Playing Fair and Being Kind

I arrived in Virginia Beach very early on my birthday, the 19th of February. The place I had planned on staying is no longer existing. Ft. Story on Cape Henry is closed. I changed plans and traveled to Little Creek Joint Base still in Virginia Beach and got a room for the night. The weather was a definite uptick from the previous days on the road and in New England. The temps were in the 60s and the sun was shining. I took advantage of the mild day and took a long walk across the base and started napping and resting that afternoon. 

During that day I also found a Navy Federal Credit Union branch office and squared away a problem of logging on to the web site I’d been having. Additionally, the car needed to be washed. It was completely covered and streaked with white chemical traces that made it look a total mess. There was a car wash on the base near the gas stations that I took advantage of. Once through the wash bay with an ‘supreme’ wash, wax, under wash spray job made the SAAB look almost new. That taken care of I then went to dinner at Bubba’s Crabhouse on the water near Ft. Story. http://bubbasseafoodrestaurant.com/home.php

What a delight to eat in peace and quiet. A wonderful meal of crab cakes so large that I had to eat slowly to make sure I was able to get it all in. The best! I drove back to Little Creek and along the way I noticed I was due to have an oil change on the SAAB in a few miles. Before it got too late I researched a SAAB mechanic in the area and found an older gentleman by the name of Franco from Sylvania. Franco had been in Newport News since 1974 repairing foreign cars. His establishment is European Motors, Inc on 141 Harpersville Road, Newport News. Quite a delight to talk SAAB history and repair situations with him. A kindred spirit when it comes to automobile maintenance is Franco. I enjoyed chatting with him and he set up an early appointment time for the next day after learning I was traveling and going to Tennessee the next day.

On the 20th I left Little Creek early and got to the garage for the oil change. The mechanics checked all the fluids, found and changed a broken fog lamp, and road tested the SAAB. All was found in order and I got underway for a trek up the mountains of Virginia on I 64 and then a southerly route, I 81, to US Rt 27 in Tennessee. Just past Charlottesville the travel instructions take us onto I 81 and we drive along the ridge directly southwest to Knoxville. Once on I 81 the rain began and at one time it appeared that I would be washed/blown off the highway. I had to slow to less than 45 mph in order to give the wipers a hand in clearing the windshield enough to see. Throughout the night I drove through rain or drizzle for the length of I 81. 

During this trip I found a terrific restaurant in Marion, Virginia by using the GPS “good restaurants” tag. I was directed to the Black Rooster, part of General Francis Marion Hotel.

http://gfmhotel.com/blackrooster/?cat=7

I ordered a marinated sirloin which was absolutely delicious. The chef visited my table to ask how it was and to make sure I was satisfied. Quite a pleasant experience eating in a lovely atmosphere and being so well attended to. I finished off the meal with a flourless chocolate cake with raspberry sauce. Oh, to be able to eat like this always. Erp…

I continued to travel toward Tennessee. I stopped in a rest area for the evening to get some much needed rest. Besides, the heavy meal was making me catatonic and I thought it better to hole up while the rain was coming down so steadily. I stopped on I 81 and used the facilities to clean up and brush my teeth. The car was o.k. but I found places that i could improve on to make it more usable for sleeping.

The next day around 11 a.m. found me in Tennessee on U.S. Rt 27 passing through hills and valleys along into the south eastern part of the state toward Spring City. I called my intended host, Nicole Schmittendorf a couple of times to coordinate a meeting for lunch at her work place. I met Nicole, our second meeting, and we jumped and danced a bit to celebrate my arrival and our seeing each other again after over a year. We went to a barbecue for lunch just around the corner from her work place. What a wonderful lunch and re-acquaintance. It was great to see Nicole. She took me to her home and got me settled there and went back to work. The next few days were filled with pure love and affection. I met Nicole’s husband and children and I became part of her family of love and caring. The next few days were spent being one of many. I also was resting and becoming more used to the warm temps in this part of the country.