20040817

August 17, 2004
Teusday

Start: FAMCAMP, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
End: KOA, Washington PA
Miles: 230

Temps: High 85.3, Low 57.2. The high reading is too high - might have gotten to 80.

We left the FAMCAMP in a leisurely fashion and traveled with loads of trucks eastward on I-70. The day was partly cloudy and rather nice. Traffic was heavy in spots, especially on the east side of Columbus. We skipped lunch in favor of an early dinner.

Arrival time at this KOA was about 2:00pm. We skittered up the gravel hill and snuck into the site and hooked up. Then we proceeded to take it easy.

We called son Bill and chatted, and then had dinner. A little later, Val Conley called us just as we were about to call them. We agreed on how to get together tomorrow in Manassas.

Then Dolores settled in to seriously watch the Olympics and I read books and did the computer chores.

Nice, easy day.


20040818

August 18, 2004
Wednesday

Start: KOA, Washington PA
End: Mountain View CG at Silver Lake, Haymarket VA
Miles: 248

Temps: High 91.9, Low 59.0. The high is false; the sensor measured something that wasn't real. The real high was in the low 80's.

We got out of the KOA rather quickly this morning and hopped back onto I-70 eastward.

We hadn't refueled yesterday, so fuel was a little low. Still, it looked as though we'd have no problem making it to the first oasis on the PA Turnpike. But when we entered the turnpike we entered after that oasis and were now faced with another 30 miles to the next fuel stop. The "low fuel" light came on about this time, which is supposed to signify that 10% of your fuel capacity remains; of the 30 gallons, we had 3 left. We've been getting 10 to 12 miles per gallon, so we thought we'd be pretty low when we arrived. We were, but it wasn't that bad. We poured 27.6 gallons into the tank. I'll consider adding an auxiliary tank to boost our capacity.

Pennsylvania manages their "work zones" more poorly than any other state I've seen. We had the following examples today:

- A work zone notice, with speed limit, followed three miles later by an end-of-work-zone sign. No work site was seen in between.
- A sign requiring buses and trucks to use the left lane, despite the fact that the left lane was closed at that point.
- A number of long, long work zones with one work detail in it.

There were other frustrations with work zones that I can't remember at the moment.

When we entered Maryland, we went back to normal work zone management. Further, there were nice signs at the end of each work zone thanking the public for their patience. Very refreshing.

We arrived at the campground in the early afternoon. Shortly afterward, son Bill joined us. We chatted and laughed the rest of the afternoon, then went to Blue Ridge Seafood for dinner. Dinner was fun and good. Then we returned to the trailer. Bill & Dolores watched the Olympics while I watched them.

Bill wants some maintenance done on his Mitsubishi, so I called John Johnson, Jr., at Olde Towne Auto Repair, and introduced them. I'll meet Bill there tomorrow as he turns it in for work. I don't know how he'll get it home, but he'll find a way.

We finally threw Bill out a little after 11:30pm and headed for bed.

Lots of fun.


20040819

August 19, 2004
Thursday

Start: Mountain View CG at Silver Lake, Haymarket VA
End: Mountain View CG at Silver Lake, Haymarket VA
Miles: 0

Temps: High 84.2, Low 71.1. The high may actually be low for a change. Most towns were in the high 80's.

It was normal Manassas August weather - hot & humid. Not as hot nor as humid as it can be, but enough to remind you of what can be.

We got up late and, per agreement I headed into town to pick up son Bill as he dropped off a car for service. I stopped at our old credit union enroute and closed out our accounts there.

I drove him back to his house and we both drove to the trailer. Dolores re-steamed the crabs we came home with yesterday. I set the picnic table. Bill & Dolores had crabs while I had ravioli, all with salads and wine or beer. We all talked and remembered things we'd done here.

I've got to put in a word about traffic in Northern Virginia. It sucks. I could not believe that people would do 80+ to get ahead of others at a point where the number of lanes changes from four to two, only to be force by congestion to slow to 55 with all the others. If nothing else would do it, just travelling in this mess should convince you to move.

Bill had received our mail forwarded from Panama City. Surprise. We hadn't asked for it, but it works out just fine. Nothing requires attention until we get home.

