If you're ever in Luray, VA...

We had a spectacular weekend, though only one cat was involved. Sarah and I went traveling down into Virginia, and found all sorts of interesting stuff to explore (besides each other). Neither of us had been to Luray Caverns in Luray, Virginia, so we stayed down there at an old, interesting inn called the Mimslyn Inn, and used that as a base for wandering around finding interesting things.

While we were there, the Page County High School had their senior prom at the inn, so Sarah and I hung out in the lobby, critiquing the young couples as they lined up for the obligatory photograph. It's amazing to me the number of young rural women who have no idea how to actually wear a formal dress... and then I realized that not only did THEY not know, their mothers, most of whom were probably in their mid-30s, probably didn't know, either, and thus didn't know to tell them, "hey, don't keep pulling at your underwear through the dress. Don't fidget. Don't chew gum. Don't slouch. Don't walk in heels as if they were Red Wing work boots."

Sarah and I could have told them that, but it was far too late, of course. But that made the few women who DID seem to know how to carry and conduct themselves that much more spectacular. One girl was wearing a dress that Sarah could not resist, and when the young lady and her friends made a detour to the ladies room before their picture, Sarah had to stop and ask them where she got the dress. It was pretty stunning.

Sarah has an odd fascination with Tastee-Freez. Fortunately, there was one directly across the street from where we were staying, and we also discovered one on our way home on Sunday, much closer to home. I don't know... chain-store soft-serve doesn't do much for me. I much prefer little local places. Speaking of which, if you're ever in Luray, Virginia, be sure and have chocolate-chip pancakes (with a side order of sausage patties) at Uncle Buck's on Main Street right across from the Page 4 Theatres. You can't miss the theatres... they are a violent pink color, the color of Bazooka bubblegum. The pancakes were the best I'd ever had, and the sausage mellow and lean. It's also the only place I've ever seen with a rainbow trout fillet on the breakfast menu.

For steaks, you can go to Dan's Steakhouse, about two miles west of town on US 211.

Enough of the travelogue.

Sarah and I found that we can travel with each other pretty well... she doesn't fall asleep in the car easily, and while she doesn't like the stereo as loud as I do, we seem to get along well on the road. She can decipher maps decently, as well. I ended up doing all the driving (that's usually what I end up doing), so I can't say how she is with the Saab.

Things seem quite good. And of course, when I get this idea in my head, it's just about time for a lightning bolt to strike and show me otherwise.