We followed highway 33 out of the park towards Newport News, VA. One deer avoided a big rig by doing some fancy footwork while crossing the highway. Otherwise the drive was uneventful.
Our detailed planning only carried us as far as Dayton. We have our list of places we wish to visit on the remainder of our trip but we haven’t research nearby attractions so I feel we are going to miss things we would have liked to see. We are also feeling a little rushed because we want to be in New York next weekend. Rides at Coney Island are only open on weekends until summer, so we can’t delay a day or two. For example, this morning we passed near James Madison’s Montpellier but didn’t feel we could stop.
Our planned stops at Agecroft Hall and Maymont in Richmond were bypassed because we read they were closed on Memorial Day. Had we know that when we were near Montpellier, we would have stopped.
We spent two hours at the Mariners’ Museum in Newport News and it wasn’t nearly enough time. The displays about life in and around Chesapeake Bay depicting fishing, boat building, and maritime activities were all well done. The USS Monitor salvage and restoration project showed large and small items recovered from the wreck site. Reconstructed of sections of the Confederate ship Merrimack showed the skills practiced by ship builders more than 100 years ago.
(USS Monitor Anchor)
We did grocery shopping for our trip down the outer bank. It’s becoming hard to choose the foods we’d like. The selection of fresh fruits and vegetables is extremely limited compared to what we are accustomed to in California.
We had an early dinner at Harpoon Larry’s. Mary had the Crab Cake with red potatoes and I had scallops with a baked potato. Both meals were served with Hush Puppies and coleslaw although I requested the mixed vegetables. Otherwise, the food was unremarkable. The price seemed high given we both left feeling hungry and a little disappointed.
We spent the night at Gosnold’s Hope campground in Newport News. This is a city owned park with 15-sites that provide water and electricity for $10.40 per night. Even showers are available. Given the heat and humidity, air conditioning provides welcome relief. This is a great alternative to spending the night at Walmart.
