Recently we took a bus tour from Myrtle Beach to the Great Smokies, the Blue Ridge Mountains and Parkway, in to Virginia through the countryside of rolling hills bordered with trees of changing colors. It was a beautiful day in the foothills of the Blue Ridge. As we age our memories become hazy. But it took only a short time to bring back some of
those memories as we rounded one curve after another and saw wild life we never expected to see and breath taking views of golds, reds and yellows adorning the trees. Each area had its specialty--the valley views of towns appearing as if they were a child's building block display; the Blue Ridge took one's breath away., Mabry's Mill brought back memories of annual visits to buy molasses and corn meal. The gentle, rolling land of the Piedmont, dotted with grazing livestock, reminded those of us who had been to Scotland of that exciting terrain. We enjoyed a train ride in the dining car leaving from Bryson city. It was quite relaxing and the mountain scenery was more than we had anticipated.
Woodrow Wilson was the first president on our trek of the area. We toured the museum, his boyhood home and had a special lunch in the Library. The softly falling rain did not dampen our spirits. Staunton has a special aura as the travelers quickly felt.
Our history lessons continued at Monticello, the home designed by its owner Thomas Jefferson. I'm always surprised at his ingenuity and his innate ability to see into the future of this nation.
Then there was James Madison's home, Montpelier, a new experience for me. At the time his family built the home it was in the wilderness. The front view faced the Blue Ridge Mountains, beyond that was unexplored wilderness. Today the highway cuts through the mountains to West Virginia. A surprise to me was what a colorful character was James Madison's wife, Dolly. She was known as a great hostess who didn't blink if she had a hundred guests for dinner. She liked her drinks, smokes and she dipped snuff, but still a lady of her day.
James Monroe was probably one of our most effective Presidents but his accomplishments are understated. A visit to Ash Lawn reinforced the simplicity of his lifestyle. I found it interesting that his alma mater, William and Mary, owns and manages his home.
The D-Day Memorial was a special place for several of the men who were World War II veterans...one person had been there on D --Day. Another visitor remarked that it was the most impressive war memorial of all. It is set on a hill overlooking the small town of Bedford where a large percentage of D -Day casualties were from. We could see the Peaks of Otter on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was bittersweet for me when I thought about my parents and grandparents who were no longer living. Oh, if I could have travelled just a short distance down the road and walked into my great grandparents home and felt their presence and smelled the aromas of Nannie's cooking.
We had lunch on a boat on Smith Mountain Lake. The sun glistened on the water as our guide told the history and purpose of the large man-made lake. I thought of my Aunt and her family who owned many acres of land, some now a part of the lake floor.
Onto the Booker T. Washington Museum and Memorial...a part of history some would rather forget. He was an amazing man and the world is better for his contributions to it. I knew a tidbit of history that won't be found in history books. I know who taught him to read--a brave and illegal thing to do.
What a tour.! I have left out the fun we had as a group, our lunch at Michie's Tavern and at Applebee's, and just chatting on the bus. It was a trip to remember forever. Thank you Naomi and John for your kindness and professionalism
And I'm still prejudice--about Virginia!
