Category Archives: Travels

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A Perspective on Weather

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After spending an absolutely wonderful Christmas holiday with my parents and son, it was time to head on back to Radford.

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While it was pouring the rain in Williamsburg, the weather along the route home was much worse.  The normally busy post Christmas travel day was made worse because of freezing rain, sleet and snow and a mess was created on the highway.  Multiple accidents (thankfully none that looked serious), 20 to 40 mph average speeds and poor visibility turned the typically 4 hour trip into a 6 hour challenge.

I’d made up my mind before I started the drive to take my time (very hard for this lead foot driver) and keep a positive attitude. While the weather caused difficult travel conditions, I found that it also provided opportunity for fun and challenging photography. Well … maybe standing outside in the freezing temps wasn’t exactly FUN but it was definitely challenging!

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I’m sure that the folks at the rest areas (I stopped at every one) wondered who the crazy woman with the camera was. My feet got wet as I tromped around in the slushy snow and it was nice to get back into the heated truck.

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The wind, snow and clouds made the mountains disappear and reappear, and I was glad that for once I was rolling along at 5 mph.  How often are we able to really look at the scenes along the road as we fly by at 70 mph?

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Shooting macro was difficult as the wind kept blowing me and the branches, too.

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So while the weather caused an unexpected adventure, I was fortunate enough to avoid problems along the way, and because of that, truly was able to see the beauty.

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24 Hours in Charleston: Thanksgiving 2012

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When your only child has only one day off of work for the Thanksgiving holiday (my favorite of the year!), you travel to see him.  It’s a 6 hour drive from Radford, VA to Charleston, SC and I was on the road by 6am Thanksgiving morning.  Traffic was light and the drive was easy and I was excited to see Andrew and to explore a bit more of his adopted city.

I’ve managed to take two short but fun trips to Charleston in the 6 months since Andrew relocated, both of which lasted only 24 hours.  Someday I’ll get to stay longer, but for now, I’ll take what time I can get with my child and the City of Charleston.

   

The cooking began almost soon as I pulled in the driveway, with dinner time coinciding with the second half of the Redskins / Dallas game.  Now, normally I would NOT be found in front of a TV while enjoying this wonderful holiday meal, but when you have 24 hours and it’s the biggest game of the year for a Redskin fan, you do what you have to do.  And for those who are not fans of the game, WE WON!

We did find time to squeeze in a visit to one of Andrew’s two places of employment. The Hibernian Society was formed in 1801 with the hall dedicated in 1841.  Yes, it is a men’s only organization, but I can appreciate the history of the building and the philanthropy of the society.  The sign out front boasts the fact that the presidency alternates between a protestant and a catholic.

   

After dinner, we filled up our go cups (a great southern tradition) and in the dark of the evening, walked the historic streets of Charleston.  I did not have my camera with me, and that may have been a good thing because I am not sure I would have been able to capture the beauty of those centuries old homes in the low light.  The three pictures seen here were taken during my first visit this past May.

I’ll be working on nighttime shooting for future visits. What a lovely evening that was … strolling through alleys and alongside the battery, enjoying my wine, my child and history.

   

The next morning found us exploring The Angel Oak. Estimated to be 300 to 400 years old, this live oak is 65 ft tall and offers 17,000 sq ft of shade.

I love the way these old live oaks hang over the streets.  Andrew was patient as I asked him time and again to pull over so I could take pictures.

The colors found in the grasses and the wetland marshes are gorgeous!

One of the goals of this visit was to walk the The Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge.  Completed in 2005, the bridge has a 2.7 mile pedestrian (and bicycle) walkway.  I could not stop taking pictures … what an amazing structure!

      

After a quick lunch, I got back on the road.  I’m fortunate to have an adult child that I’m proud of … and to have him live in such a wonderful place, is an added bonus.

Unknown's avatar

The Umstead: Hotel as Art Gallery

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While celebrating the 50th Birthday of two dear friends, I had the very good fortune to spend time at The Umstead Hotel  and Spa in Cary (near Raleigh) North Carolina.  While not an overnight guest, I had the opportunity to enjoy the natural landscape,  a delicious brunch and to realize the peace, serenity and absolute luxury that guests enjoy.

