AMTRAK: A FEW HINT TO MAKE IT ENJOYABLE AND WORTH THE EXTRA MONEY

 

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I retired in January 2018 and haven’t worked since. My pension and Social Security have allowed me to live very comfortably.

In retirement, I’ve traveled widely across the country, usually behind the wheel of my car. I enjoy planning each journey as much as bringing it to life.

My first major post-retirement adventure was a 36-day tour of Texas. Since then, I’ve taken a 28-day trip through the Dakotas, Montana, and Wyoming, as well as two roughly two-week journeys across the Midwest.

I had always wanted to take a long-distance train trip, and in October and November 2018, I finally traveled by rail to Phoenix, Arizona. The four-day, three-night journey included rides on the Capitol Limited and the Texas Eagle.

Since then, I’ve taken several shorter Amtrak trips and enjoyed nearly every one of them. Along the way, I’ve learned a few ways to make train travel even more enjoyable.

First, train travelers should expect a slow journey. In addition to station stops, passenger trains often wait on sidings for higher-priority freight trains to pass.

This leads to another reality of Amtrak travel: Outside the Northeast, where Amtrak owns and maintains the tracks, delays are common. Everywhere other than the Northeast, Amtrak uses tracks owned by the major freight rail companies.

I would not rely on Amtrak when traveling on a tight schedule. Amtrak is often delayed and almost always late.

Another lesson is to break up trips involving multiple trains. For example, on my return from Arizona, I booked two trains back-to-back on the same day.

I traveled overnight from Chicago to Washington, then continued from Washington to Roanoke. I was scheduled to arrive in Washington in the early afternoon and catch my train to Roanoke around 6 p.m.

Well, my train from Chicago to Washington was almost 7 hours late and I ended up missing my train from Washington to Roanoke. Now Amtrak will get you to your destination and you will have very little say on how they do it.

In my case, Amtrak put me on the Crescent, which runs from Washington to New Orleans and stops in Lynchburg, Virginia. In Lynchburg, the station master directed me to a waiting taxi that took me back to Roanoke.

Since then, I’ve planned an overnight break in connecting cities before continuing the next day. On my next trip, I took the Capitol Limited from Washington to Chicago, then the Texas Eagle to Dallas, Texas.

I was due in Chicago around 10 a.m., with the Texas Eagle departing at about 2:30 p.m. To avoid a missed connection, I stayed overnight and boarded the following afternoon.

Several good hotels are convenient to Chicago Union Station. I usually choose Club Quarters on Adams Street, a six-block walk away, or the more distant Holiday Inn downtown, which is a short Lyft or Uber ride from the station.

For a more enjoyable Amtrak trip, avoid coach when possible. Although the seats and cars are comfortable, the lowest fare can mean a noisier, less considerate mix of passengers.

Whenever possible, I choose Business Class. The modest extra cost is worthwhile for a quieter, less crowded car and more legroom. In business class you are less likely to get a screaming baby, unruly kids or just plain rude passengers.  In short, you get a better class of passengers in business class.

Another benefit of booking a sleeper roomette or Business Class is complimentary access to Amtrak’s first-class lounges at major stations. At stations such as Washington Union Station and Chicago Union Station, these spaces are typically called Metropolitan Lounges.

Metropolitan Lounges provide complimentary snacksm nonalcoholic beverages, workspaces for laptops, and outlets for electronic devices. They offer a comfortable place to wait for your train.

Another lesson I learned early in my Amtrak travels is to book early and pack light. Booking sooner usually means better prices on roomettes and Business Class upgrades. Also don’t be too eager to take the first price you see. I have discovered that Amtrak Fares can vary greatly from Day to day

For example, I checked the price of a roomette from Washington, D.C. to Chicago for a mid-April departure. The fare was initially $762, then dropped to $605 a few days later. Ten days after that, it was $712, and my final search showed a fare of $551.

Over three weeks, the fare for the same departure date varied by more than $200. Start checking early, compare prices, and revisit Amtrak’s website a few times before booking.

I strongly recommend booking directly with Amtrak, either through its website or by calling the reservations number, rather than using a third-party booking site.

When you book directly with Amtrak, onboard staff or customer service can address concerns promptly. In my experience, Amtrak is willing to resolve problems quickly and satisfactorily. Depending on the disruption, assistance may include complimentary lodging, travel vouchers, refunds, or other accommodations.

When you book through a third party, Amtrak typically directs compensation or accommodation requests back to that provider. The reservation secures your ticket, and that all. The booking service must handle any additional support or compensation.

