Getting ready to leave Virginia Beach, VA
Trip Start
Sep 23, 2009
1
11
16
Trip End
Aug 17, 2010
First Landing State Park, Virginia, United States
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Ahhh... it's the 29th of October, and I've slowly started to pack up all our things we have accumulated over the last 29 days staying here at First Landing State Park. I've washed all the dishes, and locked down most of our belongings in our cabinets and closets. Laundry has been done, and there are only a few things left for me to do to get ready for that road trip. I checked the oil, and left the last few days for us to say our goodbyes slowly as well. It took the edge off of saying our goodbyes, made it easier. Josh spent the last 3 sunny days before the competition skating at mt Trashmore. He felt good about his skating, and pushed his own limits.
Josh's friends from around town stopped by at Brandon's place where we spent the last 2 weeks of October hanging out
Leaving the State Park
. Everyone said their goodbyes and wished Josh luck on his pro tour. Over at Brandon's pad, we went over almost everyday after skating a good session all over town with Markie. Brandon's interest in skateboarding picked up after we hosted a birthday party for Brandon and Aaron. In reciprocity, we gave him one of our setup from our supply for his birthday gift. Brandon did more than just host a birthday for Josh on the 14th. He loaned us money when we were tight, and fed us when we were broke, he did more for us in many ways that just a skateboard was not enough to say thank you Brandon Slater, of Virginia Beach, Virginia. Amazing guy, and beyond mature for his age of just turning 22 years old. His twin brother, Aaron also celebrated his birthday with Brandon, and trying to keep him from being too reclusive in his computer world, which I totally understand because I was one of them at one time or another, and in a way I still am.I spend 3-4 hours writing my blogs, and today is no exception. It would probably take me longer today because I have 2 or 3 separate entries to write and edit. My first several entries was shotgunned from the hips, with no editing, and they're my raw mind in action. The entry before this one is the first one I've edited, and I decided I'm going to keep writing that style and editing from this point on, to give it a decent polished look abouts
Outside main entrance of Ocean Lakes H.S.
. There is a lot of catching up to do, before my memory fade away from me from age of time. Today is the day after Travis's birthday, which is how late I'm catching up, for those in the know... more details should be in the third entry.. As I was saying earlier, Aaron was celebrating his birthday alongside his brother, and I hung out with him talking bout super advanced technology shit. He's pretty gifted when it comes to electronics and computers. We had a great time celebrating both Josh's Birthday on the 14th, and Brandon and Aaron's on the 22nd. Everyone was warm, and unpretentious. You cannot get more real with these people than anywhere we've been to so far. Vail, and Markie came and showed up at both times, along with a few other deafies who also grew up with Josh.
We were all pretty tight that 6 of us went out and played a few rounds of paintball at the local paintball park in Virginia Beach. Boy did we all get welts on our body from both close range, and long range shots!! We played capture the flag, and each man for himself. Stayed for 3 or 4 hours, and finally went home. The next few days I was in excruciating pain in my thighs being that I was getting out of shape!! Holy COW!! That was a nice wakeup call, even though Josh is the supported athlete
Ocean Lakes Entrance
.I need to find ways to keep in shape while Josh is "working". In the 3rd week of October, a group of ladies who were first time campers, had a long board they didn't want, that they found, gave it to us, and it seems the perfect device for me to work my craft on, and get my skate legs back. I was really really really young last time my feet touched a skateboard, those originial plastic fish tail you see from the 70's and 80's. A friend Steve Holeczy was 9 or 10, and he had a indoor pool at his home which was drained. It was a classic kidney style, but really small and tight. This was my first exposure to skateboarding at that time, and I was already on the wrestling team, and had no problem jumping on the board and doing a few rounds in the pool. They had no wrestling outside after college, so I had to find many alternative sports to keep my fitness. Lately I've picked up on my activities, and started working with Josh, so I can keep up with this spry dude. I've been around the skate culture for a while, and this longboard was the perfect excuse for me to get my skate legs back, and enjoy the boardwalk at whatever beaches we end up on.
Out of the 5 weeks there were in October, it rained one week, and was balmy and sunny the rest of the time
Ocean Lakes H.S.
. You can say we enjoyed this segment of our vacation in Virginia Beach, VA. Nearer the end of October, the tempurture started dropping, and the nights were getting in the mid 40's, we hightailed it out there to Myrtle Beach, SC. I made my preparations, and scouted the maps for good routes, and prayed to the Transformers (TM), keep my mechanical beast alive and running on this 900 mile segment of our trip! We lightened our load properly some more, and cleaned out the RV on the final day, actually hitting the road at 9:30am. Our first stop was to Markie, where we dropped off Vail's games and longboard he left in our RV. Then we actually hit the road, and started off on the country roads, where traffic was slim, and nature was long. 
