Travels Through Times Past
Lex Vegas
Little Lexington - so quaint, lovely, quiet, and, after eighteen years, so boring.
While VMI used me up, I did the same to Lexington. It has great little shops, cafes, restaurants, and parks. The Chessie Trail and Woods Creek trail are both fun.
I saw it all, over and over.
Restaurants I Recommend - Foothill Mama's BBQ, Lexington Coffee Shop, Nikko's Grill, The Palms, Matsumoto Sushi, Pure Eats.
The place I miss most - Muchacho Alegre an eclectic Mexican experience, with the best Steak in Lex and the best Fish Tacos I have ever had.
Fun Shopping - The Victorian Parlor, Shenandoah Attic, Pumpkin Seeds, and Artists in Cahoots
See the Stonewall Jackson Cemetery, VMI Museum, Reeves Museum of Ceramics, and Lee Chapel. Take a ride around town with Lexington Carriage Company.
San Antonio
One of the coolest places in America, I love the Riverwalk and must visit the Alamo every time I visit.
The other Missions and the Historic Home District are also well worth seeing. The National Shooting Complex is World Class.
Savannah
No doubt, this is one of my favorite cities. I've been there numerous times, visiting friends, for St. Patrick's Day, and when my daughter lived there.
I've never had anything other than a Great Time in Savannah. Around every corner is something interesting.
Charleston
I've been here twice and have not photographed it. There are good reasons, but I need to go back and take care of this.
I could live in the Low County but it is far too hot and muggy for Kady.
Shem Creek
Beaufort
Pat Conroy is one of my favorite authors - My Losing Season, The Great Santini, South of Broad, and The Lords of Discipline. He came to VMI as a guest speaker, one of the best I ever heard there. I got to tour him through VMI Barracks. Basically, I TOLD everyone I was leading that tour.
While we walked around, we had a good long talk. As I assume he was always wont to do, he began talking about his home in the low country of South Carolina. He asked me if I had ever visited Beaufort. When I said no he made me promise that I would visit. "When you do, come see me." I forget when this was.
Pat passed away on 4 March 2016,
At my earliest opportunity, on 7 August 2016, I went for my promised visit. It took me a while to find him. In a small non-descript cemetery I found his site.
Family, friends, and fans had lined the grave with pinecones and left meaningful trinkets at his headstone - a small basketball (from one of his Citadel teammates, maybe), pencils ( a shoutout to writing his novels in longhand), seashells (prince of Tides fans?) . . .
I apologized to him for being late.
I loved his little town and plan to return for a longer visit.
Manhattan, Kansas
The Little Apple and I are friends. I love it there and became a huge fan of the prairie. Cooper, Kady, and I took long walks there and never tired of it.
I did my Physical Therapy there after shoulder surgery and credit Mattis Rehab for my recovery.
The town has walking paths and parks everywhere. The people are friendly and active. There are plenty of decent places to eat and quaint little coffee shops.
If the kids ever have to return to Kansas, I hope they go here.
Leavenworth
I had to spend way too much time here when my soldier attended Command and General Staff College. The people are nice, but this place is crumbling to pieces, bit by bit. The town's infrastructure is wonky. There are sidewalks everywhere, going nowhere. Just try and walk around a block. Your sidewalk will always end. There is trash EVERYWHERE! The roads are potholed, the stores mostly empty, and Downtown is dead.
All of this is understandable knowing that Prison is the main industry. Who wants to live in a prison town unless your loved one is incarcerated or the Army makes you live there for a year (which is the same thing)?
If you live in Leavenworth, you drive to Kansas City for a good time.
Out West
Go West Old Man
One of my first trips in retirement was Out West for three months. There was so much crazily beautiful scenery out there, that it became overwhelming. I was quickly tired of red rock formations. But there are other interesting things to see . . . and we did.
Would I ever live out there? No. I prefer green. . . . hardwood trees, lush vegetation, and water.
Sinagua Dwelling, Arizona
Colorado National Monument
Horseshoe Bend
Fort Stockton
Meteor Crater
Cisco, UT - If You Know, You Know
It Was Grand
The Keys
Ah, The Keys. The place inspires me; I take more photos and write more stories while I'm there.
During our last trip, I searched for Papa's Key West. I visited all the Hemingway haunts and toured his home, taking photos along the way.
Next time, I'll be looking for Seamus, Gumbo, Jojo, and Savannah. The first stop will be The Meteor on Francis Street, then Gumbo's Bar at Coconut Mallory's, and The Morisol Factory on Julia Street.
I have a long list.
I need about a week on the big island, soon, so that I can bar-hop and not worry about driving US-1.
