Safe, At Home

Thursday, june 13, 2013

Last night after I finished typing the blog, I got a call from my friend Professor Tim.  We had planned to meet up in Macungie, PA today. Tim would be driving his beautifully restored 1954 Chevrolet Suburban pictured below..

Tim asked if I had heard the weather and I had not.  He told me about the predictions of heavy rain and thunderstorms and tornado watches, etc.  Tim told me he would not be coming to Macungie on Thursday, but would wait until early Friday to drive there from his home in New York..  Then he asked, " What are you going to do , Bill ? "  Hmm, I did not really know..

After Tim hung up at 9:30 pm, I checked the weather online and it did not look good. I thought about driving in that mess or the thought of hanging in a hotel room for 24 hours until Friday arrived and neither appealed to me.  I thought about heading for home and my first thought was to sleep a little then head out around 3:00 am.  The more I thought about it, I realized I wouldn't do much sleeping.  So I started to pack about 9:45 pm with the idea of driving all night to get home.

As I began to drive at 10:15 pm, I noticed two things. The first was the number of big trucks on the road at night.  There seemed to be 10 eighteen wheelers for every one car.  The other is the road construction.  Paving machines, excavators, and dump trucks with huge bright lights were everywhere.

I was setting the GPS on the fly, not having planned my route in advance.  No matter whether I chose the Tappan Zee or the George Washington Bridge, my arrival time was in the 7:00 am range, and that was without stops.  I had a long way to go..

Eventually the states appeared in my rear view mirror.  First Virginia, then Maryland and West Virginia, then Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and up and over the Tappan Zee into New York.  It seemed like it took me forever to get to 84 East.  I traveled 20 miles on an unlit parkway, straining to see beyond my dim head lights.

Finally I saw 84 East, then pulled into a Dunkin Donuts in Connecticut at 5:00 am, waiting for them to open the door for me.

The sun rise reflected in my hood for the only picture I took during the ride.

 

The commuter traffic on the Mass Pike was not as bad as I thought, and I rolled into my driveway about 7:20 am.  With my dual gas tanks, I only had to stop twice for gas, and once for coffee to make the 525 mile ride. When I walked upstairs my wife told me she thought there was a burglar in the house, although the only effort she expended to check for him involved opening just one eye.

I traveled about 1650 miles this week and had a nice time riding around.  It would have been fun to attend the Macungie Show but I was not up for being caught in such messy weather.. I will have to catch everyone there another time...  

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Wednesday, June12, 2013

What are the odds of Joan Baez and me being in the same town on the same night ?  As it turns out, pretty good.  A few days ago, I was Googling for things to do in Charlottesville and came across the web site for the N Telos Wireless Pavillion.  It is an open air concert venue in Downtown Charlottesville and Joan Baez was playing there last night.  So I went online and got a ticket.

It was advertised as a 10 minute walk from my Hampton Inn, but it looked longer and it was hot, so I took a cab uptown.  I saw people of all ages, but a lot of them looked like they really enjoyed the '60's.  While waiting in line to get in, the woman in front of me asked how many times I had seen Joan Baez.  When I told her this was my first time, she raised her eyebrows, telling me this would be her 45 th time..  I wasn't sure what to say...

Dave Matthews of Dave Matthews Band fame got his start in Chartlottesville and supposedly had something to do with getting the Pavillion started.  The Indigo Girls opened the show and played with a forgetable group of kids from Atlanta.  When they finished and the stage was reset for Joan Baez, she walked out.  For a woman of 72, she looks great.   When she started to play, her guitar skills and voice were amazing. She had just two very talented musicians in her band, her performance was simple but elegant. It was fun.  Afterward, I caught a free bus back to my hotel.  I felt quite urban, navigating my way up, and then back downtown.

This morning I was doing some last minute trip planning and navigation.  I normally get that squared away the night before but I went right to bed after the concert. So I left Charlottesville and headed to the south and west to a town called Troutsville to access the Blue Ridge Parkway.

