After 3,330 miles, I’m back home. I unpacked the Jeep, unpacked the suitcase, washed clothes, and put away groceries that I ordered from Whole Foods this morning in Savannah. Let’s just say I’m tired and will have an early night.
Breakfast at the Inn on West Liberty was considerably better this morning with absolutely perfect scrambled eggs, bacon, and overnight French toast. Seems the overnight stuff is a big hit. Alfonso did well.
I asked to see Patty early this morning and when she came in I gave her dog treats for Sidney (he loves them) and pointed out that whoever tidied my room took a bag that contained my insulin needles. I wasn’t able to do an insulin injection this morning. I also told her that if she looked at the inside shower curtain in the upper left hand corner she would find some bird poop. Oh well, things considered, I really enjoyed my stay other than the room was freezing at night. It does not have individual a/c controls for the rooms.
I really enjoyed the trip but I am glad to be home and get back to some daily routine. I’m pretty much a creature of habit. These trips help me reset but I need structure in my life.
The trip down I-95 wasn’t as bad as usual. I got in the express lanes in West Palm Beach and cruised until the two lanes merged into one and traffic came to a dead standstill. After I got past that, I managed to get back in the express lanes in Boca Raton and made excellent time until I got off at Davie Blvd.
Breakfast at 8:30 was nice but nothing to write home about. It was a Spanish omelet prepared in a ramekin with sausage and toast. The precursor was a fresh fruit bowl that was good and the orange juice flowed freely. Sidney pretty much ignored me for the new people.
Fickle dog!
After breakfast, I decided to jump on the hop on/hop off tour. There are several tour companies that run tour buses all throughout the day. I noticed the sign on mine said $50 for adults. When I charged it through the inn, it was $41, so a nice $9 savings through the inn.
The tour was kind of blah. You barely got to one place the bus driver was describing and you were off to the next. You couldn’t take photos because the bus wasn’t stopped long enough except at the scheduled stops (15 of them) and the stops were not interesting. I got off at stop 13 and walked around old town.
I noticed the Savannah Day Spa on York Street and went in. They were able to schedule me a 90 minutes deep tissue massage at 2 pm.
Afterwards, I walked to the Gallery Espresso (established 1993). They show art work from local artists. I got an iced coffee for the first time this summer. It may become a regular feature for me. There was an older gentleman (younger than me) who was entertaining a young couple with his stories. Just as they were about to leave, he started up again. The young couple could not get away. Shoot me if I become a nonstop story teller.
From there I headed to Chocolat by Adam Turoni. Just walking into the store overwhelmed me with the aroma of chocolate. They make everythi ng on the premises and I confess to spending a wee bit of money in the store. Well, maybe more than a wee bit. They even pack your chocolate up and put ice packs in with them to last you two hours in case you are day shopping.
I got the chocolate back to the inn and relaxed a little until the 2 pm massage. The therapist was Lisa and she was really good. She was able to find way too many knots in my shoulders and back – I guess from driving. She was chatty and we covered most topics, including religion. She really did have magic hands and I left a decent tip.
I did a little more shopping and then stopped in at an ice cream place (it was 86°F) and had a large cup of three different scoops of coconut mango, limon, and blood orange. Delicious and a great way to cool off. The shop had an unusual name – Doki Doki Ice Creamery. I have no idea what it means.
I then headed next door to get some dog treats. I think I know how to make Sidney to pay attention to me. I love the name, Woof Gang Bakery. Let’s see the newbies at breakfast tomorrow to compete with that!
From there I headed to Six Pence Pub to have an early dinner.
Six Pence Pub
I decided to have half a sandwich and a bowl of soup. I ordered a roast beef on pumpernickel and French onion. The soup was just OK but the roast beef was great. Since it was a British type pub, I ordered a half and half to drink. I know some people hate the stuff but I actually like it and order it every time I get a chance.
From there it was a short walk to the inn, a shower, and writing the blog. It’s been a great, albeit hot day in Savannah. I asked for another 8:30 seating for breakfast and I’ll probably be up and packing the Jeep for home tomorrow before breakfast. I’ve toyed with the idea of stopping one more night between Savannah and home just to not have such a long drive (6 1/2 hours) but I think I’ll just drive through unless I get super tired.
