Road Trip :8 hours DC to Asheville

We got kind of a slow start, considering we had a long drive ahead. We were touched that Caleb got up to say goodbye.

We drove around the corner and then spend five minutes figuring out how to release the hand brake. Then we turned around when we couldn't get the GPS to work. I'm not sure why I thought it was Caleb's job to figure it out, but he did. Or maybe that cheerful lady voice just wanted to see a great kid again. Finally we got on the road, long road through Virginia and into North Carolina. We passed a place where on either side of the highway there was devastation from one of those terrible tornadoes.
We just barely made it to the Malaprops reading on time since all of Downtown Asheville had parked to go to the symphony. A cultured place.
And a wonderful bookstore. Here is Alsace Walentin who has been my liason as I planned the trip.

I think she is ordering our delicious take-out dinner from Early Girl. Trout, greens, black-eyed peas and curried carrot and raisin salad. Can't wait till the reading is over.
Not really.

Jan stands in front of a good crowd, introducing John. I enjoy watching this group, obviously Sayles fans, as John reads "Shave and a Haircut" again, since it is set in (Wilmington) North Carolina, and with it the short gun chapter.
And then the friends show up.

Here's Tom Plott, John's friend since they met in their Williams College freshman dorm in 1968. Sweet.
And here is Jane from Lady Jane's, our "local" in Hoboken before she left. I never knew where Jane went till today:Wilmington, and she's in Asheville for her daughter's graduation from UNC. With her are Steve and Gina who were so nice they get a picture too.

 I have a new poster for the car. Guess which one.