Woodbridge, VA (USA)

[because my phone had broken the previous day, I drove to Woodbridge (Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center) in search of iPhone repair (no luck) - got gas while in Woodbridge - drove back to Springfield and got a new iPhone 8 - spent the rest of the day configuring it]

Strasburg, VA (USA)

We had plans to go the Family Drive In (Stephens City) and Mollie asked if her friends could come. Of course I said they could and Rano arrived with Mark at around 1500. We packed up the car and departed shortly afterwards (I-495, I-66). Our first stop was in Strasburg, where we visited the Cedar Creek & Belle Grove Plantation National Historic Site. The mansion was closed for a wedding but Mollie and her friends learned a few things about Civil War and Ante-Bellum history and Mollie got a NPS Passport stamp. At around 1645, we drove about five miles north to the Family Drive-In and got in the (already long) queue. While waiting for the gates to open, we ate dinner (sandwiches, fruit, crackers) and I fixed some fuses in my car. At 1730, we got inside and then found a good parking spot. Mollie and her friends walked around and got food/drinks and souvenir cups/tins. We then waited for three hours for anything to show up on the screen. Meanwhile, I went walking and got in my 10,000 steps. The Main Event ("Avengers: Endgame") began at around 2045. Unfortunately, it sprinkled throughout the evening. However, we were mostly dry because of the rear gate of my Explorer (it provided an awning). The movie ended at about 2345 and we immediately headed towards home. It was raining all the way so we drove slowly (we saw lots of crazy/impaired drivers on the way). Most of our conversations as we drove related to the movie plot and parallels with “Game of Thrones” and the “Lord of the Rings” franchises. We arrived at Mark's house in Kingstowne by 0100 and then went back to my apartment, where we emptied the car. Mollie and Rano had a sleepover party and went to bed at around 0130 (exhausted).

McLean, VA (USA)

[drove to MITRE CAASD in McLean at 0615 (picked up Dunkin Donuts on the way) - working in the lab until noon - drove home - telework for a few hours - picked up Mollie - custody narrative - left apartment at 1715 and drove to Van Dorn Street Metro - took Blue Line to Metro Center and then walked down 12th Street NW to K Street - by 1815, I was at the Heineken Koningsdag Party at Wild Days at Eaton Rooftop - it was packed! - got a free beer and then split the cost for two more with a young guy named Teddy (Fed at Department of Education, from Milwaukee) - stayed until 2015 and then walked back to Metro Center and took the Blue Line (long ride) back to my car - home by 2130]

Washington, DC (USA)

[work - met up with Kelly, Mel, Candice at Vie and then we all walked to Plan B - enjoyed happy hour outside until 1915 - Mel and I walked back to L'Enfant and we took the Metro back to our cars - home at 2030]

Spring Break Trip - Day 9

We got up at around 0630 and packed up for our last day (*tear*). It had snowed to the west of us last night! The temps were in the high 30s - we didn’t really want to spend a lot of time outside. After finding a road that would take us to the Blue Ridge Parkway, we drove east until reaching Meadows of Dan. We stopped for a breakfast of huge flapjacks at Janes Country Café (0815). After stuffing ourselves, we drove east on the Parkway, stopping at Mabry Mill and enjoying several amazing view points. We also took a look around at the Virginia Explore Park (near Roanoke). Almost none of the park facilities were open so we eventually got off the Parkway. Unfortunately, we did a lot of driving on windy country roads as part of this exploration and Mollie got very car sick. She ended up sleeping for most of the morning. I managed to get us to another National Park unit (Booker T. Washington Birthplace) without the GPS or help from my trusty navigator. We toured the site with very few other guests and learned more about the famous educator. He was born a slave on the farm there but had been freed by the end of the US Civil War to pursue his passion for learning and teaching. It had been about five years since I’d been there and not much had changed. Mollie enjoyed this tremendously because she got a last stamp and also spent a lot of time visiting with the farm animals (pigs, turkey, horses, sheep, chickens). We left the park and used the smoothest, straightest roads to get back on I-81. Mollie had been talking to Brenna throughout the morning and we coordinated a meet up with her at the campus. Erin said she was too busy to see us but I exchanged several texts with her during the day. Brenna, Mollie and I ate a late lunch (buffet) at D-Hall (1330), had a nice conversation. We also took pictures with a big purple “Dukes” sign and walked around campus. Brenna had to go study so we said goodbye to her and went to get gas (1515). We then departed Harrisonburg on I-81. There was some heavy traffic near Chantilly so we got off I-66 there and used the Fairfax County Parkway for the rest of the trip. We arrived back at my apartment by 1730 and immediately started unpacking; Mollie told me she wanted to stay at my house because Bear wasn’t home". I agreed, so she did laundry and ate food I cooked myself for dinner. She then Mollie studied in her room for a few hours. At 2100, she came out to show me that she had accessed HBO on her phone and was able to share the second episode of Season 8 of “Game of Thrones”. Mollie stayed with me until her mother stopped by to pick her up (2200). As she drove away, I felt a bit sad that the vacation had concluded - we had a great trip!

