2004 Tour home

May 8

We drove up S. Carolina's Route 17, the beach route, but we never saw much of the beach. We drove through Charleston, a lovely and graceful city, but we didn't even get out of the RV. As we neared Myrtle Beach, there were Disneyesque miniature golf places by the dozens.

"One place, I think it was Dino-land Golf, had sculptures of dinosaurs which were really big and kinda crazy looking. Atlanticus Goff (this is not a typo) with statues of tikis and blue water falls-seriously, water dyed blue- looked like the Land of Oz gone crazy. There was Mayday Golf with a really big rescue helicopter with props spinning and an airplane with smoke coming out of the engines. Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf had a scull and crossbones over the door and a tunnel to get to the course. I wish we could have stopped at at least one of them." -Roliver

BUT, I was driving with a mission: to get to New Jersey by May 18 without having to miss Washington, DC and Vaucluse, where the first American Joneses had settled. I really wanted to stop at the Booker T. Washington Center and maybe a plantation or two, but we pushed on. (The U.S. of A. is overwhelmingly large! AND, it was hot hot hot!)

There was a major Harley gathering in Myrtle Beach (we heard an estimate of 660,000 people) and it spread for many miles south. There was some sort of display of daring which the Harleyacs were watching over a fence, but parking would have been impossible.

We found an RV camp in Sunset Beach, NC, about 5 miles from the beach, relatively quiet and obviously north of the Harley action. A mid afternoon stop at Pizza Hut meant we were not hungry for supper.

Rob had picked up a cold and was running at the nose and coughing, so he went to bed early.

May 9 - Mother's Day

At the only hotspot in the region, a Kinko's, I sent three weeks worth of Tlog all at once-including Rob's from two weeks before. Then, we continued northeast along 17 until we took a bypass along the coast and then met up with 17 again.

We started listening to a book about the IRS and its history of document elimination and unaccountability, by a historian who was herself "eliminated" from the staff and was then free to write about it. I was amazed how Rob took it all in. I had trouble following all the ins and outs, but he seemed to track it well.

Rob's cough and cold was raging. Gratefully, it was cooler this evening. There are signs that the summer season starts later up here than down south, but the weather was steamy.

We camped at Sealevel, a little town just short of the ferry to the Outer Banks. We read ILLUSIONS. Rob loves it as much as I do.

May 10

The quiet was intruded upon by a bird who endlessly pierced the night with something like "BLACK FENCE", "BLACK FENCE" at close proximity. I finally started sending it big thoughts about moving along and it did. Rob's coughs were intermittent but didn't help sleep for either of us.

I had a vent to replace on the roof, and because Rob felt under the weather, I didn't suggest any participation short of handing me up tools as I needed them. I completed the job and all its unforeseen mishaps right before we had to leave for the ferry to Ocrecoke. (Photos of N.Carolina)

It was more than a 2-hour crossing to this lovely sand-spit island, which, except for the southern tip where the ferry landed, was mostly unsettled and wild. We took Lucky to the beach, but there were people with their lunches, so what was going to be a free run for all of us after Florida's beach dog ban ended up being a dunk for Rob (can't keep that boy out of the ocean no matter how sick he is!) and a race for me as I chased Lucky, leashed him and cajoled Rob out of the waves and out of his wet and sandy clothes. Feeoooo!

We got back on the road and before we knew it were in a ferry line again-this time to Hatteras. This route was a longer wait (we missed the first one) but a much shorter run, about 20 minutes. The ferry was tiny-maybe 30-car or so.

Hatteras Island was more built up, but after stopping at the tourist store near the boat (it was fun and eclectic) we drove out of the tourist stuff and found Oregon Inlet State Park, just south of Kitty Hawk. There were no hookups or even a dump station, but there was a path to the beach. Again we tried a beach run with the three of us. There were no picnics going on at this advanced hour, but we still ended up with Lucky straying back into the campground and I only barely kept Rob out of the surf!

I could travel for years, but Rob was getting really tired and with his cold, he was expressing a homesickness which felt bigger than life. But, we are at least a month from home. We are still learning how best to do this journey.

May 11

Traffic started up early on the highway, which was pretty quiet overnight, but woke me around dawn. I was getting pretty sleep deprived, and it started to overtake me on the way inland. We stopped for food and a tall iced tea.

This was after our visit to the Wright Museum. The best part of this experience was the stories-some about the Wrights and some about the local community. The latter first: Kitty Hawk brags about the largest dune on the whole east coast. It is 90 feet tall. It was from a similar dune that Wilbur and Orville launched many of their experimental glider flights. That dune was now located about 400 feet south of where it was then, as the prevailing northerly wind had moved it. They had stopped its drift by planting an obelisk on top and blacktop paths that spiral up it. However, the giant dune, the tourist attraction, still drifts and periodically, an off-season activity consists of moving it back up north before it moves off park property! (Photo of Wright Monument)

The Brothers Wright. We got to see a full-sized replica of their first successful plane, an original earlier glider and wooden propeller, a wind tunnel and some tools. We got there just as a guy was telling a large group of people about the Wrights, their parents, their winning approach, their bicycle shop and how the world accepted them and at first didn't.

