Hook & Gaff Sport Watches

On January 26th, Surf Expo will open its doors at the Orange County Convention Center on International Drive.  The January expo is one of two expos each year.

Each show starts on Thursday and ends on Saturday afternoon. The other expo is held in September.  I will be attending the 27th and the 28th.  This year there is a new exhibitor Hook & Gaff Watch Company coming to the expo.  H&G is a purveyor of luxury sport watches.  Click HERE for their website. I plan to stop by  their booth to check out their entire line up of sport watches.  Here are a few photos of their sport watch line up.  Stay tuned for my follow up article after the show.

Until next time, be safe in the sun and have a great day in the great outdoors.

Colonial Williamsburg at Christmas

During the Christmas holiday season getting outside in the great outdoors does  not always mean going hiking or mountain biking.  Our National Parks system has great outdoor parks where one can walk out side from exhibit to exhibit.

Colonial Williamsburg is one such place.  Williamsburg was founded in 1692 along the Virginia Peninsula.  It was the capital of the Virginia Colony from 1699 - 1780. Today Colonial Williamsburg is contained in the city limits of Williamsburg, Virginia.  Located between Interstate 64 and the James River just south of Interstate 64  exit 238.  Just east of Colonial Williamsburg is Bush Gardens and to the south Historic Jamestowne.

Visiting what is referred to as the America's Historic Triangle is well worth the trip.  While visiting Colonial Williamsburg, if you are active duty or retired military, showing your ID card gets you into the Liberty Lounge. The Liberty Lounge is a place to relax and recharge after spending time walking the streets of Colonial Williamsburg visiting all the exhibits.  At one end of Duke of Gloucester Street is Merchants Square where one will find restaurants and shops filled with colonial souvenirs to take back home.  Because Colonial Williamsburg is part of the City of Williamsburg, one can walk the streets and visit all the restaurants and shops with out paying an entry fee.  If you want to tour any of the historic buildings, one will need to purchase a ticket at the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor Center.  In addition to day tickets, one can get other types of entry tickets like annual passes. Click HERE to visit the Colonial Williamsburg website to purchase tickets online.

Parking is available around town in any of the city parking lots, but it is recommended if you purchase a ticket to park at the visitors and ride the shuttle bus to Colonial Williamsburg.  Buses run all day long stopping at bus stops located throughout Colonial Williamsburg.

The City of Williamsburg has many hotels in the area.  If one wants to stay really close to all the exhibits, there are three hotels located in Colonial Williamsburg, Woodlands Hotel & Suites, Williamsburg Lodge and the Williamsburg Inn.  Each is in walking distance of the three main streets of Colonial Williamsburg.  See map of the are above.

 Any time of the year is the right time to visit.  Each season brings a different look and feel to Colonial Williamsburg.  Picking the right time to visit is important if you do not like crowds. During the time between Thanksgiving and New Years Day, might be less crowded because schools are out on winter break and school tours are not occurring.

So the next time you are visiting Virginia do not leave out a trip to America's Historical Triangle and Colonial Williamsburg.  Click HERE for a video of photos and video clips taken at Colonial Williamsburg. Until next time, be safe in the sun and have a great day in the great doors.

The National Museum of the Marine Corp

Just outside of Quantico, Virginia is the National Museum of the Marine Corp.  It is an amazing tribute to the men and women who have served so gallantly defending America's freedom around the world.  I had the opportunity to visit the museum while on a family Christmas holiday vacation.  My wife Kathi and son Thomas, who is a LTC in the U.S. Army National Guard spent a long afternoon with me touring the museum.  There is no entrance fee.  The museum is free.  Depending how long one stays at each exhibit, it takes about two hours to complete the tour.  Then there is the gift shop.  It is loaded with every kind of Marine Corp memorabilia you can think of.  More hats and tee shirts than you will see anywhere.  Being retired U.S. Air Force, I learned a lot about the history of the Marine Corp I did not know.   Loads of fun.  Click HERE for the museum website.  Also click HERE for my video of photos and video clips from my tour.

I you ae ever visiting the DC area, do not miss out on visiting the National Museum of the Marine Corp.  Until next time, be safe in the sun and have a great day in the great outdoors.