Pack light—this cannot be overstated. Train storage is limited, and some stations do not accept checked baggage. A 50-pound suitcase can be difficult to stow because large bag areas fill quickly and oversized luggage will not fit above the seat.

This advice also applies to overnight roomettes. Although private, each room is only about 3½ feet wide by 6½ feet long, with two chairs that form a lower bed and a fold-down upper bunk. Large bags leave almost no extra space.

For train trips, I bring one backpack for clothing and toiletries and a smaller bag for daily essentials and electronics. Five or six days of clothing has proven sufficient.

Even on my month-long trip to Arizona, most hotels had laundry facilities. In a few hours, I could wash clothes in the evening and repack for another week, usually for no more than $7 or $8.

One of the biggest benefits of Amtrak is If you book a Roomette or family-bedroom fares include meals. Before COVID, most overnight trains offered traditional dining, with all three meals cooked to order in the dining car’s lower-level kitchen. The food on the traditional dining menu is excellent.

Although the entire menu is appealing, my favorites are the three-egg omelet for breakfast, the Angus cheeseburger for lunch, and, above all, the flat iron steak for dinner.

Traditional dining features communal seating, so travelers share tables. I’ve generally enjoyed meeting new people and have had many pleasant dining companions, with only two notable exceptions.

As of this writing, every overnight long-distance train heading west from Chicago serves traditional dining at all three meals. These routes include the Empire Builder, California Zephyr, Southwest Chief, and Texas Eagle/Sunset Limited.

Since COVID, East Coast overnight trains have served Amtrak’s Flexible Dining meals, which are prepared in advance and reheated onboard. They are tasty and generally good, though I still prefer traditional dining.

Trains heading east or south from Chicago use Flexible Dining, including the City of New Orleans, Cardinal, and Floridian.

Finally, I enjoy Amtrak for its relaxed atmosphere and the courtesy and professionalism of its onboard crews. Train travel feels entirely different from flying.

Whenever I had to fly, I disliked the experience. Arriving two or three hours before departure and navigating extensive TSA screening made air travel nearly unbearable.

Traveling by train, I usually try and arriver at the station about 45 minutes to an hour before my scheduled departure. There is none of the TSA bull crap to put up with. Basically, you just show up, wait in the lounge and board your train.

That does not mean security is absent; it may simply be less noticeable and less intrusive. At major stations such as Washington and Chicago, local and Amtrak police are visibly present, often with K-9 units and specialized equipment, while other security measures operate behind the scenes and are less noticeable.

Amtrak police officers sometimes ride onboard and may remain unnoticed until their help is required. During my 2018 trip to Arizona, a couple of the passengers in coach became unruly and would not follow the conductors direction.

One passenger became physically aggressive toward another passenger and the train staff. At that point, two armed Amtrak police officers identified themselves and brought the situation under control.

The aggressive passenger was arrested and turned over to local authorities in Alpine, Texas. The other passenger involved in the dispute was not arrested but was also removed from the train there.

Remember that smoking and vaping are strictly prohibited on all Amtrak trains. Anyone who is caught smoking in a restroom, roomette or anywhere on the train may be removed from the train.

Also keep in mind that although many state and local governments have legalized recreational marijuana, it remains illegal under federal law. Because Amtrak follows federal law, marijuana use is prohibited on trains, at stations, and on adjacent Amtrak property. Anyone caught using it may be removed from the train, arrested, and charged with a federal offense.

I avoid Amtrak when I’m on a tight schedule because I prefer leisurely train travel. I enjoy relaxing in my roomette or Business Class seat and watching the world go by.

I also enjoy sharing a good meal with fellow passengers or relaxing in the Sightseer Lounge. Most Amtrak passengers I’ve met have been wonderful, and some have become lasting friends.

Overall, nearly every Amtrak trip has been a positive experience that has left me with lasting memories.

DO THIRD PARTY HOTEL BOOKING SITS REALLY SAVE YOU MONEY?

 

Since retiring from my full-time job in 2018, I have not worked a day. I have lived comfortably on my pension and Social Security while still managing to save a substantial amount. This financial stability has allowed me to travel extensively over the past eight years, which is the focus of this edition.

Although I travel without a fixed schedule, I always have a plan. For long-distance trips, I begin months in advance by choosing a broad area to visit and marking possible stops on Google Maps. I then narrow the area and develop a basic route.

