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Our Family Vacation
Dec 29, 2007 - Jan 6, 2008
Pictures and stories are in reverse chronological
order; therefore, the most recent is on top. GO TO THE BOTTOM of
this page to begin. Then scroll up to progress. |
Sun. Jan 6, 2007
Today we left Mt. Pleasant, SC at 7:55am enroute for home - Florida. On the
way home in Georgia there was a slight incident when an old Suburban
towing a sleeper trailer pulled in front of me at 65MPH but going
slower. I got on the CB channel 19 and said "hey what's with
the Surburban". I changed lanes and an 18 wheeler trucker
behind me got on the radio and said in a deep and commanding voice
"I saw what that bleepiddy bleep did. Gimme a second I am
going to put the fear of God in him".
Then the
trucker proceeded to pull up to the back of the Subaban's rig,
tailgating it, then blasted his enormous air horns! The Suburban
quickly changed lanes to allow the 18 wheeler to pass!
We arrived home at 6:11pm, logging 3145 miles since we began 9 days ago on the
29th.
IT WAS A FANTASTIC TRIP. The GPS
Karla got me for Christmas made navigation such a breeze that I will
never go on another road trip without one!
Pictures from today:
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On the way to FL from SC,
we stopped at this country store to
sample and purchase some
cider and jam.
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Sat. Jan. 5, 2007
Today we took a ferry boat tour to Fort
Sumpter, which is where the Civil War first began. Fort
Sumpter is an island a few miles from Charleston. Once at Fort
Sumpter the park ranger gave us a tour and described the events leading
up to the civil war, events during the civil war, and events after the
civil war relating to Fort Sumpter.
Pictures from today:
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Jason & Karla relaxing on the eve of our
departure from the Charleston
area, SC.
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Amber after having had
a face-to-face with the edge of the door.
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Fort Sumpter is an island near Charleston, SC.
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Present day Fort Sumpter, as seen during our approach from the ferry.
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Amber within Fort Sumpter standing next to one of the many canons used
in the Civil War.
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The largest cannon ball on display at
Fort Sumpter - 13 inch diameter.
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The new "100 year" bridge connecting Mount Pleasant with
Charleston, SC, completed in 2005. Cost to construct: 1/2 billion
dollars.
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In the background: USS
Yorktown, which is
a decommissioned Naval ship that was used
both in
WWII against the Japanese as well
as recovery of the first manned
Lunar
space craft. And yes, I was making
that odd face on purpose, wink wink.
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The bow of the USS Yorktown,
as seen when we passed it
in our
Ferry from Ft. Sumpter.
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Fri. Jan. 4, 2007
This morning we left leaving Harrisonburg, VA, went through downtown Roanoke, and then down into the Carolinas to complete approximately half
of our return journey of 1,000 miles. We ended up in Mt. Pleasant,
SC which is near Charleston and the Atlantic Ocean.
Pictures from today:
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Click here
for a very strange video of
a truck going backwards down the interstate.
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Rest stop in VA.
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Unusual contrail pattern
near Roanoke, VA.
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Thu. Jan. 3, 2008
Today we were planning to go into the central and/or south district of the
Shenandoah National Park. Well we paid the $10 entrance fee, drove
about 3 miles into the mountains on Skyline Drive, until Karla was
shaken because our elevation kept increasing. She doesn't like
heights. We turned around and left the park! Instead, we
drove through the Shenandoah Valley. First we stopped in Elkin at
the Civil War's Stonewall Jackson's Headquarters, the "Miller
Kite" house. As we were taking pictures of the outside of the
house, a gentleman drove up. His name is Casey Billhimer and he is
head of the Elkton Historical Society. He invited us in for a
personal tour!! There are all kind of interesting civil war relics
there. Casey spent over $200,000 to restore the property.
Then we drove through more of the Shenandoah Valley and eventually
had lunch diner back in Luray. Temperatures all day have been in
the 20s! We had water bottles in the trunk this morning that was
discovered frozen!
Pictures from today:
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Ghost in the window at Stonewall Jackson's HQ |
Stonewall Jackson's HQ in Elkin, VA |
Some of the civil war relics on display at Stonewall Jackson's
Civil
War HQ in Elkin VA. |
Stonewall Jackson's bed. |
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Muskets and other firearms used in the Civil War
on display at Stonewall Jackson's HQ. |
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Wed. Jan. 2, 2008
It is sunny out this morning. Temp is 26. Most of the trip
it has been either raining or snowing. Today we are going to leave
Akron and head toward the mountains of the Virginias. Mid
Afternoon we passed through downtown Pittsburgh. Later we briefly
passed through Maryland. At about 10pm, we ended up in
Harrisonburg, VA, and found a cozy Econo Lodge on a hill with a scenic
view. This is a city within the Shenandoah Valley. We would
have stopped driving around 8pm but the destination we were going to go
to in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley, Luray VA, was
"dead". We wanted to stay where there are at least a few
open restaurants! Even the nearby Wal-Mart was slow!