According to Our State: North Carolina Magazine, the Umstead was built on land that used to be part of the William B. Umstead State Park.  “The hotel is a reflection of the surrounding serenity with a limestone exterior that rises up from naturally landscaped earth. Off the terrace, a shaded boardwalk invites visitors to linger around a pond fringed with blue flag iris and a grove of young cypress. Inside, sleek wood paneling, stone floors, and walls of windows pull nature indoors” (http://www.ourstate.com/brilliant-oasis-the-umstead/).

The Umstead also boasts an extensive art collection.  I wandered the interior of the hotel, stopping time and time again to enjoy the paintings, sculptures and photographs, all a reflection of the natural world.  I had not thought of writing about the experience from the perspective of art (hey – I was here for a party!), but I wish I’d taken more time with the camera.  As I stopped to photograph some of the pieces, I thought about how I don’t know much about art but I do know what catches my eye.

 

The flower arrangements were stunning!

  

And even the presentation of the table and food were beautiful to see.

  

A stroll along the walking paths took us through the trees and alongside a pond.  The hotel boasts it’s sustainability and I loved that over 50% of the food products for Herons, the in hotel restaurant, and over 30% of the food products for the entire property come from local North Carolina purveyors (http://www.theumstead.com/ourHotel/sustainability-en.html).  We watched as one of the chefs selected herbs for the days meals.

What an absolute treat it was to spend a few hours at The Umstead.  I kept joking with my friends that I understood why people wanted to be rich … I would have loved to spend a few days, rather than just a few hours, here.

Even the trees put on a show for us.

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Southwest Virginia – My neck of the woods

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Southwest Virginia … home of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a part of the larger Appalachian mountain range, and also of the New River, considered to be the oldest river on the North American continent.  My current home in the City of Radford (http://www.radford.va.us/)  is located in the New River Valley.

On any given day, I travel down roads that, especially during this time of year, are arguably some of the prettiest around.

In the summer, my friends and I kayak along this stretch of the New.  During this time of year, I scramble down the river bank to shoot the old train trestle against the backdrop of the evening light and the changing leaves.

While visiting friends to drop off fresh baked bread or cookies, I’m rewarded by the beauty that I see outside their homes.

                      

The ride to work takes longer than it should during the fall as I stop multiple times to capture the scenery.  The first picture was taken from my office parking lot, while the next is the view over the houses near Radford University (http://www.radford.edu/).

The taste of  a microbrew at The River Company (http://www.therivercompanyrestaurant.com/) across the New River is even better when this is what I see from the deck.

This gorgeous oak stops me on my way down to Main Street …

… while this is the view that greets me as I drive home from work in the evening.

Sure, there are things that I miss by living in the rural part of Virginia (restaurant diversity for example), but views like this one taken from Attimo Winery (http://www.attimowinery.com/) sure help to make up for it!

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The Road Home … Riding Solo

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Without a doubt, I love to ride with friends.  Some of my favorite and most fun times are when I am spending the day with friends on our bikes. But one of the advantages of riding solo, is that I can stop at any time to take pictures … and the ride from Mt Airy, NC to SWVA is perfect for doing just that!

 

  

  

  

I took me twice as long to get home than it should have but it was so worth it!!

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Recipe for A Perfect Vacation!

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Vacations

We all want them and in fact, we all need them.  We need time away from the routine and the worry; the “every moment scheduled” and the burdens of the job.  Some vacations are relaxing, some provide adventure.  Sometimes we are lucky enough to have a week away from all that life throws at us, and sometimes we’re just glad to have a long weekend.

I like to ask the women that I see in my office what they do during their vacation time off (I also like to ask them when they last got a babysitter and went on a date with their loved one, but that’s for another blog post).  I consider this question a critical part of the overall assessment of my patients health and well being.  I could site (but I won’t) the evidence that proves that those who take some sort of vacation have higher energy, are more relaxed and feel less burdened.  I tell my patients that they can not be expected to perform well as woman, wife, mother, employee, volunteer, daughter, sister (you get the picture) without time for self – but THATs a whole ‘nother blog post, too.   Today a patient told me that she and her husband rented a mustang convertible and drove the California coast!  How cool is that???

