My first day of vacation off work was actually Wednesday 7/15. We didn't leave for our trip until Friday morning, since Miss Angela had dance Thursday night and we didn't want her to miss any more classes than necessary, since she was already missing one whole week's worth. The summer session is only 4 weeks!
Of course, Chester has to stupervise me packing. I was messing with some settings on my camera here. Friday was lots of driving.
"On The Road Again" started playing on the radio as we pulled out of the driveway!
No extra kids this trip. I was really surprised at this.
I always love this view going into Detroit with the RenCen behind the spire of that pretty church.
Michigan Central Station - stood empty for a lot of years. Supposedly it's under some renovations (freight elevators & windows added / asbestos removed) so it's easier for the current owners to market it to perspective new tenants.
Wooo.
This was pretty neat once it finally activated. We barely had to slow down for toll plazas on the Turnpike. We use these at work in the semis.
In the tunnel thru the mountain.
Randy planned it so we went thru about a 3 miles stretch of Maryland on the first day....
Then probably 12 miles of West Virginia.....
Then into Virginia!
Friday night, we stayed in "the Executive Suite" at the hotel and found out the next morning that the Miss Teen Virginia pageant was being held in the conference center. Just the little interaction we had with a couple of those girls....I'm really glad that Angel dances. At the dance events we've gone to, competitions & conventions - most of the girls are nice & friendly. These little chicks gave off a bitchy little vibe. We rode in the elevator with a little princess in her formal gown, sash & tiara (and her mom). Both of them kept looking Angel (wearing what you see in the pic down 2) up and down and you could feel the judgments coming off them. I almost wanted to push her behind me and go all ghetto on them!
I kept calling these lilac trees until I found out they were crape myrtle.
So pretty & spicy smelling!
We stopped to eat and Angel had to get a picture with a Newport News Fire truck.
We were so cute, all matchy matchy with our reunion shirts on! We never do this, so they were OK with this one situation.
Little Island State Park, Virginia Beach!
Back in 1995, the ship I was stationed on was on WestPac and we spent the summer in the Persian Gulf. This was our 20 year WestPac reunion. Plans for the 25th are beginning already since so many people claimed they didn't know about it until too late. People! It's been on FaceBook for months!!
I clearly kept my shirt & shorts on for approximately 5 minutes after getting there. Long enough for people to see what we belong there. At least there was a nice breeze off the ocean to keep it from being too scorching.
We were calling these the Lincoln babies, since they were conceived while their Moms were stationed on the Lincoln (I know one for sure was NOT conceived actually on board!!)
There weren't any more than 12 shipmates and families, and no one that I actually knew. Everyone else were people who worked on the flight deck up close & personal with the planes. Then little ol' postal clerk me! But we had a good time anyway. The guy in the blue shirt wasn't even a part of the reunion! One of the other guys saw him reach down to pick up his little girl and he's got a Navy tattoo on his arm, which led to a conversation and invitation to join us. He thought it was so neat that we were having this.
Some of the first ladies of the Lincoln.
We had a rousing game of volleyball and spent some time going thru the Cruise Book and reminiscing.
Right before the beach was closing some storms rolled in, so we left right as they were starting.
Our stay Saturday night was in North Carolina!
To be continued....
#TFTLS
Looks like a great vacation! I hope y'all have fun :)
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