After a good nights sleep our breakfast this morning consisted of porridge made in the hotel communal microwave and jolly acceptable it was as well. However, that still didn’t solve the lack of tea problem and so we went without for now.
By 9.30am we were on our way back to the Shenandoah National Park and this time heading south on the Skyline Drive. Certainly, the start of the drive seemed very similar to the northern part from yesterday although today the blue haze coming from the trees was even stronger.
Much to Karen’s annoyance the best radio station we could pick up in the car was a country one. I quite enjoyed it as for me it seemed to set the right tone and ambience for the day. You really cannot beat classics like “Do you think my tractor is Sexy?”.
We pulled in a couple of times to admire the view before stopping at a place called Skylands. Our expectation to be able to get a hot drink though was not high. However, when Karen saw somebody sitting outside nursing a Starbucks cup she dashed into the building in such a hurry that if it had been a cartoon there could well have been a Karen shaped outline in the wall.
It wasn’t a full Starbucks, but it was good enough and there was a barista making Starbucks coffee. After 2 drinks were purchased, we sat and savoured them outside on the deserted patio area overlooking the Shenandoah Valley. It was all quite lovely.
I had to clear away the cups as Karen didn’t want to ruin her ‘wedding’ nails trying to open the bear proof bins. I didn’t think they were that bear proof as they had pictures on them showing how to open them which I thought Yogi would easily be able to follow. We then decided their paws might be too big and so we imagined them holding up their cubs so they could get their smaller hands in whilst they followed the picture instructions. Too much caffeine may have been had by this point.
We wandered around the rather nice gift shop and mentally spent loads but came out empty handed.
The next part of the drive was lovely but by now a bit samey. It’s funny how soon you get blasé to the views. We passed a deer but sadly no bears. I think they may all be on holiday.
Another stop was made at the full visitor centre which had an even better gift shop but again no purchases were made. We went next door to try and buy something for lunch. I found a Caesar Salad wrap, but Karen just left with just a cheese nibble.
We then left the Skyline Drive at Swifts Pass and took the Freeway to Skuyler which is where Earl Hamner Jr lived. He was the devisor and writer of The Waltons (amongst other things like the screen version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) and his house was is what he based The Waltons house upon (albeit the filmed one was on a set in Hollywood). As this was only a short detour off our route for the day we decided to visit that and the very nearby Waltons Mountain Museum.
The museum was originally set up in 1992 is dedicated to both the TV series as well as the Hamner family upon which all of the children in the stories were based. The museum was tired and of its age but interesting enough. It had recreations of each of the rooms from the series to walk around as well as memorabilia from many of the actors. We sat and watched a film that was made about the series when the museum open and that was of its time as well.
We walked across the road to have a photo outside of the Earl Hamner house. It is open for tours once a month but not today. Disappointingly also the Ike Godsey replica store was also closed with some fierce looking keep out signs.
Driving away, I had trouble separating reality from fiction. I kept thinking oh this must have been the lanes they drove along to the wood mill and to get some of the ‘recipe’ from the Baldwin sisters, forgetting it didn’t really happen in real life.
We drove on to Staunton where I had booked a Sleep Inn Hotel for the night. Now this is chain does not figure high on Karen’s approval list, and I knew I was taking a chance. However, it had exceptional reviews, but it was still a nervous time as we checked in. It was all very new and very clean. The room was nice and met with Karen’s approval as we were only here for one night.
After getting ourselves sorted we headed back into the car for a short drive back to Waynesboro to the nearest Outback for our first steak of the trip. It was well worth the effort; the service was excellent and the food even better. Then as a Brucie bonus we found that I had a free dessert coupon on my loyalty card which needed to be used. Karen ordered the Carrot Cake to go.
As there were some shops next to the Outback, we had a quick wander around Target, Ross and Old Navy. I found a couple of bargains that I purchased.
And with that back in our room it was a case of “Goodnight John Boy” & “Goodnight dear reader”.
