Morgan cars, Staunton VA

I didn't do any art on July 3. Instead I drove up and down mountain ranges on the exciting and historic "Parkersburg-to-Staunton" road. I crossed back into Virginia and visited the attractive mountain town of Monterey before I arrived at Staunton, where my friends were waiting for me.

My friends, a fantasy author and her husband, live a gracious life in the town of Staunton, which is pronounced "Stanton," for some unknown Virginia linguistic reason. The weekend I was visiting, that is July 4th weekend, they were hosting a get together, show, and rally for Morgan cars and the cars' owners. My hosts had one of these vehicles and it was in the show too. On July 4th, they closed off one of the main streets of Staunton and lined up almost 50 colorful, well-kept Morgan cars for the public to admire. Morgan cars are hand-built English sportscars, filled with charm. They are small and they don't go very fast. To me, they look like something that Snoopy would drive. Their virtue is not in macho speed and noise but in agility and good looks. They compete in time trial rallyes and maneuvering contests. I drew some of the cars and met their owners.

Staunton is very quickly getting to be an upscale tourist destination. I ate gourmet food there, a sure sign that things are changing. It is no longer a quiet country place. Later that day I left Staunton and proceeded through the countryside to Charlottesville.