So to catch everybody up: We slept in late and then went with Milt and family to Biscuit Head for lunch. Great biscuit cafe in Asheville. I'll post a pic below. Milt's plan was for us to all drive out to his family farm about an hour or so away and then he'd drive a pickup back as we continued on our way. Joann wouldn't go and Jillien backed out at the last minute. One the way out to the farm we stopped at Milt's old school Warren Wilson U which was having a big conference/thing on country music. We listened to this lady who was a great storyteller and the former president tried to talk Reed into going there. From there it was off to Hickory NC and a quick view of Lenoir-Rhyne U. Then on to the farm where we met Milt's mom and brother. Milt then had a surprise for Reed as he got out a .410 shotgun and let him shoot it a few times. The first time Reed had ever shot any type of firearm. He did well too as he hit the target all three times including the two times I threw it in the air. We ended the night sitting on the porch of his brother as that was the only place that we could do the Internet and then only for a few minutes as everybody in the house was asleep. Here's the pic:

Ok let's see where do I begin.  After an early morning email with Joanne Milt came over to the motel at about 8.   Said he and Joanne were booked all morning but he'd be back at 1:00.  Showed us around Asheville and told us about a possible activity in the evening called Contra Dancing.  Had some places to go so we just hung with him for a awhile and then dropped us back at the motel with us going over to their house for dinner at 6.  Reed wanted to go back to one of the stores he showed us here-an old record store so he and I did that.  At 6 we went over to eat and meet Jillian their 15 year old daughter.  After dinner it was off to contra dancing, which can best be described as a combination of square dancing and line dancing with some swing thrown in.  The first activity was to teach anybody how to contra dance.  We all took that lesson, including Reed who said he had never danced and would never dance.  When the real dancing started, who's on the floor?  Reed and having a great time with Jillian.  Reed spent, in fact, most of the night on the floor with various partners and declared contra dancing "awesome".YouTube had some great clips of contra dancing at this dance hall The Grey Eagle.



The dance quit about !0:30 and we headed back to the motel with Milt full of ideas about tomorrow. We'll see what develops.

A day of bad timing.

 Didn't hear from Tony by the time we were supposed to leave the motel so I made an administrative decision to head to Asheville instead of Wilmington.  Always wanted to see the town and there was another school close that we could see--Southern Wesleyan.  Besides Milt Crotts and his wife Joann live there.  Tried to call them and got a school switchboard so I thought they might be living on the school campus of Joann's school.  When we finally found the place that turned out to be true but they weren't home.  Got a room in a interesting looking motel.  The front of the place is all stone.  Of course there was a email from Tony telling us how to get to his place in Wilmington but that will have to wait till next time.  Checked the Crotts'  a couple more times but it's getting late so we'll wait till tomorrow.  May head to Stone Mountain near Atlanta tomorrow.  The Rushmore of the Confederacy.

Stayed here

Left Ry's kinda late as Reed was a bit late getting up but Ry and I were having a  good time so it didn't much matter.  What did matter was traffic on the way south through VA as it was 30 mph for much of the time.  Finally quit about 7:30 in Rocky Mount NC where there's obviously a few too many motels and the prices were the best so far on the trip - $45 total for a nice room.  Reed just said he's down for Arby's for dinner so we'll see you later.

OK spoke too soon.  Arby's turned out to be about 10 miles away and on the way back we........well let's just say we took the scenic route.  After a while on the scenic route we had to stop and ask some guys which scenic route would take us back to the motel in an area of which we did not know the name.  They finally figured out where we should go which was hindered by a certain amount of alcohol and 20 miles of so later I'm typing this. Wew.

Not much to report today.  Both Reed and I woke up tired.  Reed at 12:30.  So we decided to take the day off and just lounge around Ry's place.  Ry then took us over to Arlington VA for dinner.  Really cool town.

Ok  So we won't deal with yesterday as yesterday Reed and I had a little "falling out".  BUT today was back to normal and we did the Holocaust Museum and the Museum of American History.  Have to say that cousin Ry has been great putting up with us too.  Reed took some pictures maybe he can send me one and I'll put it up.

Toured Washington all day today and then Ry's daughter Stephanie was the tour guide tonight.  Finally home about 11.  More touring tomorrow.   Here's a pic from the FDR Memorial.  And Reed thinks I embarrass HIM.