Spring Break Trip - Day 8

We were up early (0530) and quickly packed up. We got gas in Gainesville (0625) and I had to fill up one of the tires of the rental car for some reason. It was very cold and wet but we decided to "stay on mission" and drive to Toccoa and climb Currahee (of “Band of Brothers” fame). The hotel didn’t have food, so we went to pick up breakfast (Dunkin’ Donuts) at 0650 AM. We left town and it rained all the way to our destination (via back roads, following Mollie’s GPS). Fortunately, it cleared up just after we arrived at the parking lot for our hike up the three mile road to the summit (0800). We had the place all to ourselves and took our time climbing the gravel road that made its way to the top of the hill. Mollie had been very interested in this place since we saw the HBO mini-series and I was impressed at her determination. We didn't get many good views because of the weather but it never rained very hard on us either. Mollie wanted to walk alone so I put some distance between us during the climb and, once she'd reached the summit herself, rejoined her. Our walk down was marked by improving weather and we made good time (just over two hours for the round trip). We ended up only seeing one other person trying to climb the mountain (trail runner) and some cars driving up the gravel road just as we reached the car. Afterwards (1015), we headed northeast towards South Carolina and it started raining again. We ate a nice lunch at Chick-fil-A in Lavonia (GA). Because the weather was not very good where we’d been and we didn't want a huge amount of driving on the last day of Spring Break, we decided to head in the direction of home (via I-85). On the way through the Gamecock State, we passed some NPS units (Cowpens and Kings Mountain - both National Battlefields) that we didn't want to miss. The first stop had a super bonus: there was a living history / reenactment going on at Cowpens and we spent several hours mingling with colonial militia, Tory loyalists, a school master and several Over-mountain riflemen. It continued to rain but we managed to tour the entire battlefield and watch a cavalry demonstration before we left. The re-enactors were excellent! Our next stop was only about 20 minutes away - the Kings Mountain battlefield has always been one of my favorites! Unfortunately, it was raining even harder so we couldn't tour the grounds and settled for a leisurely stroll through the museum and a relaxing viewing of the park video. At about 1600, we returned to the car so we could decide on our next steps. I'd planned the Spring Break itinerary initially with an option to visit the Twins in Harrisonburg but we didn't know if that would work. I was very excited to confirm the chance for Easter Brunch the following day (yaaay!). So, instead of trying intercept I-95, we steered towards the Shenandoah (still on I-85). We crossed into North Carolina made good time through Charlotte and switched to I-77 there. After several more hours of driving, we reached the border of Virginia and stopped for dinner in Lambsburg (1810). I was getting tired by that point so we looked for a place to stay. We found a good deal for a room at the Motel 6 in Hillsville (near Fancy Gap) and quickly checked in (1900). Mollie wanted some "alone time" and I was able to squeeze in a short call with Eileen. We then watched some TV and Mollie did a bit more studying. Bed time was at 2230. A couple more NPS Passport stamps are possible tomorrow - this has been an amazing trip and we wish it wouldn't end!

Spring Break Trip - Day 7

We didn't get an early start today because Mollie slept in her "own room" until 0845. The weather was horrible (flood and tornado watches) but I'll admit the room was very nice and I didn't want to leave early either. After she was awake, Mollie ate breakfast (yogurt, breakfast bars) we’d bought the previous evening. Then we packed up the car, got gas at the Robins AFB gas station (0945) and got on the road (I-75). To get to Atlanta, we had to drive through some areas of major convective weather. Fortunately, the rental car I got for this trip (nicknamed "Fancy") handled well - we avoided several scary accidents. As we arrived in Atlanta, the precipitation decreased to a drizzle and we were able to get some good views of the 1996 Olympics venue before we parked at our first NPS site of the day: Martin Luther King Jr. Historic Park. I'd taken Brenna and Erin to this park in the mid 2000s but Mollie had never been. It had grown since our last visit and there were actually four Passport Stamps (at various buildings). Mollie marveled at the reverence that everyone had as they walked the grounds - we learned a lot about MLK at the museum and in the old Ebenezer Baptist Church building. Fortunately, we didn't get rained on too much - the apparently improving weather increased our optimism for better weather at NPS sites nearby. We drove west on I-20 until we reached our old neighborhood in Douglasville and snapped some pictures of our home there - this was the third former residence I'd showed Mollie during the trip and it brought back more good memories. We ate lunch at in town (Wendy's) at 1310 and then drove a short distance to the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield. When I worked at the old Dobbins ARB, I used to drive through the park on the way to work (whenever traffic was horrible). However, I'd never stopped at the Visitors Center or climbed the mountain. After Mollie got her Passport stamp, we got ready to hike to the summit - just then, another huge thunderstorm hit. We waited for a little bit but things never really got better. So we took the auto tour of the battlefield, stopping at a few memorial sites and earthwork battlements. We did get out of the car for a little bit and got our shoes soaked in the wet grass. We then (1445) drove east (back roads, GPS, lots of rain and traffic) and located the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (Island Ford Site) near Roswell. The Visitors Center there was still open when we arrived (1600). Mollie got another passport stamp and we talked to the Ranger and learned about the trails and flooding in the area. With much better weather, we took a great hike along the muddy, swollen river bank. We saw several deer, chipmunks and Canadian geese. For one of the first times on the whole trip, we were able to stay in the park after 1700 (they didn't lock the gates). It stopped raining completely and the sun came out - after all the rain we'd seen, it was hard to believe that the day could end so beautifully. I even got to take another nice hike while Mollie rested in the car). We then drove north towards the Georgia mountains and on the shores of Lake Lanier (US-19 and GA-53 to I-985/US-23). We arrived in Gainesville at around 1830 and explored the area for a little while. Eventually, we found a hotel (Motel 6) on the east side of town and settled in for the evening. The manager recommended a restaurant and we drove to eat Chinese food for our dinner (Chef Wang). Mollie and I had a fun conversation about our trip so far (it was almost over and Mollie was NOT happy to be heading home). The food we had was good and I was pleased to see that Mollie’s appetite had returned after her major cold at the beginning of the trip. At 1910, we drove back to the room. We both noted how it was getting much colder! We spent the evening watching TV and reading. Mollie discovered she had a tick from walking in the woods earlier (her second one in a month). We both went to bed at 2200. Planning to dodge some more storms tomorrow, hopefully, and make the most of the last few days of this awesome Spring Break!

