Well, this is my final blog posting on Blogger. Chris has the new website up and all my blolg entries have been transferred over to it. I will now be posting through the website. Sorry about that. But, to make it easy for you, just click on the link and it will take you to the website and presto...the blog continues. Isn't technology amazing? Here is the link. Be sure to sign up for the newsletter.
www.rickwalksamerica.com
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Dead Presidents Tour II
Well, here it is Sunday night again. As befitting the previous titled DPT from about 6 weeks ago, here is a Presidential trivia question. Who is the only President to be buried in the city of Washington, DC? Another hint: we are still in Virginia. Valda & I went to Staunton (pronounced Stanton) VA this weekend and visited the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Museum and Birthplace. It made the 12th Presidential locale we have been to. It is always fascinating seeing where and how they lived. WW was born in Staunton and only lived there for a year, but his roots are there and so is his Library. It is a pretty unassuming home compared to some we've seen, but it has its place in history, and the town seems to really support that fact.
Later on Saturday, we drove on the Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah NP. Drove about 60 miles or so but was disappointed in the scenery. The air was thick with haze and the views were not up to what we've seen elsewhere. I guess Al Gore might be on to something.
Sunday we got up and went to see James Madison's Montpelier near Orange, VA. For those of you who have been there before, the organization that owns Montpelier started a complete restoration of the home back to the time the JM died there, 1836. They have removed all the additions to the house by the duPont Family (additions that tripled the size of the house that Madison built), and have completely gutted the inside. It wasn't quite what we expected, but the tour was fascinating in its own right. The outside is pretty much complete, but there is a lot of landscaping yet to be done. They expect to be completed in two years. I'll have to go back. He made Presidential locale # 13.
I doubt we'll get up to see Mount Vernon. It's about 250 miles away and we are running out of weekends. Maybe another time. Okay, the answer to the trivia question is Woodrow Wilson, or as his mother knew him, Thomas Wilson. He dropped his first name for some unknown reason when he went to college. He is buried in the National Cathedral, and no, JFK is buried in Arlington Cemetery...in Virginia.
Later on Saturday, we drove on the Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah NP. Drove about 60 miles or so but was disappointed in the scenery. The air was thick with haze and the views were not up to what we've seen elsewhere. I guess Al Gore might be on to something.
Sunday we got up and went to see James Madison's Montpelier near Orange, VA. For those of you who have been there before, the organization that owns Montpelier started a complete restoration of the home back to the time the JM died there, 1836. They have removed all the additions to the house by the duPont Family (additions that tripled the size of the house that Madison built), and have completely gutted the inside. It wasn't quite what we expected, but the tour was fascinating in its own right. The outside is pretty much complete, but there is a lot of landscaping yet to be done. They expect to be completed in two years. I'll have to go back. He made Presidential locale # 13.
I doubt we'll get up to see Mount Vernon. It's about 250 miles away and we are running out of weekends. Maybe another time. Okay, the answer to the trivia question is Woodrow Wilson, or as his mother knew him, Thomas Wilson. He dropped his first name for some unknown reason when he went to college. He is buried in the National Cathedral, and no, JFK is buried in Arlington Cemetery...in Virginia.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Nowhere to hide...
A coincidence happened a couple of weeks ago and got me to thinking about some things that I've experienced over the years, things that are hard to explain. We met some friends, Pam & JR Rodgers from Meridian, MS about 5 years ago when we were both in the campground in Chattanooga, TN. They were there for an extended period and so were we. Anyway, our paths have separated but have crossed from time to time. We've visited them in Mississippi and email and phone talk once in a while. Pam emailed us recently and said she recognized a name in our blog, Gene & Betty Cusano, whom we met in December 2005 at Walt Disney World. The two couples were a part of a 5 or 6 couple group who spent several weeks in the desert of Quartzite, AZ a few years ago. They sort of fell out of touch and were reunited through my blog. Amazing.
Back in 1995, our son Chris was in the midst of a year long stay in India. He had been there several months, and had gone there from Chicago. He lived with a couple of other Americans guys and they got wind of a party for some newly arriving people from the US, and somehow connived an invitation to that party. At the party, Chris was chatting with a girl he didn't know and the talk got around to where are you from, etc. She informed him that she was from Chicago. A few minutes later, Chris found out that she was the sister of a friend of his from Loyola U., a person that Chris sold some of his furniture to before he left Chicago. It turned out that the TV that Chris sold was in the bedroom of the young lady he was talking to in India. Go figure.
Back in the nineties, before Valda & I left Indiana, I was at a lumber yard in Greenwood, IN. There was an older couple at the counter inquiring about a former manager of the place from fifteen years previous. The sales clerk didn't know anything about the former manager, but I did. He and his wife and Valda & I spent time together before they left for Austin, TX. I told the couple what I knew about the whereabouts of the manager and in doing so, my name got tossed around in the conversation. The man asked me if I had any relatives in Florida, specifically Orlando, FL. I told him I had a brother, Keith who lived just outside of Orlando. It turned out that this man built homes in FL and that my brother did his interior trim work on those houses. Amazing.
