Maymont!

Stay: May 30, Hopewell/Richmond, VA

I really like Virginia - however... I don't really like Richmond. There was just a weird vibe about it. Part college town, part hipster-tattoo-parlor-bar vibe, part monument valley...part dilapidated wasteland... I don't know. Maybe it is in the middle of its very own renaissance. In any case, I'll stay away for a few years (maybe a decade) and give it another visit then.

Though Richmond proper wasn't my favorite - there was the amazing little bright spot on the outskirts of the city: Maymont.

Maymont is an old-school estate with immaculately groomed gardens, a tiny animal sanctuary/petting zoo and a nature center. Its almost entirely free to visit - there are a few donation collectors (I HIGHLY recommend supporting this amazing place) and I'm pretty sure it costs a couple bucks to visit the nature center (which we did not).

The hundred acres that makes up Maymont is about a third gardens, a third groomed laws and a third animal enclosures. There are multiple waterfalls, miles of trails, a Japanese garden, streams running this way and that, a bear exhibit that would make any outdoors-person jealous! Seriously, this place has to be seen to believe.  

 This is the black bear enclosure - it was HUGE!

Even had its own civil war headstone.

After spending a couple hours at Maymont we did spend some time in Richmond... we saw some monuments in the middle of Monument Ave. They were cool, but the surrounding area was residential. It felt a little weird standing in front of peoples houses. Part of the neighborhood was amazing - big old houses with porches and hanging plants, but then further down the road it was just... gross... definitely a college town... every building run down, complete with posters and graffiti, trash, for rent signs every 10 feet and even a condemned building or two.

We spent the last part of the beautiful day trying to get down to City Point - a small, waterfront section of Petersburg National Battle Field where General Grant's headquarters were located. It was cool but we got there about 3 minutes too late, the visitors center closed JUST as we got there. But we explored the area anyways and learned what we could.

Thank you Virginia! I would stay longer if I could but tomorrow is my last day here... last day with my wonderful husband... least for a little while!

Dutch Gap

Stay: May 29, Hopewell, VA

Thank goodness for good hiking shoes! Today I was able to take a long, solitary hike - one I sorely needed. It was so beautiful and a little unnerving at times. This was my first real experience with the bugs of the south! And the snakes! OHH! The snakes are EVERYWHERE! (Ok... ok... I only saw 2... but I almost stepped on one! And dang-it that stupid thing didn't move an inch! Even after my freak out dance away from it!) I was at this place called the Dutch Gap Conservation Area in Chester, VA. It was a fabulous place to visit if you ever get the chance. 

I will let the pictures do the rest of the talking:

And that my friends is why you should visit the Dutch Gap!

Battlefield America!

Starting Point: May 28, Stafford/Quantico, VA

Today: May 29, Fort Lee/Hopewell, VA

Miles: 131-ish

I got to spend the whole day with my husband! And we didn't HAVE to do anything, except get him to Ft. Lee at some point that day - a mere 1.25 hour drive. That is... until I got to plan the route!

We decided we needed to visit all of the National Battlefield Parks between Quantico and Hopewell - which if we were in California or say Oklahoma would be easy.... but we are in the heart of Civil War country so there were 3 of them - and all of them huge, with multiple parts separated by miles and miles and miles!

We started off at Chatham Manor, an amazing home with a crazy history, sitting atop a hill overlooking the river and Fredericksburg.

From there we went to the Fredericksburg Battlefield Visitor Center. Here we walked along a trail and saw Sunken Road, Stone Wall, the Innis House and the cemetery.

The Stonewall Jackson Shrine was next. I had driven past it the day before, on my way to Chad's graduation and he told me "oh yeah! That's where Jackson's amputated arm is!" Boy, was I disappointed when we got there! His arm was no where to be found! The place wasn't even open! Come to find out this is where all the rest of Jackson died... of phenomena... oh well...

After the shrine letdown we went over to the Richmond National Battlefield Park. We found this cool battlefield out in the middle of nowhere, Malvern Hill, but no visitor center or information. So we went off in search of Fort Harrison Visitor Center... which alas was closed... so we just headed further south.

Our last stop was Petersburg National Battlefield Park - and this place was awesome. We started at Fort Harrison where we saw earthworks on a scale you can't imagine without seeing! Also, this is home to "the Dictator" a massive cannon that shot 225lb shells!

Then we went on the driving tour, where we took a short walk.... a walk that was supposed to be a 10 minute, half mile... but turned into a 35 minute lost mile and a half... weeeeeeee.... Luckily it was a beautiful day and the scenery was wonderful - we even saw a snake and a few cardinals.