Spring Break Trip - Day 6

Mollie woke up this morning (0645) almost feeling herself and was feeling ready for a big agenda! We ate breakfast at the Navy Lodge and then packed up the car. Before Morning Colors, we spent some time at Manatee Point but didn't find any wildlife. We then got on I-295 and drove to 103rd Street. Mollie indulged my own nostalgia seeking during a stop at the Chapel of the High Speed Pass at Cecil Field - there was a new POW/MIA memorial being built there and I showed Mollie where I used to work. After a few brief stops at the old Navy base, we used Mollie’s GPS and back roads (some of which weren’t on the map because they were so new) to reach I-10 and then drove west to I-75. We then headed north and got gas in Jasper (Georgia) at 1000. The weather was great again in the morning - very few clouds and in the mid 70s. We made our first visit to a National Historic Site (for another NPS Passport) in Plains, home of the 39th President. We toured the old high school (now a museum) and I "took care of business" in a mock-up of the Oval Office. It started raining pretty hard while we were there but we quickly saw everything in the museum. Mollie asked me to drive her around town (we had a park map) and we spent some time locating important sites related to the President. We eventually drove northeast to Americus, where we ate a relaxing lunch (Wendy's) at 1315. During our meal, we did some Summer Vacation planning. We next drove a short distance to the Andersonville Prison National Memorial. I'd been to this somber spot a little more than 20 years ago but a brand new POW/MIA museum had been built there in the meantime. Mollie got another NPS Passport stamp and we walked around the grounds, almost alone. Mollie understood the significance and somber nature of the park. Still, she found it hard to fathom how around 13000 prisoners could die under horrible conditions. She commented that the dramatic documentary in the park theater really brought the story to life. Since the weather had improved by this point, we visited the Providence Spring, a near miraculous source of clear water that saved many lives and lessened the suffering of the dying men. An NPS Engineering Crew was repairing the fountain after more than a 100 years of underground erosion. Before leaving, we also stopped to see the National Cemetery, where all the numbered burials were eventually replaced with stones with the names and origins of the dead (a list smuggled out by a camp doctor provided the clues). It was a very moving experience. Mollie asked me to make an attempt to reach another National Park before 1700 and we were able to reach (via I-75 again) the Ocmulgee Mounds in Macon by 1615. Mollie got her Passport stamp and I walked around the grounds where people from the Mississippian Period (900-1200) lived and worked. Mollie eventually joined me with news that the park gates were going to close soon. We didn’t leave right away, though, and were able to go inside a reconstructed mound with the form of lodge with room for around 50 council elders. I noticed a lot of people were still in the park so we started a short driving tour towards other mound formations. The weather was still holding steady. We managed to walk/climb around few more places and learned that the ancestors of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation was connected with the site. Mollie was impressed that, despite destruction of the site caused by the railroad, the remaining mounds were amazingly preserved. As our time ran out, we found the tallest mound and raced to the top for some amazing views. We exited the park exactly as the gates were being secured. Both of us talked about how impressive mounds like these were and recalled our visit a few years earlier to Cahokia. The weather had started threatening again and I wasn’t sure if we’d easily find a good place to stay right away so I asked Mollie if I could check out Robins AFB (we’d passed it earlier). She agreed and we drove a short distance south (through rush hour traffic) until we arrived in Warner Robins. I checked at the Lodging Office and found they had a nice (inexpensive) place for us to stay (Pine Oaks Lodge). When we went in the room, Mollie was very excited to tell me that there were two bedrooms, several bathrooms, a living room and a mini-kitchen. She asked me if we could eat in the room, so I drove her to the nearby Class 6 / Shopette to pick up dinner (macaroni and cheese, hot dogs, fruit, chips, candy). While Mollie was eating, I took a long walk around the golf course. I arrived back in the room and found Mollie happily resting in her “own” room. Soon, it started pouring, with big thunder and lightning. Mollie told me she felt snug and comfortable. I headed to bed at 2245 but Mollie fell asleep much later.