There's other stories that I'll touch on later. It just goes to show that it doesn't matter where you are or how far away you go, there could be and often times is a link somewhere to your past. It is interesting to know this, and sometimes a bit unnerving to experience it. But it's fun to talk about.
Back in 1995, our son Chris was in the midst of a year long stay in India. He had been there several months, and had gone there from Chicago. He lived with a couple of other Americans guys and they got wind of a party for some newly arriving people from the US, and somehow connived an invitation to that party. At the party, Chris was chatting with a girl he didn't know and the talk got around to where are you from, etc. She informed him that she was from Chicago. A few minutes later, Chris found out that she was the sister of a friend of his from Loyola U., a person that Chris sold some of his furniture to before he left Chicago. It turned out that the TV that Chris sold was in the bedroom of the young lady he was talking to in India. Go figure.
Back in the nineties, before Valda & I left Indiana, I was at a lumber yard in Greenwood, IN. There was an older couple at the counter inquiring about a former manager of the place from fifteen years previous. The sales clerk didn't know anything about the former manager, but I did. He and his wife and Valda & I spent time together before they left for Austin, TX. I told the couple what I knew about the whereabouts of the manager and in doing so, my name got tossed around in the conversation. The man asked me if I had any relatives in Florida, specifically Orlando, FL. I told him I had a brother, Keith who lived just outside of Orlando. It turned out that this man built homes in FL and that my brother did his interior trim work on those houses. Amazing.
There's other stories that I'll touch on later. It just goes to show that it doesn't matter where you are or how far away you go, there could be and often times is a link somewhere to your past. It is interesting to know this, and sometimes a bit unnerving to experience it. But it's fun to talk about.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Seven months to go...
Okay, the weekend is just about over and it's still hot. I have never seen such a hot summer in my life. Valda & I went to WV this weekend and visited some friends from Valda's earlier years. We saw Mr. & Mrs. Herb Eye who just celebrated their 64th anniversary. They live in a farmhouse on the farm where Mr. Eye was born. What a beautiful place they have. We had a great visit. Valda knew their daughter in Charlotte, NC when they were in their teens, and has kept in touch all these years.
The work is proceeding here in Roanoke. We both feel like we are treading water, just biding time till the walk starts. I have a feeling I'm going to get even more antsy as the start date gets closer. We are still contacting people about sponsorships. It is a painfully slow process. You can check out my new website for progress in this area. By the way, Chris got it up and running this past week, it is http://www.rickwalksamerica.com/. Click onto the site and see some of the cool things on it and especially the route map. Nothing else for now.
The work is proceeding here in Roanoke. We both feel like we are treading water, just biding time till the walk starts. I have a feeling I'm going to get even more antsy as the start date gets closer. We are still contacting people about sponsorships. It is a painfully slow process. You can check out my new website for progress in this area. By the way, Chris got it up and running this past week, it is http://www.rickwalksamerica.com/. Click onto the site and see some of the cool things on it and especially the route map. Nothing else for now.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Dog days and Summer haze
Not too much happening here in Virginia this week. Valda & I drove up into the mountains west of Roanoke on Saturday, to see the scenery for sure but also to beat the heat here in the valley. We drove to New Castle and then went south on Hwy 42 about 30 miles, then looped around on some US highways and ended up in Blacksburg. We drove through the Virginia Tech campus and stopped and saw the memorial they have constructed for the 32 people who were killed in April. It was move-in day and there were a lot of people in town. Today they dedicated the memorial and then we heard on TV hat there were several students who were stricken with carbon monoxide poisoning. Five girls are in really bad shape. It just doesn't seem to end for those people.
Son Chris got back to Seattle. He seemed to have a real good time on his trip across the USA. We should have the website any day now. This morning we had a photographer from the Roanoke Times come by and take pictures of me walking along a local road. There is a reporter coming to see us this next Thursday for an interview. Hopefully the story will be in the paper next Saturday or Sunday. If it is like it was in Chattanooga, there will be a link on the Internet to the story. I'll keep you posted.
It's less than 8 months till the start of the walk. Things are progressing, but sometimes it seems like the Dog Days are here. I think a lot of that is because it is so hot and each day seems like the one before. I wish it was 20 degrees cooler and I was in my last week of work here. Oh well, I guess it too will pass.
Son Chris got back to Seattle. He seemed to have a real good time on his trip across the USA. We should have the website any day now. This morning we had a photographer from the Roanoke Times come by and take pictures of me walking along a local road. There is a reporter coming to see us this next Thursday for an interview. Hopefully the story will be in the paper next Saturday or Sunday. If it is like it was in Chattanooga, there will be a link on the Internet to the story. I'll keep you posted.