You enter the parkway from the side, and there are just two choices, North and South.  I headed to the north to get started on my way back home..

The speed limit is 35 mph and the roads almost demand you stick to it.  My truck sits up high on a straight front axle and was not built for high speed cornering so I needed to pay attention all day. As a side note, lots of people ask if my truck has air conditioning.  The scoop in front of the windshield in the picture below raises and lowers with a handle under the dash.  As you can see, the A/C was on today...

The views are spectacular and there are countless areas to pull off on both sides of the road.  I was headed North, so I looked right to the East, and left to the West.

There was very little traffic, but of the little I saw, the largest majority was motorcycles.  The Harley Davidsons have their signature throaty exhaust, while the Jap bikes are silent save the for the wind noise.  I followed a Harley for the first few miles of my ride and would have swapped places with him in a minute.. That bike sounded awesome..

After awhile, I pulled off to stretch and came across two Harley guys heading back to their homes in Wisconsin.  I offered to take their picture, so they returned the favor with my camera..

Were it not for the haze, you could see what was behind us.  At the beginning of my ride, the elevation was near 4,000 feet.  We were at about 2500 here..  Riding over the Continental Divide in Yellowstone in 2009, Connor and I were at 10,000..

Cell and internet service came and went during the day.  More than once, the following notice popped up on my phone..

I only passed through one tunnel today.  With the rough terrain, I expected a few more.  And as always, there was a light at the end..

I came to the end of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Rockfish Gap, then immediately entered Skyline Drive. There is a 15 dollar charge there, but the roads were noticeably improved and there was a lot of repair work going on to benefit future drivers. Skyline Drive ends in a town called Front Royal, Virginia, so that is where I am staying tonight.  I asked around a bit about the origin of the name Front Royal, but never got a clear answer.   I had a nice day of driving and gawking, but the ride required my strict attention with the '53 and the road conditions.

With the exception of the annoying oil leak, my truck is running great.  I think I know the problem and could take a shot at fixing it, but I only like performing surgery on the road when really neccesary.  For now, I will live with it..  Tomorrow I will keep heading north and east, landing in Macungie, PA, the site of the truck show.  It is only about 215 miles so I won't be in a rush. And best of all, Dunkin Donuts is right next door to the hotel, so there is no morning walk neccesary....

Right At Home..

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

I did not have to be at Monticello this morning until 9:00 am so I had time for an early morning walk to Dunkin Donuts.  With the UVA medical area right here, there were plenty of people hustling to work.  My drive to Monticello was only 4 miles so I did not have to hustle anywhere.

I arrived and realized that the house sits on top of a huge hill.  I took the first shuttle up and was greeted by our tour guide.  He was a polished and well dressed gentleman who certainly knew his Jefferson facts.  The house and the grounds are well kept and well known but there are no pictures allowed once inside.  To me, that is where all the cool stuff is, the three sash windows, the earliest sky lights,  clever dumb waiters, and octangonal rooms.  I also learned that in Jefferson's time, shoes were identical.  It wasn't until Civil War soldiers needed to march long distances that right and left shoes came to pass.  Who'd a thunk it ?

We started on the East side and exited out the north side.  The guide pointed to a tiny opening through the trees where the Rotunda at UVA can barely be seen 4 miles away.  The telephoto lens of my camera makes it look close but it was a long way off.

The guide did a nice job although he did a surgical dance around the Sally Hemings issue, resting clearly on the side of the doubters.  Walking to the west side you get the " Nickel View " the side that is seen on the back of a nickel.

Instead of taking the shuttle back down, I walked down past the grave site and the gardens, then watched the 20 minute movie back at the visitor's center.  Jefferson lived with the paradox of crafting the Declaration of Independence where he wrote that all men are created equal, yet he kept slaves at Monticello.  His view was that it was an issue to be straightened out by future generations.  As I left the parking lot, I turned in the direction of the Appomattox Court House, where the issue finally did get resolved.

The drive to Appomattox was a good ride. There were no highways which is nice because my truck really behaves better in the 45 to 50 mph range.  I was amazed at how few homes I saw during the hour and 15 minutes that I was in the countryside.  There is a lot of wide open space in Virginia..

