The Adventures of CC & Me: Monticello

We had a couple of issues this trip. No surprises there. The Direct TV hasn't worked this trip & tech support doesn't work weekends. I called them this morning & they talked me through a couple of things (something about region changes) & shazam satellite TV. So now it's finally up and running. Boys are happy. Of course I-64 is tree lined so lost the signal a lot while driving. But what do I care, I'm driving & can't see it.....

Next CC was creaking when we opened her last night. But it must have been the site we were staying at. No problems this morning.

Woke up this morning. Had a nice hot breakfast & broke camp. Quick 20 minute drive to....

First stop, Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello. The road up the mountain was interesting. Let's just say very narrow and curving up the mountain side. I'm surprised Rita's Honda Fit, we're towing behind CC, didn't clip somebody or something on the way up.

Monticello's website said RV friendly, but I'm not so sure..... Wound up parking CC in a downhill pull in slot (not a pull through) & had to disconnect the Fit.

While on the shuttle, we arrived at the top of the mountain & the walkway to Monticello, the recording on the shuttle said we are approaching "little mountain". Hunter said "I thought we were going to Monticello?" The gal in front of him turned around, she was an off duty tour guide, and said "Monticello is Italian for little mountain". Hunter just gave her a smile. It kind of took the wind out of his comment...(if this doesn't make sense, it might have been a "need to be there" moment.)

Monticello was beautiful. We got the official tour then roamed the gardens. Watched some archaeologists working at the old Joiners shop. Looked like a hot & tedious job. The Joiner's Shop was where they made and fixed furniture.

I never realized that the back of a Jefferson nickel was a picture of Monticello. I never really thought about it. After the house tour we wound up on the back lawn & the tour guide pointed it out. I said " so this was the nickel tour?" The guide just kind of looked at me....

I decided to take a picture:

It might not be the back of a nickel, but you might notice my two Nickle-Heads sitting on the steps ..... Nickel head, knucklehead? Get it?

We walked down the mountain, stopping at Thomas Jefferson's grave in the family cemetery, then decide to drive the car to have a late lunch at Michie Tavern. Nice old tavern (since 1784), they had delicious fried chicken.

We got directions to the parking lot....

Then drove back up to the RV parking lot. It was way easier in the Honda. We tried to hook up Rita's car on the mountain but the parking lot was pretty steep & it was next to impossible. Lesson learned. We decided to drive separately down to the flats & hook up there.

It probably was a good thing. There was a lot more traffic on the narrow winding road. It was one less thing for me to worry about. Got to the bottom, hooked up and on our way to Williamsburg.

Nice part about this leg of the trip, it's all down hill..... Our campsite, American Heritage is real nice. Boys are thrilled, it has a Hippo Slide. It's an inflatable water slide.