Spring Break Trip - Day 5

We both were awake by 0730 and ate breakfast at the Navy Lodge. Mollie had Mollie determined that Cumberland Island was going to be "a money pit" (with all the ferry boat, tour and bike rental costs), so we decided to skip that National Park and stay in Florida. It was another beautiful day! We drove across the St. Johns River to Mandarin and I showed Mollie our old home there. We then took some back roads to St. Augustine so we could visit the two National Parks with stamps in Mollie's NPS Passport book. The first stop (1030) was at Castillo de San Marcos, an impressive Seventeenth Century fortification (built with coquina blocks) that withstood a 39 day siege by a British fleet launched from Fort Frederica (our last stop yesterday). When our family (sans Mollie) used to live in the area, we often visited the famous landmark. Today we watched a musket demonstration (performed in Spanish) and enjoyed the splendid views of the harbor. We'd already seen the benefit of having our National Park Pass and we noted it again - fee free entry to the fort! After we'd leared a bunch of Spanish history, we walked around in the Old Town, stopping in souvenir shops (Mollie got presents for Nicky) and sampling the ice cream (Mollie treated me!). We were in the area for about two hours before we crossed over to the barrier island and drove south to Fort Matanzas, a Spanish watch tower built with coquina. This was the first visit for both of us to the park and we were pleasantly surprised to learn that a ferry ride to the island fort was free and there were tickets available (despite the crowds). Enjoyed another "picnic" lunch in the car while for our ferry. We took the 1330 ride and explored the remote outpost - it was situated at the southern end of the channel that approached St. Augustine and repelled several attempts to outflank the town during the 1700s. Even more than the history, though, the wildlife (oysters, crabs, wood storks, ospreys, egrets, ibises and roseate spoonbills) was very impressive. We also talked to some fishermen who were anchored just off the coast and they told us they always caught something. One of the other guests (from Canada) remarked that it must have been a lonely place - in my heart, I completely disagreed and would have been happy to set up camp there for 30 days (typical stint for garrison watch). We left the area at 1430, bound for Jacksonville (on I-95 and "I-295") and more NPS Passport adventures! Once we were back in Jacksonville, we made our way to Fort Caroline, located on the larger Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve property in the northeast corner of Duval County. I’d visited in 2004 but it was new to Mollie. Actually, she was super happy with this place because she got two more NPS Passport stamps for one stop, making a total of four for the day! Our initial intent was just to explore the historic site and then go looking for wildlife in some of the park annex areas before the sun went down. However, we started our walk to the fort and immediately encountered three playful (hunting?) dolphins that hung around near the dock for over 30 minutes. Mollie was feeling great but then learned from some local people that manatees might be spotted nearby as well - this changed the visit from one of history and nature to "animals only!" She was a good sport, though, and went with me (for five minutes) to the replica fort that was built in memory of Hugenot settlers from France who were massacred by Spanish soldiers from Saint Augustine in the 1580s (to be fair, it should be noted that the French had sent their entire army to attack the Spanish but left "la Caroline" undefended). Nearby, we visited a memorial to the French Explorer Jean Ribault, who helped choose a location for the colony and who established good relations with the native peoples. The view of the river and nearby Mayport NAS was really great. We then left the park and proceeded on a manatee chase down the shoreline of the St. Johns River. We were unsuccessful in finding any but Mollie had heard about a nearby place called "Manatee Point" (at NAS Jax) so I took her in that direction. Just after we got back on the Base, we encountered a young sailor (Corpsman) whose car had broken down and gave him a ride to the Auto Shop (1800). Many times on this trip, we've experienced the camaraderie and respect of the service members who protect our country - it brings back a lot of good memories for me and reminds me how much the Navy meant to me. After the detour, Mollie and I walked out on a boardwalk to Mulberry Point. It had many ominous warnings about alligators and a few signs for manatees. It was still a beautiful day by the time we arrived (after another short drive) at Manatee Point but the wind had really kicked up. This made spotting wildlife (and especially marine mammals) very difficult. Somehow, I convinced Mollie to try another time and we returned to our room at the Navy Lodge. We cooked dinner (soup, fruit, snacks) - after several days of driving and eating in the car, it was nice to be able to cook ourselves some dinner in the kitchen we had! Must admit that I was disappointed we couldn't find manatees for Mollie but I told her how I'd never encountered wild manatees in over three years living in Jacksonville. I also told her I hoped the next time would be luckier but she replied that it was OK because she’d seen the dolphins. We watched TV, read books and Mollie did a little studying before we both went to bed (2200).