I had no real expectations of Appomattox but it was a lot different than I envisioned.  Grant chased Lee through this area to the point where Lee and his army had no way out.  Lee sent one of his Officers to to find a suitable place for the surrender so the McLean House was really a random choice.  

As a side note, I was wearing a Red Sox shirt today and got some good natured flack about it, and my accent, at Monticello.  The kid at the visitor center at Appomattox did not give me any trouble at all, he was from Worcester.

The room where the surrender took place was the living room of the house. Again, I pictured it would be bigger, but it must have been good enough.  The Civil War ended there...

As I left, I looked under a small desk at the door and noticed the notebook in the picture below.  I had to sneak a picture of it when the volunteer wasn't looking.  It sounds like a good name for the surrender documents to me...

Leaving Appomattox, I needed to buy gas because I hadn't seen a station on the ride down.  Mr. GPS sent me a couple of miles out of my way and to the south.  Driving along, I noticed the establishment in the picture below. My marketing skills were never the best, but really ?  If you want to try them out, they are just two miles from Appomattox.  You see a lot of crazy stuff on the road..

So after making a panic U turn to get that picture, I arrived at the gas station.  While filling up, a small pickup rolled in.  A young girl was driving, her Dad was in the passenger's seat.  As they got out, Dad asked his daughter if she brought money for gas.  She answered him matter of factly saying, " No. That's what you're here for ! "  

It made me feel right at home...

Blue RIdge Parkway and perhaps Sky Line Drive tomorrow.

Sperryville on the Berryville Pike

Monday, June 10, 2013

I woke up to the rain this morning so I was not in a hurry to get on the road..  Setting the GPS for Charlottesville, VA, I scrolled down through the route and noticed that it was taking me on a path other than straight down 81.  I was in no rush so I did not even check the map, electing to trust Mr. Garmin.

There were no Harley Riders waving at me today, it was wet and foggy.  My 53 has vacuum powered ( read weak ) wipers and equally weak defrosters so I did take the time to apply Rain X to the windshield last night.  At highway speeds the water will roll off, if you are going slower, it doesn't.  You can see what I saw in the picture below, not much..

I rolled along through some pretty farmland.  At times there were houses that spoke of real poverty, then in another mile there would be a group of affluent homes.   I did stop at one point to look at the map but could not pick out my location so I just followed the GPS.  It accurately predicted my turn onto 211 West , which I could see on the map, so I kept following it...

I stopped to pick up some groceries and beer, but the store looked like it was closed today.

 Passing through the Town of Sperryville, Mr. Garmin told me I was on a road called the Berryville Pike.  When I finally exited to civilization, I was in Madison County.  I drove over a few bridges, but there was no sign of Meryl or Clint.  

I arrrived in Charlottesville around noon and was glad to hear I could check in early at the Hampton Inn right down the street from the University of Virginia.  After getting settled in the room, I worked on my truck a bit.  I thought I had the oil leak slowed down but it is still leaking.  It is more of an annoyance than a real problem, but I spent some time under the hood and will see what it looks like tomorrow.

After lunch I took a ride around town to get my bearings.  UVA is in walking distance, so I parked back at the hotel and took my camera for a walk.  Thomas Jefferson founded UVA as his retirement project, so my friend Professor TIm told me I should take a walk through the original rotunda section.  It is quite an impressive collection of buildings.  The shot below is the street side of the Rotunda, and is undergoing renovation.

I walked around to the other side and found myself in a huge courtyard area. I asked  5 or 6 students about the history of this set of buildings and got a few shrugs and a couple of I don't knows.  Finally an older gentleman came along and was quite pleasant, telling me this was indeed the area designed by Jefferson. The courtyard in the middle is known as The Lawn.  At the head is the opposite side of the Rotunda.

Lining each side of the Lawn are a long line of buidlings with a lot of doors.  