Pictures from today: |
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We took a Pittsburg pitstop for
restroom, gas, and food. |
Karla insisted on eating OUTSIDE in the cold! |
One of many mountain tunnels we have passed through on this trip. |
The Econo Lodge in Harrisonburg where we stayed at for the last 2 nights.
Just ignore the pretty garbage truck. |
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Tue. Jan. 1, 2008
Today we awoke to snowfall and snow cover. It continues to snow
here in Akron. Karla and Amber are having a blast playing with the
snow. We headed for Chardon, OH today, which we were told by a
nice gentleman named Neil at the event last night that Chardon should
receive heavy Lake Effect snow. And was he was right! It was
HEAVY!!!! We had a blast with the arctic blast. Snowball fights to the
max. We are spending another night here at the Red Roof Inn in
Akron.
Pictures from today: |
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Scenic view while driving the back roads near Lake Effect
snow-blasted Chardon, OH.
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Woo hoo!!! Severe winter storm. |
A breathtaking view of a stream
flowing through
a snowy landscape. |
Spike seems to enjoy the snow.
Click here for a video |
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Amber making a snow angel. |
Karla making a snow angel. |
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Don't you mess with the foggy-eyed monster. |
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The front of the car remained iced for several days
after our New Years Day excursion to near snowy Chardon, OH. |
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Mon. Dec 31, 2007 New Years Eve
Today we drove north to Cleveland and checked out the city. I
collected 4 rocks and a bottle of water from Lake Erie while my hands
nearly froze off! The evening we happened upon a spectacular event
here in Akron. It is called "First Night Akron". Several
city blocks are closed off and there are all kinds of events including
ice skating, which Amber participated in, and several live bands as well
as theatre performances. At 9pm there were some fireworks.
But at the stroke of midnight, there was an absolutely breathtaking
fireworks performance! We always seem to do vacations
right!!! We are spending another night here at the Red Roof Inn in
Akron.
Pictures from today: |
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Amber ice skating at
First Night Akron New
Years Eve event. |
Band at First Night Akron singing about
a dead skunk in the road
Colin Dussault's Blues Project
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Another Band at FNA jamming
out popular contemporary rock tunes.
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Above:
New years resolution wall.
Click to enlarge then
read some of the resolutions. |
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A live play about a cat, dog & a rabbit, during First Night
Akron.
Very well performed. Not just for kids! |
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Jason after having collected 4 submerged
rocks and a bottle of water
from Lake Erie. |
Amber surrounded by geese. |
Overlooking Lake Erie in Cleveland, OH. |
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All Red Roof Inns have been renovated,
and they each have one of these
very special 24 hour machines. |
Cleveland, OH. What could be produced here? |
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Sun. Dec. 30, 2007
We checked out of Charlotte today, and we continued nearly due north
through VA then W. VA and into Ohio. We ended up in Akron, which
is 40 miles south of Lake Erie! We are at the Red Roof Inn.
I have a personal goal to go to Lake Erie tomorrow, and extract some
souvenirs!
Pictures from today: |
Not something you see everyday. |
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Fuel and restroom stop in VA. |
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Sat. Dec. 29, 2007
Today we left home in Florida enroute for the north (Jason, Karla, Amber &
Spike). We drove through Orlando, Jacksonville, then Savannah and
Columbia. Lots of rain as we passed through a front all day.
We ended up in Charlotte, NC for the night at La Quinta. Just
before we checked in, there was a small incident in the car. Some
of my wiring began smoking after a fault occurred in the wiring to a
piece of electronic equipment. There was a moment when alot of
smoke started coming up from what was thought to be the laptop.
Luckily it was not the laptop!
Pictures from today: |
Florida oranges! Later in the trip, the uneaten oranges were
found FROZEN in the trunk. |
The first of many mountain tunnels we
will
travel through on this trip. |
Downtown Charlotte, NC. |
Continental breakfast at La Quinta
where we made our own waffles. |
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Family & Friend Quik Pix & Videos