It's less than 8 months till the start of the walk. Things are progressing, but sometimes it seems like the Dog Days are here. I think a lot of that is because it is so hot and each day seems like the one before. I wish it was 20 degrees cooler and I was in my last week of work here. Oh well, I guess it too will pass.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Sweatin' things out
Wow is it hot!!! It has been over 100 degrees here most of the week, and this next week looks only slightly better. The only consolation is that most of the rest of the country is suffering through the same heat wave. Somehow it doesn't make me feel any better.
Valda & I had a weekend visit from Patricia & Mason Mosley from the Hampton, VA area. They are old SCC friends and worked with us in Birmingham a couple of years ago. We were also campground neighbors in Chattanooga 4 years ago. It was good to see them and catch up on things. We plan a trip to their area before we are done here and are anxious to go to Jamestown and Yorktown which are just down the road from their home. Can't wait.
Not much going on. Our son Chris is in Yellowstone, one of the stops on a cross country trip with friends. He should be back in Seattle this week. Daughter Syndi and husband Trace saw the Sunday round of the PGA tour event in Tulsa today. They said it was miserable hot there too, and spent a lot of the day in a sponsor's tent with A/C. They did go out and watch Tiger when he teed off on the 16th. Must be nice.
Hopefully the week upcoming will be a little easier to take than last week. It's time for my CEA blood test this week and that makes for a bit of tension around here. The cycle continues and the plans go forth. Next year at this time I hope I'm in Ohio somewhere. More later.
Valda & I had a weekend visit from Patricia & Mason Mosley from the Hampton, VA area. They are old SCC friends and worked with us in Birmingham a couple of years ago. We were also campground neighbors in Chattanooga 4 years ago. It was good to see them and catch up on things. We plan a trip to their area before we are done here and are anxious to go to Jamestown and Yorktown which are just down the road from their home. Can't wait.
Not much going on. Our son Chris is in Yellowstone, one of the stops on a cross country trip with friends. He should be back in Seattle this week. Daughter Syndi and husband Trace saw the Sunday round of the PGA tour event in Tulsa today. They said it was miserable hot there too, and spent a lot of the day in a sponsor's tent with A/C. They did go out and watch Tiger when he teed off on the 16th. Must be nice.
Hopefully the week upcoming will be a little easier to take than last week. It's time for my CEA blood test this week and that makes for a bit of tension around here. The cycle continues and the plans go forth. Next year at this time I hope I'm in Ohio somewhere. More later.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Random thoughts
Valda & I went to Appomattox Court House, VA yesterday and toured the small town where Generals Lee and Grant signed the document that ended 4 years of the American Civil War. Nothing fancy, just two men who sat down and agreed to quit fighting each other. After all that had transpired, it was rather anti-climatic.
When I was standing in the actual room that this took place, I was struck by the significance of the event and the fact that I was standing in the same room 142 years later. It just seemed a little unreal to me. I got to thinking about history and how insignificant it can make you feel. I've seen the actual beds where 4 presidents have died, stood 5 feet from where FDR died while having his picture painted. Saw the gun that shot Lincoln and his blood on the pillow where he died. I actually touched Gus Grissom's Mercury capsule (I wasn't supposed to, but I did), the one that spent 40 years or so on the ocean floor. I was in the World Trade Center and walked on the roof of the South Tower just 5 months before it was destroyed. I drove over that collapsed bridge in Minneapolis last September. And, Valda & I spent a couple of hours on the aircraft carrier Lexington in Corpus Christi, TX in January of this year (there was a fire on board the Lex this past week, but the news of it got lost in the bridge story).
Thinking back to these places I've been and knowing what happened either before or after I was there is rather sobering. Two men met in a parlor of an old farmhouse in Appomattox, VA and spent a few minutes making small talk about their shared experience in the Mexican War, then sat down and ended a war that sometimes doesn't want to end. I stood there all those many years later and witnessed that event. How small I felt.
When I was standing in the actual room that this took place, I was struck by the significance of the event and the fact that I was standing in the same room 142 years later. It just seemed a little unreal to me. I got to thinking about history and how insignificant it can make you feel. I've seen the actual beds where 4 presidents have died, stood 5 feet from where FDR died while having his picture painted. Saw the gun that shot Lincoln and his blood on the pillow where he died. I actually touched Gus Grissom's Mercury capsule (I wasn't supposed to, but I did), the one that spent 40 years or so on the ocean floor. I was in the World Trade Center and walked on the roof of the South Tower just 5 months before it was destroyed. I drove over that collapsed bridge in Minneapolis last September. And, Valda & I spent a couple of hours on the aircraft carrier Lexington in Corpus Christi, TX in January of this year (there was a fire on board the Lex this past week, but the news of it got lost in the bridge story).
Thinking back to these places I've been and knowing what happened either before or after I was there is rather sobering. Two men met in a parlor of an old farmhouse in Appomattox, VA and spent a few minutes making small talk about their shared experience in the Mexican War, then sat down and ended a war that sometimes doesn't want to end. I stood there all those many years later and witnessed that event. How small I felt.
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