Then we went into Manassas. We dropped off our paperback books at Mackays and went to Coldstone Creamery for an ice cream. Dolores & I had been here before, so we chose the smallest dish. Son Bill chose the maximus. They have excellent ice cream, but serve large portions. After having his, Bill said he'd just as soon go home and go into a coma until tomorrow.

I saw an old IBM friend, Jose Rio, go into another store there and followed him in to chat for a while. He says that not much has changed over the last couple of years but that I probably wouldn't know many of the people there now. I told him to send greetings to folks I know. I wish we'd had the time here to have a little get-together with more of them, but it just wouldn't work out this trip. Perhaps next summer we can sponsor a lunch or something. To anyone from the IBM/LM Manassas group that gets this, bless you all and take care.

We returned to Mackays and picked some more paperbacks to read on the road. We had to pay a few bucks in addition to credit received by our trade-in.

We got a few groceries and returned to the trailer. At the appointed time, we headed toward the Conley's house. On the way, Dolores wanted to look at our old house, so we drove to it. We found Wayne Evans, our old neighbor across Dublin Drive, mowing his lawn so we stopped to say hello. We swapped tales, during which time he told us how many people were now moving out of our old neighborhood. He also said the home prices had continued the upward trend we saw, and that he and his mother are going to sell in September.

We went on to the Conley's. Val had had a hard day, and Pat wasn't all that happy, either. But a spell in their hot tub and a drink or two relaxed us all. Then Val served up a delicious slow-cooked chicken with garlic mashed redskin potatoes and green beans, with a nice white wine. Wonderful. Then we talked for a while and looked at pictures on the laptop we'd taken since we'd seen them last.

The Conley's both work tomorrow, so we cleared out to let them prepare. We hope we see them soon, somewhere.

We then returned to the trailer and now we intend to watch the Olympics, do the chores, and take it easy. Tomorrow, we're off to Charlottesville, Virginia.


20040820

August 20, 2004 PhotoLink
Friday

Start: Mountain View CG at Silver Lake, Haymarket VA
End: KOA, Charlottesville VA
Miles: 100

Temps: High 100.9, Low 68, currently 78 at 10:15pm. Hot and humid. The 100 mark probably was set while we were in a traffic jam on US-29.

We got up late by design, loafed around, and finally got underway for the 100 miles to the campground on the south side of Charlottesville. We were doing fairly well except the temperature kept rising, finally reaching 93.

Then VDOT struck. They closed one lane of two on US-29 south of Ruckersville and just before a traffic signal at the intersection of Airport Road. Once cars finally got merged into the one lane, they had to contend with a very slow red light (lots of traffic turns toward the airport) and shortly after that, another one. It seemed to take an hour to get through this blockade. It certainly wasn't much short of that. The reason? Trimming trees in the median. Surely to God they could have picked a better time than Friday afternoon.

Warning to all: Never take US-29 into Charlottesville from the north. Go any other way. Try US-15 south from Culpeper to I-64 and then go where you have to go.

When we finally got through the blockade and the seven thousand traffic signals on the north side of Charlottesville, we went around it and into the campground. Cell phone service didn't reach out this far, of course. We set up in the heat and turned on the air conditioner, which ran nearly continuously till evening. I got and sent email.

Around five, we set out for Tripp & Michele Cochran's house. Tripp and son Bill have birthdays only a few days apart, so today is to be their birthday celebration. We reached their house just as Michele and daughter Jasmyn drove in. Bill arrived a few minutes later, and Tripp only a few minutes after that. We got the house tour and met all three dogs, at least two of which are insane. We looked around the yard and talked about the wildlife they see there (rabbits, squirrels, deer). It's a really nice house, all open and bright.

After six, we set out for Vivaci, an Italian restaurant on the west side of Charlottesville. Dolores & I followed the rest to Barracks Road and the restaurant. They seated us, but we found out the arms of Tripp's wheelchair wouldn't fit under the table. We moved to another table, smaller and easier to talk over. We had some bruschetta, then D & I both had veal picatta which was excellent. D had cannoli & I had tiramisu for dessert. Very nice.

We all chatted and talked like mad & even Jasmyn (age about 9) worked in a story. Finally Bill & Tripp related the story of the night they borrowed our riding lawnmower to go joy-riding. Hilarious.

