In blogs and on Facebook I always hear mothers talking about how awesome it will be for the kids to be out of school and how they are so excited for the pool, family trips and relaxation.
My past five or six summers have been highly stressful work saturated summers which subsequently turned me into a transparent light version of myself and drastically stressed out sun worshipper wannabe. Having a fiscal year that ends in September means that the entire world dumps money and projects on us from June - August with the expectation that we are somehow going to complete them by October 1st. Whatever.
Not so this year. I've taken at least a couple of days a week to swim laps after work and have at least driven to a beach or two and waded in the six inch deep water. Getting a slight tan has been nice, especially knowing that I've been able to do it after 4:00 p.m. on most days and so I at least feel like it was "safely" achieved. Plus, who can complain of real ocean air, sand grating between the toes, and a few McDonald's wildberry smoothies along the way.
Just enough to make me feel like I've had a summer. Now it is August and even after about 40-50 days of humidity/heat that is WAY over 90 degrees, I still want more.
And, I got a little more.
This week, for work, I got to travel down to the Norfolk/Virginia Beach area, a little southeast of Richmond. That is quite the drive. Without traffic I'm sure it can be accomplished under three hours, but when is there no traffic going toward a beach? Or, shall we say 100s of beaches? Or, say, those people that decide to bring the beach (er, pool) with them and plug up traffic? (Which, ironically, by the time I finally got close enough to take the picture had subsided).
Along the way, I decided to take some back roads since I wasn't going directly to Norfolk, and ended up driving through Newport News, VA. I used to get a catalog in my teen years selling clothing supposedly from Newport News. It showed attractive people (kind of like Ralph Lauren models) wearing Sperry Topsiders, posing on yachts, and sporting white teeth, tousled wind blown hair and beautiful tans. So, I've always wanted to see Newport News.
It's got a big bridge over the James River.
It does have a beach (many of them actually), that I discovered right before crossing the bridge.
It also has a ton of ships which I couldn't get good pictures of while driving over the bridge. There are gorgeous homes along the waterfront properties, but elsewhere it appeared a little dilapidated with lots of stores closing and a few characters riff raffing about. That seems to be the look of a few ocean side cities.
The great thing about the entire western side of Virginia is that the shoreline has so much character - bays, rivers, outlets, inlets, etc. It creates so many extra hundreds of miles of beachfront that couldn't be possible if it was a straight coast like say - Oregon.
But, I digress.
So, I spent my moments at Newport News and then continued on to my destination - which I will neither confirm or deny because I went to a "facility." I had to be escorted everywhere which is always funny since I don't do anything that requires such mannerisms.
Lucky for me, my cousin and family were visiting her parents (OK, my cousin's wife and the kids - which is called what?) in Virginia from San Jose, CA and so we got to meet up at Yorktown.
(I do not like self-portraits - especially on 100 degree sweaty days, but this is all I have of me and Lorena)
What a great place! I've never been there even though it is right there by Williamsburg!
Williamsburg is a great colonial town, but at almost $40 a person it isn't something you stop at every time you drive by. However, Yorktown is much cheaper and there is a great little beach area.
(Only five of the kids are my cousins. I know, the "only" part is all relative)
(Trying to figure out if that was a jellyfish in the water)
(It is a fairly large dead jellyfish which was then escorted up on the sand and buried by some little people that felt it necessary.)
Besides the beach there is free parking, a shuttle bus that takes you to Jamestown and to the little Yorktown settlement as well as festive music playing the evenings on the green.
It was great to spend a couple of hours seeing relatives and relaxing before heading back towards DC. I'm definitely going to take a trip back this way!
I got to take yet another bridge away from Yorktown and towards DC. Instead of the typical freeway, I took the back way up through beaches, corn fields, marshes and little towns. A great diversion (except for the torrential downpour part) from day to day life - just being able to drive somewhat in the right direction home.
(Disclaimer: Don't try this while driving like I did. One hand was on the wheel at all times....maybe)
To see some bird stereotypes in action.
To get weirded out that my phone knows where I am before I do.
And, to leave my footprints in some sand.
As well as some sand in the car.
Summer footprints - ah, time to hit just one more beach!
