Richmond, VA (August 25-27)

Fortunately on Wednesday (8/25) morning, there were no traces of rain from the previous night because I left my sunroof open--that's what I get for having it open during night drives. I got on the road about two hours later than anticipated, but I really needed the sleep. Once I got on I-95 northbound, I laughed because Garmin said "continue 559 miles," making it the single longest stretch of road I have driven. Usually there are some sort of little interchanges or "keep lefts" along the way but this was just one single stretch of 559 miles. Of course, I exited for breaks a few times.

One thing I've decided about road food is that I'm going to fully enjoy the fast food if that's going to be the option. As such, I held out for a Chick-fil-A exit. Great choice 'cause I love me some Chick-fil-A! I ate an entire sandwich along with a small order of nuggets--aahh! This particular restaurant was kind enough to leave pitchers of sweet tea and plain tea out on the counter, so I did not have to suffer a wait at the counter for a refill. With my tummy full of chick, I headed back out on the road.

Welcome Sign for South of the Border

I also stopped at South of the Border (technically Dillon, South Carolina). Many years ago, I noticed this little tourist trap driving home from Myrtle Beach and swore I would stop if ever driving through again. So, it happened on this day. I filled up the gas tank and visited the public restrooms (which was weird because it was sort of like a beach facility but without a beach). The little amusement park seemed to be closed, so I just snapped a few pictures, purchased beverages from the general store, and then got back on the interstate into North Carolina.

South of the Border amusements

It was dark as I drove into Richmond, and I found my way (thanks, Garmin) to "The Diamond" where I met my hosts, Jim and Beth. I arrived during the 3rd inning of a game between the Richmond Flying Squirrels and the Reading Phillies. The home team lost 2-4, but there were still fireworks after. In fact, the fireworks rivaled many July 4 municipal displays! Although it was late, Jim & Beth entertained my request for dinner, taking me to a local tavern. I enjoyed a relatively healthy chicken wrap along with fantastic conversation! I'm pretty sure we could have enjoyed this experience for many more hours, but it was late and Beth needed to be at work pretty early the next day. So, after some brief chat back at the house, we called it a night. I did spend some time on my computer before sleeping, at which point I first encountered a terrible grinding sound from inside my MacBook--an unpleasant discovery for sure.

I never heard Beth getting ready for work on Thursday morning, and Jim woke me before heading out to an appointment, so I had the house to myself as I cleaned up and got ready for the day. I attended to some business online before Jim came home, and he helped me schedule an appointment to have my MacBook serviced. Then we went to Buz and Ned's Real Barbecue for a fabulous bbq lunch. The air was thick with aroma from the outdoor smokers, and we steeped in a bath of smoky goodness at our outdoor seats. The food was almost as wonderful as the company! 

Later in the afternoon, we toured the American Civil War Center, an experience I highly recommend for anyone in or near Richmond. Whether visiting the museum or just curious, be sure to check out their podcasts intended for use along the tour. This was Jim's entry to the "time is now" tour. I've never been much of a Civll War student (or history student), so I probably increased my Civil War knowledge about 10 fold during this afternoon. Jim and I engaged in inquisitive, and occasionally scholarly, discussion throughout the tour and beyond. After leaving the museum, we visited the statue of Lincoln with his son, Tad, near the center. Despite any protest regarding the memorial's placement here in Richmond, I found it very fitting.

Beth was home from work when we returned to the house, and she drove me to the mall for my Apple Store (Genius Bar) appointment. In the end, I had a diagnostic report filed, no service completed, and I purchased an external hard drive for backup purposes. As of this posting, my MacBook is still functioning fine--knock on wood. Although it was an odd excursion for this visit, I fully enjoyed the chat time with Beth, an experience for which I am grateful.

Dinner was carry out pizza and lasagna from a local restaurant [sorry, no name on this one]--it was fabulous and the lasagna was quite possibly the best I've ever had! The rest of the evening was very low key around the homestead, including some very entertaining Rock Band [video game] experiences. FYI, Jim rocks out on the drums. The night also included a healthy dose of beer (for me, anyway) along with plentiful laughter and smiles!

At my request, Beth did wake me for a "farewell" as she left for work Friday morning (since I would be leaving before her return home). I went back to sleep, and Jim let me sleep in until after 11:00--whoa! To some extent, a wasted morning but a good rest regardless. Jim took me to lunch at The Dairy Bar where we both enjoyed absolutely fabulous patty melts and milkshakes (mine was chocolate and peanut butter). We went back to the house and used our remaining time for an MBTI (Myers-Briggs) discussion/consultation. As is typical, the experience opened up some great dialogue and I think it was a very good experience for both of us. Shortly after 3:30, I was on the road heading to West Virginia.

As with most of my tour stops, this one was WAY to quick. It is sad that the three of us have not been together since their wedding 10 years ago. I depart with extremely joyous memories and expectations for much more frequent rendezvous in the future.