Oct 18, 2015 Blue Ridge Parkway - Oct 25 Brain Tumor Walk in Boston

October 18
Blue Ridge Parkway

Heading north this morning, we stopped by Mt. Airy, NC which was the setting for the town of Mayberry on the Andy Griffith show.  It being Sunday, there was not much going on except for tourists wandering around town.  A few shops were open, and a few sites like Floyd's Barber Shop from the TV show.

Someone was giving tours in Andy's old sheriff's car.

We moved on and got onto the Blue Ridge Parkway.  The foliage was not spectacular, though there were nice patches of color here and there.  Lots of pumpkins amid the forests.

 We stopped at Mabry Mill,  an old mill that ground corn and flour.  There was a small musical group playing and quite a few visitors on this beautiful Fall day.

We decided to stop at the Rocky Knob national campground for the night.  It was a nice campground with only a few campers. Totally covered by fallen leaves.  Greg made a great campfire as the temperature dropped.  Two large flocks of turkeys ran through the campground, and we saw a few deer nearby. Very cold.

October 19,  

Blue Ridge and Roanoke

Next morning the temp was 34 at the campsite.  We went back the few miles to Mabry Mill which had only a few visitors today, most of whom were photographers.It is a difficult place to photograph, at least at the times we were there, because of the mix of light and dark areas.

It was even colder at the mill!

  Back to the parkway.  There was little traffic (they don't allow trucks), and lovely sites.The speed limit is 45, but you wouldn't want to go any faster.

We decided to get off the Parkway at Roanoke, for gas and a little wi-fi.  The first library we went to was under construction, but the second was ok.  Unfortunately when I opened I-photo, got the message that the data base had to be rebuilt.  It ran for quite a while and finally gave the message that it had re-constructed 30000+ items, however it was still running.  After a while, Greg suggested we exit the program and go back in.  When we went back in, I-Photo was empty! (.Apple does not show the nice little line graph that shows progress)

We found a computer store that worked with Apple products and Eric there was able to repair I-Photo and restore all the pictures (for only $20).  While the repair program ran we went to nearby Mission Barbecue for lunch.  Pretty good brisket and pulled pork.

Back on the road and the Trek was idling badly (again).  We decided to stop at a Walmart in Harrisonburg for the night.


October 20
Family in PA

We hit the road early the morning of the 20th and stopped at a McDonald's for coffee and a breakfast sandwich.  When we came back to the Trek it was running poorly, dying a few times before we were able to get back on I-81.   We decided to detour over to Hanover, PA and Anita and Kevin's house.  Called and asked if they could recommend a mechanic.  We met Anita at their office, dropped off the Trek with their friend Tim, and then went to Anita & Kevin's in their Scion.

Did laundry and showered before Anita & Kevin came home from work, then headed south to a GREAT Italian restaurant in a small town named Manchester, Fratelli's, just over the Maryland line.  Excellent dinner with calamari & mussels for an appetizer and great entrees.  The place was packed on this Tuesday evening.

We did a quick drive-by of the Manchester Fire Dept where Vanessa was on call as EMT and said hello.

We slept at Anita & Kevin's house, as the part for the Trek wouldn't be there till the morning.  What a wonderful port in a storm!!

October 21-23

The Trek was finished (sort of) about 11:15, so we took the Scion and picked it up after breakfast at The Starlight Diner, where eggs, scrapple, home fries, and toast came to a whopping $3.84! Dropped the Scion at Anita and Kevin's place with our thanks and farewells.  Headed to Lancaster where we stopped at an LA Fitness, before heading to Greg's Mom's in New Holland.   Visited and had a nice  meatloaf dinner for which Gwynne joined us.

  Next day we enjoyed the sunrise from Mom's apartment

then we ran some errands and visited some more.

Stopped by a colorful local nursery.

 Took sandwiches and had lunch with Dad, who was much the same. Later in the afternoon we headed to Gwynne's house.  Dropped Mom there and went to a nearby LA Fitness.  Had Sante Fe chili for dinner and hit the hay, planning an early departure tomorrow for Brett's in North Reading, MA - a six hour or so drive.


October 23, Friday
Lots of traffic as we headed east from Gwynne's, to the New Jersey Turnpike and then north.  Pretty foliage through parts of New Jersey, New York and Connecticut.

 Some color in MA too, but a little past peak.  We reached Brett's about 1:30 in the afternoon and visited till Dave got home from work.

