North Carolina Road Trip Spring Break 2022

 

My Facebook notes are below.

5 NPS sites (but one was closed)
                Cedar Creek & Belle Grove NHP (Closed)
                Shenandoah NP Skyline Drive (Last 1/3)
                Petersburg NBP (?)
                Guildford Courthouse NMP
                Blue Ridge Pkway – Just a small bit, in Roanoke VA
1 yarn shop
                Wool Workshop – Roanoke, VA

1 quilt shop

                 Patchwork Plus - Dayton, VA (amazing!)
8 letterboxes
9 cemeteries (at least)
                Blandford Cemetery, Petersburg, VA
                Cedar Grove Cemetery, New Bern, NC
                Greenwood Cemetery, New Bern, NC
                U. S. National Cemetery, New Bern, NC
                Jacksonville City Cemetery, Jacksonville NC
                Montford Point Federal Cemetery & Coastal Carolina State Veterans Cemetery, Jacksonville, NC
                Oakwood Cemetery, High Point, NC
                East Hill Cemetery, Salem, VA

                Resthaven Memorial Gardens, Harrisonburg, VA
3 Munzee gardens
5 nights in a motel –
                Wingate by Wyndham, Short Pump, VA
                Hampton (2) New Bern, NC & Waynesboro, VA
                Microtel – Jacksonville, NC
                Quality Inn – High Point, NC
1 flat tire, Richmond, VA
2 new windshield wipers
1 bookstore
                Next Chapter Bks & Art, New Bern, NC
2 museums
                Pepsi, New Bern, NC
                Guildford Courthouse NMP
1 college
                High Point University, High Pont, NC

1 factory tour

                  Route 11 Potato Chips, VA
2 war memorials
                Lejeune Memorial Gardens, Jacksonville, NC
                                Vietnam War Memorial 
                                Beirut Memorial
3 roadside Attractions
                5 (of 80) fiberglass bears, New Bern, NC
                “Furniture Capital of the World” bureau
                2 huge bicycle “sculptures” at the Star on the hill in Roanoke
 
Numerous bronze statues of famous people sitting on benches, High Point University, NC

4/14  Chris Graves is in Short Pump, Virginia.

Lovely day! I headed down Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. No bear this time, but deer, wild turkey, and snake all crossed my path. Overcast, but no haze - beautiful views. Stopped for the night just outside of Richmond, found a Vietnamese restaurant and had yummy pho, setting out for North Carolina in the morning.

                    3 photos:  tulips, mntns, Skyline Drive sign

 

4/15 earlier in the day than the next post:  Chris Graves is in Henrico, VA.

Always an adventure!!

My current scenic view.

Flat tire. May not be repairable.

lollolol, what else can ya do but laugh?

               1 photo inside tire store

 

4/15  Chris Graves is in New Bern, North Carolina

What a gorgeous day today! My flat tire debacle was concluded by 10:30, not bad at all. My first stop, Petersburg National Battlefield, was pretty gloomy. The end of the Civil War, a nine month siege between Lee and Grant to cut off supplies for the confederate capital in Richmond. Grim. Spend some time letter boxing in cemeteries in Petersburg and at my final destination for the day, in NC.  All in all, four really historic cemeteries. I actually don’t find cemeteries grim at all, I enjoy and respect them and learn lots of history from their primary sources. I’m a weirdo…

          Photos  Petersburg Battlefield sign, Welcome to NC sign, arched cemetery entrance, New Bern arched cemetery entrance, US National Cemetery gate, grave markers inside National cemetery, New Bern flag by river

 

4/16  Chris Graves is in Jacksonville, North Carolina.

Day 3. I love being on the road. And there’s so much to see along the North Carolina coast!

Before I left New Bern this morning I drove around and took photos of some of the 80+ fiberglass bears that decorate the town. History is everywhere in New Bern- roadside signs and old houses labelled with their information all over town, plus the two old cemeteries I mentioned yesterday. I went into the corner drugstore-now-museum where Pepsi was invented and enjoyed a browse and sip. My last stop before leaving town was a really interesting book shop. They cater to local authors (of which there are a huge amount) as well as some local artisans.  I actually found a small souvenir for myself here - and met a super friendly cat as well. Leaving town I was treated to the site of the roadway rising in front of me so that a tall-masted ship could go under the bridge. Took less than 10 minutes and was quite interesting.

