Travel Day

 

The next morning we went to the train museum, located downtown in the old train depot, and had fun not only  admiring the two long layouts, but chatting with a sweet big bellied elf of a man with bright red cheeks , wearing a big smile and a bright pink shirt.  His accent was so strong, we had to strain to understand, but enjoyed him giving us a bit of information about the layouts.  This one, he pointed, was for the kids, the other one is for the big kids! It represented the town’s history, and he said the little ones don’t care about that one! 

This quarry was an unusual feature, but is apparently significant in the history of South Hill. 

What every boy wanted for Christmas.

Old Lionel O gauge cars, many with donors names attached, were on view in cases. 

A few train related antiques were along the walls, and I loved this folding travel clock with about a 6 inch wooden case! 

Working Ferris wheel on hillside. the UFO is to the upper left of it. Should have taken a close up. 

After a bit, a woman wearing a straw hat with a leopard band, which seemed totally out of character with her, the area, and the rest of her outfit, joined us and told us about the history of the layouts, and how the town had provided space for them, and advertises them.  She pointed out a UFO on the layout, and said in 1969 there was a sighting there, by a town councilman, so a reputable source, and while it seemed amusing on the children’s side of the layout, it was in fact part of their history, which the other layout represented. She said many people don’t know about it, but it was covered in the papers, and since she worked at the paper, she knew.  I think her hat band matched her zest and enthusiasm. It was a nice visit, for no charge, by the way, and we thanked them and set out for another day of travel.  

The trains shared the building with the Welcome center for South Hill, with this interesting information about the town being laid out in a circle. 

For the most part, an uneventful travel day, until just outside our evening destination, traffic came to a literal halt!  The gps took us off the Highway and through the countryside, but had no choice but to put us back on some time later as we needed to cross water, where we encountered another backup waiting to get on  a bridge.  I couldn’t help singing, “ bridge over troubled water” as we slowed! We were at a dead stop, and our 4:30 eta was now showing a 5:30 eta, and I soon pulled out some nuts, and was thinking a drink to go along would be nice!  Once in the Motorhome we were stuck for two hours when two 16 wheelers had collided and caught fire, and I turned off  the engine and went back and got a drink and read while we waited.  There was an occasional creeping ahead required here, and a man on a motorcycle talking to a car ahead caught our attention.  We asked what was going on, and he said it looked like an accident ahead and his best guess was 2 hours to get through, and he was trying to help the car ahead make a flight .  Oh no!  At least we only want to make dinner.  Some time later, he waved at us, and said, if we could just stay put, the car ahead would turn around and go home, as her flight had been cancelled.  As she passed, it was a young woman, most likely his daughter.  

We encountered merging traffic coming from the opposite direction, as we all got on the bridge, there was a line of orange traffic cones  The whole thing had been a snarl due to construction!  Which wasn’t even going on at that point! We finally arrived at the  hotel and checked in, and were heading out for a bite, when we heard a man complaining at length, and realized he had been stuck as well, but earlier, with his delay amounting to two hours! With only one route, one would think they would have scheduled work during night time hours! 

Clem had seen a Thai restaurant on TripAdvisor while we poked along, and suggested that. Now, one would not expect good Thai food in a small town in South Carolina, but reviewers raved, and one being from NY and having visited Thailand, I thought it might be a nice change of pace, and it was very close, so we decided to give it a shot.  We got there, and it looked rather dark, with less than clean windows, and I was beginning to think maybe not, but the door glass was clean, so I thought I would poke my head in  I was greeted by a table blocking the inner doorway, with a plastic sheet dropped down, and a man immediately appeared and announced they do takeout only , no inside seating.  In 90 degree heat, and the humidity once more accompanying us, I turned to leave.  But we were hungry, Clem said ravenous, and we decided to take dinner back to our hotel.  Well, let me just say I would like to meet the man who thought this was the best Thai food he had had anywhere! 

I had a cup of Herbal tea, compliments of the Hampton Inns, which I now regard highly, and we had a quiet night of TV.