Using the little book, Hemingway's Key West by Stewart B. McIver, as a guide, I spent a day walking and photographing the big island. I had a Papa Dobles at Sloppy Joe's, a beer at Captain Tony's, toured his home, and all the touristy things.
It was a very hot and humid day and I found myself wishing I had my bike with me, it was a LOT of walking. Worth it.
After checking out St. Mary's church and The Electric Kitchen I was Done! I called SS and Kady, gave them my location, and they drove to me. That was much better than walking to meet them at Mallory Square, the original plan.
Captain Tony's
Six-toed Cat
Mantao
I love it here. It has so much to offer and it is the perfect launching point for exploring the Outer Banks. My Family loves it here.
Hatteras
I enjoyed my time on Hatteras but Hatteras is a place that needs some love. The beaches are eroding, the infrastructure is in shambles, and the houses are all in peril. It is as if everyone is either barely holding on or has completely given up.
That is understandable; they lose every time a hurricane or tropical storm hits the East Coast. This is a place to see before it is gone.
Kady and I were there for a buddy's wedding and stayed in The Cape Hatteras Bed and Breakfast. We had a fine meal at The Captain's Table. I highly suggest both.
Ocracoke
I appreciate this little place. It is quaint and quiet, and you can only get to it by ferry.
I haven't been back since Hurricane Dorian's 7-foot storm surge swept across the whole Island, but I'm hot to go.
Kady and I spent a day wandering around the island and having lunch at Howard's Raw Bar and Restaurant. Pretty Great Place.
Ocracoke was much better kept than Hatteras back then. I'll bet they recovered nicely after Dorian; there is a lot of pride there.
Wilmington
I haven't spent a lot of time in Wilmington or Wrightsville Beach, but hope to, soon. I have good friends there. The last time I was there, was to bury a big VMI Alum. I took a few Cadets to "show the flag."
After the service, I turned the Cadets loose on the town and went out with Ken and Alice. They took me to Elijah's, a restaurant on the riverfront. Amazing. I had the best crab cakes there I have ever had.
Go There.
Virginia Beach
This is NOT my favorite beach, but it is the closest. I can drive there in a few hours and get my sun, sand, and surf hit. The place is overcrowded most of the summer, but April is not bad . . . after spring break. Given the time, I would always rather go to the Gulf Coast.
I got up at 6 AM, just to get this shot. Thanks, Bird. Thanks, US Navy.
Neptune
Not long ago I read a quote by "photographer" Catherine Opie that claimed that sunrises and sunsets are the biggest cliches in photography. Thanks for your input, Catherine. To me, sunrises and sunsets are the reason for photography. Shoot all you want! Every photo is different.
One cursory look at Catherine's photography and you'll see why I give her no credence. She's a nitwit.
Back Bay
Early Morning Self Portrait
This is my new place of quiet and solitude.
If you have never been to Back Bay, make it a priority. Just a few miles south of Virginia Beach, it is a beautiful bit of the coast, well protected by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. Here you can walk miles along the beach and never see another person. Wildlife abounds in the freshwater bay, among the dunes and vegetation, and along the ocean. I saw Cormorants, Ducks, lots of Redwing Blackbirds, Osprey, a Snowy Egret, lots of turtles, gulls, and pipers. The Pelicans stole the show, flying up the coast in large formations.
As I walked the area, I imagined that this must have been what Virginia looked like when the first settlers arrived at Jamestown.
If you are looking for a quiet place to unwind, this is it. Bring your bike, a light jacket, bug spray, and sunscreen. And . . . your camera.
Chatlottesville
When I retired, we moved to C'ville. It is quaint, large enough to have all the amenities, small enough that we don't have the problems of Richmond and DC.
This is a foodie place with more restaurants than you can shake a stick at. The music scene is solid, including a few street performers, like ole Ricky here.
There are paths and trails all over the place and we are surrounded by battlefields and mountains. We're a three-hour drive from the beach.
The people are mostly nice, though a little self-righteous. It is a rare weekend when they aren't marching for some cause or another. Bless their Hearts.
Staunton
Staunton! Your train station, though still beautiful, needs a LOT of work.
This beautiful main street community. is in the Shenandoah Valley, just over the Blueridge from us I got to know the town well when I was teaching ROTC and helping out with Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership. My Daughter went to college there.
It's worth a visit, especially during Harry Potter Days.
Gordonsville
One of our favorite little towns around Charlottesville is Gordonsville. Clean, pretty, quaint, and friendly, it is a pleasure to visit. We often drive through the Virginia countryside just to eat at the Bar-B-Q Exchange.
The girl loves to shop there. I enjoy the little main street park and the buildings and houses.
