After four years of trying to get time off from work, I just did it! The time had come when seeing Vernon and family in Virginia could no longer wait. It was a blast!
Our adventure begins at 1810 hours. We had booked a flight that was very affordable, we just needed to agree to take some wierd flights at wierd times of the night. The first leg of our flight took us to San Francisco. I know, that is the wrong way, but why do things easy if you can do them hard? It makes you tough.
<center>
[attachment 84312 wheelsup.jpg]
Here we go! wheels up at the Boise airport for our adventure. This was not the flight we booked, the plane that we were supposed to be on was "Delayed" and they crammed us into another as soon as they could. Oh well, we would have a little longer lay over before the flight to D.C. This flight was normal and we set down in the fog just as the sun was setting over the Pacific, We were to have a 2 hour wait before the D.C. flight so we got a snack and sat down. Out flight was canceled when the aircraft flew into the place with electronic problems that left it grounded. United at last found a Eastbound plane with a couple empty seats and we got shoehorned into a later flight and were on our way at almost midnight. We hoped to get some sleep on the plane but I was sitting next to an 85 pound Japanese woman that took up more space than Bubba, Ray, and Ray's lunch put together. I have been elbowed, grabbed, and touched in places that I would rather not talk about. Nancy got out of her seat somewhere around Nebraska and walked to the back of the plane to use the restroom. An hour and a half later she was not back and I was a little worried. Turned out she was talking to the flight attendants about metal detecting. They had a blast drinking coffee and chatting while I was having my version of Pearl Harbor in seat 23b.
At long last I walked my tired self out of the plane in D.C. We had less than an hour to find the next plane. It was little tense for a while, the next flight was on a prop plane, and it was a long way from where the real planes were. Our cheap tickets also required that I spin the prop when the pilot yelled "Contact! before I could climb on. We sat there in the airport at the gate for a long time. This plane also had problems.
I have never been east of the Mississippi, and was having a little culture shock watching all the unusual folks walk around. I did mention to Nancy that I was, beyond a doubt, the only person in that whole place that had shot an elk. At long last I heard the announcer say "Fite ???? to Charlottes-avilea noow bordena at gate too-aa." I have no idea where she was from, but it darn sure was not Idaho.
After a short flight, we were met by the smiling faces of Vernon, Sharon, and one of his very talented girls, Leanne. Now on to their place and a week of fun!
<center>
[attachment 84311 mainstreet.jpg]
Vernon lives in the heart of some real history. This photo is main street in his home town. Homes are old and well kept.I was also impressed at the lack of subdivisions,
We headed out for a vist to Appomatox for more history lessons. On the way we stopped at some of the historical signs that are all over the place.
<center>
[attachment 84310 leesretreat.jpg]
I love to study U.S. history, so I was familiar with the names and places, but nothing can take the place of actually standing in the very places that I have read about for so many years.
<center>
[attachment 84309 appmainst.jpg]
This is the main street in the town of Appomatox Court House. As many of you know, is where Lee surrendered The Army of Northern Virginia to Grant. A short time after that surrender, the Confederate army marched down these streets and stacked their rifles in front of Union troops. After 4 years of a bloody war, the Union troops saluted the Confederates as they passed. There was no cheering of glory, just memories of a long nightmare now over. As we walked these streets I could almost see the whole thing play out around me. What I would have given for a time machine that I could have looked into the past.(Or permission to detect) It was an amazing thing to stand where all this occured.
<center>
[attachment 84307 rebpos.jpg]
On the horizon of this photo is where Lee and his men were camped. I was told that from these woods the Rebs were lobbing cannon shells into Appomatox before the surrender.
<center>
[attachment 84305 leesdesk.jpg]
This is the desk and room where the papers were signed that ended the war for Virginia. I have seen this room so many times in photos, and now I was there. What a feeling.
The morrow would bring a tasty breakfast, and the first of many days of history and detecting finds. I came to Virginia hoping for nothing more that a fun times with good friends, and at least one thing that was a genuine Civil War relic. I left with a lot more than just that. I will post more on the first day of detecting. Vernon has already posted some of our finds, I hope to show more photos of the stuff being found.
And thank you all for the nice comments you made on all of Vernon's posts. I did read them all and enjoyed every one. We were to busy finding more, and getting in some occasional sleep to answer.