This has been a great trip. Probably my favorite place to stay has been Four Oaks in Camden, SC and the second favorite is the Inn on West Liberty. You learn a lot on trips like this. I’ve learned to take two coolers. The GPS almost always adds one hour to any trip and you actually either make it exactly on time or a little early. Summer is not a great time for road trips. I intend to line up spring and fall trips for now on. Even winter is better. Some of the hosts of these inns are a little, shall we say, exotic. I never could understand Bobbie’s directions at the Lodge at River Run at Banner Elk.
Highlights for me was to spend a little time with Terry in Boone, Michael in Fredericksburg and, of course, Jimmie and Stephen in Greensboro. Life is good.
You really do need to try the overnight oatmeal. It seems to get better every time we make it. With the threat of rain, Jimmie and I braved the wilds of Tallwood and made 1.2 miles with just a light mist. We weren’t nearly as out of breath this time. Progress!
Proof of survival after the walk.
Jimmie made me a half a pimento cheese sandwich and loaded me up with plums, apples, carrots, and cokes. On the way down to Savannah, I managed to eat everything except the apples and only had one coke (to keep me awake).
I pulled into Savannah just a little before four and met Patty and Sidney. Sidney is the vicious guard dog that announces everyone. She’s very diligent about her job. The front of the building is quite attractive.
The front may be attractive but the interior is beautiful. It rivals any of the inns I’ve stayed in this trip.
Common area/living room
Breakfast room
We will be eating in two shifts: 8:30 and 9:30. I chose the 8:30 shift. When I checked in I was given the ticket for the tour which departs about a block from the inn. Patty indicated it was an excellent way to see the city and she encouraged me to do the complete tour.
They have an elevator! Patty took my luggage up in it and showed me my room, the Wright.
Note the headboard. It’s two large doors and ornately carved.
I even have a private balcony!
The view from the balcony isn’t bad either.
There’s wine and cheese at 5 pm and I’ll probably make that. We are in the middle of a terrific thunderstorm (lights blinking on and off) and it’s pouring down rain so my exploration will have to wait.
Just a word about staying with Jimmie and Stephen. They are excellent hosts! Of course, Jimmie and I grew up together but Stephen goes out of his way to make sure I’m comfortable. Stephen learned early that you marry a family and he’s shown remarkable tolerance to the Agnew side of the family. I think he even likes me.
Just to get an idea, I mentioned casually I liked fruit for breakfast and voilá, fruit for days when I got there. She knows I use a shower mat and she bought one for me while at their house. They think of my every need. I only hope that I host as well.
Overnight Oatmeal rules! It seems to get better and better each time we make it. We are still topping with strawberries, blueberries and sliced peaches. Yum!
Jimmie and I managed a 1.6 mile walk this morning. The temperature was OK but the humidity was 90%. We were both huffing and puffing when we got back to the house. Out water bottles were almost drained.
We were scheduled to go to Chapel Hill to see Jimmie and Stephen’s son Louis, his wife Rachel and their two daughters around 1:50. That meant a very leisurely morning and a very leisurely lunch. For Jimmie and me, it was watermelon, blueberries and strawberries. I’m trying to take care of most of their fruit larder. Stephen had cottage cheese and watermelon. The melon has really been delicious.
We headed over to Chapel Hill and I finally got to meet Rachel and the two daughters for the first time ever. The last time I saw Louis was when he was a teenager at Jean and Rogers and he, Kirk and Kevin were rushing upstairs to play some game (and to get away from the adults). Louis gave me a big hug and welcomed me in to his home. The older daughter was a little shy when I walked in but the younger daughter took to me immediately.
I must be special because I was the only adult that received a gift from them. It was a very special gift that only select people are offered.
If you can’t figure it out, it’s an eraser. Not just any eraser, but a green one – my favorite color. You’ll also notice that it looks like the tip of a Crayola Crayon. You see, erasers are very important when you are in school or beginning Kindergarten. I immediately recognized the importance and significance of this gift. I’m sure the other adults were jealous.