Spring Break Trip - Day 4

We were both awake by 0645 and ate breakfast at the hotel. Mollie had a tough night (very bad cold and ear ache) but was determined to continue our adventure at the next planned stop: Congaree Swamp! After checking out, we got on US-378 (heading west) and stopped in the town of Sumter to get ear drops at Walmart (0845). It was a beautiful day and, inspired by descriptions of a visit I’d made with Mollie’s mother in the mid-1990s (and the snake she’d seen the day before), Mollie was determined to find some more wildlife in the unique, remote wetland forest at Congaree. We used the GPS to navigate on back roads (most efficient route?) and arrived at about 0915. We watched the park video and it piqued our interest in the amazing ecosystem even further. It was a bit brisk (light jackets required), there were no bugs and there was not a cloud in the sky - we headed out on the boardwalk for a 2.5 mile hike with great excitement! The lower boardwalk was flooded about mid-way but we were able to get deep enough into the swamp that we got amazing views of the majestic trees. Some of them were over 150 feet tall - "champion trees" and possibly hundreds of years old. The park apparently preserves one of the last such areas in the Southeast - there were once hundreds of thousands of acres of this type of habitat around the country but it was almost all cut in the Nineteenth Century. We didn't see a lot of wildlife at first but eventually got views of huge woodpeckers, a black rat snake, some caterpillars and - biggest treat of all - an alligator. Mollie checked out all kinds of things with our binoculars and we never stopped scanning the water/trees for surprises. We heard many more birds (loud owls) and got a lot of exercise on the high boardwalk. Most of the other trails were flooded. It began to get quite crowded so we went back to the Visitor Center for souvenirs (1230) and, soon after, the car. Mollie told me that this was one of her new favorite day excursion parks (Me: "Better than Catoctin?" Her: "Definitely!"). We enjoyed a light picnic in the sun before heading south for our next stop. While planning the trip, we'd hoped to stop in Charleston but it was getting late when we finished with Congaree. So we changed the plan in order to visit Saint Simons Island in coastal Georgia. We got on I-26 and then I-95, stopping for gas in Hardeeville (SC) at about 1515. Mollie kept reminding me that the Fort Frederica NM closed at 1700 and it brought back several memories of similar dashes for passport stamps. We call it "The Minidoka Maneuver", memorializing just one time I arrived at the Visitors Center at exactly closing time and we got a stamp anyway - "they said it couldn't be done" (or think Blues Brothers 106 miles to Chicago). Needless to say, every traffic jam, red light and creeping driver caused me to think I'd fail at my mission and be unable to make my rather obsessed daughter happy. We made it and then Mollie said "see - you shouldn't have worried." Story of my life... We were also supposed to vacate the park when they locked the gate but one nice person who worked there said that the gates opened outwards even if we got locked inside. With that "green light", we walked the grounds of the rather amazing ruins of one of the first settlements in Georgia. There were streets running along their old pathways, foundations and cellars of the residences - each place told the story of the former residents. The trees were probably the highlights - they were all draped with moss and looked so "Southern". The foundation of the city was in the last 1730s and it only lasted a few decades before it was abandoned. After we left the grounds of the park, we stopped a few hundred yards away at the site of the first Church of England built on Saint Simons Island - there was a monument and garden to the Wesley brothers (clergymen of hymnal fame). Wanted to spend some more time in the area but also needed to check out the logistics for a trip over to Cumberland Island (about 40 miles south) to figure out if we could visit the following day. We got back on I-95 and drove for a little while, stopping in Kingsland (Georgia) for and enjoyable dinner at Ritter’s Frozen Custard and Burgers at 1830. We then drove down to the waterfront and found the ferry landing. I left open the possibility that we could return in the morning and Mollie said she wanted to research the park a little bit more. We next drove back to I-95 and headed south into Florida. There were a lot of "new" highways and even more traffic near Jacksonville but I used my old routes and we managed to reach the Naval Air Station by around 2000. From memory, I found the Navy Lodge and we checked in there. The place brought back a lot of memories of my earlier life in the military and Mollie seemed to enjoy hearing a lot of the tales from that time, including when her mother and I were first married. Mollie said the ear drops were making her feel a lot better and she spent some of the evening reading, watching TV, doing homework and researching the National Parks in the area. The weather was forecasted to be much nicer for the next few days and Mollie had really started to feel better (cold mostly gone). We both went to bed at 2300.

Spring Break Trip - Day 3

When we got up this morning in Kill Devil Hills (0700), it was raining - it looked even worse to the south. We decided we didn't want to stay inside, though, because we wanted to see some more of Coastal North Carolina! We ate breakfast at the hotel and treated Mollie's cold a bit more (she was slowly getting better). After packing up the car, we drove west on US-64 until we were able to go south and make our way to MCAS Cherry Point. We went on base and got gas (1100) and then some lunch (McDonalds). By then, the sun had come out and the day had become quite pleasant! We continued on back roads (using Mollie’s iPhone and Google Maps connected to the car’s computer system) towards the southeastern corner of the Outer Banks. Visiting this area was a for both of us and we were very much looking forward to having a chance to take the ferry from Harkers Island over to a pretty lighthouse (and maybe see some wild ponies). It took hours to get to this remote location and the excitement built all the way. Unfortunately, we arrived (1030) on a day when there was a small craft (heavy seas) advisory and the passenger boats weren't running out to the islands. Oh no! The volunteers at the site tried so hard to help us find a way out there (on auto ferries at other landings) but our car was not a 4x4 and it would have taken hours to walk anywhere. The only thing we were able to do at the site was walk on the shoreline and watch the funny ibis birds that were walking and soaring everywhere. The Ranger eventually recommended that we drive over to Beaufort to visit the Rachel Carson Reserve, a location that was not remote as Shackleford Banks. The barrier island directly across a narrow channel from town has ponies that sometimes appear on the waterfront. All we needed was a canoe or kayak and we could have been there in 10 minutes - but we had to settle for a walk along the "boardwalk". The fancy neighborhood nearby actually had a "Kayak Barn" - it, along with the other buildings nearby, was impressive. We didn't have any luck seeing ponies from this area (the Rangers said we had missed them by a few hours) but Mollie told me she was alright with that ("we didn't even know there were horses before this morning"). It was almost 1400 by then and Mollie wanted to get another NPS Passport stamp so we headed west through Morehead City and Jacksonville until we were out of range of the mobile towers north of Wilmington. The weather was so gorgeous and the sea breeze all day made it one of the nicest days we've seen all Spring. Using the GPS, we reached the little town of Currie by 1510 and I stopped at the Post Office so I could mail Easter Cards to the Twins. We then drove a short distance to the Moores Creek National Battlefield, stopping at the Visitor Center at around 1600. The site commemorated a battle in 1776 where the Patriot/Whig militia decisively defeated a larger Loyalist/Tory party (led by Highlanders in kilts). Following the battle, the Colonial state government sent their representatives back to Philadelphia with instructions to vote for Independence. This was another "first park visit" for us and we got really lucky on the stamp - the park was closed on Mondays but they left the stamp just outside the doorway (Mollie was relieved). We walked the grounds and Mollie spotted a water snake near the boardwalk (she liked this). We also marveled at the evidence of a recent controlled burn. Mollie’s cold was exacerbated by allergies and she asked if she could go sit in the car. Meanwhile, I walked around a little bit before the gates to the park were locked by some local volunteers (1700). After that, we followed the whiz-bang GPS system in our rental car through the pine forests and horse ranches until we reached US-74/US-76 (a pretty nice four lane highway). We ate dinner (Arby’s) in Whiteville, NC (1745) and then continued to I-95, which we intercepted just north of the “South of the Border” site (on the NC-SC border). Continued driving for another hour and I tried to make hotel reservations. After some difficulty with the internet and some savvy phone negotiations, we able to check into the Days Inn in Turbeville (1930). Mollie rested up with her medicine while I did some walking in the area. She started texting me about wanting some ear drops but there weren’t any at any of the stores nearby (I checked). I told her we’d get some in the morning and she eventually managed to fall asleep (2200).