For nearly 20 years, I have found that my most enjoyable trips average 250 to 300 miles per day. This pace keeps me from feeling rushed and gives me time to explore both planned attractions and unexpected discoveries along the way.

One of the first travel lessons I learned was to always book directly with the hotel, either by phone or through its website. I avoid third-party sites such as Priceline and Hotels.com.

There are several reasons to book with the hotel directly. Most importantly, if a problem arises during your stay—especially with the reservation or billing, the hotel can resolve it.

If you booked through a third-party site, however, hotel management will simply direct you back to that service to resolve reservation or billing problems—and reaching these third party sites support team can be nearly impossible.

A few years ago, while checking into an Ohio hotel, I watched the guest ahead of me learn that he had use a third-party site and had mistakenly booked his room at a hotel in Colorado.

When the Ohio hotel could not find his reservation, the staff checked his confirmation number and discovered the Colorado booking.

Because he had booked through a third party, the clerk could neither cancel the Colorado room nor transfer the reservation to the Ohio hotel. She could only direct him to the booking service.

I checked in and settled into my room without difficulty. Two hours later, he was still in the lobby trying to get the booking service to correct the error. When I returned from dinner that evening, I asked the clerk what had happened.

She said that, as far as she knew, he was still trying to resolve the issue with the booking service. She eventually gave him a room, but the erroneous Colorado reservation remained active because she could not cancel it.

Had he booked directly with the hotel, the clerk could have canceled the mistaken reservation and created a new one. Because he used a third-party booking site, however, she could not access the reservation to correct it.

Another lesson I learned early was the value of joining hotel rewards programs. At first, I dismissed them as gimmicks with few practical benefits, but I was wrong.

I currently belong to three rewards programs and have enough points for multiple free nights with each one. All three work similarly: You earn points based on how much you spend each night. Usually, it is something like 10 points for every dollar spent, excluding taxes.

Once you accumulate enough points, you can redeem them for free nights. In my experience, roughly 10 paid nights earn one free night. During the off-season, some hotel chains also offer promotions such as double points per night or double or triple points after a set number of stays within a specified period.

I also earn rewards by linking my memberships to partner companies. For example, connecting my Hilton Honors membership to my Lyft account earns me additional Hilton Honors points on every ride, along with a small Lyft discount.

I currently have enough Choice Hotels points for about five free nights. Through the Holiday Inn rewards program, I have also accumulated enough points to cover nearly my entire four-night stay at the 2027 NCAA Basketball Tournament in Pittsburgh. I will stay at a downtown hotel within walking distance of PPG Arena.

Without rewards points, my four-night stay—including the room, daily parking, and taxes—would have cost $1,940. Because points cover the room, I will pay only $344 for parking and city and state hotel taxes. That is a substantial savings, don’t you think?

Hotel loyalty programs offer another advantage: membership tiers that award bonus points, helping members earn free stays more quickly.

One program begins with basic membership. After 10 paid nights, members reach silver status and earn 10% more points per stay. After 20 paid nights, they reach gold status and earn 40% more points.

I have attained the equivalent of gold status in all three programs. Along with bonus points, this status often brings recognition, room upgrades, and food-and-beverage vouchers.

These vouchers are particularly valuable at hotels with on-site restaurants. A few years ago, while staying at a hotel in New York State, the clerk recognized my gold status at check-in and gave me vouchers for dinner that evening and breakfast the next morning.

The vouchers saved me about $35 on dinner and $15 on breakfast. Because they did not cover gratuities, I tipped the servers more generously—a win for everyone.

I strongly recommend booking directly with the hotel. The savings offered by third-party sites are usually minimal, and as a rewards-program member, I often receive the hotel’s best rate—frequently lower than third-party prices.

Do third-party booking sites offer any real advantage? For me, the answer is a resounding no.

NASHVILLE CEMETERY TOUR - BASHFUL BROTHER OSWALD & EVERYBODY'S FAVORITE GRANDPA

 

A few months ago, I was in the middle of visiting some of the Notable Cemeteries in the area in and around Nashville, Tennessee. I interrupted that series to post my 2025 and 2026 Fourth of July Adventures.

Now that I am home for a few weeks, I am going to try and wrap up my tour of the Cemeteries of Music City. In previous posts, I have visited the Hermitage Memorial Park and Hendersonville Memorial Park.  This week I am moving a few miles north of downtown Nashville to Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the community of Goodlettsville, Tennessee.

