LEAVING JEKYLL ISLAND

They say all good things must come to an end so it is time to head out and make my way to Minnesota to my new job at Lamb's Resort in Schroeder, MN.

It seems everyone has started heading out this month.  I say goodbye to my friend Jean and her cat Hazel

Tucson says goodbye to all his friends

The racoon is down in the dumps because Tucson is leaving

 One last Sunrise

O

 One last Sunset

 I stop at Hunting Island on my way out to visit with Jean and catch an Easter Sunrise Service on the Beach

Then Continue on to my friend Lynn's in Florence and generally take the same route back that I did coming down.


The Azaleas were out at Ed and Leslie's in Carolina Beach, NC

 

Another stop in Richmond.  Visit Historic Tredegar Iron Works Site.  In 2000, the facility overlooking the James River became the site of the main Visitor's Center of the Richmond National Battlefield Site

Hang out with Abe.  Sculptor David Frech of Newburgh, New York, was commissioned to commemorate the historic arrival of Abraham Lincoln and his son, Thomas and their tour of the burnt-out Union-captured Richmond, on April 4, 1865, 10 days before his assassination.

 Another trip across the suspension bridge to Belle Isle

This time I also did the Art Museum.  It's free, I spent a couple of hours there and probably didn't even see half

 This is actually a flat painting - not a shadow box

 Charles Sprague Pearce 1884

 Maxfield Parrish circa 1923

They even have furniture

 Tiffany Lamps

 One lone Faberge Egg, the others are traveling - would have loved to see them.  My mother made some from Goose Eggs, wish they were still around or that I had pictures of them. 

 

Also visited Maymont Mansion and Gardens a 100 acre Victorian estate - again free and spectacular I might add

There are native wildlife exhibits, a nature center, and Children's Farm.

This is actually one of those view finders

Spring is in the air and the trees and flowers are popping out

An an arboretum and formal Japanese and Italian Gardens

Then of course there is the Mansion

walking up the hill I saw this and thought what a beautiful home.

 Only to find out it was the Stables

 Oh!  OK here's the Mansion

 Nope - Garage and Carriage Houses

 Let's keep going the mansion has be around here somewhere!

 I think I see it ahead

 Yes, finally!  Only $5 to tour but it was the tail end of spring break and busy, plus I've spent close to 2 hours touring the estate and Tucson is home alone.  Will save it for next time for sure!

I've been watching the status of the Cherry Blossoms in DC and they should be at or near peak when I go through there.  Want to get closer so I can get up at 4 am and drive into DC.  So let's stop and see what's in Petersburg, VA.

This octagonal building caught my eye.  It is the public/farmers market  built in 1878-79. Open on Saturdays May-October

 It's definitely an old city and rundown but with such beautiful architecture.  Looks like they are making a good effort to revitalize.

 The Siege Museum.  Formerly the Exchange Building which was commissioned by a group of merchants to create a trading center where graded and certified samples of agricultural products could be shown to prospective buyers.

 A few of these around town

 One section had some really cool sidewalk art

 Tucson found this one a bit confusing!

 Tucson LOVES kitties

 Looks like we were being watched

So we move on to the Fredericksburg Walmart for the night.  I wake up at my usual 4:00 and we are gassed up and ready to go by 5:30.  It was clear sailing into DC but once there I encountered one road block after another.  Every street my GPS told me to turn down was barricaded.   I had just thanked Mom for getting me into DC without a hitch but now I was frustrated and said OK Mom, looks like I won't be able to scratch this off my bucket list just yet and programmed the GPS for my next destination.  Just then I looked across the street (I'm on Pennsylvania ave.) and see cars pulling up to the curb and parking.  I make a quick U-Turn (illegal but all the police are busy blocking road) and sure enough legal parking - YEAH!

We walk the 10 or so blocks down to the Mall.

The sun is coming up.

 and YES! The blossoms are at peak today!

 The Jefferson Memorial across the way.

 Hard to see, but the trees line the entire Tidal Basin.

 Didn't show up in picture but the Washington Monument was in the background

 As always Tucson runs into admiring fans.

 I thought this appropriate after I faced my fear of driving the RV solo into DC and made it!

 The Martin Luther King Memorial had some inspiring quotes as well.

 And of course no trip to DC is complete without a visit to the Whitehouse

 Tucson is less than impressed, I think he was expecting a White Castle and some burgers.

 A beautiful morning in DC.  I overheard someone say it is the busiest day of the year in DC.

Next stop Connecticut.  Unfortunately I must go through NYC to get there.  I had wanted to take the Tapenzee Bridge over but my GPS kept trying to get me on Parkways - where RV's aren't allowed.  My friends husband gave me directions but when I got to the exit there was an immediate fork which the directions did not mention and I chose the route East (silly me) as that was the direction I needed to go.  I got hopelessly lost and finally stopped for gas and got directions.  Unfortunately they were going over the George Washington Bridge.  Yikes!

 Took the lower part as the time indicator said it was faster.  I saw a sign going in that the toll was $14 with a reduction for easy pass.  When I checked my account a week later it was $32 because of the double wheels on the back and that was the discounted rate!  Had I known I would have found another route - oh well live and learn. 

 Eventually I made to to Stamford, CT to visit with my friend from NYC days Robin.

We took a nice ride out in the country and stopped at the Lourdes Shrine in Litchfield, CT

 Tucson got a break at this nice little State Park along lake Waramaug

 Robin treated me to lunch at the Hopkins Inn. 

What a treat and such a beautiful day to sit out on the stone patio overlooking the lake. I had a Salad, phenomenal Escargot and the most wonderful Garlic bread. 

 We drove out to this covered bridge

 Got some ice-cream and watched the river run by

Loved this sign in the Cafe where we got the ice-cream

 Had a lovely visit now it's time to move on - next stop Cape Cod to visit with my Sister.  On the road and passing through Rhode Island when I glance down at my phone which is resting in the cup holder when I see the screen doing funky things.   Then I notice it is sitting in about 2" of water.  My water bottle in the other cup holder had fallen over - the top popped open and filled the phone cup holder with water.  Time for a new phone and fortunately I know my way from here because no more GPS until I get a new phone.

Had a really nice visit but no pictures taken.
Next a stop in Valatie, NY next to Kinderhook outside of Albany to visit Gary #2 who I met in Jekyll Island and who relentlessly pursued me.  He had offered to treat me to a day at a SPA - Manicure, Pedicure, Massage, Haircut etc.  Tempting but I felt funny accepting such an extravagant gift so told him he could take me out for a nice dinner instead.  We went to Delmonicos and it was wonderful. 
His property backs up to an apple orchard.


 Also got a tour of the Albany area.

 The "Egg"

 Tucson made friends with the NEIGHbors

 and a goodbye Selfie

He even washed my RV for me so I could get a decent picture for job applications

Next stop Rochester!