Kilted_Yank
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2002
- Messages
- 415
Our vacation started on Thursday, the third of August, but we didnt do any traveling that day. Mrs Kilted_Yank had already done most of the packing, so there wasnt much else to do other than doing laundry (and ironing my uniforms), yard work and errands.
The Missus was also picking up the rented minivan from National Airport on her way home from work, so all I needed to do in the evening was to load the vehicle and install the electronics (XM radio, iPod, Olivias DVD player, and phone chargers) so we could leave first thing in the morning.
The next morning, we slept until 7:15 even though Olivia was probably awake for a while (she was under orders to stay in her room until mommy and daddy were awake). Once we were out of bed and had breakfast, we were ready to go. We had decided not to leave until about 9 A.M., as we didnt want to have to drive through the worst of the early morning Washington, DC traffic.
Our itinerary was simple, drive to St. Simons Island, Georgia for a couple of days on the beach, and then move on to Orlando to hang out with Mickey and friends.
We left the house at about 9:30 (only thirty minutes late!) and headed for our first stop, which was only a mile and a half from our house: the local Post Office (hey, the bills had to be mailed!).
By 9:50 we were on I-95 South and on our way! For our first bit of traveling music we played The Best of The Proclaimers on the iPod. Youve heard of The Proclaimers, right? Those two Scotsmen that sang Im Gonna Be you know... the I would walk 500 miles song? Well we jammed to them for a while (they have lots of good music to listen to, trust me.
We made 122 miles before a certain someone had to go potty, so I took the time to gas up while I waited. The gas station was located in the tiny town of Stony Creek, Virginia, which I have ever heard of even though I have driven through it an uncounted number of times. As far as I could tell from some of the historical marker near the gas station, Stony Creeks claim to fame is that two rather minor cavalry actions took place their during the American Civil War (or War of Northern Aggression for you un-reconstructed rebels).
We made it across the North Carolina line at 12:06, and stopped for lunch at 12:30, in Halifax, NC, which claims to be the home of the principles of American Liberty, whatever that is supposed to mean).
We were back on the road by 12:55, whereupon Olivia went right to sleep, and would stay that way for the next few hours. Woo Hoo!
At 2:53, we passed through Lumberton, North Carolina, which is the home of the Lumbee Indian tribe, and passed into South Carolina at 3:10.
We hit the 500 mile mark while we crossed the Coosawhatchie River. There was no real need to tell you that, other than to have the opportunity to use the word Coosawhatchie in a sentence.
At 6:00 we exited the Interstate at Brunswick, Georgia, and finished the last 10 miles to St Simons Island. Have any of you heard of St Simons before? I probably never would have heard of it either, if I hadnt done quite a bit of training nearby over the past 11 years.
St Simons is a beautiful place, full of history, beautiful coastal Georgia scenery, and home to in an interesting beach/island culture. It is surrounded by the ocean on one side and salt marshes on the other. It is stunning.
We stayed at the Ocean Inn & Suites and had a beautiful suite that looked out on the local lighthouse and the ocean.
Once we got settled, we had to have dinner, so we tried a few places that were terribly crowded with tourists, so we wet to a place that I had been to when I was last in the area I January. This place was called Frankie Gs Island Diner. If you ever go to St Simons, you have to go to this place! Clearly a place for locals, as it is tucked away in an out of the way place; the diner has a great menu, with lots of local surprises. This particular evening, we dined on a coastal southern delicacy: Shrimp & Grits.
I hear some of you groaning all the way from here! Grits? you ask? With Shrimp? Ewwwww! Trust me, if you tried this, you would be in comfort food heaven. Those of you that are lovers of The Food Network ought to know that Shrimp Grits is a big favorite of Paula Dean.
While we were eating, it rained like nobodys business, but it didnt last for long. It was over by the time we got back to the hotel, which had covered parking (woo hoo!).