Forest Lawn was established in 1960 and is the final resting place of a number of country music stars.  Just inside the main entrance of the cemetery is a section call “Music Row,” where several Country Music Personalities are resting. That’s where I am going to begin my visit.

WILLIAM ORVILLE “LEFTY” FRIZZELL: Lefty Frizzell became one of the most successful and influential artists of country music. He smoothed out the rough edges of a honky tonk song by sounding out syllables longer and singing longer.

Because of this, his music became much more mainstream without losing its honky-tonk attitude and persona. He moved from the Honky Tonks of Texas and became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1951.

During his career he had several #1 hits, including, “If You got the Money, Honey I’ve Got The Time,” “I Love You a Thousand Ways,”  “Always Late With Your Kisses,” and Saginaw, Michigan.”

On July 19, 1975, Lefty Frizzell suffered a massive stroke and passed away at the young age of 47. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1982.

February 3, 1959, is often referred to as “The Day Music Died.” That is when that Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and J. P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson died in a plane Crash just outside of Clear Lake, Iowa.

If that day in 1959 is the day music died, then you can say that March 5,1963 is the day Country Music Died. It was on that day that Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas, Hawshaw Hawkins and Randy Hughes died in a plane crash near Camden, Tennessee.

While Patsy Cline is buried in her hometown of Winchester, Virginia, the other three are buried here on Music Row.

HAROLD “HAWKSHAW” HAWKINS: Hawkshaw Hawkins was born on December 22, 1921, in Huntington, West Virginia. Folks in his neighborhood started calling him Hawkshaw after the comic strip Hawkshaw and the Detective.  Growing up he taught himself to play the guitar and began performing on a local radio station across the Ohio River in Ashland, Kentucky.

 In 1941 he spent two years traveling with a musical troupe before joining the Army in 1943. He was stationed in Paris, Texas where we spent his spare time performing in the local honky Tonks. Later he was stationed in France and saw action at the Battle of the Bulge, where he was awarded four battle stars during his 15 months of combat service.

After his discharge from Military Service, he returned to West Virginia where he became a regular performer on the WVVA Jamboree in Wheeling, West Virginia. That let him to the Grand Ole Opry where he officially became a member in June of 1955.  His biggest hit was “Lonesome 7-7203” Which was is only Number 1 Hit.  At the time of his death, he was only 41 years old and married to country music star Jean Shepard

LLOYD “COWBOY” COPAS: “Cowboy Copas was born on July 15,1913 in Blue Creek, Ohio. His musical talent was evident at an early age and by the time he was 14 he was performing on WLW and WKRC radio stations in Cincinnati, Ohio.

In the 1930’s and 1940’s he formed his own band, “The Gold Star Rangers” and moved to Knoxville, Tennessee. He proved to be very successful and drew the attention of Pee Wee King.  When Eddy Arnold decided to leave King’s band, Cowboy Copas was selected as Arnold’s replacement.

As a member of the of King band, he began performing on the Grand Ole Opry, and in 1946 Copas had his first hit record, “Filipino Baby.”

“Filipino Baby,” and his appearances on the Opry, launch him into the National Spotlight and he eventually left King and began touring on his own. While still appearing on the Opry Copas recorded several more hits including “Signed, Sealed and Delivered,” “Candy Kisses” and the “Hangman’s Boogie.”

Copas continued to be one of the most popular stars in country music and continued to perform on the Opry as well as appearing as a regular on ABC’s Ozark Jubilee.

In 1960, he recorded his biggest hit, “Alabam” which remained #1 on the country charts for more than 3-monts. He was still one of Country Music’s most popular star when he died at the age of 49 in the Plane Crash near Camden, Tennessee.

RAMSEY “RANDY” HUGHES: The Fourth Person to die in the Crash was Randy Hughes who was Patsy Cline’s Manager and pilot of the Plane. Randy began his career in the music industry as a highly respected recording session guitarist playing for several country music artists including Cowboy Copas and at times, singing with groups.

After marrying Cowboy Copas’ daughter, Kathy. Randy decided that he could do more than just playing a guitar in a country band and made a career change and turned his attention to managing country artist’s careers. In 1959, Patsy Cline became one of his clients.

After taking basic flying lessons, he purchased a yellow Piper PA-24 Comanche to fly his clients from one show to another. He reasoned that purchasing the plane would be to his client’s advantage; they would arrive faster for their date, thus not have to depend on slower cars for transportation. 

He was the pilot of the plane that carried Cowboy Copas, Hawkshaw Hawkins and Patsy Cline when it crashed on March 5, 1963, near Camden, Tennessee.