About this time the older daughter started to warm up to me after a shy beginning. These kids are adorable, smart, and as different as two sisters can be. For their age, their vocabulary is considerable as well as their comprehension. Louis and Rachel are doing a great job with these two.
I spent a lot of time with the younger one on the front door step doing experiments with chalk and water and brushes and making different colored patterns on the concrete. She quickly understood that red and blue make purple, her favorite color. She’ll be a scientist one day!
As we were getting ready to leave, I got two wonderful hugs from them and an open invitation to come back. Nailed it! Next time I see them I may hold out for two erasers.
On the way back we stopped at a Key Westy type of restaurant for dinner. It was pretty good food and when it came time for desert, we were asked about the Key Lime pie. Jimmie refuses to eat it anywhere but south Florida. I did check and their pie was not green at least.
Of course, in the middle of our visit we got word about President Biden not running again and his endorsement of Vice President Harris. It’s gonna be a long 4 months.
Tomorrow I head for Savannah after our morning walk and breakfast. My GPS in the Jeep says it’s almost 7 hours. Hopefully it won’t take that long. I filled up with diesel before I got to Greensboro so I should be good with one tank.
OK, it’s official, the overnight oatmeal is a hit. Jimmie and I had it for breakfast topped with strawberries, blueberries and peaches. We made more today for tomorrow. I can get used to the combination.
After breakfast and a walk with Jimmie (1.6 miles!) we regrouped and decided on the day’s activities. First stop was a CVS for me to pick up some ferrous sulfate for my low iron levels and some Metamusil to keep me regular. Next stop was a visit to the REI store where I salivated over all the camping equipment.
Jimmie found me a map of North Carolina waterfalls at REI and I purchased that and have already warned Jimmie and Stephen I’ll be returning to get in their hair on my next waterfall tour. I did make a great find at the store. They now have vegetarian freeze dried meals for once. Most of the freeze dried meals in the past have been for two people which can be a waste (I have eaten a two person meal in one setting but that’s rare). When I get home, I’ll go online and see what’s available. Even if I don’t camp again, they make great emergency food sources – like for hurricanes.
Next up was the Greensboro Historical Society Museum,aka Greensboro Historical Museum with some 17,000 square feet of exhibitions and over 30,000 objects in the collection. I’ve never been to the Smithsonian but I suspect this is a little like that. As a matter of fact, it is an accredited Smithsonian affiliate.
To be honest, the exhibitions overwhelm you. There’s not a square inch of the walls or display cases that is not covered with some historical object. A small section of the exhibit was on O. Henry. The exhibit has his high school desk and even one of his wedding rings.
I remember reading The Gift of the Magi as well as The Ransom of Red Chief. I love the ending of The Ransom of Red Chief. Never underestimate the ability of a child. It was the Home Alone of its day.
How they got so much memorabilia I have no ideal. It looks as though people swarmed the museum with donations. This place is impressive and you would need many visits to see just the permanent collection.
Lunch was at Jason’s Deli. Jimmie and I had their southwestern bowl (their special of the day) and Stephen had a roast beef sandwich. The food was very good and the place was hopping, even though we were a little later than a normal lunch crowd. I think the best thing was a free ice cream machine.
It started raining as we were dining and we decided to call it a day and head back home. After the large lunch, we didn’t want much for dinner. I shared a half pimento cheese sandwich with Jimmie and we each had a white peach and we all had cubed watermelon. Stephen had a turkey sandwich on Ciabatta bread.
We did our own movie night with Somethings Gotta Give. I had never seen it and it has an Allstar cast with Jack Nicolson, Diane Keeton, Keanu Reeves, Frances McDorman (Fargo fame) and Jon Favreau. It’s a 2001 movie but retains its relevance today. It’s well worth a watch!
Tomorrow we had to Chapel Hill to visit with Jimmie and Stephen’s son, Louis, his wife Rachel, and their two daughters. I’m looking forward to meeting Rachel for the first time and the two daughters. Stay tuned!
Breakfast was a type of French toast, fresh fruit, and some form of sausage that I stayed away from. I had packed the Jeep earlier and immediately after breakfast I headed towards Greensboro, a 4 1/2 hour trip. I pulled into Jimmie and Stephen’s a little after 2 pm.