Thomas Jefferson's Monticello
If you are visiting Charlottesville, you need to put Monticello on your To See List. The place is clean, quiet, scenic, and instructional. The people who work there are helpful, polite, and friendly. They do an amazing job of preserving history while telling the whole story. You will come away from the place a better American and convinced of Thomas Jefferson's genius. I suggest doing the self-guided tour. There are plenty of people around to ask if you have questions. Spend most of your time in the house, but don't miss Mulberry Row.
James Monroe's Montpellier
I'm on a quest to visit all of the Virginia presidential sites. I had been to Montpelier before but that was for a ceremony and I was working. This day, Kady and I went together and strolled the grounds, early, before anyone else arrived. It was a solid plan. We didn't do the house. The grounds and surrounding forest are beautiful, protected, and quiet. Thanks to the DuPont family and a number of benefactors, the place has been preserved and renovated. Ms. Annie duPont saved the Garden and it was my favorite area on the grounds
James Madison's Highland
Thomas Jefferson pointed his friend James Monroe to a tract of land near Charlottesville, Virginia. Monroe bought 1000 acres in 1793. He settled his family there in 1799 and lived there, sporadically, until debt forced him to sell it in 1825.
Much less visited than next door Monticello, it is a beautiful property and seems a world away from the bustle of nearby C'ville.
I've never been to a more quiet and serene historical site.
Kady sent me there to do a Tree Walk with a Certified Naturalist, probably to get me out from underfoot. The walk was informative and fun.
Afterward, I walked the ground for photos.
All The Presidents
Kady, wanting to do this trip for the longest, bought tickets, and off we went. I didn't think It would be much, but I changed my mind when we got to the site. The amount of work and artistic ability it took to make these busts is astounding.
Created by Houston artist Davis Adickes, they were displayed in President's Park in Williamsburg until 2010 when the park was sold and closed. Howard Hankins moved them to his family farm for safekeeping. Many of them show signs of the move and are in pretty sad shape . . . which makes them more interesting to me.
If you'd like to see this, google it first; there are rules. Wear your Wellies.
The Blue Ridge Parkway
The Parkway is one of my favorite drives and favorite places to photograph. It is beautiful up there and much less crowded than Skyline Drive.
I took these at Raven Roost Overlook at milepost 11, south of I-64.
Blandy Experimental Farm
Kady advised me the night before to pack my camera and be ready to go the next morning. "We're going to see Ginkos."
I love these Kady Trips.
We ended up at Blandy Experimental Farm, The State Arboretum of Virginia. They have a large stand of Ginkos there and Kady had been monitoring the leaves, getting us there just before they fell. Perfect Timing!
On our way home, we visited Historic Waterloo Bridge before they tore it down. Happily, the community rose against the plan and saved it. Mosby used this bridge during the war. It's said that if you visit the bridge at night you can hear his cavalry riding across.
Ivy Creek Foundation & Natural Area
An easy drive from my house is one of my favorite places to walk, The Ivy Creek Foundation natural area. This is a track of land protected by a private foundation with miles of well-marked trails, an old farm, a butterfly garden, a bird-watching station, and a training classroom.
I go there often, hunting for things to photograph. It is well worth the trip to Charlottesville just to hike the trails.
Crabtree Falls
May 2018 off SR 1002
Crabtree Falls is the longest waterfall in Virginia or some such. It cascades down a mountain for about a mile and drops 1200 feet. There is a trail where visitors can follow the falls from top to bottom.
I suggest parking at the bottom and walking up so that you can walk down when you're tired. It is a good workout.
Worth it!
Crozet Tunnel
Built between 1850 and 1858 by Irish immigrants and engineered by French immigrant Claudius Crozet, this mile-long railroad tunnel through the Blue Ridge Mountains is now a favorite biking and walking location. The first time I saw it, it was so uninviting that we took a few photos and walked back to the car. They've really done a great job cleaning it up, shoring up the west entrance near Afton, and building a raised walking surface with drainage on either side. They've built parking and positioned port-o-johns on either end.
Wear a water-resistant jacket and shoes. Take a headlamp.
Lost Roads
Kady called. She was lost and her map app wasn't working. (Probably Apple Maps) She said she was somewhere close to Crozet Virginia. I asked which way she was going and she didn't know. It was afternoon, so I asked where the sun was in relation to the car. It was behind her so she was going East. I told her to turn around, stay on the phone, and drive to the next intersection with a highway sign.
From there, I gave her detailed directions back to the Interstate.
When she got home she told me of all the fun things she had seen. We went back the next weekend, cameras in hand.
Farmville and Highbridge
Just south of Charlottesville, is the little town of Farmville. It straddles the route taken by The Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army, fighting their way to Appomattox. Along US 460 are the battles that sealed the Confederacy's fate, Five Forks (called the Southern Waterloo), Sailor's Creek, and Highbridge.
