Serendipity!

 Monday, with no particular plans in mind except to try to avoid Washington traffic, and just put a bit of mileage on, we set out along a path to use the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel which David had told us was so neat. He was not wrong!  As we got closer, the estimated time seemed off, as we saw signs indicating the distance to the bridge, and then to Norfolk on the other side. Can it be?  Indeed it was! The marvel of engineering spans 92,848 feet, 17.6 miles, and starts as a bridge, drops to tunnel, back to bridge, then tunnel, then bridge again! 

We didn’t get any photos worth keeping, so I took some from the internet to include. I’m actually glad I had not seen the last one before we made the trip across! Built in 1964, taking 4 years to construct, and the stats and construction process are incredible!  The bridge apparently has its own Facebook page and fans! 

Obviously not my photo! 

I can’t imagine how deep the tunnel needs to be to allow that ship to cross over! 

We had initially planned on this leg of our journey to visit Assateague  and Chincateague islands, as well as the Outer Banks, but we discovered that in the height of the summer season, we should have made plans farther ahead.  AND the mosquitos are at their worse in late July!  Not something Clem , who has that sweet blood that attracts them, was happy to hear. I also discovered on better investigation, that the outer banks are very long, and in addition to the sites, appears to be a nice place to chill for a while. So after much discussion and vacillating , we decided to forgo all of them this trip, and do it spring or fall in the future, and reserve rooms ahead of time. 

So onward we go.  It was getting late, and Clem didn’t want to take the time to visit the USS Wisconsin located in Norfolk Harbor, but I was driving and insisted we at least see it and get a photo of the 877 foot battleship, originally commissioned in 1944, in and out of service over many wars, and now a battleship museum. It did not disappoint, despite heavy city traffic, which as I have mentioned, is not my favorite! 

I love the new wide angle lens on my phone, but in this case, it’s a bit distorted.  Impossible to catch the full 877 feet from the dockside viewing area!  

The route that keeps us off of 95 is always my favorite, and I enjoyed the scenery along the way, with trees, and large tracts of farmland, and isolated houses that made us wonder how it would be to live in an area like this.  In and out of small towns and hamlets, I suddenly spied a sign for  a Flea Market.  I was going by, taking a peek, when I noticed in the huge building a window full of old cars! I abruptly made the first u turn available, and went back!  It was an antique mall on steroids!  The typical housewares were in short supply, but an entire row of pristine old gas pumps and classic cars started on one side, and progressed to an incredible array of old neon signs, furniture, games and toys.  It was such fun wandering the isles, while someone started up a player piano, taking a trip down memory lane. 

The view just inside the door!

My Dad owned an Atlantic Gas station, and though this is not the pump I remember, it’s neat to see it. It later became Atlantic Richfield before disappearing. 

two of maybe 4 rows of neon signs!

This is identical to the sign on Joe’s Atlantic, my Dads business. 

Dad had various coke machines over the years, but this was one of them. A dime for a coke! 

The search for a decent hotel took us farther from The Norfolk area, and more off our route than Clem preferred, and I get the distinct impression that like the horse nearing the barn, he is straining at the bit!  I was happy to find another pleasant room, and another small town to drive around and check out. But again, another little surprise, as while he checked us in, I looked at the admittedly small offering of local attraction brochures, there was one for a Model Train Museum!  Well, now he was smiling again, and said, we definitely need to check that out! 

I found a restaurant on the other side of town, and we enjoyed a good meal, along with watching and hearing all the obviously local regulars come in and gather, with the waitress addressing them by name as they did, and what must have been the owner in blue jeans and tee shirt, keys hanging from his waist band, circulating,  asking how things were, and clearing plates.  Clem asked our young waitress, whom we had admired as she bustled efficiently around all the tables, if these were all regulars, and she said mostly, and was surprised we had not been in before.  She asked where we were from, and we told her a bit about having been all the way up to Maine,  but we didn’t keep her long.  I would have loved to find out more, like is she the owners daughter by chance,  but she was busy, so we didn’t keep her. I did complement her on her hustling service, as this type of dedication to one’s job is in rather short supply these days, and she was very appreciative.  

As a kid, I wanted to work with my Dad, and he taught me that you hustle, and don’t keep customers waiting.   One of many lessons he taught, that sadly seem lost today for the most part.  I think that’s one of the things I like about our experiences in parts of the south, where politeness is still very prevalent.  We both admired the many signs in yards in Fredericksburg that read, Be Kind, and vowed to get one for ours.  In this particular time of strife, not that they haven’t occurred before in our history, it would be a good reminder.  

I realize that I have not mentioned some of the locals we have enjoyed chatting with on this blog, which I often do.  I am getting into the swing of the road trip minus the Motorhome, but among other changes, I don’t seem to have the time, or sometimes the energy, to give it the attention I usually do.  With the coach, once Clem found a campground, we were set up in minutes, ate in if we were tired or just didn’t want to eat out, whereas now we lug bags in, check in, find the room, and look for dinner .  I have to admit while eating dinner last night I realized when we get home I will have to go back to shopping and cooking, and not selecting what I prefer to what he is eating. And  if in the Motorhome, while being like home, it was like being at home!   It was a wake up call! And of course, I can’t wake up to breakfast, and leave, knowing someone else will take care of the cleanup of not only the kitchen, but the whole place.  Like most things in life, pros and cons!