Heading south, I got my first-ever taste of the Outer Banks! I traveled along about 20 miles, from Atlantic Beach to Emerald Isle. There’s a lot for sale along that roadway! Ocean on both sides, prime real estate. And lots of public access to the beach on both sides of the road.

When I got to Jacksonville I visited the Lejeune Memorial gardens, where I spent a bit of time at both the Vietnam War Memorial there and the memorial in recognition of American lives lost in Beirut in 1983. Look it up. Interesting. And sad.

I have no idea where I’ll head tomorrow. That’s the fun of a meandering vacation

          Photos  standing bear, colorful bear, pepsi recipe, me in Pepsi corner, bookshop cat, river bridge road n the air, two different pink flowers, beiruit monument, 3 vietnam memorial photos

4/17  Chris Graves is in Archdale, North Carolina

North Carolina. All the trees are green, all the shrubs are blooming in glorious pinks and purples, and it was about 75° all day with sunshine. Sunshine!

Two standouts today – Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, a 1781 Revolutionary war battle site near Greensboro NC (It’s not all Civil War battlefields down here). I asked them if adults ever did the junior ranger programs and she told me about their not-so-junior-ranger program… for people like me! It was fun, had to answer all sorts of questions after watching the video, touring the museum, and driving the auto tour.

A short drive away is High Point University, where two of my nephews went to school. They both loved it there, and I love checking out colleges —- I’m so glad I went! This place is unbelievable! I’ve probably seen hundreds of college campuses, but none ever like this. Huge regal white buildings, fountain after fountain after fountain, lots of space and green and flowering plants. But my favorite part was the dozens and dozens of benches that had bronze statues of famous people sitting in them.. I had quite a conversation with Aristotle, as you can see in the photos. The town of High Point was once the largest manufacturer of furniture in the US not so long ago.

Plus some more really interesting cemeteries…

I’ve had a lovely dinner every night, but tonight was my favorite, a local Mexican restaurant. So good.

             PHOTOS:  US/NC Flags, Guilford Courthouse sign, Guildford Crthse woods, inside museum, HPU flags on lightpoles, Helen Keller, Me & Aristotle, MLK Jr with sign behind him, Coltrane, Mother Teresa, huge bureau, 50 confederate bured headstone, buried American flags placque.

4/19  Chris Graves is in Waynesboro, Virginia

Yesterday (4/18) was a gloomy day. Downpouring rain, sleet, snow, multiple car accidents…but I did find a very cool wool shop. My plans for Roanoke pretty much tanked because of the wetness and limited visibility. I did find a couple of letter boxes in a sopping cemetery.

           Photo:  foggy tree with star, foggy bikes

4/19  Chris Graves is in home in Carlisle, PA

Had a long,somewhat leisurely drive up 81 today.  I went to an absolutely incredible quilt store in Dayton, VA, which is a tiny bit southwest of Harrisonburg.  Holy Schmoley, what a place!  I MUST go back when I have definite quilt plans, or to take Dede.  Also in Harrisonburg I hit a cemetery for a letterbox.  Muddy.  Got mud on me, the tires, the running board, and the car mat.  Light brown mud....

Not too far down the road I saw a sign for Route 11 Potato Chips.  It's a small facility, and you can look through windows to watch them make their very-fried chips.

And then home!  Didn't take too long.  My tiny suitcase and I hit the stairs, then I hit the bed and fell fast asleep.  What a great trip!  School tomorrow!

California Trip - May, 2021

Tuesday 5/11 Flew from BWI to OAK

                dinner at home - steak and grilled asparagus

Wednesday 5/12 Headed north on 101 to Humboldt County and the Avenue of the Giants

        On to Eureka and Arcata, night at Hampton Inn

            Knit, Eureka - Dede bought wool yarn for matching She & ME slippers!

                 lunch at Avenue Cafe in Miranda at the very start of the Avenue of the Giants

                 dinner at La Fiesta Grill in Arcata (yum! taco salad for me, enchilada for Dede)

Thursday 5/13 Arcata to Redding across 299 - wow -  then 5 to Corning (OLIVES!) 99 to Chico, home via 5/505/80/37 

