Wrap up

Well.  this will be our last post as both of our planes leave in the morning.  We have totally enjoyed sharing this vacation with you.  We drove a total of about 2,400 miles and still love each other.  I highly recommend this trip but, of course, we missed all of the major big cities which was our goal,  This will be another tripl

Getting Re-Packed

OMG!!  I've amassed so much "stuff" on this trip and, as you will recall, packing was a semester project for me.   Jo suggested that I just spill everything on my bed and start from scratch which I did.  Honest, this picture was not staged or photoshop'ed..  This is actual life!  What a slob

At an airport hotel getting ready to go home tomorrow

We made it to the Quinta Inn next to the Miami Airport. As a matter of fact, we are so close to the airport, here is what we can see litterally out of our window (no balcony.....Damn!)

Our Hotel in Key West

Here's a cool picture of our hotel I found on the web

Jo and Glo

A very nice woman took our picture.

four hours later

Still at the pool.  Jo came and woke me up.  It was dark.  All the old guys (and their wives) had abandoned me.  I was snoring  (so attractive).  Jo and I had a nice dinner and I went back to the pool to relive my youth.  This is a picture of the pool at night.

Passed out at the pool

We swam for a little while and Jo went up to the room.  I stayed poolside to oogle the old guys.  I started on Banana Daiquiri's and after a few, decided I needed something to eat to soak up the "bananas".  Fortunately, I was able to document this historic event just before slipping into a deep "nap".

Down to the pool

They had 3 pools:  Pool #1 had a bunch of young, tattooed, muscular, tanned twenty something guys drinking tequila and bud light with loud, heavy metal, head banging, music with beautiful, tanned skinny babes hanging all over them and... in pool #2, a plethora of sixty something old sun burned hairy guys  with their wives of forty years, listening to music from the seventies,  throwing back Shirley Temples and pink ladies,  We opted for Pool #2 because we were wearing our "old lady" swimsuits with white cream on our noses, 75 SPF tan blocker in our hands and a camera around our necks.  We didn't want the babes at pool one to be intimidated or jealous of us.  Here is a picture of pool two.

View from our balcony

Ok.,  now the requisite "view from the balcony".  Sorry - we just feel that no nightly post would be complete without the "view",.  This way, we can gloat just a wee bit more.

Our bathroom

Please note....the glass shower door in our bathroom.  It was a huge shower.  I know this is no big deal but what a nice change from the Days Inn in Selma where sludge was produced for foreign import.

At the Southernmost Hotel

Here is a picture of our awesome room.  Again, you would have to be here to appreciate it

On Key West

This is the Southernmost part of the United States.  It was by far the prettiest part of the keys.  We were bound and determined to get the best of the best on this last night before heading to a hotel at the airport in Miami.  We drove around the Island and came upon this brand new hotel called "Southernmost Hotel" (how appropriate). Wow.  We went to the counter and were quoted a rate of $224 per night but with every single amenity known to man.  We looked at each other and without any thought simultaneously said "We'll take it".  Here is a picture taken from the bridge as we were approaching the island

4 hours to the keys

I always had this image that the "road to the keys" would be one long, new highway/bridge with water on each side and an occasional island that you could do an EZ On EZ Off.  Well, this is not the case.  If you did not know where you were, you would think you were in "Any Town USA" with a Surf and Turf twist thrown in.  It is one long tropical retail mall.  Most of the hotels are older and located down long dusty roads.  Occasionally, you get a peek of water through a window of an old mobilehome.  I took some pictures as we got closer to the end` and it started looking like what I had imagined.  The bottom picture is from the web,  We took the top picture.

We're out of here!

We decided to go ahead and drive to the Florida Keys.  We left at 10:00 in the morning and prepared for the 4 hour trip.  We had to get back onto interstate highway 95.  Jo drove again.  Here is how she looked until we got on to Highway 1.

Such serenity

Here is a young man becoming one with nature at 7:00 in the morning (or could he be carrying a load?)

Another view from our balcony

Those are actual sized chess pieces.  They just inserted miniature chairs and scenery around them. (Just kidding)

Just Gloating

I had to show you a picture of our "sunrise in the East" from our "new" balcony.,  The clerk was so apologetic when she had to move us from a suite with a street view to this regular room with a 7th story balcony.

Yipppeee!!

