Saturday

What an awesome day that started early(before daylight) with a trip to the Wal-Mart parking lot where we met up with the group of folks who were flying hot air balloons. That was a first time experience for me being around this operation and now I'm ready to fly next year. We chipped in and paid for Paw Paw to fly for his 85 birthday. He really enjoyed the flight and said he would gladly do it again. It was great to see the flight of 3 balloons fly over Mike and Dee's house with Paw Paw aboard. The balloons set down in an empty field around 9 AM after a daylight take off.

After retrieving Paw Paw we came back for a humongous breakfast of pan cakes, eggs, bacon and juice, yeow was that ever delicious that Dee and Nancy made for us while Mike and I picked him up. The morning temps were a little on the chilly side but bright sunshine and and clear skies prevailed throught the day and by the afternoon it was nearly t-shirt warm.

We decided since we had Paw Paw with us we would visit some old friends and folks long gone areas as we had his knowledge and storytelling at our beck and call. Well we enjoyed all the stories and of course he knew most all about the areas we visited and of course it was so interesting to learn how most folks in this mountain communities are related starting back to the early 1800's. Many of his stories were handed down from his folks as well as his first hand knowledge of experiencing the area.

We headed down to the old Lineburg homesteads where I as a young boy fished for trout and usually was sucessful, then up to the old Dodson homestead where we use to have church picnic's down in his fields by Cedar Creek which empties into the Shenandoah River. On a hill overlooking the river is their old family cemetery where their ancestors are buried on top of a ridge as well as the whereabouts of an old slave cemetery. Both cemeteries are grown over and not visible but I remember seeing one as a kid but not the other.

After leaving that area we rode down to the Moore's Ford area where you have to cross Cedar Creek in the water without a bridge. When I was a young kid we often played in the water during the hot months of summer; folks would drive their cars into the middle of the river and wash them. The area is still pristine and just beautiful. There are a number of new houses but we found the remains of many old log cabins some have been fixed up and some just standing an abandoned. After crossing the creek we saw a fort(Frye Fort) that had originally been built during the indians war and the walls were made of stone some 37 inches thick. That place has been remodeled but the orginal fort still stands. We could only take pictures from the road.

We next headed to the Zepp area where I don't remember going much as a kid. We stopped and visited with the church building St.James Lutheran Church which is now just standing without a congregation. The building was built in the 1800's and was part of a 5 church syndicate that included the church I attended at St.Johns. One pastor served all of the parishes on Sunday in the old days. The inside of the church has been restored and is used only on special occasions. That was such a beautiful setting back in the rugged mountain land. We headed on up North Mountain and eventually crossed over it which was alive with beautiful colors, a narrow road and switchbacks and lots of old homesteads as well as some very modern houses. That was a trip I want to take again.

We got back to Woodstock just about 2 PM then headed to the local bowling alley where we continued to celebrate Paw Paw's birthday. He is quite a bowler and carries about a 140 average as bowls on a league. I bowed out due to the right elbow still suffering from all the square bales of hay I tossed this summer and watched the others get beat by Paw Paw. Finally one grandson, Jeremy Tharp was able to score one game a couple pins higher than the 85 year old but that was one game only and Paw Paw didn't have his regular ball with him. Well is was a fun time with 2 of his daughters, Pat, Dee and 2 of his grand sons as well as 2 of his great grand sons present. We had a good time trying to beat the birthday boy.

We came back and chilled the rest of the evening watching college footbal and eatin chilli and cornbread, yikes was that ever delicious on a cool evening as the temps began to drop along with sun, LATER These photos are of our road trip to Mt.Falls(community where I grew up) and the Zepp areas. I will have to add the balloon pics later.