We settled in for TV/reading/bedtime, and I was the last to head off to sleep at about 11:00.
A long day, but restful, despite the long drive.
Next: East Beach and the commission of a crime!
The Missus was also picking up the rented minivan from National Airport on her way home from work, so all I needed to do in the evening was to load the vehicle and install the electronics (XM radio, iPod, Olivias DVD player, and phone chargers) so we could leave first thing in the morning.
The next morning, we slept until 7:15 even though Olivia was probably awake for a while (she was under orders to stay in her room until mommy and daddy were awake). Once we were out of bed and had breakfast, we were ready to go. We had decided not to leave until about 9 A.M., as we didnt want to have to drive through the worst of the early morning Washington, DC traffic.
Our itinerary was simple, drive to St. Simons Island, Georgia for a couple of days on the beach, and then move on to Orlando to hang out with Mickey and friends.
We left the house at about 9:30 (only thirty minutes late!) and headed for our first stop, which was only a mile and a half from our house: the local Post Office (hey, the bills had to be mailed!).
By 9:50 we were on I-95 South and on our way! For our first bit of traveling music we played The Best of The Proclaimers on the iPod. Youve heard of The Proclaimers, right? Those two Scotsmen that sang Im Gonna Be you know... the I would walk 500 miles song? Well we jammed to them for a while (they have lots of good music to listen to, trust me.
We made 122 miles before a certain someone had to go potty, so I took the time to gas up while I waited. The gas station was located in the tiny town of Stony Creek, Virginia, which I have ever heard of even though I have driven through it an uncounted number of times. As far as I could tell from some of the historical marker near the gas station, Stony Creeks claim to fame is that two rather minor cavalry actions took place their during the American Civil War (or War of Northern Aggression for you un-reconstructed rebels).
We made it across the North Carolina line at 12:06, and stopped for lunch at 12:30, in Halifax, NC, which claims to be the home of the principles of American Liberty, whatever that is supposed to mean).
We were back on the road by 12:55, whereupon Olivia went right to sleep, and would stay that way for the next few hours. Woo Hoo!
At 2:53, we passed through Lumberton, North Carolina, which is the home of the Lumbee Indian tribe, and passed into South Carolina at 3:10.
We hit the 500 mile mark while we crossed the Coosawhatchie River. There was no real need to tell you that, other than to have the opportunity to use the word Coosawhatchie in a sentence.
At 6:00 we exited the Interstate at Brunswick, Georgia, and finished the last 10 miles to St Simons Island. Have any of you heard of St Simons before? I probably never would have heard of it either, if I hadnt done quite a bit of training nearby over the past 11 years.
St Simons is a beautiful place, full of history, beautiful coastal Georgia scenery, and home to in an interesting beach/island culture. It is surrounded by the ocean on one side and salt marshes on the other. It is stunning.
We stayed at the Ocean Inn & Suites and had a beautiful suite that looked out on the local lighthouse and the ocean.
Once we got settled, we had to have dinner, so we tried a few places that were terribly crowded with tourists, so we wet to a place that I had been to when I was last in the area I January. This place was called Frankie Gs Island Diner. If you ever go to St Simons, you have to go to this place! Clearly a place for locals, as it is tucked away in an out of the way place; the diner has a great menu, with lots of local surprises. This particular evening, we dined on a coastal southern delicacy: Shrimp & Grits.
I hear some of you groaning all the way from here! Grits? you ask? With Shrimp? Ewwwww! Trust me, if you tried this, you would be in comfort food heaven. Those of you that are lovers of The Food Network ought to know that Shrimp Grits is a big favorite of Paula Dean.
While we were eating, it rained like nobodys business, but it didnt last for long. It was over by the time we got back to the hotel, which had covered parking (woo hoo!).
We settled in for TV/reading/bedtime, and I was the last to head off to sleep at about 11:00.
A long day, but restful, despite the long drive.
Next: East Beach and the commission of a crime!
