Day 37—Carlisle, PA to Rural Retreat, VA; John & Pat’s
350 miles
After our blowout last night, Suz said that she was going to drop me off and continue on today, but when I told her that she needed to stop long enough today to sort out our gear and settle our finances, she said that she was going to spend the night because she wanted “another free night” on the road.
This day’s drive wasn’t quite as long as yesterday’s, though it began in silence. We were both still angry. Also, I simply have no more conversation left. We’ve both told the same stories, made the same observations, and voiced the same opinions (our sons and daughters, our relatives, our parents, car and cycling trips we’ve taken, RVs, abortion, child rearing, the demise of barns, urban sprawl, traffic, food (healthy/fast), flora and fauna, gardens/gardening, house architecture, shoes, clothes, television, cell phones and other electronic gadgets) a hundred times.
We stopped in Wytheville, 15 miles from John & Pat’s on Hwy 81, and picked up submarine sandwiches for each of us as we were due to arrive early, about 1:30. I did not want Pat in the kitchen cooking up her usual farm fare.
As soon as we got in—and Gunner, Breeze and Nellie had greeted us—we seven sat at (or under if canine) the porch table and we humans ate our sandwiches (I’d bought Suz one also) while the dogfaces settled for dropped crumbs.
After we ate our subs, we emptied the Volvo and sorted out our gear, Suz returning the gear and clothes she’d borrowed and keeping what I’d given her outright. We replaced the bike rack and bikes. Suz will drive both bikes back to Stillwater as I would not be able to get the bike and all of my and Jeff’s and Jessica’s things in the Prius after the reunion.
Pat has a quiet, soothing nature and with the dogs and cat and the tour of their place, Suz and I began to relax. We all toured the vegetable garden, and then I got a little separation when Suz and Pat toured Pat’s flower gardens and John showed Suz his woodworking shop and took her on a Ranger tour of the ponds and property.
That evening we had a great dinner on the porch in the midst of a sudden thunderstorm. There was little wind so we sat and enjoyed Mother Nature as well as open-face cheese sandwiches that I’d prepared and big bowls of borscht and a cucumber salad that Pat had whipped up. Actually she’d made a huge batch of borscht thinking of her relatives who were due to arrive later in the week. After dinner Suz and I sorted out our finances, and all was ready for Suz to depart the next day.
Suz and I slept in the king sized bed in the guest room as John’s son, Rob is now at home trying to sort his life out and was in the other guest room.
The next morning we ate breakfast, again on the porch, and then Suz packed up and was off by 9:30.
Rob’s car had some problem with its bearings, so he and John ran it to the car place. Then he and I and Pat drove to Hungry Mother State Park (about 15 miles south on Hwy 81) to finalize details of the reunion with John Stone, our contact there.
Following this, we went grocery shopping and I bought food for my meals through Thursday night. J & P bought stuff to feed the gang later that evening.
Later that afternoon, we loaded my stuff in the truck and returned to Hungry Mother. Both John and I checked in. The Schuylers will be in Scarlet Oak. I have room for 8 on beds with some left over floor room.
After unloading my gear and putting all the food into the refrig in my cabin, we commandeered a grill from one of the cabins J&P had rented nearby (cabins with kitchens do not get one) and set things up for hotdogs and hamburgers that evening on my large porch. Then J & P went home to make potato salad, baked beans, etc. and to complete chores.
Uncle Steve’s family members (Hansi & Rob; Janneka w/ Felix; Carolyn & Gary w/ Tyler) arrived first, then Uncle John’s family members (Marcia; Liz & Jeff w/ Jill; Ellen & Jerry w/ Michael and girlfriend; Sean & wife and three kids; Lori & Dave w/ Kelsy; the Crombies). The Schuylers, my gang (Jeff and Jessica; Phil, Peter & Sonja, Andrew & Sarah w/ Sophie, Tim & Becca w/ Brian and Emily), would not arrive until Thursday night.
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