Brett & Dave's home in North Reading

 Brett and Dave had made sweet potatoe soup and a roast chicken for dinner.  They had a performance to attend, so Greg, Gwynne and I watched a little TV and called it a night. Not sure how sitting in a car for 7 hours can make one tired, but it did!

October 24

Spent the day preparing for tomorrow's walk and then helping Brett & Dave with their yard and porch,"winterizing". Their home is surrounded by woods, so they have lots of bird feeders and lots of birds, including woodpeckers which are causing problems to their siding.

Mom and I made chicken salad for lunch and I did prep work for the Crawfish Etouffe I am making for dinner.  Mid-afternoon Garth, Kathy and Carolyn arrived.  Garth's arm is in a sling due to a bicycle accident. We played games and visited.   Had Crawfish etouffe for dinner and Kathy brought a lovely apple cake and  a lime cheesecake.

Team Oligo

Great visit and then we bade farewell till tomorrow morning's Brain Tumor Walk.


October 25
Boston Brain Tumor Walk.

Early breakfast and off to the Walk site about 7:00, as Brett & Dave had things to set-up.  Gwynne had purchased a wonderful pop-up tent that kept things dry and organized.  It sprinkled a bit, but nothing heavy.

Lots of friends and family of the four captains, each a brain tumor survivor.  Our team Oligo was top fundraiser and Brett was top individual fundraiser!

Captains: Brett, Tanya, Steve & Rich

My friend Laurie and her husband Mike who live near us in TX were in Boston and came by to walk with us!

Mike & Laurie

 The three mile walk went quickly and then it was time for photos and clean-up.

Back to Brett's where Carolyn had arranged some good snacks that got us through to the wonderful Prime Rib dinner Brett and Dave provided! Great day together!

Savannah to NC Oct 15,2015

Thursday, October 15

Savannah and on to Balloons

58 degrees this morning 7:00.  We continued north along highway 99, which is dubbed the “Culture Corridor.”  Several plantation sites, the main crops being indigo, rice, and cotton.  A mix of modest homes, trailer homes and occasional very nice homes.

The Georgia coast is less than 100 miles and has a very high percentage of salt marsh.  It consists mainly of  barrier islands, inlets, marshes and swamps.  We followed the arrow to Sapelo Island only to reach a dock and discover that the island is only accessible by boat.

Wood storks

 This flock of wood storks was camped out nearby - very tall birds!

 There is a small visitor’s center near the dock, which explains Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary, 16 miles off the coast of Sapelo.  Hog Hammock is a Gullah community on the island that was formed in 1840’s by African americans.  There is a ferry to the Island, providing tours on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

 This fisherman by the dock caught a good sized trout.

We headed into Savannah and found the Visitor Center on MLK Boulevard.  A gentleman named Randy Tatum provided us with a map and suggestions of highlights.  There are many tour groups, but the historic area is only about a square mile, so we decided to walk.

There are 22 “squares” throughout the city, each one offering a small green oasis featuring the everpresent moss-draped live oaks, various fountains, statues, benches, etc.  Lots of people strolling, walking dogs, pushing strollers, playing music, sketching, etc.

   A very relaxed and comfortable vibe. Beautiful homes everywhere. The statues run the gamut from revolutionary war heroes (like these men from Haiti), 

to civil war confederate generals, to community leaders.   

This is Forsyth Fountain, which is at the head of a large park.

Almost every square has a beautiful church on one side.  St. James Church Episcopal peeks through the tree canopy here.

 The Cathedral of St. John Baptist is the seat of the Catholic Diocese of Savannah but was having a service.  

The Luthern Church of the Ascension had some gorgeous stained glass windows and a huge pipe organ.

We toured the Owen-Thomas house, completed in 1819 and the first home in Savannah to use an architect - 24-year old William Jay, from England and coincidentally the brother-in-law of Mr. Owen. 

The home is carefully restored and features all authentic period furnishings.(No photos allowed.)  It was unusual in that it had three large cisterns and quite an elaborate plumbing system!  We walked the halls where the Marquis de Lafayette and his son walked.  The guide shared the fact that Lafayette was very disappointed that slavery still existed after the Revolutionary War, and had to make special arrangements for a black assistant that traveled with him.  Savannah greatly feared slave uprisings, so all slaves and free coloreds were confined during Lafayette’s visit. 

We passed the Juliette Low home, with attached cottage where the first Girl Scout meetings were held.  And we continued  to the river,

 through a busy market place, and back to the Visitor’s Center.  Gorgeous scenery everywhere, and wonderful architecture.  I loved this scene!