DAVID “STRINBEAN” AKEMAN: The last grave that I wanted to visit here on Music Row is that of banjo picker and comedian “Stringbean,” who was known for his unique wardrobe which consisted of a very long nightshirt tucked into a pair of short blue jeans that were belted around the knees. This gave him the appearance of being a very tall man with very short legs.

He joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1945 and quickly became one of the show’s most popular performers. He also was a regular cast member of the Popular TV Show Hee Haw. String and his close friend Grandpa Jones lived just a few miles outside of Goodlettsville in the small community of Ridgetop, Tennessee.

String, who didn't trust banks, was known to carry large sums of money in his overall s After returning to his home in Ridgetop Tennessee for a Saturday Night performance of the Opry. String and his wife Estelle were murdered by two individuals. Their Bodies were discovered the following morning by their long-time friend and neighbor and fellow Opry Star Grandpa Jones.

Two cousins John A. Brown Jr. and Doug Marvin Brown were tried and convicted for the Murder. Doug Brown died in Prison in 2003 while John Brown was granted parole and released from prison in November 2014 after serving 41 years of his sentence

BEECHER KIRBY: Just a short walk from music row is the grave of a long-time member of Roy Acuff’s Smokey Mountain Boys, Beecher Kirby, better known as “Bashful Brother Oswald.”

He played dobro with local bands around Sevier County Tennessee where he was born on December 26, 1911. He later joined Roy Acuff’s Band the Crazy Tennesseans which later became “The Smokey Mountain Boys.  among them Roy Acuff's Crazy Tennesseans, later to become the Smoky Mountain Boys.

When Roy Acuff Joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1938, Bashful Brother Oswald as Mr. Acuff was with him as a member of the Crazy Tennesseans. Oswald remained with the Smokey Mountain Boys until Mr. Acuff’s death on November 23, 1992.

After Mr. Acuff’s death, Oswald and fellow Smokey Mountain Boy Charlie Collins continue to perform both on the Grand Ole Opry and at the Opryland Amusement Park.

Bashful Brother Oswald passed away from Natural Causes on October 17, 2002, at the age of 90.

MACK MAGAHA: Another notable country music personality resting here at Forest Lawn is Mack Magaha, a talented and very popular Nashville Fiddle Player.

Mack began his career in 1955 when he joined  Don Reno and Red Smiley as a member of the Tennessee Cutups performing throughout Southwest Virginia, North Carolina and upper East Tennessee. In 1964, he joined Porter Wagoner's Wagon masters and later became a regular performer on the Grand Ole Opry and at the Opryland Theme Park. Mack was known as Nashville's Dancing Fiddle Man died at the age of 74 and is buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Goodlettsville, Tennessee

JOHNNY “LONZO” SULLIVAN: One of the most popular acts on the Grand Ole Opry was the duo known as “Lonzo and Oscar.”  Originally formed in 1945, there were several combinations of the duo. The longest running and most popular combination were brother Johnny “Lonzo” Sullivan and Rollin “Oscar” Sullivan. The pair recorded a novelty song which became extremely popular called, “I’m My Own Grandpa.”

This version of Lonzo and Oscar were together from 1950 until Johnny’s death at the age of 49 in 1967.

There are a number of other Country Music Personalities buried here at Forest Lawn including:

“COUSIN JODY” James Clell Summey was the first dobro play for Roy Acuff's Band "The Crazy Tennesseans." He went on to perform with Grand Ole Opry Stars Lonzo and Oscar. It was then that he developed his character "Cousin Jody," who became one of the first comedy acts on the Grand Ole Opry.  He paved the way for other comedy acts on the Opry like Rod Brassfield and Cousin Minnie Pearl.

JOE EARL STUART: Joe Earl was one of Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys and later worked with Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. He also performed most Friday and Saturday Nights on the Grand Ole Opry

LITTLE ROY WIGGINS: Little Roy was one of the best steel guitar players in the business. He is is best known for his work with Eddy Arnold. As Eddy Arnold's first hire, he developed a signature "ting-a-ling" sound that helped make Arnold the most popular country entertainer for a period.

HERMAN HARPER: Herman Harper was a pioneer in the world of Gospel Music. He was known for his deep base voice and was an erly member of the Oak Ridge Quartet. He was also a long time performer on the Grand Ole Opry as a member of the Carol Lee Singers.  Herman was the founder of the Gospel Music Trust Fund. He also created Harper and Associates which was one of the leading talent agencies that specialized in Gospel Music.

