My morning started at around 0600. I cleaned up (repacked) in my room and also took care of some work emails while waiting for Mollie. Still feeling sore. Mollie arrived at the hotel at around 0745 (she was able to walk from her apartment) and we had a nice time talking while we ate at the breakfast buffet. We made plans for our next get together (hopefully, sometime in May) before she had to leave for her first class of the day (0825). After saying goodbye to her, I went back to the room and did some more repacking and journaling. At 0930, I got on the road and headed out of Blacksburg. I used US-460 to reach I-81 and then drove through Roanoke (listening to audiobooks). Got off on US-220 exit (Daleville) and filled up my gas tank at a station located next to where the AT crosses the highway (1015). Then continued north on US-220 all the way to Clifton Forge (the I-64 crossing), where I stopped for a break Douthat State Park. The weather wasn't very nice - it was spitting sleet and temps were in the mid 40s. I spent some time walking on several trails and determined that the park is obviously a fisherman’s paradise. The state stocks the lake and streams twice a week in the Spring and Fall. During the Great Depression, the park was a CCC Camp and there are reminders everywhere of that time period. With lots of campsites, swimming, boating and trails, it definitely seems like a good spot for a weekend away from the hustle and bustle. I'm sure my friend, Stephanie (who likes to fish), would really like it... After getting done with my visit, I headed east on I-64 until reaching I-81 again (more audiobooks). Brenna called and we made plans to meet up at around 1600. Since I had the time, I stopped for lunch at the new (to me) McDonalds in Greeneville (1405) and ate inside the restaurant. They appeared to be short staffed (messy and overflowing trash cans). After getting back on I-81, I decided I finally had enough time for a visit to the birthplace of the 28th President in Staunton (“Stanton not Stawnton”). It wasn't hard to locate but parking was a bit sparse. Still, I was at the entrance by 1500 and started a self-tour of the museum (it was located next door to the historic home). The place wasn’t created along the same lines as modern Presidential Libraries and is more like the George Washington facility near Mount Vernon. The big reason: Woodrow Wilson’s official papers reside at the Library of Congress and the only thing here is his personal correspondence. But the residents in the town of his birth built a fine memorial, in my opinion, that celebrates the hugely consequential impact that their native son had on our Nation. Wilson was a mix of Southern-Northern, religious-reason, academic-worker and preacher-politician. Probably only elected President because of Teddy Roosevelt’s refusal to “go quietly into that good night”, he also made a lot of fantastical campaign promises that convinced people they needed change. Ultimately, he did make many major reforms for workers that still protect their rights today. This, along with the huge victory in World War I, kept the American Public on his side. It seems, though, that his refusal to compromise (noted in several places inside the museum) also directly led to a major Republican landslide in 1920. The stroke he had in 1919 prevented a run for a third term anyway, so we don’t really know for sure. Wilson wasn’t the first Progressive but his style of trying save people, even against their will, foreshadowed the style of the left side of the political aisle that we know today. This museum is a definitely a great choice if you are looking to stop in the Shenandoah Valley! After getting done, I realized I'd be later than I'd originally told Brenna so I called her and updated my ETA. It took a bit of time to get back to I-81 (busy town streets and lots of life). Continued north (more audiobooks). Encountered LOTS of traffic and a big accident near the US-33 exit but still managed to arrive in Harrisonburg by 1630. I met Brenna at her apartment and checked on the Chrysler (battery dead again). I'd been planning to spend time with my daughter but she told me she was really tired from work and wanted to take a two hour nap. So, I left her apartment and headed southwest (used VA-42). In the town of Dayton, I saw a sign for Fort Harrison and stopped to check it out. It was a very well done site, with lots of historic markers. Since I'd only used about an hour, I drove west on VA-257, looking for a place to take a longer walk. I reached the town of Montezuma but never found a place. Backtracked to VA-42 (more audiobooks) and drove all the way back to Brenna's. By then (1830), she had woken up and we discussed going out to dinner. I suggested we check out a new place (for us) near the Walmart and she agreed. Our choices there were Qdoba, a Pho restaurant and an Italian place called "Vinny's". After checking out the menus, we opted for the latter (1915) and enjoyed a delicious meal there (we also each had a glass of wine). Brenna talked a lot about her job and I told her about my hiking trip. We departed at around 2100 and went back to Brenna's to look for the spare key for the Chrysler. This led to a "Spring Cleaning" project that took almost an hour. We found a lot of other interesting things but not the key... By 2230, I was really tired and planned to go to sleep. However, Brenna wanted to talk some more so we chatted for nearly another hour. In the end, I didn't really get to sleep until just after midnight. But it was a good day!