Ashville and Biltmore
Kady and I took a weekend vacation to Ashville and visited Biltmore while we were there. I could absolutely live in Ashville NC. It is a cool town and the scenery rivals Charlottesville's. We stayed in a super nice hotel that we both loved.
The estate is something to see, but don't carry much and wear your running shoes. I recall my Fitbit saying that we walked about 5 miles. I was only disappointed that I couldn't go into the gun room. Not OK, Biltmore.
The Cabin in the Woods
I've been talking about renting a cabin since the day I retired. Kady surprised me by renting this place for a week. If you are looking for a place to unplug, reconnect with nature, and have a lot of quiet time, this is your place.
Situated on fifty acres in rural Virginia, it is quiet here, almost spooky. There are trails but you aren't going far. The trail to the River and back is a workout. There is no cell reception but the WiFi is decent.
The Cabin is nice; perfect for a couple. The bed is comfortable and spacious, the fireplace and living room are nice, and the kitchen has everything. They supply a nice assortment of coffee for the Keurig. The back porch faces East for nice Sunrises, We didn't really use the TV or the Fireplace.
We appreciated the quiet beauty of the place, but it was no big change to our normal at-home existence.
The AirBnB link for this place is here.
Farms
My family Loves Farms. When we can, we all go together. When we can't, Kady and I go alone.
We usually try to go to a place with pumpkins, farm things for little kids to do, hayrides, and Corn Mazes. We love doing Corn Mazes.
Before Halloween is best, but some years we don't get to one until November. The girls come home with pumpkins to carve and for decoration. I'm always hunting for good Apple Butter and interesting things to photograph.
Jay and KS like real Christmas trees, so, some years, we go to Tree Farms.
My favorite is Belvedere Plantation, near Fredericksburg.
Old Tennessee
Our friend SS has a nice piece of land in Tennessee where he is refurbishing an old farm house and raising a few cows.
It is a quiet and beautiful place. Wildlife abounds. I get to feed the cows, ride the Gator, and drive the tractor.
We enjoy going there to live a bit of farm life.
Türkiye
The Army assigned me to Izmir three times. Let's see - Three tours of duty on the Aegean Coast? Yes, Please!
Turkey is like a second home now. I love the food, there are ancient cities around every corner and pristine beaches. The people are beautiful. It is a photographer's paradise.
I left many of my best friends there and I miss them.
Please, someone, send me back.
The United Kingdom
The United Kingdom
Chosen by the Division Command Sergeant Major to represent the 82nd Airborne in The British Parachute Regiment, the family and I spent two wonderful years in England. That was a good deal.
When I was home, we spent our free time traveling around the countryside and back and forth to London.
I saw Scotland and Wales but was not allowed to go to Ireland. The Paras are not looked on kindly there and the State Department didn't want to chance a mistake.
Who gets paid to tour the UK?
Cyprus
Kourion
In 1989, I was assigned to The British Parachute Regiment. The Paras thought I was there to travel with whoever was going somewhere nice. One of my first trips was with B Company, 1 Para, to Cyprus. We trained hard and played harder . . . for six weeks.
I took sailing classes, spent loads of time on the beaches, scoured the ruins, bars, and restaurants, and generally had a super time working on my tan. Thanks to my Mates - Rand, Steve, Spike, Andy, and Claire, this was, by far, my best military exercise ever.
Canada
Does it look cold in this photograph? It should; it was 20 degrees below zero when I took it.
The Scouts jumped into Anzio DZ, Petawawa in January 1982. We were there for a 28-day exercise for which we were completely unprepared and ill-equipped. The Jump was a horror story.
The Exercise was 50 miles from North Bay. At Night, the temperatures dropped to 45 degrees below.
The Canadian Commandos took good care of us, distributing the Scouts among their platoons, issuing us their cold-weather gear, and teaching us their ways. It was still miserable.
Ask me if I want to go to Canada in the winter again. Hell, NO!
El Blisso
I don't know why I'm including this place. I was sent here to attend the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy (USASMA).
My time here was unhappy. Billed as Great Family Time by the Army, we were encouraged to bring our families, and then the school piled on the work. I hardly saw my family.
The school was a gigantic waste of nine months.
I tried to find things to enjoy. I visited the local Missions, but they are in such sad states of disrepair, my visits only angered the historian in me. I enjoyed running in the desert, but the school forced us to do organized PT, dumbed down to the National Guard Leg level. Our housing was 1950s Airforce Quarters, roach and Black Widow infested, cooled by a swamp cooler, which didn't work. I became the resident expert in the community for repairing these.
My kids were sent to subpar schools. There was even a riot at my son's high school. We couldn't even find a decent Mexican restaurant.
I still hold a grudge.
On our trips out West, I always insist on driving Straight through El Paso. The only truly nice view of the place is in the rearview mirror.
