Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s Home

March 3, 2018

Turns out my driver never made it to a hotel last night and had to sleep on the bus. All of the Bolt, Vamoose, Megabus and Greyhound busses that left before my transportation options were cancelled, were all stuck there overnight on I-95 and all hotels were taken.

So very thankful, as miserable as my afternoon and night ended up being, that I never got on any bus or train leaving New York City. It most definitely would have been worse.

I landed this morning in Richmond, VA, at the exact same time as my first group. A terrifying landing because of wind sheer, but at least nobody threw up. These little Bombardier CRJ200 puddle jumpers are just the worst when it comes to stability. Give me a 14 hour flight in a Dreamliner instead of a 50 minute one in that tin can any day.

My amazing driver was still 1.5 hours away, arriving at the same time as the second half of my group, so I changed the box lunch pickup time to 12:30. A mobile picnic was about to happen. I can eat Potbelly’s anywhere, anytime, in any circumstance. They are amazing.

The Nerd Trek to Thomas Jefferson’s home began with a bus-load of happy tummys.

I love visiting the homes of our Founding Fathers, especially Jefferson’s. You walk into that front entryway and hanging on the walls are the gifts that the Corps of Discovery brought back for him. Maps, arrows and pelts from the Mandan Tribe, and animal skeletons. He even has 3 mastadon skulls. So impressive.

We finished our house tour, wandered through the wine cellar and the kitchen areas, gathered the troops and then headed for the gravesite before the obligatory gift shop at the exit.

Dinner at the Fish Market, the ghost tour with my Ghost Guide Boyfriend, Richard, not to be confused with my regular Guide Boyfriend, Rick, and then off to the hotel to hang up my wet clothes rotting in my luggage from yesterday’s storm. I am not looking forward to that. At all.