of the Declaration of Independence, Mr. Thomas Jefferson.

Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia

Monticello was perfect, and as with other locations we find so enchanting, it turned out we had not allocated enough time to adequately visit this mountain-top home. We make note that this is one of those places we must plan on returning to someday.

Thomas Jefferson's grave at Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia

How this man just happened to die on the 50th-anniversary celebration of the day he helped usher in beggars’ belief. Yep, he passed away on July 4th, 1826.

Jutta Engelhardt, Caroline Wise, and John Wise at Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia

With Caroline now along for the journey, it’s as though we’ve begun vacation number two. Our first day into American history has been perfect with a lot more yet ahead of us.