Spring Break Trip - Day 2

We got up early (0630), ate breakfast at the hotel and tried (unsuccessfully) to manage Mollie's cold. After getting packed, we experienced Morning Colors and got gas on Base (0805). We then drove down to Currituck County, North Carolina, where our Spring Break adventure really began. We used US-158 to get to US-64 and made our first stop at a National Park site on Roanoke Island that commemorated the Lost Colony. More than 10 years ago, our family attended the famous outdoor play there and a walk on the grounds brought back some good memories. After we got the first NPS Passport stamp of the day, we headed back towards Nags Head and switched to NC-12. It started to rain as we arrived at the entrance to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. We'd also been to the beach at this park many years ago - more great memories. Undeterred, we kept driving south until the weather got a little better. On Pea Island, we took a nice walk on the NWR trail, enjoying the many red-winged blackbirds, Canadian geese, snowy egrets and turtles there. Rain kept threatening and it was very windy - we didn't end up stopping too many times along the way. We visited the famous Lighthouse at Cape Point (got another Passport stamp) but weren't able to climb to the top (still closed for the season). Mollie snapped some photos of the ocean at a nearby off-road vehicle beach access point. Had thought about continuing to Ocracoke but Mollie said she wanted to go back to civilization. Our drive north took longer because all the (other) tourists were going home after their week(end)s. Got some great views of the para-surfers/skiers and wind-surfers. Arrived in Kill Devil Hills before 1500 and got some good ice cream at "The Spot" - we were tempted to try the ACAI bowls but decided to save for later. We then drove over to the Wright Brother's site for one more Passport stamp and to enjoy the suddenly pleasant weather. When we used to live in Virginia Beach, the area had recently celebrated the 100th anniversary of the First Flight and it was too popular to really enjoy all the exhibits. This time, Mollie (who had been too young to enjoy it earlier anyway) learned a lot about the development of the first airplane. As we finished up, she told me was very happy with all the stamps we got today. As she was posting photos on Instagram, she discovered that one of her friends was staying in Nags Head for the week and she asked if we could coordinate a meet-up (I said yes). A short time later, we checked into our hotel (just a stone's throw away from the Kitty Hawk Monument and very close to the ocean). Mollie was very excited to take a nice walk on the beach so we quickly changed and walked across the street and dunes to the access point. The weather wasn’t very good but we spent over an hour there, collecting seashells, finding crabs and running away from the surf. As we walked back to the hotel, it started raining (a lot more than earlier in the day). We cleaned up in our room and I then took Mollie to meet her friends for dinner at Rooster’s Southern Kitchen. From there, I went to try out one of the ubiquitous Brew Thru places (1900) and picked up some OBX Kolsch. Mollie texted me a bunch from the restaurant and (later) from an ice cream parlor that her friends took her to visit (in an Uber). They returned her to our hotel at around 2045 - Mollie brought me desert and leftovers. We watched the Season 8 Premier of Game of Thrones together and then went to bed (2300).

Spring Break Trip - Day 1

I got up early, packed and left the apartment at 0800 so I could pick up the rental car. I took the bus to Eisenhower Avenue and then walked to Pickett Street and the Hertz car rental place. Had to wait in the rain for about 30 minutes before they opened. Meanwhile, Mollie got herself up, finished her packing and ate breakfast. I returned to the apartment with our car, a white Kia Optima, so I could pick up Mollie and finish packing. Mollie asked me to get some medicine for her (she had a bad cold) and I did. By 1045, we were on the highway, driving south via US-1 and I-95. There was LOTS of traffic. Mollie figured out that the Google Maps function on her phone could be used with the rental car’s system. Near Fredericksburg, she started coordinating that function in our car so we could find an alternate route. As we drove city streets near town, we stumbled across George Washington’s boyhood home. It started to rain pretty hard by this point. We had some great conversations about life, school, relationships, friends and our Summer Vacation. Simultaneously, we made our way to I-264 and then I-64. We stopped in Jamestown to get a Colonial National Park Passport stamp (1420). While there, we bought an Annual Park Pass but we didn’t stay because we’d already visited the park when we lived in Virginia Beach. We then drove (via the Colonial Parkway) to Fort Monroe NHS and got another stamp. It was still raining there but we walked around in the Casement Museum (interesting). We drove back to I-64 and used the HRBT (despite a traffic jam). We followed the Google Maps until we reached our first overnight location (Little Creek / Fort Story Joint Expeditionary Base). We checked into our room (1730) and then went exploring in our old neighborhood on Little Neck. It actually had stopped raining by then and the weather cleared up nicely. We saw our old church, house and the kids’ school and stopped at our neighbor's home (we found out they'd moved). After this trip down memory lane, we followed US-58 to Great Neck Road and drove up to Shore Drive. I found a few restaurants that I recognized and ended up selecting Shorebreak for the place to eat. We had salad and pizza, along with some really good frozen smoothie drinks. We finished eating (with leftovers to go) by 1830 and drove back to the Base. There, we explored places I’d been during CorTraMid, checked out the beach and marveled at the “Gator Freighters” that were in port. Back at the Navy Lodge (2000), we tried to check out a movie to watch but there weren’t any good ones. Instead, watched TV and Mollie did some homework. I learned that she had been given a school assignment of writing a travel blog from the trip we were taking. We headed to bed at 2230.