DON HELMS: Don Helms was one of the Most accomplished steel guitar players in Nashville.  He played on recordings for such artists as Loretta Lynn, Stonewall Jackson and Lefty Frizzell.

I couldn’t leave the Goodlettsville Area without traveling a few miles up the road to the graveyard at the Luton’s United Methodist Church. Resting at the top of the hill overlooking the church and graveyard is the grave  of everybody’s favorite grandpa, Grandpa Jones.

LOUIS MARSHALL “GRANDPA” JONES: Grandpa Jones was one of the Grand Ole Opry’s most popular and beloved performers. His down to earth, unassuming personality made endeared him to anyone who met him.

Grandpa got his nickname in 1935 when he was only 22 years old. Seems early in his career he portrayed a grumpy, cranky attitude. Even at 22 he sounded like a grumpy old grandpa. Fellow entertainer Bradley Kincade started calling him grandpa. The nickname stuck and he became Grandpa Jones for the rest of his career. Eventually he embraced the character and began dressing the part.

He began performing on the WLS Barn Dance and later moved to WLW in Cincinnati where he met fellow Kentuckian Merle Travis. His association with Travis led him to sign a recording contract with King Records.

His performing and recording career was interrupted when he enlisted in the Army during WW II.  When his military service ended in 1946, he resumed his career by joining the Old Dominion Barn Dance which was broadcast on WRVA in Richmond, Virginia.

After a short time in Richmond Grandpa moved to Nashville and made his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry in March of 1946. Grandpa Jones used the clawhammer style of playing the banjo and adapted that style to record such hit songs as “Are You From Dixie,” “Night Train to Memphis,” “Eight More Miles to Louisville,”  and probably his best known hit, “Mountain Dew.”

In the fall of 1968, Grandpa became a charter member on the long-running television show Hee Hawl He also played banjo, by himself or with his close friend and neighbor David "Stringbean" Akeman. A favorite skit had off-camera cast members ask, "Hey Grandpa, what's for supper?", in which he would describe a delicious, country-style meal, often in a rhyming, talking blues-style!

For more than 50 years Grandpa Jones performed on the Grand Ole Opry and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1978.

In January 1998, Grandpa Jones his just finished his performance on the Grand Ole Opry, when he suffered a stroke. He was transported to a local hospital and later transferred to a nursing home. Everybody’s favorite Grandpa passed away on February 19, 1998. He was 84 years old. He is resting with his wife Ramona at the Luton's United Methodist Church in Goodlettsville, Tennessee.

This wraps up my Visit to Goodlettsville, Tennessee. Next time I am heading back in the City to visit one of the Largest and most star-studded cemeteries in Music City.

 

A SQUIRT BOTTLE FULL OF MEMORIES OF THOMPSON VALLEY

It’s amazing how one simple act can trigger long forgotten memories. That’s what happened recently when I stopped at Buc-ee’s to get a drink. Buc-ee’s has a very wide variety of fountain drinks and today I noticed that one of those choices was “Squirt.”  I has been many years since I have had Squirt, in fact I didn’t even know if they still made it. So, I got a large cup and continued my journey.

As I piddled along, sipping my “Squirt,” my thoughts return to my childhood. I grew up in Tazewell County, Virginia. In a little close-knit community called Thompson Valley. When I say close knit, I mean, our neighbors were dear friends. Actually, More Like Family. People who could be trusted to be there to help when help was needed. 

I remembered the time when the entire valley would gather at that little four room school a few times a year for “Community Suppers.” Where the men would spend the day roasting meat like deer, bear and beef over an open pit. The ladies of the Valley would spend the day preparing “Covered dishes,” and deserts. 

Then about 5 p.m. the people of the valley would begin to show up and a little after 6 one of the local preachers would say the blessing and we would eat until we were “full as a tick.” There was never a shortage of food. OH, what fond memories.

 But, that the heck does “Squirt” Pop have to do with all this. Well, in addition to that little 4-room school, there was another place that basically served as the community hub. That place was a little country store that was operated by Mr. Joe Harris and his wife Miss Margaret. 

That little store was a place where a various times during the week the Men would gather and do something that we don’t do much anymore. They would sit on an old bench or a wooden pop crate and just visit. 

They would catch up on the news and share their opinions about what the Idiots in Richmond and Washington were doing. (Not much has changed on that front over the years.) You see back in those days we didn’t have internet, or cell phones. Joe Harris’s little Store was our internet and our social media. 