Many people tell me that they do the same thing each summer, such as spending a week at the beach or a long weekend in the mountains.  Others tell me that they love their “staycations”, an opportunity to save the money that might be spent on an expensive vacation.  A true staycation, according to Tightwad Tod with Consumer Reports, does not combine play and work, but I find that many people that I talk to do just that.  http://news.consumerreports.org/money/2009/05/tips-for-the-best-staycation-ever.html.  

My friends Ruth and Ralph have mastered the local vacation, what they also call the Economic Stimulus Vacation.  They like to boost the economy of some local Virginia towns by visiting shops and restaurants.  They rent cabins in state parks or put up a tent along the Crooked Road http://thecrookedroad.org/.  What a great way to learn more about the region where you live, to spend your dollars locally and to save money, too.

  

Over the years, I have tried a variety of types of vacations, from a full week at the beach with the entire family to 3 long weekends over the summer months, each one featuring a different activity in a different place.   I’ve also taken the classic “football lovers winter vacation” (aka a Bowl Game).  Ruth and I take an annual “Road Trip to a Hokie Game”.  We both love watching VT Football and we also love to explore new places.  We’ve cheered on the Hokies and enjoyed the local flavors of Atlanta, DC, Morgantown and Huntington.  This year, it’s on to Chapel Hill!

Of course nothing will compare to the time that Andrew and I took an 8 week road trip across the country.  I had just finished a four year period of working full time night shift in the ER while attending part time grad school and we’d had no vacation for four years!  Back then (1995), the Commonwealth of Virginia allowed employees to “carry over” vacation hours and because of the length of time I’d gone without taking time off, I had 8 weeks vacation time saved up.  Throughout that entire trip of camping, hiking and exploring this great country with my then 10 year old son, a check was deposited into my account.

  

1995 – Leaving Richmond, Virginia                     Rafting the Flathead, near Glacier N.P.

  

North Kaibab Trail, Grand Canyon  N.P.          Mesa Verde N.P. Colorado

The end of the road in Capital Reef N.P. Utah

I don’t recommend going 4 years without taking time off, but the resulting vacation for Andrew and for me was a blast!  (Go ahead … laugh at the “Mom Shorts” and the frost colored lipstick – just remember, it was 1995!).

Other truly memorable vacations have been when the entire family has traveled to the beach together, once to celebrate my parent’s 50th Anniversary, and more recently, to celebrate the fact that we all just have a really good time together!

  

2008 – 50th Anniversary Champagne Toast          The Buchwald Family 

  

2011 – Left Right Center                                                    Paddleboarding

I’ve also been lucky to have the annual GOA (Girls of August) Gathering in August.  This vacation is easy – the date and the people never change (the first weekend in August with Jan, Janet, Becky and Andrea) and the goal is to do nothing more than eat, drink, talk, laugh and play in the water.  We’ve even incorporated a nap into the weekend, with Becky of course, teaching us how it’s done!

  

  

The Birthday Gals have met for weekends in Boone NC,  Giles County VA, and also in Hungry Mother State Park.  These short getaways also offer lots of time for good conversation and laughter, delicious food and drink, hiking and sometimes, even a little dancing!

  

And then there are the weekend bike trips with friends.  This year’s had a twist:  my good friend Tim in the convertible and me on the bike – exploring new roads and a new camera.

Several years ago, a dear friend of mine, David Dehart, told me that in order to really vacate, to really let down, let go and relax, you had to take 2 full weeks away from work.   He said that by day 5 of the one week vacation, just when you are starting to relax, you realize you have to return to work in two days.

I know that not all are able to take 2 weeks off of work in a row, but for the past 3 years, I have been lucky enough to do just that.  It is a huge emotional and physical benefit to me (and therefore of benefit to my patients) and in a way, it’s a small tribute to David.  I think of him as I ride along and remember the good friend and great person he was.

