Joe and Susan's Retirement Tour 2010

Joe retired from the Dept of Energy at midnight January 30 so we stayed until we could help Juli Waseche celebrate her 60th birthday with a rocking party abourd Eric Slaughter's Celebrity.

We began our tour at the Gangplank Marina about 11:00 Monday, February 1, 2010. After a depressing stop at the Half Street USPO, we headed across the South Cap Bridge only to determine that we would NOT go down I95 but take 301 down. Good decision. It was a beautiful drive. Roads were clear and dry and the landscape was bright white snow covered. So much nicer to see the snow in the south where it stays clean because the roads are dry, no slush. We did our first required exercise walk at Port Tobacco--the town. There actually is a location with about 5 colonial houses and a delightful courthouse on the river. The historic sign seemed to intimate that John Wilkes Booth was headed there after the Lincoln asassination but no indication that he actually got there.

A highlight at Port Tobacco was walking behind the Courthouse and realizing that what we thought were footprints were actually numerous different animals. Even a print of the tips of a large bird--like a vulture. Wing tips only, no other snow disturbed...very special. Later we saw a vulture and an American Eagle sharing some carrion in a field.

Had lunch near the 301 Bridge and Camp AP Hill at a mom & pop place called the Crabby Oyster.

Our afternoon excurson was around Urbanna, VA when we started driving off the secondary roads. We came upon some families sledding below a huge bonfire. Seems the fire department had lit this huge bonfire at the top of the hill for practice, but it made for an interesting site. A 'good ole boy' who was chatting with us looked vaguely familiar but I was sure we didn't know him. As we were pulling out I saw his pickup truck license "SeaTime". I realized he was the archetypecal boater: gravelly voice, weather-beaten tan, skinny as a rail, sun streaked dirty blond hair with a certain dazed attitude. Of course there are none at the Gangplank just now, but they've been there.

We arrived in Williamsburg about sunset at the Holiday Inn Conference Center. About 7:30 we drove into Colonial Williamsburg to try to go to find a colonial tavern. We found Shield's Tavern --looked dark but we noticed a bit of movement inside. Dinner had started at 5:00 but they kindly allowed us in for a drink. It was a wonderful end to our first day, sitting in a candlelit room with a private concert from a very good guitarist while talking to the knowlegable staff. Enjoyed some history lessons from the Minstrel and the hostess.