DC
Our adventure begins at 1810 hours. We had booked a flight that was very affordable, we just needed to agree to take some wierd flights at wierd times of the night. The first leg of our flight took us to San Francisco. I know, that is the wrong way, but why do things easy if you can do them hard? It makes you tough.
<center>
[attachment 84312 wheelsup.jpg]
Here we go! wheels up at the Boise airport for our adventure. This was not the flight we booked, the plane that we were supposed to be on was "Delayed" and they crammed us into another as soon as they could. Oh well, we would have a little longer lay over before the flight to D.C. This flight was normal and we set down in the fog just as the sun was setting over the Pacific, We were to have a 2 hour wait before the D.C. flight so we got a snack and sat down. Out flight was canceled when the aircraft flew into the place with electronic problems that left it grounded. United at last found a Eastbound plane with a couple empty seats and we got shoehorned into a later flight and were on our way at almost midnight. We hoped to get some sleep on the plane but I was sitting next to an 85 pound Japanese woman that took up more space than Bubba, Ray, and Ray's lunch put together. I have been elbowed, grabbed, and touched in places that I would rather not talk about. Nancy got out of her seat somewhere around Nebraska and walked to the back of the plane to use the restroom. An hour and a half later she was not back and I was a little worried. Turned out she was talking to the flight attendants about metal detecting. They had a blast drinking coffee and chatting while I was having my version of Pearl Harbor in seat 23b.
At long last I walked my tired self out of the plane in D.C. We had less than an hour to find the next plane. It was little tense for a while, the next flight was on a prop plane, and it was a long way from where the real planes were. Our cheap tickets also required that I spin the prop when the pilot yelled "Contact! before I could climb on. We sat there in the airport at the gate for a long time. This plane also had problems.
I have never been east of the Mississippi, and was having a little culture shock watching all the unusual folks walk around. I did mention to Nancy that I was, beyond a doubt, the only person in that whole place that had shot an elk. At long last I heard the announcer say "Fite ???? to Charlottes-avilea noow bordena at gate too-aa." I have no idea where she was from, but it darn sure was not Idaho.
After a short flight, we were met by the smiling faces of Vernon, Sharon, and one of his very talented girls, Leanne. Now on to their place and a week of fun!
<center>
[attachment 84311 mainstreet.jpg]
Vernon lives in the heart of some real history. This photo is main street in his home town. Homes are old and well kept.I was also impressed at the lack of subdivisions,
We headed out for a vist to Appomatox for more history lessons. On the way we stopped at some of the historical signs that are all over the place.
<center>
[attachment 84310 leesretreat.jpg]
I love to study U.S. history, so I was familiar with the names and places, but nothing can take the place of actually standing in the very places that I have read about for so many years.
<center>
[attachment 84309 appmainst.jpg]
This is the main street in the town of Appomatox Court House. As many of you know, is where Lee surrendered The Army of Northern Virginia to Grant. A short time after that surrender, the Confederate army marched down these streets and stacked their rifles in front of Union troops. After 4 years of a bloody war, the Union troops saluted the Confederates as they passed. There was no cheering of glory, just memories of a long nightmare now over. As we walked these streets I could almost see the whole thing play out around me. What I would have given for a time machine that I could have looked into the past.(Or permission to detect) It was an amazing thing to stand where all this occured.
<center>
[attachment 84307 rebpos.jpg]
On the horizon of this photo is where Lee and his men were camped. I was told that from these woods the Rebs were lobbing cannon shells into Appomatox before the surrender.
<center>
[attachment 84305 leesdesk.jpg]
This is the desk and room where the papers were signed that ended the war for Virginia. I have seen this room so many times in photos, and now I was there. What a feeling.
The morrow would bring a tasty breakfast, and the first of many days of history and detecting finds. I came to Virginia hoping for nothing more that a fun times with good friends, and at least one thing that was a genuine Civil War relic. I left with a lot more than just that. I will post more on the first day of detecting. Vernon has already posted some of our finds, I hope to show more photos of the stuff being found.
And thank you all for the nice comments you made on all of Vernon's posts. I did read them all and enjoyed every one. We were to busy finding more, and getting in some occasional sleep to answer.
DC
