North Carolina Hiking Trip - Day 9

I woke up early (0530) and started my telework day.  I had meetings until noon (hotel owner let me check out late) and then left Marion.  First headed north on I-81 and got lunch at Bojangles in Wytheville (1230).  When I saw the sign for the Stephen F. Austin Memorial, I got off the Interstate (east of Wytheville) and drove south on US-52.  I'd been wanting to see what was there for many years.  It was a pretty country road and I ended up crossing under I-77 where the Google maps said the memorial was but couldn't find it.  I asked for directions at a school and, once I understood I needed to go to Austinville (duh), I made made my way north again.  I ended stopping at the Shot Tower State Park on the way.  While there, I read up on some of the technology used there (high tower, long tube, molten lead dropped through the tube into a pool of water from the river below) and history of the site.  I then drove a few miles to the west and figured out that the Austin Family had settled in the area because of the lead mines.  The "Father of Texas" was born there but only stayed until he was about five years old.  The memorial was nice and I noticed the New River Trail State Park across the street.  It was an old railroad bed (flat, cinders) and I decided to walk on it while I had time before I had another meeting.  I then (1400) drove back to I-81 and continued north.  I made it to Harrisonburg at 1645 and, after getting a visitor pass and talking to the Apartment Office about the move-out process, I met up with Brenna.  I did some more telework in her apartment until around 1830.  We then drove over to El Charro (the one near the Mall) and had dinner.  We had some good conversations and took our time eating.  When we were finished (1930), I took Brenna to buy some supplies for her apartment.  I spent the rest of the night working on my computer, fixing Brenna's computer and watching the "Bachelor" (ha!).  I did some reading and went to bed (Brenna's couch) at 2300.