Washington, DC (USA)

[work - Metro to Navy Yard and lunch with Eric T at Shake Shack - walked back to L'Enfant - work - at 1630, met up with Tyler at L'Enfant and we walked to Navy Memorial - happy hour at Plan B until around 1845 - then walked back to L'Enfant and Metro home (via gas station near Fort Belvoir)]

Hampton, VA (USA)

Inclement weather was forecast this morning - it was actually supposed to be raining when I awoke. Hoping to get lucky like I have so many times recently, I left Elizabethton at about 0700 and drove off in search of the AT Trailhead on USFS-293. This place had given me the slip twice before and I had enlisted the help of my friend, Bill (a FS employee) who provided me with some maps. It turned out that I’d actually been in the correct place but had been previously deterred by a fence next to what looked like a private road. Despite the protests of an angry hound, I left the pavement onto gravel and immediately saw road signs that I was going the correct way. I found the trail at 0745 and, relieved that it wasn’t raining yet, headed NOBO into the woods. Almost all the “trees” in the area were rhododendrons. I passed several small waterfalls and a big one called Hardcore Cascades. The temps started in the 50s and crept up into the mid 60s as the morning progressed. The section had looked relatively flat but it turned out to have just as many PUDs as any other - I must have climbed and descended noticeably at least 20 times and rambled through a similar number of switchback series. The trail roughly paralleled US-19E and I got some glimpses of the town of Roan Mountain and the mountain itself to the southwest. I also saw that rain was filling the space between - a wall of water was gradually moving towards me. When I reached the highest point of the hike, the spillover of spray (assisted by the wind) started to hit my left side. I descended into Moreland Gap and it wasn’t so wet - but I knew I’d have to go back into the weather again after I turned around... As I arrived at the shelter, I encountered the first hikers of the day - two Thru hikers who were just leaving towards the north. Talked to one of them for a short time but then bustered back towards my car with minimal delay. After about 30 minutes in the rain on the ridge, I found myself on the northeast side of the hill again - it was dry there and the sun was shining through the high clouds. There was a lot of water in the rhododendron bushes though! I made good time on the way back, motivated by the incoming weather. I passed five more Thru hikers (small talk only) and one weekend backpacker who indicated he might be open to shuttling cars during a future weekend. Finished up my day (with no more rain) at 1155 after 10 miles. Changed quickly and headed home via US-321, TN-67, TN/VA-91 and I-81. Got gas in Dublin (VA) at 1430 and then continued on I-81. Traffic ended up being light - all the way to I-66 - and the weather was good. Best part: I arrived home before dark. Glad I got away for the weekend - making a lot of slow and steady progress on my AT Goal! AT Today = 5.00 miles / G.T. AT = 1383.62 miles

Erwin, TN (USA)

I’d hoped to hike last night but life events, weather and the length of the day prevented it. Also, it was NASCAR weekend at Bristol so Plan A, B and C for lodging were a bust - lucky I even found a place to sleep. Got up late this morning and ate a leisurely breakfast with race fans before leaving Elizabethton. Drove south on I-26 to the hiking zone (Spivey Gap In North Carolina). Because I hadn’t had luck with arranging shuttles, I planned to park at the trailhead on US-19W and do my normal out and back hike. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find the Natures Hostel owner waiting for another hiker when I arrived in the parking lot (0900)! This is one of the rare examples where the early bird missed the tastier worm. After a quick negotiation and the arrival of my fellow section slackpacker, the driver took us back to Tennessee and down TN-352 to Devil’s Creek Gap. Great conversation on the way - the other hiker (from Georgia) was shuttling his way through the first 400 miles of AT one hellish day of driving (Rome to trailhead and back within 24 hours) at a time. He was going to walk back to Spivey Gap but started the day by leaving his truck keys in the shuttle... Fortunately, he realized his error before we left the trailhead. The hostel owner then took me to Sams Gap and I started my hike (NOBO) at 10:00. There were Trail Angels with resupply gear at the trailhead and lots of day hikers setting out on the cool, cloudy day so I didn’t tarry. Started with two layers (50s) but quickly shed down to short sleeves on the initial climb. I ended up passing an older couple and a solo female Thru Hiker - all looking for cell signal - before settling in with a father and son day hiker duo until we reached the first plateau. I ended up talking to them (Rich and Tucker from NYC and ATL, scoping out the Biltmore for the latter’s wedding) for a while and, after they turned around, a trail maintainer who was reducing path erosion nearby. Got started again, bound for Big Bald (prominently visible for most of the day). It cleared up a lot and got warmer. I passed a trio of weekend backpackers who showed me great photos they’d taken of sleeping white tailed deer and eventually caught a pair of Thru hikers (solo guy and solo girl) at the summit. They started their hike in early March. There was also an older lady and her dark Golden Retriever and we all marveled at the view for awhile. It was clear enough to see Roan, Grandfather and Mitchell, along with I-26. Continued alone across the long bald ridge and caught two birders with powerful telephoto lenses. Stopped briefly at the shelter (midpoint) and then continued north again. The ridge (following the NC-TN border) took me through a series of big climbs and descents - I was tired before the end but kept putting one foot in front of the other. Overall, the section remained in the 4K-5.5K foot range - felt good at elevation! Before I was done, I met a few serious trail runners, an ominous looking survivalist-type guy (with an equally scary dog), a family trying to reach the High Rocks and a couple of Thru Hikers in distress. Otherwise, I was completely alone. I facilitated the rescue of some lost sunglasses and that felt good. Wrapped up my unexpectedly long section at 1615 at Spivey Gap after 14 miles. I could only count part because I’d hiked some of this section before but was happy with the bonus miles. Headed back to Elizabethton and cleaned up in my room. Ended up having dinner with Allen (fly fisherman at the hotel) at Amigo Mexican Restaurant - it was his birthday and we had a fun time celebrating. We watched Virginia-Auburn Final Four Game until it ended in dramatic fashion and stayed at the restaurant from 1800 until 2015. We then headed back to the room and I read until it was time to sleep. I'm all set up for another day on the trail tomorrow! AT Today = 12.00 miles / Grand Total AT = 1378.62 miles