    Sew Simple, Redding - nice shop with small rooms for babies, Christmas, kitchen

    The Sewing Room - Park Marina Drive, Redding (no photo, large shop with crafters items along perimeter)

     The Quilt Basket, Corning (great old building outside, not much fabric but notions and machines inside)

     Honey Run Quilters, Chico - huge store with lots of machines, quilt shop in back corner, but fabric                 and ideas everywhere.  Clothing patterns and ideas, too.

                     lunch at From the Hearth (similar to Panera) in Redding, 

                     dinner at home, grilled sausages and Quinoa salad

Friday 5/14 Accidental Quilt Shop Hop

        Cloth Carousel, Vacaville (found free cowlette/dog coat pattern)

        Fabric Garden, Sacramento (very nice shop, Dede bought Mondo bag pattern)

        Swifty Stitches, Carmichael (bought Laura's 4th July fabric, women sewing in the back)

        Runs with Scissors, Citrus Heights (Dede taught customer how to sew the "kites" strip quilt she just finished.

                lunch at West Coast Sour Dough (outside) in Sacramento

                dinner at home, grilled sausages and salad

   

Saturday, 5/15 Novato to oompa loompa state park 

        through Greenbrae, Ross, San Anselmo, Fairfax, Woodacre, West Marin (Olema, Pt. Reyes Station, Inverness Park, Inverness, Marshall)

        Samuel P. Taylor State Park - Redwood groves and grassy hills, nice campground

        Tomales State Park - has beach and picnicking down a half mile road)     

                lunch at Boca Pizzeria, Novato - chicken flatbread wrap with hummus, tomatoes, yummy dressing)

                dinner at home - Grilled salmon, grilled asparagus, sliced brown tomatoes  

Sunday, 5/16

        Over the Golden Gate Bridge - a little bit of good old SF fog - to San Bruno Mountain - up to the foggy summit where there were no other cars, because Steve had the secret entry code.  Windy.  Super windy.  If there were no fog, we would have looked down onto several huge cemeteries on one side and the city of San Francisco on the other.

    Daly City - the song "Little Boxes, on the hillside, little boxes made of ticky tacky" was written about Daly City

!                           

    Through Pacifica to Moss Beach. 

        Late Lunch at Moss Beach Distillery with Dede's cousin Terry, at window with incredible view.  Seafood Platter: fried cod, fried calamari, fried "prawns" with crispy fries and yummy coleslaw....and a Bloody Mary!

            Dessert at Tuttimelon in Novato, Pineapple Whip Sorbet. Blissful day!

Monday, 5/17/2021

     Drove into San Francisco for the day, eating lunch at The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen, just beside the Bay Bridge in South Beach.  

     I've posted the photos on a separate blog post here.

Took some photos of Dede's flowers and lemons as well as California poppies and other cool flowers on the side of the roadway.

Tuesday, 5/18/2021

Homeward bound.  Left Oakland at 9:20 am, arriving in Baltimore at 8:10 pm.  By the time I got my bag and reached the car it was almost 10 pm.  I'm so glad that I had reserved a night at the BWI Garden Hilton, which was around 3 miles from the parking garage!

What a wonderful week!

A Short Stay in Williamsburg, Virginia

November 8 - 11, 2020

Photos below

Laura and I decided to take the kids down to Williamsburg back in August, but decided against it because of the pandemic.  We thought it would be less busy in November (it was) but still pleasant weather.  Were we ever right!  We had perfect weather, great accommodations at a Hampton Inn/Hilton (really clean) quite close to Colonial Williamsburg, and the opportunity to visit, if even for  short time, with one of my former fifth graders, Emily Doherty, who now has the dream job of being a docent/writer/presenter at Colonial Williamsburg.

We drove down on Sunday, arriving before dark to check in and find an outdoor venue to eat dinner.  We found the perfect place, a wonderful pizza place at the end of the mile-long central strip of Colonial Williamsburg, Mellow Marshmallow.  We enjoyed it so much that we decided to eat there again on Tuesday night.  Great food, wonderful wait staff, we loved it.

First thing Monday morning, we met up with Emily outside the Governor's Palace.  She hasn't changed one iota, what a sweetheart.  She even gifted us with free tickets for our two-day stay.  She says it's one of the perks of employment, and she hasn't had the opportunity to give many away this year!  