After all these years of work and play, I think I have perfected how to take a vacation.  The 10 days away from work this year were a wonderful mix of time with friends and time alone.  My recipe for the perfect vacation included the following ingredients:

* 4 days playing in the Pamlico River of North Carolina with the GOAs, followed by

* 6 days of riding throughout Tennessee, exploring new places and meeting new people.

* I had a 1 day reunion with old friends, 1 day of play on the lake with Amy, and 1 day at a concert in Bristol with Radford friends.  This was followed by

* 1 day at home to do chores, unpack and get organized, and finally

* 1 day back in the office to get caught up on paperwork, charts, labs and phone calls.  It was the perfect transition back to work and seeing a full schedule of patients.

I am not quite sure when I have felt so rested and restored!  You may read this and think that this type of vacation is the last kind you would want to take.  Whatever your idea of perfect is, just be sure to do it!  We all need that time away, whether it’s in your own back yard or miles from home.

Just remember that I’ll be asking you what you did!

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The 2012 Bike Trip – Tennessee: Bristol and then Home

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As my friend Rick said “who knew Bristol is such a cool place?”.  Well, I’m sure many already knew, but I sure didn’t!  What a great downtown area! Many others evidently thought so too because I could not get breakfast without waiting in line for 30 minutes, and after waiting in line a lot last evening, I just couldn’t do it.

  

Bristol went all out in preparation for the Gentlemen of the Road Stopover, to the point of displaying flags from Britain, the US and Virginia on all the flagpoles.

  

Carol sent me the following link which has a nice review of last night’s concert but also provides information about Bristol.  Mumford and Sons chose communities like Bristol, that are part of  National Trust Mainstreet Communities, in which to play their stopovers, and returned nearly one percent of ticket sales to downtown revitalization.  Now I love them even more!

http://swvatoday.wordpress.com/2012/08/12/well-played-mumford-and-sons-well-played/

  

So after taking pictures of historic buildings like the Post Office, The Paramount, the train station, and the sign across the road, I headed out of town on Rt 11, towards home.

  

As I hoped I would, I came across a little place called JJ’s Downhome Diner. Tiffany (pictured in the middle; the owner is to the left) recommended the potato soup and grilled cheese and she definitely knows her business! It was just like homemade (but better than my homemade!).

 

I got to chatting with the owner who told me that the property has been sold and the building will soon be torn down so that more big box stores can be built there.  Like there aren’t enough just a mile up the road?  What is it with people having to go to chain restaurants and the same ol, same ol places all the time?  I just don’t get it!

Off my soapbox and back on the road, I stayed with Rt 11 almost all the way home.  I loved riding through communities that I only really know of from signs along the interstate.  Places like Chilhowie, Marion, Wytheville (where I just had to stop and take a picture of the pencil for those who’ve never seen it) and Pulaski.  Built in 1907, the Pulaski County Courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

  

Throughout my travels in Tennessee, I would see old barns with pretty quilt squares painted on them, but it never failed that I saw a barn too late, or there was no place along the road, to stop.  Finally, somewhere between Marion and Wytheville, I was able to pull over and take a picture.

According to a website called American Barn Quilts ( http://www.americanbarnquilts.com/ ), the practice of painting quilt squares on barns can be traced back almost 300 years to the arrival of immigrants from the central regions of Europe; Germany, Austria and the Netherlands.  “Paint was very expensive in those days and painting a decorative and distinctive quilt pattern on their barns was a wonderful way of allowing for decoration. It also became an excellent way for travelers to find particular families or cross roads as towns people would just tell them which pattern to look for”.

I rode up and over Draper Mountain and stopped at the Drapers Valley Overlook.  The day was so clear that the views were quite remarkable – my camera and I just did not do them justice!

  

As I got closer and closer to home, I found myself riding slower and slower.  This trip was my third ride of exploration and I have found all three times that I just did not want it to end!  If I didn’t have friends and family to come home to (oh, and a job), I would just keep on going!

