GETTING WARMER!

Hilton Garden Inn Columbia Northeast

Columbia, South Carolina

Thursday,January 14, 2016

56 F / sunny

We were on the road (I-81) by 8 a.m., headed for Columbia. 

Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia welcomed us first!

North Carolina welcomed us too!

North Carolina flowers welcomed us too at the rest stop!

Despite being busy doing USA Today crossword puzzles, I looked up from a puzzle just in time to see a sign for Natural Bridge, Virginia. Without going into every detail: When I was putting a photo album together with my great aunt’s old family photos, there was a road trip from Jamestown to Spray, NC, in the mid-1920s. My grandmother, grandfather, and several aunts and uncles stopped along the way at Natural Bridge in Virginia. The black and white photos were magnificent. TK willingly drove the extra 5 miles so I could see actually see this special site. According to information the natural bridge formation was one of the nation's most visited natural wonders and known as “One of the Seven Natural Wonders of the Modern World.” It is 215 feet high, taller than Niagara Falls. The bridge is located in the Shenandoah Valley flanked by the Blue Ridge Mountains on US Route 11. When we left the area we actually drove over the bridge on Rt. 11 to return to I-81.

We purchased tickets and took the shuttle to the base after being warned of falling icicles and rocks.  I did not expect the bridge to be so big. Cedar Creek gurgles underneath—a beautiful sight! I never imagined I would see this wonder!

TK drove safely to our hotel in Columbia, South Carolina without any other excitement and the weather is much warmer! Up early tomorrow to get out of Columbia before the traffic worsens!

TK’s Takes: There were more semi-tractor trailers on the road than ever before. He finally found an easier way around Charlotte, North Carolina. Traffic over Lake Norman is awful, but the new way made up for that (I-485). Finally the weather got nice—it was as high as 60 F.  And, it seems like all the hotels we are staying in have big screen TVs, even 46 inch today.

Note to Son R: I thought there would be some neat camping at Hershey, Pennsylvania and lots to do! Camping and hiking at the Natural Bridge would be neat too! Since B2 likes studying the U.S. Presidents, this would be a good area for that too!