Evidently, the major leak in our bathroom was serious enough to warrent us a new room.  It is now 10 minutes later and we are on the 7th floor with an ocean view, balcony and wireless for $30 less than room 801.  I can't believe our luck.  I'm going to call that other hotel and say "nee-ner-nee-ner-neee-ner" (sung to the tune of "Ring Around the Rosy)  and hang up.     Tomorrow, we are driving to the Florida Keys to stay and have dinner with a very nice couple we met tonight from Ohio.  Since we have had such good luck "winging it" relative to hotel reservations, we'll give it another go.  We can always get a bottle of wine and sleep on the beach but where will I plug in my snoring machine?

Oh My God

I was sitting at my computer when all of a sudden, it sounded like someone was taking a shower in our bathroom.  Evidently, the ceiling in the bathroom was leaking major amounts of water.  Almost like a thungerstorm.  The maintenance guy just came up and said....OH MY GOD.   We may get a better room after all.  I'll let you know

A view fron our 8th floor balcony

I feel pretty priviliged to even have a room.  Here is our view.

On the Isle of Miami Beach

See this beautiful hotel on Miami Beach?  We couldn't get in.  Jo drove me up.to the palacial front door, I marched up to the desk, requested their best room for $100 or less. Mind you, I'm dressed in shorts and a long sloppy shirt.  My make-up is gone and I look like I just got out of bed.  For some strange reason, they didn't succumb to my charm and summarily dismissed me.  They sniffed their response (no!) and mentally waved me off.    Evidently, breezing in from out of town and requesting major amenities is not done in these here parts.   (Well excuse me!!)  I told Jo to drive around and I called six or seven hotels and basically got the same message.  On each successive call, I eliminated one "amenity" until finally I would ask "Do you have a bathroom?  Best Western finally stepped in and gave us a room on the 8th floor with a balcony, a view of the street and wireless.  The hotel is on the beach but our room faces Collins Street.  We'll take it!!!!

OK...it gets better

Yes - it did get better.  Once we got out of the swamp of traffic (litterally) and got on the bridge to go to Miami Beach, I was able to get some better pictures.  This is a picture from the Bridge going to Miami Beach looking back at Miami.  We still didn't have a hotel reservation and Jo needed to rest.  She had been driving for almost 8 hours.

We're here!!!!!! Almost

Jo is still driving.  After 2000 miles, I do believe she has the hang of it.  She is great!!.  I was so excited, I took this dorky pictures from interstate 95 before we even got close to Miami Beach.  Did you know that there is a "Miami" and a totally separate "Miami Beach"?  Of course everybody knew that except us.  This was one of the first pictures I took when I saw my first skyline.

Getting close to Miami

Because we arrived in Titusville Florida around 1:00, we figured...why not drive all the way to Miami and get this thing over with!!  We knew we were getting close when I shot this picture,  Now, please be aware that we were bored out of our minds at this point and anything remotely unusual would have made it on to our post.

Beautiful Countryside

This is what we saw out our window for 250 miles.  ZZZZZZ.  What a sleeper!  We got really excited when we saw a Walmart or AutoZone.  The good part was that we were traveling in excess of 65 mph and actually traveling more than one inch on the map in a day.  We had the Tom Tom set so that if Jo drove more than 70 mph, the Tom Tom would "Moooo". (an annoying Tom Tom option)  She set this thing off about 50 times. This excited us each and every time.  I'm so proud of her.

On the road again...all the way to Miami

We left Brunswick Georgia this morning at 9:00 and had originally decided to try and make it to Titusville, Florida, about 200 miles South on 95.  This would be our first time on a major highway and Jo was driving.  We decided that since it was Saturday, traffic wouldn't be too bad.  Initially, it was OK but this is what our Tom Tom looked like for 250 miles.  Notice the straight line.  We still had 50 miles to go.  The next picture shows you what we saw for 250 miles.

Left Savannah

We left Savannah around 2:00 and wanted to try and make it to Jacksonville, Florida but realized that would mean 4 hours on the road.  We decided to try for Brunswick Georgia instead.  We scored again.  We got here at 5:00 and checked into a Best Western with many of the amenities on our list.  Since yesterday, we have decided "no more burgers under any circumstances!!"  We will even eat a bag of popcorn for dinner if we have to but no more burgers.  She wanted authentic seafood - not the junk we had in Myrtle Beach.  right across the street from our hotel was Captain Joe's Seafood Restaurant.   We just got back.  Finally...authentic seafood and we've been on the East Coast for 8 days. 

