Nov 15, 2017

Drove around the Savannah downtown, looking at all the squares and buildings, soaking up the “feel”. Headed north on 95, intending to get as far as Charlottesville but ended up driving all day and reaching Fredericksburg by 5pm. Checked into a Marriot’s – what a change from the Best Westerns - bigger room with a kitchen, more amenities, for less price (but, the next morning, not as good a breakfast).

Around 11am, we stopped at a Shonie’s for pie and coffee. No pie, sigh. I ordered toast, just to have something to soak up the coffee. (almost ordered dry white toast, ala The Blues Brothers, the situation had that sort of feel to it.) The waitress felt so sorry for us, she brought a second order of toast, no charge.

We later stopped at an Arby’s, again, just to grab something. Every table had huge bouquets of red and purple silk flowers in a tin tub, on a red placemat. There was a flower covered fountain in the corner. Quite a bit of ambiance for an Arby’s in the middle of nowhere.

After checking into the hotel, we we’nt hungry but did want a cocktail. We drove around and around, our Garmin failing us by locating several empty buildings. Finally gave up, to head back to the ratty looking Mexican restaurant near the hotel, when we stumbled upon the Ruby Tuesdays we were originally searching for. Not a sterling example of the chain, I’m sure. It was tired and near empty with a kid of bartender wanting to know if Jim wanted his screwdriver on the rocks.  A tasteless shrimp appetizer and two drinks later, we headed for home and bed.