Our very last stop of the day was at the Crater. This was the place where the Federals dug and exploded a mine deep under the Confederate line! You can still see the crater and the mine opening from the event! This was a great quote from the interpretive sign:
“It is agreed that the thing was a perfect success, except that it did not succeed.”
- Major Charles F. Adams, Jr., USA

All in all we had a pretty good day full of history. Nothing like turning a 1.25 hour drive into a 8 hour day! 

Warrant Officer Cason

Starting Point: May 27, Charlotte, NC
Today: May 28, Stafford/Quanitco, VA

Miles: 375 miles

Today was amazing! Chad has officially graduated from the Warrant Officer Basic Course!

I left my mom and friends in NC and took off towards Virginia. It was a sad goodbye... but I was on my way to a very happy hello... so I gave my hugs and got on the road again.

The graduation was short and sweet. Chad looked so good, so proud while walking across the stage!

 That is unfortunately NOT Chad walking across the stage...

But it is him in the foreground walking back to his seat.

Now he is off to an MOS refresher course. Just three more weeks and we finally get to be an old married couple again.

Congratulations Warrant Officer Cason! 

Boiled Peanuts!

Stayed: May 26, Charlotte, NC

Miles: 0

Not gonna lie... I didn't do much of anything today... and the day was perfect.

My mom, our friend and I all just kind of poked around Charlotte. We ate a home cooked breakfast, went to the farmers market, got some lunch, did a little shopping... it was wonderful.

Did I mention part of the poking around involved SOUTH CAROLINA!

This is what I love about family friends: when you make a mention like "Yeah, I didn't count going to SC last night cause all we did was drive though, in the dark...." they take you there! It was an awesome surprise, she just jumped right on the highway and took my mom and I there! (My mom hadn't by my standards, been there either)

Other than that we mostly just caught up, watched a movie and had a good time. Oh!! I found some green peanuts at the farmers market and made Cajun boiled peanuts!!! My favorite! No one else really liked them... but that just meant more for me!!

Soon, I get to see Chad!

Seven States, Seventeen Hours

Starting Point: May 24, Marshall, TX

End Point: May 26, Charlotte, NC

Miles: 1,093

"Welcome to North Carolina" - The most beautiful words I had ever read.

Well, maybe not THE most beautiful, but pretty darn close - especially considering the day my mom and I had.... seven states, 2 time zones, a National Battlefield, countless road work zones, a rainstorm and 17 hours in the car. Trust me, by 3am, you'd be delighted to see the sign welcoming you to your destination too!

We started the day rather leisurely, waking up at 8 and being out the hotel by 9. I was under the impression that my mom and I had a mellow day on our hands. I knew it would be a long one, I had approximated 10-12 of driving, but we would also have time to see a few National Parks, eat some delicious food, take some nice walks, etc, etc, etc... I must've been on crack when I calculated this day...

Within an hour of being in the car I realized we were in trouble. I was staring at my Google Map App in disbelief... 16 hours... oooohhhhh crap.... and this was just lunch and a visit to a single battlefield... well ok! Here we go!

Texas:

We mostly just drove straight through. It was a beautiful day and we only about 20 miles left of the state.

Louisiana:
Woot Woot!! A new state for me!! I loved Louisiana!

Mississippi:
By the time we got to Mississippi it was time for lunch. I randomly chose the city of Vicksburg and found this quirky, delicious restaurant: The Tomato Place. Then mom thought she recognized the name Vicksburg... something about a battle... and sure enough! We found The Battle of Vicksburg National Battlefield!

Alabama:
By Alabama it was getting late in the day... I started cutting corners... we were going to go to Horseshoe Bend National Military Park... but it just couldn't happen... So, instead we just kept driving... driving through mostly 55mph road work zones... ughhh....

Georgia:
I hate Atlanta.... By this time it was around midnight and there were big trucks and internet changes and TRAFFIC! Oh my goodness...  Then it started raining...

GA was the first road sign we missed...

we were so distracted by all the road construction!

South Carolina:
Its 2am.... I'm so frazzled and tired.... ARRRGGGG!! 60 mph AGAIN?!

I'd never been to SC before... though... driving through it,

 at night, and only went to a gas station... I still don't count it.

North Carolina:
YAY!!! WE MADE IT!!

By 3:30am I was comfy in the guest bed of a family friend's. I had never been so happy to see a futon!! Though it was a long day, with a lot of driving, it was SUCH AN AMAZING DAY! We have an amazing country!