They would talk about their gardens, and how many cutting of hay they were going to get. And they would swap stories. Many a time I would sit there and listen to Ralph and Todd Harris and the other “Bear Hunters” talk about running a bear across Beartown into Roaring Fork. 

As I sat there listening to these wonderful stories, sooner or later someone would pitch me a dime and tell me to get a bottle of pop. Without hesitation I would hurry over to that old chest pop machine and open the top. There dangling by their necks were those (as Jerry Clower put it) Nehi belly washers and my favorite Squirt. 

The bottles dangled in the ice-cold water. I would put the dime in the slot and drag the bottle along the rail until I got it to the slot and pulled it up through the trip door that had been unlocked by the dime. There was nothing better than sitting on a pop crate drinking Squirt out of that green swirly bottle, listening to those wonderful stories. I didn’t realize it at the time, but, man oh man, those were “THE GOOD OLE DAYS. Who would have thought that a visit to Buc-ee’s would trigger such a flood of wonderful memories.

2026 GREAT AMERICA 250 ADVENTURE - GRANT'S COTTAGE

 

WEDNESDAY – JULY 8, 2026: I was up late last night trying to figure out a plan for today. I looked at traveling from the Hampton Inn here in Rutland, Vermont up to Fort Ticonderoga and then crossing the Hudson and heading down to Grant’s Cottage in Wilton, New York.

But the drive from Rutland to Fort Ticonderoga was over an hour according to Google Maps. From what I have read, I should plan on spending two to three hours touring the fort. Then it’s another hour and a half to two hours down to Grant’s Cottage. 

When I plug in the numbers and hope nothing goes wrong, I the earliest that I could arrive at Grants Cottage would be about 1:30 or 2 in the afternoon. That doesn’t leave much wiggle room if something goes wrong.

My second option was to remove Fort Ticonderoga and drive straight to Grant’s Cottage and them have the afternoon free to either visit some sites around Albany or drive back down to Kinderhook and try again to visit the Martin Van Buren National Historic site.  

Then return to the Holiday Inn that I spent the night at a few nights ago and make the drive down to the Baseball Hall of Fame Tomorrow. There were a couple of other options that is briefly considered but this option was the one that I settled on before turning in last night.

This morning, while having breakfast at the Hotel, I checked the National Park Service Website and found that the Martin Van Buren Historic Sites were still closed due to storm damage. So, Grant’s Cottage and Albany were the plan for the day.

It took me about an hour and a half to make the 60-mile drive from Rutland, Vermont to the Ulysses S. Grant’s Cottage near Wilton, New York. I left the Visitor’s Center to my tour, I watched a 15-minute film about President Grant’s time at the Cottage. It was really interesting and gave me a great overview of what I was about to see. 

President Grant was writing his memoirs and was in the Final Weeks of his life when he arrived at this small cottage on Mount McGregor north of Sarasota Springs, New York. He was suffering from Throat and tongue Cancer and need to escape the heat of New York City.

President Grant, a few members of his family, and his medical attendants arrived at the Cottage on June 16, 1885. He could barely speak and when he tried to speak, he could not speak above a whisper.

His pain was severe and his medical attendants swabbed his throat several times a day with cocaine water. He would spend most of his day sitting in the living room or on the front porch putting the finishing touches on his memoirs.

It was so painful for him to swallow that he had to sleep sitting up in two large chairs, and he could not eat food that wasn’t pureed.

At 8:08 a.m. on July 23, 1885, President Ulysses S. Grant passed away at this small Cottage, just five days after finishing his memoirs. President Grant’s son Frederick walked to a small clock on the mantle and stopped it at 8:08, forever freezing the moment in time.

Following his death a private funeral service was held on the Front Porch of the Cottage. Funeral wreaths from the Grand Army of the Republic and Leland Stanford arrived at the Cottage prior to the Private Service.  Those funeral Wreaths are still on display at the cottage.

These fragile Victorian-era floral wreaths are exceptionally rare because they survived intact without being coated in wax or encased in glass. Lighting inside the rooms where they are kept remains dim to protect the faded arrangements from further light degradation.

Following the private funeral at the cottage, President Grant’s body was transported to New York City by train. On August 8, 1885, the official state funeral was held. The Funeral procession stretched for more than 7 miles and was attended by an estimated 1.5 million people.

