As we left Michigan, we were a bit pressed for time since we had to be in Decatur, Indiana for a service appointment on our coach.  We zipped through Wisconsin without much sightseeing, however we made a point to stop in Ripon, Wisconsin at the “Little White Schoolhouse” – the birthplace of the Republican Party.

Ripon’s Little White Schoolhouse is a National Historic Site.  A small group of local citizens changed the future of our nation when they voted to form a new political party that would be called “Republican.” The birth of the Republican Party brought together a  dedicated following of individuals who pledged to organize and fight against the spread of slavery.

It was fun looking at the museum exhibits.  Here are some highlights.

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Indiana

We arrived in Indiana for our service appointment. The American Coach staff could not have been nicer or more efficient. Very happy with the service we received.

We did have a bit of excitement though as a series of tornadoes swept through the area. In nearby Kokomo, a tornado leveled a Starbucks. Definitely a nerve-racking experience, but we made it through safe and sound. The tornadoes bypassed us.

Here’s a news story about the devastation.

West Virginia

Back on the road, we headed to Virginia for a wedding. We passed through West Virginia and stopped for the night in Cross Lanes, WV. Near the restaurant where we ate, we came across deer grazing on the hillside.

Virginia

Next stop … Virginia. We had a beautiful (but somewhat treacherous) drive through the mountains into the Lynchburg, Virginia area. Finding our campground in Gladys, we settled in and met the friendliest neighbors in the park.

The Lynchburg RV Campground is part of the Thousand Trails system. It was our first stay at a Thousand Trails park, and apart from the dusty roads, it was a great experience.

 

Red Hill – Patrick Henry National Monument

Red Hill is Patrick Henry’s last home and burial place. It houses the largest collection of Patrick Henry memorabilia in the world. Patrick Henry, by all accounts the father of the American Revolution made his famous “If this be treason, make the most of it!” speech, declaring his opposition to King George III’s Stamp Act of 1765. A decade later, as revolutionary sentiments surged in America, Henry declared “Give me liberty or give me death!” to the Virginia Convention gathered at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Richmond, Virginia.

 

Slave Cemetary

A short hike from the main houses was a slave cemetery. We hiked down to visit and pay our respects. It was really a sad place. No tombstones or crosses. Just rocks to mark the graves.

 

Wedding

We visited Virginia for the wedding of Zack’s best friend from High School, Ryan Root. Of course Zack was in the wedding, so that was an extra treat for us. It was great fun seeing friends from California as well. Beautiful wedding.

 

Norfolk & Virginia Beach

We couldn’t spend time in Virginia without visiting the cousins. In Richmond, we saw Nancy & Carl. Then we ventured to Virginia Beach to see cousins Karen & Beth. We decided to take a break from the RV and got a hotel right on the beach for the weekend.  Lots of fun.

 

Williamsburg

The last stop on our trip to Virginia was Colonial Williamsburg. Stretching over 300 acres, Colonial Williamsburg includes 88 original 18th-century structures. We enjoyed touring the area. Here are some of the highlights.