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).