Our first "tour" was of the governor's palace, which was super enjoyable.  I spent a week here on a Teacher Education Opportunity back in 2001, and remembered some of the places here so fondly.  During that week we saw so much behind-the-scenes and gleaned a huge knowledge of how to share this incredible place with kids.  I remembered the entrance to the palace, full of swords, knives, and firearms.  Tristan sure enjoyed it!  

Even though inside touring was limited, small groups got to see a dozen or so of the authentic settings.  Docents were more than happy to answer questions, including those relating to working there.  We learned about blacksmithing, silversmithing, brickmaking, millinery, and the two different courts of law available to the residents of Williamsburg back in "the day."  It was laid-back, engrossing, and so much fun.  Both kids enjoyed it greatly.

We spent Monday morning and Tuesday morning at Williamsburg.

On Monday afternoon we went to Jamestown, one part of the Colonial National Historic Park "triangle."  Unfortunately, the movie and museum were (of course) closed, which lessened the information for the kids greatly.  Next time...

On Tuesday afternoon we headed to Yorktown.  Again, no museum or movie, but interesting.  Kids got to hike around both places, but Williamsburg was the super hit of this trip.

Mellow Mushroom

Just Arrived

We felt like we had the entire place to ourselves!

Fall in Colonial Williamsburg

Inside the courthouse

Masks the whole time, of course

Walkway bridge with benches at Jamestown.

Great Friday Nine to Five Drive

Carlisle to:

ShippenStitch, 45 W. King St, Shippensburg, PA to:
     Checked out the shop for the first time, as well as their "EverSewn" machines

The Yarn Basket, Chambersburg, PA (which was, unfortunately closed for the Labor Day weekend) to:

Shady Grove Fabrics, 2900 Buchanen Trail East, Greencastle, PA ( a Mennonite shop, with mostly fabrics and goods for Amish/Mennonite sewing, with a few cottons for quilting to:

Itchin 2 Stitch, Waynesboro, PA  (my GPS took me about a mile down the road, next time, watch for the address and don't trust the GPS.  I didn't stop this time) through:

Gettysburgh, to:

Creative Ewe Yarn Shop, 11 N. 5th Street, McSherrystown, PA (Loaded down with yarns!!) and
     Golden Dragon Chinese & Japanese Restaurant, 7 S. 6th Street, McSherrystown and on through:

Hanover, PA and then

HOME

Day Trippin' to State College

A cold and crisp 37 degrees greeted me this morning as I began my first trip through the mountains to State College.

First stop was Marty's Quilt Shop on the outskirts of Lewistown.  A self-proclaimed "dog lady", her shop is in an old house with lots of Encore Yarns and a little of this and a little of that.  Really, really nice woman.

From there I went to Belleville to Mary Lee's Fabric Shop.  The shop is filled with patterns, samples, and consignment items as well as lots of fabrics including wools and homespuns.  They open at 8 in the morning and have lots of the fabrics that Amish and Mennonite women make their dresses with..  A lovely young Mennonite woman waited on me and told me how to get to State College using back roads.

From here I drove 305 up and around and through the mountains to get to my next stop.  Indeed, this is Amish country.  I passed two different buggies that were painted bright yellow.  Apparently there are three different Amish sects around here, and each paint their buggies in a different way.

A quick stop into Greenwood Furnace State Park - two lovely ladies in the office were talkative and informative.  I bought next year's 2018 State Parks calendar and got my State Parks Passport stamped.  Took a drive through the double loop camping area.  There's only one restroom and I noted the sites that seem the closest - site 38 would probably be the best.  Just a half mile down the road and across the street is a swimming area at the edge of what appears to be a little lake.  Loads and loads of picnic tables there, too.  Very nice.  Also right here is a little dam and spillway.  Looks like there are hiking trails and other things to explore and check out.  Big football game coming up this weekend at State College (vs. Michigan) and the campground is going to be full.