My Tennessee Tour has been everything I had hoped.  Tennessee has quaint small towns and interesting and fun large cities, full of history and engaging people.  I found the roads to be well maintained and the signage excellent (I rarely took a wrong turn, which is good for me!).  I was a bit disappointed in the obvious presence of the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) and hated to see so many rivers that had been dammed (of course, I am hypocrite because I used the power generated by those dams).  It is a beautiful state, full of historic buildings, excellent music, delicious food and gorgeous scenery.

But … home and job responsibilities called.  Thankfully, I was able to meet with Pam, who had ridden her bike, at the Rock House Marina for the traditional “end of the trip” beer.  It was a nice reminder that I have great friends to come home to.

As I got even closer to home, I was able to meet up briefly with several friends for a gathering at Cindy’s.  A gorgeous evening, a wonderful group of friends, and I was ready to head up my driveway and park the bike.

 

And … I finally got to meet Chayanne, the new member of the Miller/Singer family.

Total miles: 1100!  No drops, no burns, no wrecks!
Now … where shall I go next year?

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The 2012 Bike Trip – Tennesse: Knoxville to Bristol/ Mumford and Sons!

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What a perfect day for a bike ride and such a change from yesterday. I love the clarity that comes after a big storm – no humidity, no smog, fog or haze. Just a sky that was a gorgeous blue, with big fluffy clouds and the temperature in the 70s. I wanted to stop a million times to take pictures (but only stopped four times).

  
I very much enjoyed my brief visit with Jen, Justin and Eli. They have created quite the homestead – a pool where Eli swims like a fish and where friends gather regularly, an acre of land behind the house where Justin can fly the remote control planes that he builds (not your little ones from Toys R Us – these are amazing!), a 4 hole “golf course”, and a lovely home. These are some hard working people and so they play hard too (exactly my philosophy). If you work hard you can play hard and the result of their labor shines! One result that I benefited from was that Justin had dried my boots and that made all the difference in the ride.

 

The countryside along Rt 11W to Bristol was so pretty! Mountains, creeks, and fields of corn and hay. For those from the NRV: at different times I was reminded of Snowville, Ellett Valley, and Giles County.

I managed to get to Bristol within 30 minutes of the Radford crew. I checked in to the hotel, changed out of biking clothes (boots and jeans) and into concert clothes (shorts, flips flops, and of course, camera), and walked to the shuttle area to catch the bus to the festival grounds in historic downtown Bristol. I can not believe the ease with which I found Greg, Shelly, Dean and Beth amongst the 15,000 people at the Gentlemen of the Road Tour Stopover.  An hour or so later, we were joined by Rick and Renee.

  

  

Ever since I saw Mumford and Sons on the Grammy show (and bought their CD Sigh No More that same night), I’ve been a fan of this British indie rock/folk band (my description – if any of you have a better one, I welcome it!). The band played to a crowd that knew almost every word to every song. We alternated between jumping and dancing or swaying, arm in arm, singing all the while. An encore performance of Wagon Wheel, which brought together all the bands that had performed prior (Apache Relay, Dawes, Justin Townes Earle), was a rousing end to a truly great evening!

  

Thanks to Rick for taking pictures for me – his height made sure the pictures were not just of the backs of heads (the concert was in a parking lot and all were standing).

After waiting in line for the shuttle (Shelly, Greg and I could hardly wait another minute more as fatigue set in), we finally got to the car and began the great “post concert I am hungry food hunt”. Multiple attempts at several places led us to an after midnight Taco Bell feast.  Ah the good life 🙂

 

  

I so enjoyed this evening in Bristol with some great Radford friends.  Thanks Dean for getting the tickets.  What a show!

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The 2012 Bike Trip – Tennessee: Nashville to Knoxville

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How did I not meet Doris until today? After I planned my route for the day and as I was checking out, I got to chat a bit with Doris.  She told me that her title is Conference Concierge of the Scarritt Bennett Center.  I was sharing my excitement about the historic buildings throughout Nashville and Doris told me that I just had to see the Chapel. I wish I had words to describe and the talent to photograph the beauty of the interior of that building.  No longer used for church services, the Chapel was voted best place to have a wedding in Nashville.  It is truly breathtaking!

