This morning Pia and I went for a drive to Virginia Beach. It is very built up. Unfortunately we were there on a cool day in the middle of the week. So it was pretty dead. I can see though, that it would have a real vibe on a hot summer day, with people everywhere. We got lost in downtown Norfolk and made it back to Williamsburg for a late lunch. In the evening, we had a quiet night in.
20th May
Today we loaded up and left Williamsburg. We followed Jim and Debbie in their car out west over the Blue Ridge mountains to the small town of Staunton (pronounced Stanton). This is their hometown and they have a house here. It is just the prettiest little town ever. If there was ever a picture-perfect middle American town, perhaps this is it. It may even be our new favourite place in the US. We had lunch at a little place called Wright’s Dairy Rite. It is an independent diner, open since 1952. We ate inside, but you can park and order at the speakerbox, and they’ll bring your food out to you on rollerskates. Cool, huh?
21st May
This morning I had to take the van to the local garage which Jim uses. The proprieter is a friend of his. I've been hoping to delay this, but unfortunately it can't wait any longer. There is considerable vibration in the front end at highway speed and it gets very bad under braking.
As it turns out, the front brakes were completely shot. Rotors and Pads, and one of the tires was ready to pop. The other 3 tires were great. Just one was damaged.
So new front brakes and a new tire: $475. Ouch. I guess that's about the same as it would cost at home. It took me by surprise a bit because everything else car-related is so cheap here.
I guess I have no right to complain about it on a van I bought for only $1100.
On the bright side, the price of gas has just dropped as low as $2.45 per gallon.
I guess that works out at about Australian 60 cents per litre. Hope it lasts.
In the meantime, we went with Jim and Debbie to see Jim's mother, my Great-Aunt Mary. Today was her 99th birthday. Boy was it great to see her. It's hard to believe that she's 99, she looks and behaves like a 75-year-old. And a pretty well-preserved 75 year-old at that. She is as sharp as a tack and very spry. She seems to have a little arthritis, but not too bad, and she walks with a stick she doesn't seem to need, particularly. Boy, I hope that my mother and sisters and I got those genes.
We went out for a birthday lunch at Cracker Barrel, Great Aunt mary's favorite restaurant (and Pia's and mine, too). The service was unbelievable and the food was excellent. So that's normal for Cracker Barrel.
When I got the van back in the afternoon, the brakes seemed excellent. It hurts to spend that kind of money on maintenance, but I guess brakes are probably important.....
Tomorrow, we'll be on the move again. It's very sad to leave our wonderful family here. But they have lives of their own to live and someone told us that ther are still other things for us to see in North America. Apparently.
Peterbilt 387 I liked in Staunton. I'd like one of these for Christmas, please...
Rail bridge in Staunton
The main street through Staunton
Great Aunt Mary, Pia and I, on Mary's 99th birthday
Jim, Mary and Debbie
Jim and Debbie's house in Staunton
Follow that Cadillac. Following Debbie and Jim out of Richmond on the way to Staunton.
Fountain in Staunton.
This was the second Psychiatric hospital in the USA, opened in 1828. Now it's apartments and shopping. The picture doesn't show it, but this place is HUGE.
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