Orville and his younger brother, Wilbur, who lived until 1948, had parents who were both technically inclined. Yup, even Mom was great with tools. Dad loved kites and brought his five kids (O & W had two older bros and a younger sister) kites of all kinds and other things to mess around with.

Orville and Wilbur understood that there were three problems to overcome with flight: 1. Lift, 2. Power, 3. Control. With their wind tunnel, they came up with the best wing shape for lift and with their trial and error they kept making wider and wider wings because the weight of a human required it. They couldn't find an engine designed to their specs, so they designed and built their own from aluminum for its light weight. The engine and the human were balanced against each other, while the props rotated in opposite directions so the torque didn't interfere with the control. The wing shape and rudders were tied together and controlled with the pilot's hips.

On December 17, 1903, both brothers flew. First one and then the other until they had flown four missions, the longest over 800 feet! BUT, did the world embrace them? A few, but not the Smithsonian until much later. The French were overwhelmed when they demonstrated their plane there. That is where their notoriety really took off.

The most fun part of the visit was just seeing the plane. It reminded me of the Gossamer Condor, the first manpowered flying machine to cross the English Channel under a bicylist's power in the mid 1970s. The planes looked alike and the approach was one of experimentation in a real hands-on way in a real out of the way place.

We made it up to Jamestown, but were too tired and late to take in the sights. The RV park was more than a little funky. One night there was enough. There is something screwy about a place which claims 600 sites and has no laundry.

May 12

This was a day of finding another place to stay, R&R, laundry, cleanup, etc., until around 4pm when we went over to Williamsburg. Rob needed rest, as his cold was still bothering him and he seemed to be less than interested in anything for tourists.

However, he got interested once we were there. A high point was a visit to a tavern for dessert. A guy from Scotland was doing his wandering minstrel schtick with a tiny violin and a flute he could play with one hand, drum in the other. As just about everything else was closed, we decided to spend some of the next day visiting the blacksmith, apothecary and other "living arts" displays. AND, we had tickets to a glass armonica concert!

May 13

The high point of today and maybe the whole journey was a concert on and presentation of Benjamin Franklin's Glass Armonica. Dean Shostak, a classically trained pianist, bought his first armonica in the early 1990s and his career took off. I had heard this instrument played on the radio, but had never seen one. He is one of only eight known players!

Basically, the instrument is made of glass (quartz) bowls precisely tuned and mounted sideways on a cork lined spindle. The sharps and flats are ringed with gold. Although most modern armonicas (Italian for "harmonics") are rotated with an electric motor, this one was rotated with a wheel and a treadle -like Franklin's original, so that the whole time the instrument was played, the player had his foot going up and down. (Photos of Glass Armonica)

To make the sounds, the player has to dip his fingers in distilled water and then touch them to the rims of the bowls-much like you can play a wine glass. Tap water has too much calcium, but a little is good for friction. The sounds were sublime and he was more than a passable player. Rob was dually impressed. I was in tears more than once.

Another fun aspect to the presentation was the history. The instrument was very popular in Franklin's time and a bit afterwards until players started going nuts. That's right, they were "losing it". Dean had various ideas of why. Might be the lead in the old bowls, the mesmerizing strobe affects of the turning bowls, even the glorious sounds. By the way, Mozart wrote for the instrument and Mesmer himself had one to play with.

There was video footage of the bowls being made and various strobe experiments to show the vibrations of the bowls, including, for contrast, a bowl made of pop bottle glass. Crack! Although the original re-creator of the glass armonica had just died, those he trained are awaiting your orders, for a cool $32K! We settled for four CDs(there was a radical discount), one of which features Davy Crockett's reconditioned violin.

From here, it was off to lunch and then a walk down the main street to see the living arts. Unfortunately, some were closed and the rest required some sort of advanced reservation. AND, we were due in Alexandria before supper. (Photos of Williamsburg)

We set off and I got really "noddy", so had to stop for a tall iced tea. Then back on the road. I was worried the traffic around DC would be worse than it was. We got to my old friend Annie's a little after 5pm.

Anne Cahoon Perry was one of my first good friends as a small child and I hadn't seen her for decades-probably since her wedding day as a 20-something. Her three kids are Dodge, age 25, Nathan, 21 and Kat, 17. We had dinner with all but Nathan who was in Europe.

Annie and I had a great time catching up and reminiscing, and then because she was leaving for the Cape in the morning, we went out to the RV which was parked in their driveway. She had taken a little time to give us a quick tour of the Capitol Mall on the way back from dinner.

