Still Culpeper

Day 5 GDMBR, Monday June 16th 2025

Today already the last day with Wayne and Dianna, time flue by this week. It was so pleasant and Wayne and Dianna were so nice to me, showing me around and having me in their house! I know I did host them several times, but at their age and so full of life and energy. I hope to have that when I will reach that age!

This morning was about changing the bike box into a smaller box in order to have the box accepted by United airlines, my next flight out of Washington to Seattle. A 5 ¾ hour flight nonstop. The flight itself was a little over €200, the luggage will exceed this amouth. After waiting over 30 minutes for the United Service by phone we tried to figure out What the requirements were of sizes and weight of the boxes. During waiting we already decided to change the box in size and weight and use a hardcase box from Wayne and Dianna (I was given!) for the wheels (29 inch!) and stuff from the carry-on bag into there. This way I didn’t have the carry-on bag to check in. Just two oversized boxes (Bicycle and hard case box) and a normal bag. All three are shown in the picture. I was able to check in myself, the bicycle box and the normal bag. The hardcase will be checked in at Dulles airport. $190, so far (€168,70) the hardcase will be checked in at the airport… wish me luck……

After was done we had lunch and Dianna made us a wonderful sandwich with Pickle, sausage and cheese. During lunch we did see a groundhog and a bluebird, which are on the picture. The bluebird, is a story on its own; The birdhouse Wayne surveyed with a very small WIFI Camera had a nest with three baby bluebirds and one egg. One day they were suddenly gone, the bluebird parents were in panic. What happened (probably) that a snake took the baby bluebirds and the egg… So sad to see the parent Bluebirds still searching.

After the lunch we took a ride to the gas station ($2,99 / gallon) and after that we went to see the small city Culpeper Museum. Now I know there were two wars a long time ago: The revolutionary war which was from 1775 to 1780. This war was because “the Americans” did want to get rid of the English, who were taxing the people more and more, which the US people were opposed more and more. Then there was the Civil war from 1861-1865.

This was between the Federal army (North) and the Confederate army (South). At first it was about the state rights the states wanted to hold on to, in the end it was plainly about the abolition of slavery. This was the wish / law in the North and the South wouldn’t agree at all.

The afternoon we put the bicycle boxen and the regular luggage in the Ford Maverick pickup truck and secured it. Also put a tarp over it to prevent the cardboard box to be damaged by the possible rain. The afternoon I also started with an entry for the Polarsteps website. I was treated, again, by Wayne and Dianna with a Mexican restaurant visit. The food was great, only…. They had Pepsi Cola instead of real Mexican Cola. Real Mexican Coca Cola is sweetened with Cane sugar and not with High Fructose Corn sirup.

After the meal we walked (!!) home and I finished and posted the “blog” on Polarsteps.