My new UVA friend told me the doors are to coveted dorm rooms.  It is considered prestigious to get a room there.  You have to be a senior and nominated to be placed in one..

I asked what they were like inside because I didn't notice any windows.  My friend thought they were kinda small and did not know about the windows.  He said students who live here are called  " The Lawnies".

Along with this original section are a lot more beautiful brick buildings, it's a gorgeous campus.  Adjacent to it is the UVA medical area, it looks as big or bigger than a lot of Boston Hospitals..

I am getting ready to take another walk for a beer and some dinner.  With the large student population there are a lot of places to eat on the Main Street across from UVA.  When I get back I still need to plan out my Wednesday and Thursday travels..

Day One - Getting Started

Sunday, June 9, 2013

I got up at my usual 5 am, ate breakfast, stopped at Dunkin Donuts, and was rolling by 5:45.  It was a nice clear day to travel and I cruised along without really hitting any traffic at all.. I made it all the way to Chambersburg, PA, about 450 miles..  

Talking to a friend on the phone, she asked if I was stopping in Chambersburg because the old truck could only make it that far in one day..  I told her I stopped because the driver could only drive the old truck that far in one day !

This is the first year traveling with my I Phone so I bought a spiffy new windshield bracket and use it listen to music through my Bose Noise Canceling Headphones and to make and receive calls.  Of course I never text....Next to it is my trusty GPS.  As I drove along this morning, I remembered there were no satellites in space when my truck was built in 1953.  I think the Russians got the Sputnik into the air in '57..  How times have changed..

Driving by this road sign will certainly make you stop and think...

Stopping in New Jersey for gas, I saw this character driving his hot rod Model A Ford.  He acted and looked the part of a '50's hot rodder right down to the hair style, the T- shirt, and the cigarette.  The car was well done with a Flathead Ford V-8 motor.  I was impressed until I asked him what year Ford the Flattie V-8 engine was from.  When he told me 1956, I knew he was full of crap.  Ford last manufactured that motor in 1953.  Still, it was a cool car.  With the straight exhaust, (no mufflers) ,you couldn't miss hearing him roll in...

So take a look at the next pic and tell me,  Who is happier than these two ? The guy has his spotless Harley out for a Sunday Drive, his feet up on the highway pegs, and his best girl right behind him !  She looks like the happiest biker chick on earth...Harley riders love old trucks, I get the thumbs up from them all the time.   This was a damn lucky shot, I was going about 65 and they blew by me !

I arrived at the hotel, fixed a small oil leak in my truck ( hopefully ) , showered, then took a ride to the center of Chambersburg.  Driving through here in 2011, I remember almost getting into a smash at this crazy fountain.  There are two lanes, and the traffic splits around this thing on either side.  Most of the area is two lane one way streets, crazy, Basically, all the people with Pennsylvania plates blow their horns and yell at the out of staters like me.  At one point tonight, I was going down a road, when someone yelled out " Wrong Way ! "   I looked at the arrows painted on the road, and he was right, I was going the wrong way.... Oops..

The city is full of handsome brick buildings and like much of this area, was an integral part of Civil War History.

Tomorrow I will be hitting the road for Charlottesville, Virginia.  I am going to spend a couple of days there.  

Macungie, PA Road Trip..

I will be taking off from Massachusetts on Sunday, June 9, 2013 for a little road trip in my 53 GMC.  As you can see in the picture,  I am spending the day getting it loaded up with spare parts and tools.  Having driven it across the USA in 2009, I have a good idea of what to pack.  Over the last couple of weeks I have checked and re-checked, tightened and re-tightened, so the truck is all set to roll.

My plan is to head south to Virginia and take a look around. Although I have traveled through the area of Virginia that is close to DC,  I have never driven south or down the Blue Ridge Parkway or Skyline Drive.  I would also like to see Jefferson's Monticello and some other sights in and around Charlottesville. Once my Virginia tour is over, I will swing north and attend the Antique Truck Club of America National Show in Macungie, Pennsylvania on Friday and Saturday.

I should be able to make an entry each day to show my progress....