There was an outbreak of 17 Year Cicadas, which according to an article we saw, are not at all harmful to plants and are great to eat! (Photo of Cicadas)

May 14

We drove to the Arlington National Cemetery, where we left the RV (Lucky happily left at the Perry's with their dog, Midnight) and took the metro to the Capital Building. We found Rep. Jim McDermott's office and, although he had already left for Seattle for the weekend, we were welcomed with open arms by his staff, especially by Jan, his office manager, who gave us a peek at his inner sanctum, including his desk, the same one used by Davy Crockett! I was delighted to see it really looked lived in...about like mine at home. (Photo of McDermott's Office)

We got tickets to both the House and Senate. The House had decided not to meet on Friday morning as previously planned, but the Senate was in session. Unfortunately, by the time we had had a bite to eat and gotten through the line, they had adjourned. Phooey! We did go to the House chamber and just sit there for a while. No photos were allowed and no visits to the Senate without the senators. BUT, seeing the dome up close was a thrill! (Photos of Capital Dome)

The next thing on our priority list was the Spy Museum. On the way, we met a K-9 cop with his black lab, a dog who sniffs out explosives. "Striker" looked just like Lucky. His cop companion was very friendly and answered all our questions about life with the K-9 unit. Striker is a house dog, family member, etc., and goes through training every month. He has never found explosives in the field, but his training includes live ammo. They were in DC for a commemoration for all the cops who had fallen in the line of duty for the past year. Setup was underway for Bush's appearance the next day. Roads would be clogged for hours- a good thing to know.

We FINALLY got to the Spy Museum and it was worth the effort. A special exhibit on Terrorism in America was first (they tell you-not a choice). It covered the KKK, the various 1960s demonstrations and radical groups, Timothy McVeigh's bombing of the Federal Building in Oklahoma and even a bomb set on New York's waterfront during World War 1 by the Germans. And, of course, 911. There were displays on the Red Menace and McCarthyism.

We were each given a headset and numbers on the displays could be pushed on the keypad to hear a sort of "...and you are there" report of various events. There was only a small exhibit which asked the question of which "just" and what is truly "terrorism". Are those who demonstrate their points of view through an act of violence ever justified? The beginning off the labor movement was considered a communist-inspired threat at the time-at least by corporate interests. How our realities can be influenced and changed over time.

I thought the display was a bit short on OK/NotOK theme, but at least the ideas were present. A member of the Weather Underground, an offshoot of Students for a Democratic Society(SDS), reminisced in a recent interview. What do you do when you see members of your own group being more violent that you think is right, even though you agree with their message? If less aggressive tactics don't work, do you add more "flame to the fire"?

The Spy Museum itself was full of all sorts of experiences. A short movie got us started with "Would you want to be a spy? Here is what it takes..." . Next, we were told to assume a new identity-"choose one from these walls and memorize your stats". Then there were interactive displays on what might be a possible clandestine meeting or spying opportunity. Short films on lock picking and other "techniques" of the trade came next. And, there were displays of tools from different times, including a German cypher from WW2, which was part of a larger display on codes and cyphers. There was a utility vent you could crawl through and lots of stories about spies, both men and women, over history. The grand finale, the spy ring which brought nuclear technology to the Soviet Union, was chilling, to say the least. (No cameras allowed.)

I'm sure I am leaving out lots of stuff. Did you know that Ben Franklin, Marlena Deitrick, Harriet Tubman, George Washington and many other celebrities acted as spies? The Revolution was won more on spying than on military might, as the American army was hardly a match for the Red Coats.

DC is vast. There is no way anyone could see the things we were interested in in just one more day. I can see that the only way to "do" DC is to stay in town for several days. One reason is that you have to get to the ticket lines at the Capital, the Mint, and other places, I assume, early in the morning, or there is no getting in.

May 15

As we traveled south on 395, we were not sorry we had decided to skip town. The traffic trying to go the other way was not moving at all and we envisioned all those cops and the president doing their thing.

Some places, like DC, really deserve more than a cursory glance and we were tired and sore from the day before. With Robin's cold and my stress and fatigue from nights of too much highway noise and we were glad to find a country farm with rustic digs in the woods. And there was a pool! We didn't know till we tried to use it that it wouldn't be open till Memorial Day-ah well... You would think that with this heat, they might open it early. Something the park keeper said indicated it might be a state law-maybe to lower incidents of hooky, or something.

But here we were in the woods. We did some house cleaning, cooked dinner, finished packing a box to send home, took naps and played cards. Robin played video games. It was Saturday and we needed this day of R&R. We finished the evening with a showing of the Dirty Dozen, which we had gotten at the D-Day Museum in New Orleans.

We were also preparing for a rendezvous with our family in a few days. I know this was on both our minds. I hadn't played any music for over a month and was concerned about whether, in this heat, the instruments would be tuneable. Maybe New Jersey would be cooler than Virginia. I hope so!!

2004 Tour Home