After a big hug from Jimmie and unpacking the Jeep, we got down to some serious giggling. We regress to our childhood every time we get together and Stephen puts up with us. To make matters worse, Jo asked if Jimmie could talk so when Jimmie called her sister, Jo was surprised to get a twofer – she didn’t realize I had made it to Greensboro.
As the clothes dried (oh yeah, I had a huge load to wash) the three of us yakked it up. For some strange reason we got off on teeth, dentists, our hatred of going to the dentist, etc. Every point got significant giggling. To top it off, a photo Stephen took of me and Jimmie I doctored and cut our heads off and sent Jo the picture of bodies without heads. I think you can get an idea of the type of humor we get into. All we needed was Jean on the phone call.
I was pretty much raised with these three sisters. This summer I saw Jean for the first time in several years and we started giggling about five minutes into the meet. Put all of us in a room together and we all become stand up comics. And, we think we’re funny.
Stephen cooked some Alaska wild caught salmon burgers for dinner from Costco. I need to find these my next shopping trip there. These turned out excellent. Jimmie had made a broccoli salad that was really, really good. Desert was fresh cut watermelon. I could live off fresh watermelon.
Jimmie and Stephen stocked up on every kind of fresh fruit you can think of. I’m gonna eat well during my visit. Jimmie and I also made our own version of overnight oatmeal to try tomorrow. We’ll let you know the verdict.
After dinner, Jimmie and I did around an 0.7 mile walk through the neighborhood. We both had to stop and rest twice on a hill. My legs are really weak and I still can’t feel the bottoms of my feet. Uphill is a challenge.
Every time I stay in Greensboro with Jimmie and Stephen, it just feels right. I’ve even claimed my own room on the second floor – the Fred room. It’s the way we roll with Jo, Jean and Jimmie and me – we’re family.
We may do some sightseeing tomorrow and then again we may do nothing. Stay tuned!
Breakfast was at 9. I was up by 5. While waiting for breakfast, I met a woman from New Jersey. As we got to talking, she asked where I was headed next. I said Greensboro. She said she was heading to Greensboro. I said I was going to visit my cousin. She said she was going to visit her cousin. As we continued to talk, she mentioned she had been quoted in the New York Times. I said my friend Michael told me last night he had been quoted in the New York Times. Actually, I was mistaken, Michael was quoted in Esquire – which is better. She and I became breakfast companions.
Breakfast was ho-hum. It was a biscuit with a vegetable quiche thing, sweet potatoes and onions, and one sausage patty. It was preceded by a small fruit cup. I’m not sure about serving a vegetable quiche and then sausage. What’s the message? The cook told me tomorrow will be something sweet.
Michael arrived shortly after 12:30 and we walked to a restaurant near the BandB. It’s called Billikens Smokehouse. I’ve never eaten barbecue in such a luxurious mansion.
The molding alone would cost a fortune to replace.
Every barbecue place should have a crystal chandelier.
The barbecue was excellent and Michael treated me to lunch. I had brisket, baked beans and baked apples. It was our waitress’s first day on the job and she did pretty well.
From there, Michael drove me to the Fredericksburg Battlefield. We watched the movie of the battle at the Welcome Center and then toured Marye’s Heights where the retaining wall of the sunken road was found. I have been mispronouncing this word “Marye” as Mary. It should be pronounced as Marie. I’ve always wanted to view the wall. I’ve read several books about the Civil War and Marye’s Heights and terrible carnage on the Union soldiers and the incompetence of Burnside.
The road is no longer sunken but I can’t think of a better defensive position for the Confederates facing Burnsides’ troops.
Near the wall was the Innis House. You can look through the windows and see the bullet holes in the house.
Michael and I stopped under a magnolia and I insisted on a selfie. Michael thinks he looks terrible in selfies. So do I. Years ago Michael and Tom took a selfie under the same tree.
Behind us is the memorial of the Angel of Marye’s Height. After the battle, he took water to the wounded soldiers.
From the battlefield, Michael drove us to Chatham Heights. The house served as Burnsides’ headquarters.
Tom pointed out that this is an illusion of a huge building but it only one room deep.
