October - 22, 2010 - Friday

     Before we left home we had arranged to get our absentee ballot by e-mail.  It was harder than it sounds - calls then mail to sign and send back - then you could get an e-mail.  No matter what Sam tried he could not get the old Dell printer to load onto his computer.  This meant a trip to Wal-Mart.
     Before going to Wal-Mart we went to Waffle House for breakfast.  Sam got his breakfast with grits - apparently they were very good because he talked to the manager and told him that he needed to go to Maryland and show them how grits were to be made.  We got a lesson in Grits!  The most important part is not to "cheat the grits" - they need water AND butter to be done right!   After we ate it was a surprising time - our check had been on our table and when we got done talking it wasn't there.  We asked the waitress if it had fallen.  She informed us that it had already been paid!  A gentleman and his family paid it - Sam had on his Native Veteran hat on so we think it might have been that.  I had noticed the family because I thought they might have been Native American.
     We then went to get a printer - good deal - one for $29.00!  We picked up a few things like water bread and lunch meat.  so we drove back to the RV to drop everything off and then headed South to the Natural Bridge.

The right choice!

     When we first started planning this trip the Natural Bridge was one of Sam's request for the area.  When you get to the area there is huge hotel and building that you enter to buy tickets.  It is one of the largest gift shops I've ever seen!  Sam went to get the tickets and I went to get the postcards.  There was a lot to look at but most of it was really expensive!  I looked at a Cherokee possibles bag.  It was about 14" x 14" made of calico with turquoise and ivory ribbon trim.  It's wasn't made well and it was $121.00!  So I got postcards and a cookbook!

Arbor Vitae

     Then Sam and I walked down a long set of stairs to the next level.  At that point we had a choice of the shuttle or a set of 137 uneven stairs going down.  We choose the steps - it was so pretty walking along a small stream and by an old tree.   It was an Arbor Vitae that had died in 1980.  Before it died it was 1600 years old and was the oldest and largest one known in the world.  It was 56 inches around - doesn't sound like much but it only grows about an inch every 30 years!     At the end of the stairs is is a snack building and lots of seating. then a pathway leading to the Natural Bridge.  WOW - word really aren't enough to describe how beautiful it is!  I understand why the Monacan Indians called "Bridge of God".




"Bridge of God"

      After walking under the bridge if you continue down the trail you are taking the Nature Trail along Cedar Creek.  We continued walking to the Monacan Village that had been recreated.  Then we found a bench along the creek to sit, relax, talk and enjoy the beauty that surrounded us.

Cedar Creek

     We had decided that we wanted to stay and watch the "Drama of Creation" light and music show.  It has been running since 1927!  We had about 2 hours to wait so we walked back to the snack bar.  Really it was a choice of what kind of hot dog we wanted.  I chose a Carolina Dog - a Nathan's hot dog on a pretzel bun covered with chili, cole slaw and mustard.  Sounds weird but was really good.  They were just starting a fire in the large stone fireplace so we moved close to it.  The temperature was dropping and it was getting cold.  We meet a really nice couple - Mike and Linda from Mobile, AL.  We spent the rest of the evening talking to them.
    Just before 7:00 p.m. we walked to the bridge to the set of benches.  After the program started we learned the first four days of creation would be done on that side of the bridge.  We were all to walk to the other side for the last 3 days.  Sam decided that walking in the dark over uneven ground was too risky for him.  I went ahead and walked to the other side.
     The light show was nice and the music was really good.  After walking back I found out that Mike had had the same idea as Sam so they had spent the rest of the time up by the fireplace, talking!
     After the program we took the shuttle up and it dropped us off right next to our car.  We got back to the RV about 9:00p.m.