Stitch Your ARt Out is in Pine Grove, near State Collefgwe.  Thes has to be my most favorite store of the year!  Loads of Australian Aboriginal fabrics, lots and lots of projects, knitting - great yarns - and ideas galore.  The own'er name is Cynthia.  I must look and see if there's a class I can take up here.  Block of the month - an aboriginal design -started in Jnuary and is $60.00 for the whole year.  She'll mail, and it's not to late to begin.  She plans to have a workshop in March at the shop to put the quilt together.  Nittany Budget Motel is just down the road.

THE American Philatelic Center is in Bellafonte, just 11 miles up the road from State College.What a wonderful experience!  The building, part of an old match factory,, has been remodeled extensively  They even have a noriginal post office from mid-1800 West Virginia that has been dismantled and put together inside.  It's on permanent loan from the Smithsonian!  It's also a working post office.  Reminds me of the Postal History Museum in Tucson.  The have an exhibit with is A to Z of Stamp History, which was just marvelous.  The library - two floors of philatelic history  - has its own couple of librarians working here full time!  The woman who showed me around and kept checking on me has worked there for 37 years, but I never got her name, foolish me.  She was marvelous.  I loved, loved, loved this stop.  On the way out there were three baskets of old [ostcards, notecards, and first day covers - free for the taking!

Before leaving Bellafonte I found a letterbox in a Little Free Library on the top of a huge hill on South Allegheny.  The hill reminds me of San Francisco - I can't imagine what they do in the winter to traverse it!

I went up the the trailhead of Mount Nitanny in Lemont, where I found a letterbox and a handful of acorns.

I got onto 322/22 all the way to 81.  Decided to catch a movie in Harrisburg, making it a full super-fun day.  I never did get to explore State College.  Another road trip!

2016 Summer Trip w/Dede

Day 1

Manchester, NH to Bennington, VT
July 9, 2016

It rained all day.  We ate a bagel & yogurt continental breakfast at the Econo Lodge in Manchester before we took off for the day, Didn't get to eat again until dinner.

Boscawen, NH - Bittersweet Fabric Shop

     Very cute cabin set back a bit, their RowByRow was a beautiful "Home In New Hampshire" which came all cut AND prepped with iron-on fusing!  Love it!  They didn't have any new license plates for this year, and I didn't like their plate for last year, so I passed on it.

Henniker, NH - Quilted Threads

     FANTASTIC Fabric shop, one of the best I've seen in awhile.  A little bit of everything and VERY up-to-date with contemporary, cutting edge fabrics, styles, and patterns - including clothing and woolies.  Purchased a super-cool advent calendar pattern with pieced daily 4" paper-pieced pictures for each of the 25 days.  Row by Row Plate:  GO NUTS 4 BOLTS

Hillsborough, NH - Franklin Pierce (14th US President) Homestead

     Dede took the tour in the house, while I watched the DVD about the area and Pierce's childhood in the area.  Beautiful place, so glad we stopped.

Wilmington, VT - The Vermont Bowl Company

      Years ago, when I worked at the Kimball Shop in NEH, we sold gorgeous wooden salad bowls made by John McLeod.  So as I was cruising along through Vermont and saw the sign, we stopped. Gorgeous, gorgeous bowls.  Drool-worthy bowls.  

Bennington, VT - The Scarlett Creation

     Small quilt shop that had yarn, too.  It was pouring cats & dogs when we got there, and I had to take off my shoes, roll up my pants, and wade through calf-deep raging water to get out of the car and inside (fun!)  I bought the first fabric for Charlie's quilt here, small pink hearts in a haphazard pattern on white.  RowByRow plate:  GOT QUILTS

Bennington, VT - Bennington Pottery

     I remember coming here with Steve years ago, and it was fun to bring Dede here. Such beautiful pottery!

Dinner:  Bennington Pizza Plaza - Delicious pizza, spaghetti, and salad.  Inexpensive.  Huge drawback: Dede left a bag with most of her pattern purchases and when we went back an hour later, they were not there.  Someone must have taken (stolen!) her bag.  I can't imagine that happening, especially in Vermont....

Autumn Motel, Bennington - run by a 3-generation Indian family, who were very nice.

Day 2

Bennington, VT to Cooperstown, NY
July 10, 2016

Same kind of drizzly day as yesterday EXCEPT bright sunshine mysteriously appeared several times. Skipped breakfast

Bennington, VT - First Church Graveyard:
      Robert Frost Grave
      Letterbox #1 (my first VT)
      Letterbox #2

Bennington, VT - Bennington Monument
     Elevator to the top!  Great, friendly, funny elevator operator, super sweet high school girl at the top.  Gift shop.