We parted well after nine to return to the campground. Bill went off with the Cochran's to stay there tonight (the celebration continues tomorrow with the younger generation in attendance). It was a nice night.


20040821

August 21, 2004 PhotoLink
Saturday

Start: KOA, Charlottesville VA
End: Colonies CG at Fort Monroe VA
Miles: 160

Temps: High 97.3, Low 72.0. The high is too high, it was more like 90.

We headed east after getting up late. I-64 was all right until we approached Richmond. Then the traffic built up.

Traffic stayed dense on the I-295 Bypass until we had rounded Richmond and returned to I-64 toward Norfolk. Then began some sort of road race with both lanes filled and doing something over 65mph. As we passed Williamsburg, the traffic began to slow and finally to really get clogged up as we got into a large construction project. It looks like the entire interchange with Mercury Blvd is being re-done, along with the I-664 exit and part of the I-64 HOV lanes.

We finally fought our way through that mess and got to our exit, into Phoebus and onto the bridge toward Fort Monroe, the Army's oldest. There, we found a "regatta" in progress; the other bridge access was totally blocked with grandstands and TV trucks and concessions. The Army was providing parking on-base for this event. We got into the base after a bit of confusion and wound our way down past the old Chamberlain Hotel (now closed, unfortunately) and around the hook to the campground.

We found our site assignment taped to the door of the campground office and went to it. Overflow #4 is out in the field behind the office/shower building. Water & Electric service are provided there. It looks like low ground, possibly soggy when wet.

Sure enough, along came a shower followed by a couple more. No problem.

We watched the "regatta", which turned out to be hydroplane races on the protected water between Fort Monroe and Phoebus. They were making all sorts of noise and racing along like mad in those little boats that are mostly engine. There were lots of spectators around the basin, mainly over toward that bridge previously mentioned and then along the shore toward the east.

We called an old buddy, but he was not home. We left a message.

We went out to eat and somehow entered a place called "Captin George's Seafood" out on Mercury Blvd. It's a buffet place, unlike what it was 35 years ago. The food was passable and the wine was nice. During dinner, the weather front that had been coming this way caught up with us. Lots of rain for a while.

We went back to the campground and found puddles in the field. We dodged most of them and parked in front of the trailer. Dolores stepped out into a puddle. It's too dark to see how much water is around us - we'll have to wait for morning to see it. It's supposed to be dry tomorrow, so it'll dry out.

Now, we'll watch Olympics and/or read.


20040822

August 22, 2004
Sunday

Start: Colonies CG at Fort Monroe VA
End: Colonies CG at Fort Monroe VA
Miles: 0

Temps: High 79.5, Low 69.1. Much cooler, less humid, a beautiful day.

I got up early, Dolores later, and we loafed through breakfast till time for church at the chapel, St Mary's Star of the Sea, on the base. Service was nice.

Afterward, we found a message on the phone, returned it, and Ray & Jeannie Stanis invited us to their house. We ate lunch in the trailer, then went to their place.

They're the same as always, funny and friendly. We sat around and chatted, and remembered other times in Newport News and San Diego and New London where we'd been at the same time (Ray was a shipmate on USS Seadragon and USS Ray, and in the same department on shore duty at SSEP New London; we were also in San Diego at the same time but stationed at different duty stations on Point Loma). We were doing fine and then John & Shirley, Jeannie's sister & brother-in-law, came along; I'd met Shirley when Ray & I shared an apartment here in 1966/67, so it was a surprise to see her (and with my memory, recognize her).

Eventually, the day went onward and I promised Dolores dinner at the Lynnhaven Fish House, so we left their house with invitations to come and see us and all the rest. Then we headed across the channel to Norfolk and to the Fish House. Dinner there was super nice, very picturesque with views of the lower end of Chesapeake Bay, the bridge-tunnel, and shipping in the channel. Several container vessels went by, and a bunch of fishing boats. The sun set and the lights on the bridge-tunnel came on, so we had the best view possible.

We could watch people having fun on the beach, too. Kids with dogs, a family with small children running in and out of the water, and so forth. Dolores noted she'd been spoiled by our move to PCB with the wide sand beach; in the past, she thought this beach was nice, now she looks down on it as too narrow and brown.

We filled ourselves and wandered back to the little house on the army base to settle in for the evening.

Onward tomorrow.