Next, we decided to visit St. Bonaventure Cemetary, which was a bit of a drive. It is  a huge cemetery amid live oaks but no tours available today, so we just wandered the grounds for a bit.

And then we began to head north, as we need to be in Statesville, NC tomorrow afternoon.  

The only signs we saw of the recent flooding problems were some standing water and a river or two that looked high.  A few temporary signs on the highways advised not to cross barriers, but the barriers were gone. Stopped at a nice Walmart on the northeast side of Columbia where we had a quiet night.

Friday, October 16

Into North Carolina

Not much to report this day of traveling.  We continued north through Charlotte, North Carolina, where we found another LA Fitness.  This one was quite elaborate, as it used to be another gym and was taken over by LAF.  Three stories, a pool, a track and equipment that we weren’t altogether familiar with.  But we managed a workout and enjoyed the showers before moving on.

We are beginning to see some hints of color in the wooded areas we pass by.

We arrive at Lake Norman State Park around 1:00 and stop by their Visitor’s Center to check in. 

Lake Norman is a huge man-made lake, 8 miles wide and 30+ miles long.  I asked how the rains had affected them and was told they had been in a long drought, so the rain actually brought them back to “normal” levels.

We find our campsite amid the tall trees,

 and then take a drive into nearby Statesville where we will head tomorrow morning for the Carolina Balloon Fest.  We find the site near their small airport and there is a lot of traffic heading for this afternoon’s mass ascension.  We only have tickets for tomorrow, so go back to the campsite and relax.

We hike a bit through the fallen leaves, check out the lake and the many varied mushrooms growing throughout the woods.

32 campsites and they are filled.   Luckily we reserved a spot for two nights and it is a great site,  roomy and very quiet.  Greg builds a wonderful fire and it feels good as the temperature dips toward freezing!

Saturday, October 17

Carolina Balloon Fest

About 5:00 in the morning, I get up and add another blanket to the bed!  It is 34 degrees an hour later when we get up and get rolling to beat the worst of the traffic. Lake Norman Park doesn’t officially open its gates till 7:00AM, but we got the code for the locks on the gates so we can slip out early.

Traffic is light through the countryside, though by the time we reach the parking area 20 minutes later, there is a steady stream. There is frost on everything! We park and talk with some volunteers who tell us the gates officially open at 7:00 but we can go in…. instead we go back to the van, relax and eat some breakfast.

This morning’s event is a flyover, rather than an ascension.  The balloons take off from another location (except for a few like Darth Vader and Obie One ) 

There is a huge white x on the field and the balloonists lob bean bags from their baskets, seeing who can get closest.  There are about 50 balloonists participating and they soon begin to appear over the tree line.Some get very  close, others are carried wide by the winds.  It is a real test for the pilots to try to catch the right winds and the right heights to end up over the target! and fly over the festival site.

tossing a bean bag

After the last beanbag is tossed, we leave the chairs we brought and walk the festival grounds.  We enjoy listening to Albannach – Bareknuckle  Pipes and Drums.

There are many games and rides for kids, 

a few tethered balloons giving rides,  and one balloon you can walk into -  pretty cool.  

The view from inside

We watch them inflate this balloon and then take a few goofy pictures.

There are folks in costume, face painters, jugglers, etc. making for a very festive event! And a beautiful day once it warmed a bit.

Lots of food and arts and crafts and two stages with music.  When we first got here and set up our chairs, Greg went to get some coffee and hot chocolate…and waited in line for over half an hour.  The lines are long for most things, so around lunchtime we go back to the Trek and make some worsts.  Beth takes a bit of a nap while Greg people watches. 

 The mass ascension is supposed to take place around 4:00 but the wind has picked up and they can’t fly if it is too windy.   They are “on hold” for an hour, waiting to see if the winds will die down, but it is not to be.   Many folks are still arriving and the grounds are packed. 

  There will be a “glow” at dusk when several of the balloons fire up but stay on the ground.  We decide to avoid the craziness and head back to camp where we have our own glow around a cozy fire.

We enjoy cheese and crackers and some chicken corn chowder.  Our neighboring campers arrive and it is a Dad with a daughter of about 7.  It is her first time camping and she is so excited.  And Dad is great,  involving her and patiently answering all her questions.  They have brought firewood but Greg lends them our axe and hammer to split some of it for kindling.  

The night is cold and crisp and the stars above the tall trees sparkle.  What a lovely night!