Harrisonburg, VA (USA)

I teleworked in the morning and then drove over to Nicky’s (1000) so I could escort Brenna and the Chrysler back to JMU. I'd thought that Mollie was going to want to come but she changed her mind. Instead, just Brenna and I headed towards Harrisonburg... It was raining and Brenna’s headlight was burned out (planned to fix when we got to JMU). Erin called to tell me she was going to be busy (class and internship interview prep) when I reached town but we had a nice talk (30+ minutes) about interview tips and I gave her a pep talk. Brenna and I stopped for gas in Front Royal at 1125 and then got back on the highway. After a few miles, Brenna called me again - it turned out that her windshield wiper motor had quit and she couldn’t see out of the window. I pulled over with her end tried all kinds of things but couldn’t fix it. By then, it wasn’t raining too hard so I recommended we get off the interstate and use US-11. On the way to the next exit, we got separated temporarily but were able to meet up again in Strasbourg. For the rest of the trip, we took our time, stopping a few times to dry the window and take breaks. Brenna called me a few more times and told me she was really glad I’d come with her (I was too). The detour, while safer and less stressful, added almost 1.5 hours more to the trip. However, we made it safely to Harrisonburg by 1330. We went straight to Brenna’s apartment and I tried to tag up with Erin for lunch (no luck because timing was bad). I was able to fix Brenna’s printer (it had been broken for more than a semester and I found a pair of tweezers in it). I also figured out that Brenna hadn’t been running the Antivirus software that I’d gotten for her but I fixed that, removing some malware and disabling several annoying startup programs. Brenna gave me several grocery receipts and I gave her a letter I’d gotten from her IVCF Advisor. After visiting with some of her roommates (and one of Erin’s) we drove (in my car) to Popeyes’s and ate a very late lunch (1445). After the meal (and some great conversation), we went to Walmart (1545) and I bought groceries for her (because she didn’t have much food In her apartment). I also bought cough medicine, shampoo and a wireless mouse to make working on her computer easier. We headed back to her apartment and I made sure she took the medicine and set up her new mouse. After an amazing day, we said goodbye (1615) and I got back on the road. I called Mollie and she said she had a nice time with Rano and was getting ready to go to Steve’s house. Erin texted me after her internship interview had ended, saying that she got the internship with a local congresswoman. She followed up the text news with a call and we talked for a while about how exciting it all was. I ended up talking to Mollie a few more times as I was driving. In addition, my friend Tyler called to ask for some career advice. Meanwhile, I stopped for a gas fill-up at Shell in Abingdon (1945) and switched to I-26 to get to Elizabethton, arriving at around 2030. For lodging, I started at Travelers Inn but found out it was double the price for the Bristol Race Weekend (grrr). I called one of the nearby hostels (full) and then drove over to Johnson City to see about lodging. After stopping at the Hampton Inn and learning it would cost over $350 for me to stay overnight, I briefly thought about camping or sleeping in the Walmart parking lot. Eventually, I decided it would be better if I headed back to Elizabethton and checked into my normal place. After checking in (2130), I met a fly fisherman named Allen (from Winston-Salem) who'd had the same frustrations. While talking, we discovered we had a lot in common and would be around for the same amount of time. We therefore made plans to meet up to watch the Final Four game the following day. I was so exhausted by the time I reached the room that it barely registered that I'd missed a day of hiking. It was a good day, though! Went to bed immediately with visions of the trail in my head...

Washington, DC (USA)

[work - Greta picked me up at the office and we drove over to Pentagon City - ate dinner and had some drinks at Sine (done at around 1830) - she then took me back to Huntington]

Washington, DC (USA)

[work - walked around the Mall and down to the Tidal Basin to see the cherry blossoms - more work - TopGolf with Bob in the evening]