From there you overlook the town of Fredericksburg.
From Chatham Heights, the Union army shelled Fredericksburg with great effect. The house also served as a hospital during the battle and Clara Barton and Walt Whitman served as nurses there. The house earlier had hosted Thomas Jefferson and later Abraham Lincoln.
Michael also pointed out what he thinks is the oldest catalpa tree in the U.S. This is the location that limbs amputated were dumped.
There are three catalpa trees here and the one in the center looks the oldest to me.
Michael had never heard about catalpa worms so I explained the life cycle and told him about how good of fish bait they are.
Not all catalpa trees get worms (larvae) on them and people who have the larvae sometimes try to “infect” other trees. The moth lays eggs on the leaves and the larvae feed and fatten. They drop to the ground and burrow into the ground and pupate there. After pupation, the adult moth climbs out of the ground.
Image from butterfliesandmoths.org.
Michael has promised me that if I come back, he’ll serve as tour guide to DC and environs. I think it’ll have to be a fall trip because the heat here is pretty intense.
I was awake by 5:30, mostly because I got so much sleep yesterday and last night. I took my time packing and hauling everything down to the Jeep. Then it was off to breakfast at the Settlers Inn.
When I was there yesterday for breakfast, I looked at one of their offerings and thought I would get it the next day. It was overnight oats. It’s the first time I’ve ever eaten those and I think it might become a regular part of my diet. I understand the key is using rolled oats and not instant nor steel cut.
The trip to Fredericksburg ended up around 5 1/2 hours. The traffic really wasn’t too bad until you hit the DC area and then everything came to a stop.
The Robert Johnston Inn is nice. It’s located right in the old part of Fredericksburg. I’m in the Virginian Room and I feel very patriotic. I’m not sure what makes this the Virginian room. It looks more like the Americana room with all the U.S. flags all over the place.
There fire escape plan is a folding ladder under the bed that you hang over the window sill. Have you ever tried to climb up or down one of those? I had that experience in the Coast Guard and you really have to be fit to do that.
The one thing I appreciate is I didn’t have to remove 32 pillows from the bed before getting into it. It seems to be a trait of these BandB’s to put pillows all over the bed and only 4 of the 32 are functional for sleeping.
Note only 1 fluffy pillow on the bed!
There are two dining rooms for breakfast.
There’s one sitting room.
Breakfast is at 9 am. You have to keep track. They are really upset if you show up at the wrong time at these BandB’s.
After getting the luggage up to the room, I called Michael to tell him I made it. He picked me up around 5:30 and we headed to a Spanish restaurant and had tapas. As he drove us to the restaurant and drove me back, he pointed out some historical parts of the city.
He’ll come back around 12:30-12:45 tomorrow and we’ll tour some more historical areas. Michael is always interesting to listen to and we both have a love of Civil War history and Fredericksburg is the place to be for that.
I met Michael several years ago through Joel and he and I communicate quite frequently. We also have other friends in common in Fort Lauderdale, Greg and Michael. It’s a small world. Michael is an accomplished author of 23 books, a lot of them historical fiction. We always have good conversations when we get together.
While dining, we had a thunderstorm push through the area and bringing a little rain that the area needs. Tomorrow should be a little cooler than today and we plan to do some walking in Fredericksburg.
We had a pretty severe thunderstorm last night. We didn’t lose power but the sister Settlers Inn did. People were not happy when the air conditioners went out. I think some of them transferred to our inn. The difference in the waterfall was significant.
This is the waterfall from yesterday before the thunderstorm.
The waterfall after the thunderstorm.
You can see a pretty significant increase in the water flow.
Breakfast was at the Settlers Inn, about a mile down the road. Fortunately, the lights were back on and the air condition worked. The Settlers Inn dates to the 1920’s and is quite attractive – unlike the interior of the Ledges.
I ate healthy and had their birdseed toast with cherries and mascarpone.
A young couple came in with a very young infant with flaming red hair. He was a toddler and loved running around the restaurant with the parents chasing him. He was amazingly cute and reminded me of a third cousin who had flaming red hair – and similar personality!
