Anyone trying to reach me over the next two weeks:



Will be heading back to Virginia to visit my last remaining Aunt of my mom's generation...
She does not have much time left, so I am leaving to go back and see her one last time..

She was pretty much my second mom growing up my first half of my childhood, with my mom working at the Pentagon
so much back in the 50s and early 60s.

also passing thru West VA visiting family there also on the way back..

so if you PM me, and get no response... I'm not ignoring anyone, I'll just be away taking care of family business...

At $5.00 a gallon.. so I am taking the 35 mpg Camry instead of one of my more thirsty vehicles... so less room to stretch out...
Living life under DemocRats....

Should be back by July 1....

Have a great trip John, I don't think I ever met nor heard of anybody who crosses the Nation as much as you [not counting over the road truckers].

Don't forget your birthday on the 20th, second longest day of the year I reckon.

Over.

Drive safe John. Still haven't had time to work on the polesaw btw. LOL

Have a safe drive Seafire!

She will be happy to see you and you her.

Kent

Have a great trip.

Be careful out there among the English

Hey Seafire. Say high to Bluefield for me and Cove Creek if you get a chance. East River Mountain used to be beautiful. I think it’s built up now.
Have a good trip and enjoy seeing home. I’m sorry for the reason you’re going, that’s never pleasant, but enjoy what time you have with your Aunt.
Ernie

Godspeed Seafire. I have one remaining aunt back in VA too.

I think that would be a great trip,as mentioned 5.00 /gal will suck,oh well
Enjoy

Happy Birthday John/Seafire ! ! !

And many many more ! ! !

Drive safe! And happy birthday you ol’ codger

Have a safe trip and a wonderful visit with your aunt.
I, for one, wish I could have a visit with any one of my 18 aunts and uncles - loved them all!

Have a pleasant journey.

Have a safe trip John.

Hope you have a safe, enjoyable , and memorable trip.

Got back Wednesday night... at 11Pm'ish....

was a total of 7908 miles round trip and travels between houses of relatives I was visiting...

most of the trip was pretty uneventful....the Camry turned in a solid 35 mpg, even while doing speeds above 80 mph....

turned 70 on the 20th of June... just another day of the week.... but have to admit, I am not the roadwarrior I have been in days gone by...
been trying to recover for the last 48 hours to pushing it home, to be here for my wife's birthday....

only stopped to spend time with two campfire members, both of whom I've never met before...
one from Staunton Va, we stopped and had a meal together at CrackerBarrel in Staunton VA...

as always when I meet a fellow campfire member, Steve was a great guy....

the other was while in Monroe Co WVa, staying with family there and being based out of there...

84th Mountain EER... Ben... another great guy. We spent a couple hours together on a range he belongs to in Summers County,
talked and shot some...

Always amazes me of the quality of folks I meet that I've gotten to know on the campfire...

If I didn't have a schedule and a business to be concerned about, that I run for the wife.....I could stay on the road and just visiting campfire members all summer... Salt of the earth folks.... never met one that was a bummer to be around... just exactly the opposite..

have met some of the best folks I have ever met in my lifetime...all members here on the campfire...
I am blessed to have met and spent time with each person I have had the pleasure of face to face contact with...

Also went up to Charleston WVa, and wasn't able to get together with "Dave in WVa".. but I still took time to visit the resting place of his son, Chad
at a military cemetery, right behind the State Police Academy there in Charleston area... don't know any other way to say it... but I enjoyed taking the time to pay my respects for one of our Veterans, who is no longer among us..but is resting in peace...

While there, there was a funeral and burying of another military personnel/ veteran... it also included quite a few members of the local Police Dept, and the WVA State Police.... As they were leaving, I stood by Chad's resting place and stood there in a Salute as the attendees were leaving....

Cars stopped and got out and returned my salute... others just honked their horns, and gave me a salute from behind the drivers wheel...
many people also just waived..... It may be my imagination, but I also felt someone else standing there and giving a Salute of Respect also..
If I was correct, that was Dave's Son Standing there with me... Respect.. that is what it is all about... and there was plenty there in that military Cemetery, as the attendees passed....

I then went up and saluted and paid my respects to the new resident of the cemetery. The guys who were finishing the burial, stopped and watched as I paid my respect to the deceased, with a salute that I held for about a minute....Appreciated the guys doing that for me...

after that, and drove back down to southern WVa....it was a solemn trip back... just thoughts... never even tried to get anything on the radio...
but it was a good day.... when you've worn the uniform, each other veteran and soldier, sailor, and airman is your brother or sister...
I thank God for the time to be able to show my respect for each of those to include Chad...

Seems it worked out pretty well John.

Happy for you.

Sorry we couldn't get together. Thank you for visiting Chad. Glad to see you are home safe.