Showing posts with label virginia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label virginia. Show all posts

Friday, April 5, 2013

Road Trip-- Day 4


Day 4 Homeward Bound

I woke up out of a deep sleep, startled because I thought we might have overslept. Then, I heard noises and realized that Ed was in the bathroom. I grabbed my Nook to check the time, and it was 5:19 AM. Time to get ready and get back on the road!

Yes, I did say this was a quick road trip, didn’t I? It’s amazing how just a few days away can seem like so much longer—I feel as though I’ve been gone for weeks! A change in scenery does change the mind and how one views things. It can also bring clarity of thought to Lots of situations.

We’re driving home via Virginia Beach today—hoping to avoid the traffic which begins at Richmond and never seems to let up until we get home. We’re plan to drive by the house where Sophia was born, and just check out the neighborhood.

We’re both looking forward to seeing our Fawnie again- I’m sure she missed us terribly, as we missed her!

Unfortunately, my laptop’s battery is dying and so I will have to finish telling the story of our journey when I get back home.

Recharged from home…

Home. The return trip via the Eastern Shore was only 1 mile but 2 hours longer than driving up I-95. However, the entire drive was much more relaxing. Traffic going up the Eastern Shore is practically non-existent!

After experiencing a huge traffic delay due to “road work” on I-95 between Roanoke Rapids and Emporia, we grabbed a cup of coffee at the Starbucks in the Hilltop area of VA Beach…


...then drove past our old house in Alanton. Sophia was born there, and so she’s a Virginian! The neighborhood is just as gorgeous as ever… sigh… it was an idyllic place to live!
Here's our old house... the new owners have added brown trim where it used to be cream colored trim, but I do believe it's still the same roof! The new was new when we bought it in 1983. This house was built in the 1960s by the wife of Navy Captain Eugene McDaniels, who was one of the longest prisoners, captured and held POW in the Viet Nam war. He was in the cell next to John McCain. While her husband was held prisoner, his wife built this house waiting for his return.
The street is lined with dogwood trees on both sides of the road, and when the time came each spring, the dogwoods flowered and created a fantasy wonderland in Alanton! We bought the house in 1983, and Sophia was born there in 1984. It was a comfortable, "sticks-and-bricks" built house, and was most definitely the best quality-built house we ever owned. What I loved about living here was that everyone in my family came to visit us, and we had room for them all!
 
We crossed over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, a 23 mile stretch of bridges and tunnels crossing the Hampton Roads area of the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay.  


It’s amazing how we both can just enjoy scenery while navigating the way and not be bored, and Ed did well driving 14 hours in one day! The drive up the Eastern Shore was smooth and relaxing...

Of course, the best part of coming home was getting squeals and kisses from our Fawnie girl!

Road trip 2013: A success! Can’t wait to do another one—but first, make progress on the dissertation!!!

Road Trip! Destination Charleston, SC!

Day 1

Road trip! While those words generally instill groans in others... for my family it instills a sense of adventure and anticipation! We always used to take road trips when the kids were little-- to visit family in Kentucky, Michigan, Cape Cod or go to Myrtle Beach.  This time it is different-- Ed and I are on a road trip with our final destination of Charleston, South Carolina.

We left the day after Easter-- and while Easter Sunday was cold, rainy, and so gloomy that I thought winter would never end, day 1 of our road trip began with sunny, blue skies, albeit a nip in the air. Traffic was jammed all the way down, and while we thought it would ease up past Washington, DC, it didn't ease up until past Richmond.

Once we got down to North Carolina I felt as though spring really was springing (but not quite sprung!). The rest area was beautifully landscaped and we could see evidence of a few flower buds just freshly bloomed here and there. Most of all, the temps were warmed and hot a balmy 70 degrees!

Travelling down this road again after so many years reminded me of how nicely the rest areas were landscaped in the true southern tradition...

...always a memorial of some kind to those who fought for our country.

Through the miracle of modern technology I also discovered that one of my colleagues from work, Debbie and her husband were also heading south on I-95 just a couple hours ahead of us going toward Savannah. Small world...

By the time we got to Myrtle Beach it was 76!!! Fabulous! We stayed at the Sheraton with a great view! The rates were affordable and the rooms generous and squeeky clean! It's a new hotel and I highly recommend it. It's only 2 blocks walking to the beach.

The view from our window...

Once we checked in at the Sheraton at the MB Convention Center, we walked off the 10 hours of driving by walking 9 blocks to a seafood place where we had dinner.


It's right on the beach, so we had a great view of the ocean. It was crowded, so just like when we were dating (so many years ago!!!) we sat and enjoyed drinks at the bar. It was worth the wait to get a table at the window, and we watched the sun go down as we ate dinner. As for the food-- the quality is really just ordinary, but the staff was hospitable.




When I finally felt the sand of the beach under my feet, I felt content and relaxed. This is MY place! Love that MB!

Looking forward to Day 2!