Another beautiful Home

One of my favorite Savannah Homes - The Davenport Home

We took a trolley tour of  "Historic Homes" in Savannah.  (of course).  Loved this house.  We toured another "historic" home but we were not allowed to take photos of the inside.  The trolley ride along with the tour of two homes cost $45 each (ouch!)  We were too tired to tour the second home.  We wanted to get on the road and out of town before 5:00 traffic.  It was crazy enough as it was.

Finally on to Savannah, Georgia

Okay...we're off.  Can't wait to get to Savannah and take 200 or so pictures of beautiful, historic, Georgian manors.   Here is the suspension bridge we crossed which dumped us right into Savannah and into the "Welcome Center" parking lot  (how convenient!!)

On the Beach

I wonder if the private beaches have plush wall to wall carpeting

Beach at Hilton Head Island

We took a little jaunt to the public access beach on the island.  This is the only place we were allowed  :)  We were anxious to get on the road so this was basically a 5 minute photo opp adventure.  Here are some pictures of the beach from HH Island.  (Notice the nice carpeting!  yea...I totally expected this.)

Pretty House On Hilton Head Island

This house was on the beach on the island.  I promised Jo I would only post one of the 50 pictures I took

Scary pint size alligator

Here is the big scary alligator I saw and sent Jo down to investigate

At our hotel on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

 Well, we had a comfortable night on Hilton Head Island, however, it is not a place that we would ever return.   It seemed to be mostly long, wide, busy roads. They had several upscale residential areas, private golf clubs, even extreme upscale shopping malls.  Very upper crust.  We didn't feel like we belonged.  There seemed to be very little available for "Glo & Jo Public".  We did have a nice view from our room.  As you will recall, this is where I thought I saw the alligator

Arrived in Hilton Head Island

We have arrived...and not a moment too soon.  Jo did all of the driving (7 hours) and couldn't drive another 600 yards (per Tom Tom)  We tried to get a hotel on the beach but it was $150 which was $50 over our budget.  We did score a Comfort Inn, 7 minute walk to the beach.  Our room is next to a waterway and a sign outside our room said "State Law Prohibits Harrassing the Alligators".  It never occurred to us to harrass an alligator but there's always a first time.   I thought I saw one peek his head up out of the water....I send Jo down to investigate but it turned out to be a turtle.  .   Tomorrow...Savannah, GA and then possibly, Jacksonville, Florida.

Bridge coming in to Charlotte SC

I'm not sure if this picture will really capture what we saw.  What an amazing bridge!

On The Road

Outside of Charlotte, SC, I saw this lovely billboard and thought it would make an interesting picture

George Washington saved this tree

Believe it or not, George Washington visited this home.  It belonged to a wealthy rice farmer who married the daughter of a equally wealthy, politically connected gentleman.  1791 – George Washington visited Hampton during his Southern Tour. While visiting, the President was asked whether a certain oak tree should be cut down to create a better view from the portico. He replied that he liked the tree, and it was saved. From then on the tree was known as the Washington Oak   If you are interested in more history on this plantation, visit:  http://south-carolina-plantations.com/charleston/hampton.html

Leaving Myrtle Beach

We sadly left Myrtle Beach, SC.  Of all the places we have visited, we would both come back to Myrtle Beach, however, definitely NOT in the summer.  We could only imagine what the traffic would be like.  We then traveled South on Highway 17 with Hilton Head Island as our goal.  We stopped at the Hampton Plantation and took a tour,.  We drove through a forest for about a mile and came upon this view.

Someone got us for $1300

Well, last night when I tried to check in using my debit/check card, it was declined.  I was shocked because I called the bank before I left and told then of our travel plans.  Evidently, on the day we checked out of  Day's Inn in Selma, my credit card number was sold on the internet.  Within a few minutes, someone "swiped" my card at a Walmart in Dallas for $650 and it was "swiped" again in Arlington Virginia in a Walmart for $647.  Then a few minutes later, someone used it at a Budget Rent a Car in Virginia City VA but it didn't go thru.  Of course, I called the Bank and they took care of everything.  At this point, we are not sure who sold my credit card info on the net.  I guess it could have been anyone since our trip began.  I used it at 5 restaurants and 3 motels. 