     

Doris also gave me two Scarritt Bennett magnets, each one with a picture of one of the buildings on the campus.  I’ll tell you what – it’s the people who put the finishing touches on great trips!

As I rode out of Nashville, I realized that I had just barely scratched the surface of this city.  I’ll definitely be returning!

I decided to knock out a quick 50 miles on I40 heading east, mostly to avoid multiple stop lights while getting out of town.  Traffic was not bad and I felt no un ease on that 8 lane highway.  As I had entered Nashville on Wednesday, I couldn’t help but notice a series of signs that announce the number of fatalities that have occurred on Tennessee highwasy (“please don’t be the next” it reads).  On Wednesday the sign showed the number 598; as I rode under it today it read 603. Sure makes you think …

I had planned to take 70North to start my ride to Knoxville but was having difficulty finding the access point. When I stopped to check my directions, a group of guys at the store told me that I was wrong, that it was 70E, not 70N.  I kept insisting that it should be North but they assured me it was East.  Against my better judgment, I got on 70E.

Next time I’ll trust myself and my map. I was on the wrong road.  I didn’t need to do any backtracking but the mistake did add some extra miles.  Then again, if I had not taken the wrong road, I wouldn’t have driven through the historic downtown of Watertown.  What a lovely little place … cafe, newspaper, bank, grocery store … THIS is why I stay off the interstate.  Not only do back roads make the ride prettier and more interesting, they allow for little surprises like Watertown.

       

And then there are the big surprises that occur whether you ride big roads or small ones.

I saw the storm clouds gathering and I knew that I was trying to out race them.  70N took me through tiny towns, across beautiful farm lands, over mountain passes, past horses and cows, and along constant curves.  Absolutely beautiful … even in a downpour!  I was drenched, but able to keep riding.  As the rain let up, I came through Cookeville and stopped at Moogie’s BBQ for some much needed lunch and a bit of drying off.

    

I was glad that Moogies had outside seating as I was soaked!

    

Unfortunately, once I was back on the road, the rain (and thunder and lightning) came in earnest and I was soaked to the skin. I pulled over for the first time and sat under a covered gas pump.  The owner of the place was kind to let me stay there without purchasing gas and expressed great concern over my safety.  His kindness was a bright spot in the rain.  When the storm seemed to be lightening up, I got back on the road.

     

Well, what I thought was hard rain before, became even harder and I could not even see the road.  I had to ride another 5 minutes before finding a place to pull over (again, under a covered gas pump).  My clothing and boots felt like lead and I was a bit discouraged.  I went into the gas station and called Michael, knowing he would be the right friend at the right time.  I needed his brand of “it’s all part of the deal, LD”.  Down to earth, matter of fact – “just wait it out and you’ll be fine, but call if you need anything”. I guess what I’m saying is that I needed someone who would share concern but mostly just let me know, hey this happens, be safe and smart and you’ll be fine.

    

And he was exactly right.  After about 30 minutes, the rain did let up and I was able to get back on the road to finish the trip to Knoxville.  Thankfully, I only had another 45 minutes or so to travel.  I was cold, wet and ready to be done.  Funny though, I was still able to appreciate the beauty of the surrounding countryside.  I wish I could have stopped at a few places – like Frozen Head State Park (where on earth did that name come from?), the Obed Wild and Scenic River, and Oak Ridge Laboratory – but I had to keep riding.  Hopefully I’ll get back that way again someday.

I finally arrived at the home of Jen and Justin and their daughter Eli.  How wonderful to be able to come in, strip off all the wet clothes and do a huge load of laundry.  In borrowed t-shirt and sweat pants, I was warm and comfortable.  Being able to catch up over pizza and beer made for a really nice evening and I really enjoyed having a good long chat with Jen.

Now … time to sleep.  225 miles today … not sure how many were ridden in the rain.