Tidewater Virginia

3.30am call, unusually we cleared US Customs at Calgary airport which meant we had nothing to do in Houston for 7 hours before our connection to Norfolk. We got in around 11.45 pm, bed by 2am. Long Day. Weather in Norfolk was lousy, hot, humid and raining.

Next Day we did our washing and chilled, did I say it was raining. Kevin Mathis came over for dinner and we reminisced about 25 years ago when we lived across the road. It was great to catch up. Next day we drove to Winterville North Carolina to visit Dan and Jessica Mathis, Chris's third son and his family. We spent a wonderful day with this delightful family. As it happened it was Evan's 9th birthday so we were lucky to share this special event. Little Kate (Olivia) was a treasure. We left after dinner to drive the 300km home, Did I say it was raining. The drive home was extraordinarily difficult, water over the road.  We got home around 10.30pm. Thanks Matt.

We enjoyed the environment at Matt and Chris's, their back yard is like an aviary with all manner of birds feeding just a few feet from the window.

We were due to go to Katie and Fred's on Thursday, but Helen had a revisit from the virus that knocked her off her feet on the ship so she had a day in bed to recover. 

Friday we went to Newport News to stay with a mate I worked with in Fort Monroe in 1991/92 LTC Fred Whittaker and his wonderful wife Katie. On Saturday it was  on the road at 7am for the drive to Charlottesville for the UVA football game against university of Central Michigan. We met with our hosts Preston and Diane Stallings at their spectacular home, hummingbirds flying to the feeder in the window. At the appointed time we drove to the car park adjacent to the field and a tailgate party started. Bloody Mary's  and champagne sandwiches, quiche, and lemon slice for breakfast. At 12.00 it was off to our seats for the game, what a spectacle. Huge Band, cheerleaders and a one hour game that last 4 hours. UVA won which was unexpected, Helen got right into it, yelling 'first down' each time the team completed a play and standing and singing the team song each time it scored a touchdown. Brilliant.

Sunday was relaxing around solving the problems of the world with Fred and Katie. Marvellous. Sunday night we went out to the Crab Shack on the James River for dinner and  to watch the sunset. There we met two of Fred and Katies neighbours, Shiela (a Scottish women) and Mary from  New York.

Monday Katie took us back to Poquoson to get ready for the trip to Maine. Monday night Chris cooked up a feast for a family get together with her son's Steven and Jason and their families. Great night.

Tuesday saw us pick up the hire car, or more like truck, a Ford Expedition a huge 7 seat vehicle. It looks bit like the new Ford Everest just released in Australia. 

The Maine Road to the North

.Day XX Poquoson to Nanuet NY.
We left Poquoson. nice and early, 8.00am and took the I64 south to the Hampton Bridge Tunnel, then headed north over the 21 mile Chesapeake Bay Bridge tunnel, an engineering marvel that takes you to Virginia's eastern shores. The eastern shore is a thin peninsula that has a string of small villages up to the Maryland border, farmland and lots of artisans. Our aim was to get to Liberty State Park in New Jersey via the New Jersey Turnpike, a 12 lane monster highway to view the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the new Manhattan skyline.

It was a bit blowy so we packed back into the Ford Expedition and on to our overnight stop at the Hampton Inn Nanuet NY.

Next day we drove to York Harbor Maine and the Sunrise Hotel. On the beachfront this place is a treasure. A walk around town and across the wriggly bridge. Pre dinner drinks at the Chapman Cottage followed by the worst meal of the trip.

Friday we drove along the beach front to Perkins Cove a gorgeous little harbour with amazing little shops and stunning views.

Then on to Kennebunkport, holiday place of the Bush family and to Portland for lunch at the famous Portland Lobster cafe  where we enjoyed a lobster roll. After lunch we went to Big Moose Harley Davidson for Matt then back to Kitterey and York. We went to Lobster Cove for dinner, Matt and I ordered the twin lobster plate, two one and one quarter pound lobsters plus potato and coleslaw. Beautiful. All for $25. Maine has so many picture perfect homes and vistas with old lighthouses dotted along the coast.

Saturday was check out of the Sunrise Hotel , big breakfast at the Lobster Cove before heading off for the great American pastime, Outlet Malls. We drove an hour north to Freeport Maine where the huge LL Bean mega store is situated along with a squillion other factory outlet shops. Once the credit card was blistered, a little, we headed west to North Conway New Hampshire. Heartland of the New England fall colours. New Hampshire's is funny place, the state motto on the vehicle license plates reads "Live free or Die" , really, that's a bit harsh, Virginia's is ' Virginia is for lovers', Montana is ' Big Sky Country' but New Hampshire, live free or the states gonna kill ya! As we went west the fall colours started to appear in earnest, we arrived at our accommodation the Eastman Inn, a B&B built in 1777. A beautiful old building with two steep flights of steps up to our room, beautiful appointments and engaging hosts, Arthur and Marta.

Sunday was a trip to the base of Mount Washington through the White Mountains that were alive with all the colours of fall foliage; reds, yellows, oranges and green in many tones. Absolutely stunning. We caught the Mount Washington Cog Railway up the mountain. The oldest cog railway in the world built in 1880's. It rises from around 2500 feet to 6288 feet, up into the clouds. We got on top of the mountain, but there was no view due to low cloud. The trip up gave us vistas of surrounding mountains for about 2/3 of the trip.

After we decended we drove back to North Conway and stopped of at an Irish Pub for a drink. We walked in and sat at a small table listening to music played by about 8 local musicians. The played for about 1 and 1/2 hours, other musicians joined in for some songs, the oldest member was in his 80 's youngest about 18. It was fantastic. We decided to stay for dinner. 

Next day, Monday, we drove the Kancamagus highway from Conway to Lincoln NH, 34 miles of the most beautiful scenic vistas you could possibly wish for. Rated as one of the best drives in the USA,this is the goto place to see fall colours. We dropped into the Saco River Ranger station and got our map and POI sheets,  we started with Covered bridges over rivers flanked by trees of red, yellow, orange and everything color in between. As the road climbed the mountain wayside stops at strategic points provided the perfect viewing point. Fall colours as far as the eye could see. At one point we met a woman who come up to see the leaves every year. She said this is good as it gets and she has been coming for 30 years. We timed it to perfection.

The day was topped off with a bit more outlet shopping.

Tuesday was back on the road south to prepare for our trip home next Saturday. overnight stop back in Nanuet NY then onto the New Jersey turnpike for Virgina's eastern shore and home to ready for our trip home.