Bennington, VT:  THREE (3!!!) Covered Bridges
        1 - Silk Road
        2 - Papermill (we walked down a path through the woods to see it a bit down the river, with the dam water falls....exceptionally cool.
        3 - Henry (there was a picnic area and bench here, with lovely views)

Lunch at Subway

Bennington, VT - Bennington Museum
         GRANDMA MOSES!

Arlington, VT - Sugar Shack Norman Rockwell Exhibit
         15-minute DVD and lots of memorabilia.  Great stop.

Cobleskill, NY - The Yardstick
         First of all, a welcome rest from rainy driving and open on Sunday, which really pleased us.  Purchased two fat quarters for Charlie's rag quilt and their kit, which uses a panel with bird prints.

Cooperstown, NY -  Terrace Motor Inn on Route 80
Dinner at Mel's at 22 in Cooperstown, delish!

Day 3

Cooperstown, NY to Seneca Falls, NY
July 11, 2016

Beautiful, sunny day.  Breakfast at little sports bar/cafe on Main Street in Cooperstown.

National Baseball Hall of Fame.  Awesome.  Well worth a bit of an out-of-the-way drive.  It's beside Ostego Lake, which is lovely.

Lakeview Cemetery - a really old one that, unlike yesterdays in Bennington, has not been cared for very well.  It's huge and built on a very high hill.  Steps are built into the hill at various points.  I found a letter box there, and although there were others, we enjoyed our ride through the cemetery and then hit the road.

Utica, New York -Tiger Lily Quilt Shop - another favorite!  We spent a couple of hours there.  I was so overwhelmed, I didn't purchase any of the Christmas fabrics that I was looking at for my Advent calendar.  Lu, the manager, was a hoot.  We discovered it's less than 5 hrs from Mt. Holly Springs, so I'm going to come up and take a class.

New Hartford, NY
    Subway - late lunch (ha!  really late....)
    Sew Wilde - unimpressive shop with TWO different rows to choose from.  Both were cute.

Seneca Falls/ Waterloo - Microtel
       Walmart provided us with salads, dip, crackers, chips, soda, and a red velvet cupcake for Dede.

Day 4

Seneca Falls, NY to Rochester, NY
July 12, 2016

Bkfst at Microtel

National Women's Rights Museum - CLOSED!!! We couldn't believe it, two or three days each week!

Victor, NY - Ivy Thimble Quilt & Gift

LeRoy, NY
     Jello Museum at the LeRoy Historical Society
      Barn Quilts
      Letterbox - great story:

Webster, NY - Cafe Sewciety

Rochester, NY - Jackie Lynns Fabrics & Discount Sewing Center

Rochester, NY:  Ontario Beach Park - we waded in LAKE ONTARIO!

Rochester, NY:  Radiance Inn & Suites

Day 5

Rochester, NY to Niagara Falls, NY

July 13, 2016

Rochester, NY - George Eastman House - Dede went in and toured, enjoying it greatly.  I staying in the car and wrote postcards.

Brockport, NY - Country Treasures (a gift shop and quilt shop with a totally country theme).

Brockport, NY - Lunch at Jimmy Z's Texas Hots, where I enjoyed a unique lunch:  a layered basket of macaroni salad, french fries, and tater tots topped with a cheese burger, fried chicken strip, mozzarella cheese and gravy.  YUM!

Lockport, NY - A ride down the Erie Canal through a set of double locks.  Cool!

Niagara Falls - drove around a bit, getting acclimated.  Went into an information center/gift shop where we purchased a "tour" for tomorrow that included a night at the Sheraton at Niagara Falls  for $139.  Couldn't pass it up!

Dinner at Rainforest Cafe - a Chinese chicken salad that was light and yummy and perfect.

Day 6
Niagara Falls, NY to Jamestown, NY
July 14, 2016

Day 7
Jamestown, NY to Fishkill, NY
July 15, 2016

Day 8
Last Day
Hyde Park NY to Peekskill Train Station (& Grand Central) AND Mt. Holly Springs, PA
July 16, 2016