Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Williamsburg Virginia - WWR 6 Jamestown

We woke up about 7:00 AM. I wandered out and found rally organizer Talon and one of the staff people risking life and limb to get the banners and trim up.

Talon and staff getting the banner up

The whole group decided to walk to the pancake restaurant next door. Williamsburg has more pancake eateries than I have ever seen together in one place. Many of them just serve breakfast and lunch. I had an all meat omelet that was cooked firmly, just the way I like it. Sherm likes his a little less cooked but they didn't seem to understand and his was like mine.

Heading for breakfast

Everything is colonial around here

Sherm, Wanda, Cheap B, Mal, Julie and Southern Draw

Southern Draw, Lucky Al, Southern Comfort, Yvette and Sandy

Perhaps they need an electrician?


Sandy, Julie and Wanda heading back

Hard wired Internet?

We returned to the motel and decided to head for Jamestown. Historic Williamsburg is within walking distance but, since Jamestown was the first permanent European settlement around here, they suggested we do it first. No one in the group had been there before so we searched Cities on the GPS and found nothing. Finally, I found the Jamestown Visitor Center under Landmarks so I got to be the leader. The route wasn't pretty but it got us to the National Park on the original settlement site. There is also the Jamestown Settlement, run by the state, but we didn't stop there.

Grampa D and Sandy

We don't have an Annual National Park Pass this year but did not have to pay because we were counted as part of Grampa D's vehicle. Southern Draw also got a few in under his pass. The first place we went was to the theater where we watched an 18 minute movie on the history of the original settlement founded in 1607. Then we went out and walked the original site.

The boardwalk to the settlement

Some kind of tree or plant or something

Jamestown Tercentennial Monument

Inscription on the monument

Everything is so green

Map of the original settlement

Biker and Trucker

Memorial Church

One thing that surprised me was the Union Jack flying over the stockade. It lacked the red diagonal cross of St. Patrick that represents Ireland on the current flag. The staff assured me it was correct to the period but didn't know any more than that. Research when I got back revealed that the English/Scottish Union flag was adopted in 1606, just before the colonists arrived here. Ireland wasn't added until 1801. Another piece of trivia learned.

The Union Jack 1606 - 1801

Biker in the 17th century church tower

Model of the original settlement

Pocahontas

Captain John Smith

Sherm's usual pose

Excavation on the original site

Many ferry boats passed by

Reverend Hunt Shrine

It was a Protestant settlement

I had no idea what the English Inns of Court were. These four represent the remaining associations of English barristers. They have halls, accommodations, a chapel and training areas. Every barrister must belong to one of them to practice.

I learned something new from this

It got very warm and humid so most of us were carrying our jackets by the time the tour was over. Lucky Al led us back to the motel via the Parkway and didn't get lost once.

Heading out on the Colonial Parkway

The Colonial Parkway

Back at the Rodeway, we found many more people had been arriving while we were gone. We spent the rest of the afternoon doing a bit of blogging and greeting the new arrivals.

A smaller Toby and his better half

Talon had arranged a Meet and Greet at South of the Border, a Mexican restaurant about half a mile up 2nd Street. We rode down before the 6:30 meeting time and wondered if we would all fit in what appeared to be a small place. The staff moved tables and chairs and we ended up only occupying only half of the building.

I am not a big Mexican fan but there were many good looking things on the menu. Sandy and I ordered quesadillas, hers with chicken and mine with beef, chicken and shrimp. It was excellent and the staff hustled to get things out very quickly. And the prices were very reasonable. If we had a place like this at home, I would be there all the time.

April tried a little of the green Habanero hot sauce and pronounced it to be just that. Her red face backed that up. Not much of a hot sauce person, I put a little on a nacho and gave it a try. It did start a little fire but wasn't oppressive so I had a little more. Not bad.

Lined up at South of the Border

The green habanero sauce

Brad and April after she tried some hot sauce

Julie recording the moment

Our table

Tim and Jim

Slammer's table

Alabama and Colorado

Laura, Bass Man, Nickels and Lucky Al

Badger's table

Organizer Talon with some of the Canucks

The other end of our table

The latecomers

Badger and Six Pack Jack square off

Part way through the meal, Rainman and Six Pack Jack arrived with a couple of others. The staff quickly got them up to speed on the food aspect of the evening. When it came time to leave, we found that they had parked their bikes across the front of our row so some rearranging was in order before we could head back to the motel.

At the Rodeway, we found Stonewall and his friend John had just arrived after having left Toronto this morning. I directed him to the restaurant where some people were still lingering. On Talon's instructions, Tommy and Lucky Al set about starting the fire in the neat little portable fire pit that Shellfish had provided. It had a base and a pan that looked much like a large wok. After the flames were going, I joined Sandy in the room to watch the first episode of the new Survivor. Then it was back out to the fire for a while to enjoy the company of friends before heading off to bed.

The fire is going well

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