Yesterday when I was talking with Michelle, she mentioned a trip to Moka Origins that she recommended. I set out to find the place and typed in the address to the GPS. The GPS dropped me exactly where I should be but I couldn’t find the turnoff. I finally figured out my mistake and drove up to this massive old building and asked for further directions. It turns out the massive (and I do mean massive) building is a yoga retreat called the Himalayan Institute.
Once I finally found Mika Origins, I toured the facility. They let you see how to make their chocolate.
Several vats of chocolate!
Then there is the store where you can buy various types they manufacture. I decided to have a mocha latte. It was quite good! They sell their coffee and chocolate.
After retreating from the retreat, I stopped in Honesdale to see the town.
This is actually a photo of two banks. The first is the Bank of Homesdale, dated 1836. The different building attached on the right is the Bank of Wayne County, dated 1878. I bet there’s an interesting story here.
Main Street Homesdale, PA. There were several vacant store fronts but it still seems to be thriving.
From there, I stopped in downtown Hawley.
Main Street Hawley
Main Street Hawley. Most of the buildings were occupied, unlike Honesdale.
Glad to see the Ritz is being used as a play house! Not sure I care for the musical.
One thing that really impressed me is the banners they put on telephone poles. They do advertise specific events but many of the banners are dedicated to Hawley heroes. I think that’s a great idea. They were mostly military but it doesn’t have to be restricted to those.
Finally, I couldn’t not take an image of this. Warm Beer and Lousy Food. My kind of place!
I stopped at a local grocery and stocked up on fruit for my drive to Fredericksburg tomorrow. When I get into town, I hope to meet up with my friend Michael who often comes to Fort Lauderdale to visit friends in the area.
The rest of the day I intend to rest, read and relax.
Breakfast at Waterfront at Hambleton Inn was, as usual, at 9 am. I haven’t been impressed with their breakfast. It’s edible but not any thing special. What’s strange is the chef owns his own restaurant in town. I decided not to eat there any of the nights as I assumed his food was like his breakfasts.
Today’s trip was about 5 hours and not too taxing. I admit to breaking my reduced sugar diet and having two Dunkin’ Donuts after pulling off at a rest stop for a bathroom break.
I arrived at the Ledges around 3 pm and checked in. The place is pretty much like the photos on their web site.
Ledges Hotel – from an old glass factory
The waterfall right outside the hotel. Its water was used to power the glass factory. There’s not much flow to the falls right now.
I’m on the second floor and you have to haul a suit case up a long stairwell and then up the spiral staircase to get to the bedroom. The photo above is my living room.
This is the kitchen opposite the living room.
The spiral staircase is a little rickety and at the top, the handrail is a little loose. I think it would have been better to put the entrance on the second floor and you can always walk down to the kitchen/living room.
Everything is very modern, and to be honest, a little sterile.
This will be my first experience with a wet bath. It has a rain shower head and the tub does something but I’m not sure what.
The lobby of the Ledges Hotel
The Glass bar
Tonight there was a free cocktail at the bar for guests of the hotel. It was vodka, soda, and cranberry.
Dining Room at the Ledges Hotel
The windows of the dining room overlook the waterfall. I’ve reserved dinner there for the next two nights. Strangely, for breakfast, they send you to a sister hotel with a $28 cap on your order. All you do is give your room number. The two sister hotels are the Settlers Inn and Silver Birches. There’s a shuttle if you want it.
I met the shuttle driver, Michelle. She’s a riot. She gave me all the scoop on how to do things and then recommended a tour of a Chocolate and Coffee Factory Cafe in Honesdale which is supposedly close at hand. Just think! The two most perfect foods!
This is my second trip to the Poconos. When I visited Bar Harbor, Maine, I stopped at a bed and breakfast in the Poconos for one night. The mountains remind me of the Smokies. Like getting to the Smokies, there’s a lot of depressed areas around.
Driving to get here, you passed a couple of derelict hotel properties. I assumed they couldn’t compete with the newer facilities nor keep up the properties. Those would be fun to explore.
The overall vibe I get of this place is a night club. Hopefully that’s not the case because I want a good night’s sleep. The Glass bar and dining room look a little worn. You can certainly tell the place was once a factory.