House on Lake Waccamaw

I had to take this picture. This is just an example of one the houses on the Lake.  We understand that most of these are summer homes.

A newly married couple on the beach

Another balcony view

View from our balcony

Arrived in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

As we arrived in North Myrtle Beach, SC, this was our first glimpse of the ocean.  We had to travel around 18 miles on the main coast highway to get to Myrtle Beach.  Once in M.B., we cruised Ocean Avenue reading all of the hotel signs to see who had the best "stuff".i.e.  free wireless, of course, an ocean front view, indoor/outdoor pool, hot tub, balconies, parking, you know, the things we all expect to get when we show up unannounced.  Because it's off season, the prices started at $30 a night.  We could basically choose any hotel we wanted.  We lucked out!!!! For $59 plus tax, we got all of the above amenities.  I shall hereby gloat and share these photos.  (PS.  this was only $10 more than what we paid to stay at Day's Inn in Selma

Taking a dip in Lake Waccamaw North Carolina

Glad to leave Selma North Carolina for Myrtle Beach

We stayed at, quite possibly the worse hotel we've ever slept in.  Day's Inn in Selma, NC.  Yuck!  All the fine plastic surfaces were "sticky" or "gooey" with mysterious clear (?) liquids.  There was a pervert checked in next door. (I got his number)   We were one of six rooms rented all next to each other on the ground floor.  The guy at the counter made it seem like it was a major ordeal to get us a ground floor room.  We had 30 to pick from.  We continued South with Myrtle Beach SC as our goal.  We stopped at Lake Waccamaw which was pretty cool.  We walked on an 1/8th mile boardwalk that cut through the forest and came out on the lake.

Jo Anne just confessed

Gloria here...it appears that I am obsessed on this trip with the amazing homes that we pass by.  Georgian Style, Colonial Plantations.. you name it.  Jo Anne just confessed to me that every time I was engrossed in configuring my Tom Tom, we would pass the best of the best homes.  By the way, I think I'm in love with my Tom Tom. We are taking special trip to Savannah just so that I can take a walking, photograpghic tour of the beautiful homes.  Here is one that I was able to capture at a mere 35 miles per hour.  This is an example of the homes that we do see in the back country over and over again.  As promised, I will only post this one picture....Ok...two pictures

Goochland as promised

Day five

Super mellow day.  We left Culpepper VA around 10:30 am (not in a hurry obviously) and started down South taking all the little, little roads which led us into places like Cuckoo and Goochland.  We were in heaven.  Gloria loved every home she saw.  There were plantations with acres and acres of lawns growing right up to the tree trunks and all of it is green.  Driving through the small towns, Gloria took around 200 pictures of every house she saw and believe it or not  she loved them all. Don't worry, she promised not to post them all but she will publish a book of her dream houses when she returns home.  Somewhere, we stopped in a little hamlet and an elderly gentleman asked us for a ride.  He walked with a cane so we said "why not" we can defend ourselves.  He introduced himself as Willie Jackson and only wanted to go about 3 miles over a railroad track which were the only words we could understand.  His southern drawl was impossible to understand but we managed to get him where he needed to go.

We arrived in Selma, North Carolina around our bewitching hour and got this very cheap, very rundown "Days Inn" no-tel mo-tel. (a whopping $48 a night).  It was worth exactly what we paid.  Need I say more.  We didn't want to hang out right at that moment because it's hot and sticky and the sun is still up so we tried to find a store and the historic downtown.  It took an hour but we finally found a store but we never found an "historical downtown" or any downtown per se.  Couldn't wait to leave.  We are heading to Myrtle Beach in South Carolina tomorrow and may take a gambling cruise but who knows.  Do you?

Resting now

Both Jo and I needed to rest so we got off the mountain half way in search of a comfortable hotel with wi-fi (and a hot tub which we did not get).  We are now in Culpepper, Virginia in a Best Western.  We went to the local "Food Lion" and purchased TV dinners and wine.  We are in heaven for a mere $9.78.  More posts tomorrow

On the road again

After leaving Gettysburg, PA, we drove through Maryland, West Virginia and when we arrived in Virginia, we decided to experience the Appalachian Mountains,  We drove to the top and we were able to view the Shenendoah Valley in all it's glory.  Again, this picture does not come close to the beauty of what we saw.  the river, valley and farms below were awesome.

A beautiful molseleum at a cemetary in Gettysburg