Among those attending the New York City Funeral were the sitting President Grover Cleveland and former Presidents Rutherford B. Hayes and Chester A. Arthur. Honorary Pallbearers were Union Generals William Tecumseh Sherman, General Phil Sheridan. Confederate Generals Joseph E. Johnston and Simon Bolivar Buckner also served as Pallbearers. The Funeral of President Ulysses S. Grant still remains as one of the Largest in in New York City History.

I was the only person at the cottage for the 10:30 tour so I got a personal tour from my Guide Ron. Grant’s Cottage has been on my bucket List for several years and I must say that it more than lived up to my expectations.

I ended up spending more than two hours at the cottage, but all good things must come to an end and it was time to head back down the mountain for my next stop at the Albany Rural Cemetery.

It took a little over an hour to make the 50 miles drive to the Albany Rural Cemetery which I visited the grave of our 21^st President, Chester A. Arthur. President Arthur served as the the 20^th Vice President under President James Garfield from March 4, 1881 – September 19, 1881.

When President Garfield was assassinated and died on September 19, 1881, President Arthur assumed the Office of President. He served from September 19, 1881, until March 4, 1885.

After spending the summer of 1886 in New London, Connecticut, he returned home where he became seriously ill.  On November 16, 1886, ordered nearly all of his papers, both personal and official papers, to be burned. The next morning, Arthur suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and never regained consciousness. He died the following day, on November 18, 1886, at the age of 57.

He was laid to rest here in the Albany Rural Cemetery. His grave is marked by a large sarcophagus and a large angel. The "Angel of Sorrow" is a life-size bronze sculpture created by Ephraim Keyser. It features a mourning angel laying a palm frond over a polished black granite sarcophagus.

Before leaving the cemetery, I tried to make a reservation at the Same Holiday Inn I stayed at a few nights back. But it was sold out, on whim I checked hotels closer to Cooperstown. All of them were sold out.

July is induction Month at the Baseball Hall of Fame and from time to time it will be closed to the public for special induction events. So, I checked and sure enough, the Baseball Hall of Fame will be closed tomorrow and Friday for a special event.

So, I decided to put some miles behind me and start the journey home. Leaving the cemetery, I made my way back toward Interstate 90 and eventually to Interstate 88.

As I was traveling down Interstate 88 toward Binghamton, it dawned on me that I still needed a place to stay tonight. Just before I got to Binghamton, I stopped at the Rest Area near Worcester, New York and explored accommodations in Binghamton, New York, Scranton, and Hazleton, Pennsylvania.

It took me about 30-minutes, but I finally settled on the Holiday Inn near Hazleton, Pennsylvania which was about 4 hours away.

On the way I encountered a couple of area of stop and go traffic around Scranton and Wilke Barre, Pennsylvania. Because of these delays I decided to stop and get supper at a Cracker Barrel in Wilkes-Barre.

After supper I still had a little over and hour to drive to the Holiday Inn and I did encounter one more area of stop and go traffic which delayed my arrival. I didn’t arrive at the hotel until 7 p.m. but check in was quick and I soon settled in my room.

Tomorrow will be all about miles and getting Home. I still have just a little less than 500 miles to home. Looking at things, I will probably stop a couple of times along the way for coffee but tomorrow will be a straight shot down Interstate 81 to home.

THURSDAY – JULY 9, 2026 – I slept in this morning and didn’t check out of the hotel until after 9 a.m. I managed to fill up both of my tumblers with coffee before leaving the hotel so I was good for a while.

Like I said it was a straight shot down Interstate 81, and I did not encounter any delays as I made my way around Harrisburg. The miles clicked by as I exited Pennsylvania and made my way through Maryland and West Virginia.

Back in Virginia I made my first stop of the day at Love’s in Toms Brook. I thought about getting gas here but decided to push on to Buc-ee’s south of Harrisonburg.

From Tom’s Brook to Buc-ee’s I was playing gas tank roulette and when I arrived, I had 4 miles left on the mileage meter. After gassing up and getting a drink and a couple of brisket sandwiches, it was time to hit the road for the final push home.

From Staunton South, Traffic was nerve racking to say the least. But this is the norm on Interstate 81. But I encountered no real delays and arrived home at 6:20 p.m.

I had planned on being going until Saturday, actually arrived back home two days early. I still managed to cover 1,889 miles and visit the grave of 6-President and some of Baseballs Greatest Players.

While a lot of things didn’t go as planned, A lot did and I can say Without a doubt, Grants Cottage was the highlight of this trip.

Now, it’s time to rest up, and start planning my next adventure.