Preparing to Leave Solomons

Late June 2019

As our month in Solomons was coming to an end we started to take another look at everything around us. The park area next to our slip sounded like a zoo most of the time with all the wildlife.

Next up was Annapolis, but we were a little concerned about where we were going to end up there. Although we had been there many times, we finally just took a road trip up there to scope things out from the marina perspective. We checked out our sight unseen first choice marina, which was probably a good investment. It was a great location but the fairway was very narrow. Also, the slips were angled, so turning around once we had entered the marina was not for us. If we wanted to be stern in we had to back in all the way, with two tight turns before even getting to the slip, which Heather was not thrilled about.

We had one last marvelous sunset before leaving Solomons.

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To Colonial Williamsburg

19 - 20 June 2019

A week later, another road trip, this time driving to Colonial Williamsburg in the pouring rain. Again on the way we hit a used dvd store. Late afternoon we arrived at the visitor center and started getting a feel for the area, but the rain continued to pour. Later we had dinner at the 2nd Street Bistro just as the skies were clearing.

In the morning we came back to clear skies, but it was significantly hotter. We took the kids there maybe 15 years ago. A lot was still the same, but they've made quite a few improvements as well. There was another afternoon shower to help cool things off a little.

It was a little hot in shorts and sandals. The folks in colonial costumes working outside had it rough.

The folks working inside in air conditioning had a much better deal.

They even had colonial squirrels!

Once we were done, again we made our way back to Solomons in the dark. A few of the less fortunate fireflies made their way to our windshield, leaving glowy streaks.

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Dinghy Marking

Mid July 2019

So we bought our new dinghy last summer, finally took delivery last fall, and just barely got it registered a couple months before just as we left Brunswick. But it still did't have the registration numbers marked on it, along with the stickers. We'd been lucky so far in avoiding imperial attention.

I finally got around to that on a very hot day, taking the dinghy back to the floating dock so I could sit on the edge with my feet in the water while I did it. Not bad, but the wakes from passing boats didn't make it easy. It's an older code, but it checks out.

As I was heading back to the boat a storm was starting to roll in, thankfully cooling things off a little.

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Mitchie's Tavern

13 June 2019

We then went back down the mountain to Michie's Tavern, which we had passed a few times now. The tavern itself, now a restaurant and gift shop, was interesting, and there was a great view. There were also multiple additional buildings on the site of roughly the same era, most of which that had been moved there, that were turned into static displays or additional gift shops.

After wandering from building to building through a nice afternoon shower, we hopped back in the car again headed for dinner in Fredericksburg. We had dinner at a little Italian place called Otello's. During the last part of our drive back to the boat in the increasing dark there were swarms of fireflies catching the corner of our eyes along the roadside. One deer made a run for it in front of us, but he was fast and it didn't really even require the tap on the brakes.

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Thomas Jefferson's Grave

12 - 13 June 2019

Down from some of the garden areas is the family graveyard, where Jefferson is buried.

The short walk down from the graveyard to the visitors centers is very pretty.

We came back to Monticello the next day for Heather to more fully partake of the visitor center and the gift shop.

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Monticello Grounds

12 June 2019

The grounds had also been restored. They have planted what would have been present at the time in the manner in which it would have been tended.

Down from the house is a small street of sorts with several buildings, including slave quarters. The interiors were pretty crude, as seen below.

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Monticello Wings

12 June 2019

On either side of the house are these wings that have a porch or deck or balcony on the top, but also serves as the roof for the quarters below. The top is almost level with the lawn between the wings, but on the sides and back are exposed walls with access to the rooms beneath.There is a passageway between the wings that runs beneath the house.

Beneath the house and wings are storage room, an ice house, the kitchen, and quarters. After 30-40 yards from the house the wings take a 90 degree bend away from the back of the house towards the lawn. At the end of each of these wings are small room, used as guest quarters.

The various quarters and such below the house and wings are mostly restored with access and plaques. Heather loves a good plaque. Below is is the kitchen.

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