Friday, June 5, 2009

Hershey PA to Columbus,OH June 4th

Pennsylvania,West Virginia,Ohio for 7.5 hours with a stop at Wright-Patterson AFB to see the Air Force Aviation Museum(AFAM).The AFAM is the most incredible collection of airplanes one could ever see.Wright Brothers to Space Shuttle,all original planes housed inside huge hangerlike buildings;hanging from the ceiling were C-133D aircraft and other huge flyers.UNBELIEVABLE!!!! ALL FREE!!!! Made you so proud to be an American.Retired military volunteers everywhere to tell you the details.Visitors in wheelchairs pointing out to their grandkids"I flew that jet" in Viet Nam.I overheard a man tell his son(my age) he flew that specific C-30 back from France at the end of WWII.Living history everywhere;the actual plane that ended WWII by dropping the bomb on Hiroshima was right in front of us.A MUST SEE FOR EVERYONE!!As for us,all the cars and occupants are operating properly.We are a lucky band of fellow travelers.A long drive day,but one of the few we have ahead of us.Viper Red,Dark cherry,and Pearlescent dark sea green are obviously compatible colors.WAGONS HO !!

Start of the Woodies West June 3rd,2009

We arrived at the Iwo Jima Monument to meet our traveling companions:Gary & Terry(51 Ford Streetrod)O'Connor,Mark & Nance(48 Ford Restorod)Hunter @ 9:00am DC time.All went smoothly other than being surprised that DC rush hour peaks at 9-10 for gov't workers.I thought that they would be at work at 8:00 like the rest of the nation.AH! our tax dollars at work? We enjoyed a very beautiful ride to Gettysburg,PA Civil War battlefields.Maree and I took a side trip to Emmitsburg,MD to visit Mother Elizabeth Seton's Sisters of Charity Convent.What a lovely place for USA's 1st Catholic saint to be buried.Her basilica was magnificent.The marble and other materials were imported from Italy as well as all the artisans that painted,sculpted,carved,etc.We ended the day in Hershey,PA at the Summit Inn.Our room was in the basement of an old house that was the prototype for the Bates Motel shower scene from Psycho.Maree particularly enjoyed sleeping in terror awaiting the arrival of Anthony Perkins.She opened what she thought was our only closet to discover a darkened musty stairwell leading up into the main house.I said "what's the problem?"after she wedged a chair and large suitcase against same door.It also was the only hotel we've ever stayed in where an in room sign said "if you are going to die your hair please come to office for old towels".We figured it must be a halfway house for criminals on the lam looking to change appearances.Otherwise the savant clerk at the front desk reassured us of our safety by instructing us to "jerk" the batteries out of the smoke detectors if the continual beeping was getting on our nerves.We slept soundly in tight fetal positions eagerly awaiting the first light of dawn.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Hatcher Center,Inc Blairs,VA

You don't know how selfish you are until you visit a thriving community of intellectually challenged tax paying US citizens.Maree and I were blessed (and I truly mean BLESSED) to spot a sign on US 29 advertising quilts & sock monkeys.I am a sucker for sock monkeys.They give off good vibrations and are hard to find.We pulled a U-turn and ended up spending one of the most joyous 1.5 hours of my life at the Hatcher Center for the intellectually challenged.It should be the center for the joyously gifted.I have never been around so many people so happy to see us,so happy to be working,so happy to be doing an excellent job,so happy to meet strangers,and so proud to be productive "tax-paying" citizens.What an incredible collection of human treasures!Chris Wright,executive director, and Teresa,director of the gift shop,gave us a behind the scenes tour of all the businesses that this small band of human dynamos support:computer boards,gas meter disassembly,sock monkey fabrication,quilt making,pallet assembly,dogbone candy marketing,transformer metal salvage.These folks do everything with enthusiasm!What a sight to behold.America,quit complaining and get your butts in gear.The Hatcher Center demonstrates that there is a place in America for every race,creed,gender to happily succeed with dignity and joy.I even left with a outstanding sock monkey named Hatcher.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Monday, June 1, 2009

North Carolina Visit


PEG & MARIE

 



LOVEBIRDS II

 



PISGAH COVERED BRIDGE

 



UNDABRIDGE

 



HOLEBRIDGE

 



WOOD & WOODIE

 



WUDBEAUT

 



NC BRIDGE TROLLS

 



PEG O MY HEART

 



43 PLYMOUTH WWII

 


Posted via email from Surfer Ralph North to South

Sunday, May 31, 2009

BRUCE FAIR TO THE RESCUE!!

We literally did not get 100 yards away from the house before our first major repair opportunity occurred.I honked the horn to say hello/goodbye to neighbors and it blew out my radio,horn,and clock.I was afraid to hit the road for California with an unknown electrical problem.Drove the 1/2 mile to my good friend/electrical savant,BRUCE FAIR.Karma travel continues to bless me for the 10th consecutive month.Bruce spent 2 hours(on a Sunday) completely rewiring the ignition system to eliminate most chances of a repeat. What a wonderfully,generous friend.Maree and I drove to Asheboro,NC to stay with her best friend from college:Peg Kilburn.Howard and Peg have been friends for 40+years.Driving was thankfully uneventful.