As expected, it was a very rainy day. I was awake by 0530, got packed and was on the road (I-81) just after 0630. I stopped for a free Veterans Day breakfast at Denny's in Wytheville (0715) and was back on the road by 0800. The weather made the drive very unpleasant - I had to leave Interstate to avoid traffic jams a few times (due to bad accidents). I stopped at 0945 at Sheetz in Lexington to get a free Veterans Day sandwich (I saved it for later) and then continued north. I was interested in stopping to get some exercise somewhere but, with rain coming down throughout the morning, there wasn’t much to see or do outside. When I reached Raphine, however, I hought maybe it would be a good idea to stop at one of the historical landmarks I’ve passed (but never visited) over the years - for once, I wasn’t in too much of a hurry! I quickly located the old buildings (1015) and then walked around on the grounds for about 30 minutes (with my golf umbrella). The McCormick Farm celebrates a major technical and agricultural achievement: the invention of the mechanical reaper. There were some signs that described the process and life of the inventor. I also took a short walk on a nature trail nearby. Didn't see anyone else the whole time I was there. After finishing my break (1045), I got back on I-81 and followed it until I reached I-64 - then headed east. I stopped for free Veterans Day lunch at Applebees in Waynesboro (1100). While eating, I talked to Brenna and Mollie. Across the street, I picked up a Veterans Day voucher (for a later free meal) from Golden Corral. I was on the road again (still I-64) by 1145. The weather cleared up while I was eating but then the fog got really heavy - as I crossed the Blue Ridge, it was VERY difficult to see where I was going! I used Google Maps to take me on an overmountain route to I-95 and it suggested that I exit the Interstate near Charlottesville. From there, I took US-520, VA-22, back roads, VA-3, more back roads and (finally) VA-3. Just after I got back on the Interstate (I-95), I decided I should visit another Virginia State Park (fee free). So, I exited the highway near Aquia and took lots of back streets (including a Telegraph Road) to reach Widewater State Park. Just after I arrived, the rain let up temporarily and I was able to take a short walk in one of the newest State Park units (it’s only been open for about two years and, apparently, no one else knows about it). From what I saw, it looked like a great place for kayaking, with two boat launches: one on the Aquia Creek side and one on the Potomac. There is a ghost ship area to explore on the Maryland side of the latter and an NWR nearby. There were lots of trails and new picnic areas too - all remote and unknown to the public. Decided that this place would be somewhere I'd definitely frequent if I still lived nearby... I was probably the only visitor for the hour (plus) that I was there (1400 to 1515). Resumed by journey (back roads to I-95) and had to endure the usual slow down near Occoquan. However, reached US-1 without much trouble. Checked into my hotel room at Fort Belvoir by 1615 and was soon unpacked. Even though I could have relaxed for a bit, I decided to get back in the car and head over to Mission BBQ to pick up a free Veterans Day sandwich (1700). While eating there, I talked to Mollie about meeting up with her. By 1730, I was at Nicky's (Mollie said she wanted to go shopping with me). I got to meet her new puppy (Pippen) and saw Bear. Erin was also there and we had fun visiting for a while. Mollie and I went to Giant and got supplies for my house (several things on sale) and were rewarded with a Veterans Day discount (1810). While at Kingstowne Centre, we double checked on hours for the restaurants I wanted to visit over the next few days. I got a free Veterans Day coffee at Starbucks (I gave it to Mollie) and we also visited the Dunkin Donuts at Manchester but they had run out of free Veterans Day donuts. Despite this, I had an extremely successful day seeking Veteran's Day discounts! Mollie told me she didn't want to go home yet because she rarely got to explore in the evening, so we drove over to St. Lawrence to see the completed Narthex, then explored a bit in the Huntington and Hybla Valley areas. We circled back to Nicky's (arriving at around 1915) and I visited some more with Erin and the dogs. I then went back to Fort Belvoir (arrived at 0815) and talked to my dad on the phone. Spent the rest of the evening organizing things in my room, reading and relaxing. Bed time was at 2230.
