So Much!

Saturday, October 3, 2026

Before I forget, I have to say Keith’s new rule. Driving in the mountains must be done in the day and hopefully in the sunshine. We are really going to have to start planning our trips before we leave.

The alarm went off at 7am so we could get packed up and on the road. Keith peeked out the window in our room and reported Donna and Michael were already up watching the sunrise. I believe they saw it every day. Michael asked if we had gotten up when we were there in March. I don’t even think we remembered there was a sunrise when we were here in March.

I saw Donna saying good-bye to the ocean. We saw three teenaged boys – all dressed in black – on the beach, poolside, and at the restaurant last night. They were laying on towels on the beach early this morning, still in their all-black outfits. I wondered if they had just slept out there. They were hotel towels, so…? We figured the ocean has them for now – it won’t miss us too much.

This is a great picture of the infinity pool from yesterday that got missed. Forecast for the next three days involves rain. We are charmed!

Our first stop was at Dix Park in Raleigh, NC. There were three trolls fairly distant from one another, but the internet assured us we could save time and steps by driving to different parking lots. Mmm. Didn’t work out that way. We got about 7,000 steps hunting for them. It seems that the town fall festival was within the park today and there were cars galore. We happened to find a parking spot just inside one end of the park – lucky – and had to walk to see all the trolls. BUT, before that could even start, I found the magnificent playground toy similar to one that was at my elementary school. I have searched the internet for a picture; I have drawn pictures to explain the greatest fun a kid can have on a playground (if that kid is me). I believe it gave me my start to loving amusement rides. The one at school only had two seats – and they were rubber rectangles that hung down like a swing seat – but it went around as beautifully as this one. I remember putting the seat against my tummy, going to the center pole to hang on (and have fewer steps), and running around in the circle to give the other rider a great, fast ride. Over and over and over again. I do not remember riding it; I’m sure I did, but I reallly remember swinging other people. We did it today and it was glorious.

You cannot tell, but I am going around. I am flying.

Then it was off to the trolls. Turns out it is five trolls, in three spots. We started with the dad, Daddy Bird Eye. There were tons of people taking pictures because they were walking to the festival. Get out of my way, not-real-troll-hunters.

We walked and walked, up a hill and down a hill, across the big field (labelled as such), and into the woods. We found one kid, peekin’, named Dux.

Then another kid, Dax, running. We also found Laurel, who helped build the trolls!! She said she was only there about 5 hours but worked on the mom and made the necklaces for our runner. We are now only two degrees of separation from the trolls!

She shared a few pictures from the day she helped build.

We hiked past the dog park and through a cemetery and across a field to find the baby, Dix…holding on to the end of something. Keith thought it was a snake, but it was the end of his mom’s tail!

Her tail was realllly long.

She was beautiful napping in the forest. Her name is Mother Strongtail.

I was very glad we had walked up a hill and down a hill, because on the way back to the car we ended with walking down a hill. We were on the hunt again for the last troll in North Carolina. As I was looking up how to get there, I found out that all 7 trolls’ (remember Big Pete with the Big Feet from last week? Him, too) necklaces would have given us a clue as to how to find Grandmother Tree. We were already late on our schedule, so we opted to close our eyes to this information.

We found Sally easily, although she was in the woods. Yay for not being lost and not walking far. She has the best hair I have seen on a troll.

Trolls behind us (literally, I guess) we headed for Mayberry. Or, Mt. Airy, hometown of Andy Griffith and inspiration for Mayberry. I think the Andy Griffith Show is one of the best shows of ever and was so happy to be there. First stop was at Wally’s fillin’ station. They give town tours in the police car copies.

They had a courthouse replica, so we played Otis and Andy while we were there.

Next, we visited the Andy Griffith museum. They had a great history of Andy through pictures/text that we really enjoyed. I had no idea he had such a successful Broadway career before becoming Andy Taylor.

George Lindsay had his Goober hat bronzed and it sat on his mantel until he donated it to the museum.

Otis’ hat got so crumpled from all the crumpling that they had to get a new one. He carried the original in a brief case for special moments.

Floyd’s Barbershop is downtown on Main Street. Perfect.

We drove on through the rain and the fog. There was lots of pretty – undoubtedly so much prettier on a sunny day. We went through a corner of Virginia. I can put together a map of the United States lickety-split, but I don’t seem to know where I am on a driving trip. Virginia? Surprise! We are in Beckley, West Virginia, tonight. We got here not too long after dark (hence Keith’s new rule) and watched episode two of Survivor. I hollered really loud at one point – Keith had to shhhhhh me. We are in a hotel afterall.

The Brewers are playing the Padres in the national league division series right now. It is tied in the bottom of the 6th. It makes me very nervous. I am not a good sports fan. I just rechecked. They are ahead by one, bottom of the 7th.