Day 4 - Snow Tubing

The big event of day four was going snow tubing. The resort we stayed at made its own snow, so we didn't have to worry about it actually snowing outside to be able to do this. We bundled up in snow pants and jackets and mittens and hats and scarves and such and made our way to the snow tubing area, which is pictured below. Ten or so pre-made lanes perfect for giant snow tubes. Plus a conveyor belt to take you back up the hill. (Which, lets be honest, is probably the worst part of any form of sledding - getting back up that hill!) You can see it in the very right of the picture.

Aren't they pretty?

In the afternoon we stopped by the only dessert place in town and got some cupcakes. Yum. We made our own dinner of spaghetti and garlic bread, since at the time we were planning on staying three or four more days and didn't want to eat out for the entire vacation.

What We Ate:

Breakfast - Cereal

Lunch - Fries and drinks at the ski lodge bar

Dinner - Spaghetti, garlic bread, and cupcakes

Day 3 - Monticello

On the third day of our Virginia trip, one of my friends, Krissy, and I decided to go visit Monticello, the (former) home of Thomas Jefferson. Aside from DC, this was probably my favorite day of our trip. 

We got to go roadtripping a little bit- Monticello was 45 minutes away from where we were staying. Isn't Virginia gorgeous? Bright skies, pretty trees, mountains. *Sigh* Or maybe it's just pretty to me because I'm used to the desert.

Welcome to Monticello!

I took this picture before we took the inside tour of the house. All I can remember was - dang it was cold outside! I think it was about 2 degrees Fahrenheit after wind chill.

The inside tour was great, but unfortunately, we weren't allowed to take pictures. My favorite room was probably the library (becuase... books!), followed by the octagonal room. (Which is exactly what it sounds like - a room with eight sides.) It was also neat to see Thomas Jefferson's inventions, and the different styles in which he built his house. I would love to read more about him and his family and go back there again someday. I'd also love to go back when it isn't winter, since the gardens weren't much when we went.

The view from the other side. I totally didn't realize this is the building on the nickel until after we'd been... so I didn't get a very good head-on picture.

Thomas Jefferson's grave. Our tour guide pointed out that he did not put "President of the United States" as one of his accomplishments on his gtmbstone (which he desgined before he died). What he put was "Author of the Declaratoin of American Independence of the Statute of Virgina for religious freedom & Father of the University of Virgina." Or as the tour guide put it "freedom of our country, freedom of religion, and freedom of the mind." Which I thought was very cool.

That evening I went to a five-course beer dinner with a couple of my friends. I wish I could say it was amazing, but it was honestly sort of bland and underwhelming. The chef who made the meal did not know his spices very well I feel... Also, I don't particularly enjoy beer, so the company I had was probably the only think I enjoyed about the meal.

What We Ate:

Breakfast - Cereal

Lunch - Burger and fries from this great hole-in-the-wall diner, called Riverside Lunch.

Dinner - Beer dinner

What I Was Glad I Brought:

Warm clothes! It was freezing at Monticello.

What I Wish I Brought:

I just wish I had done more research on Monticello before I went.

Have any of you guys been to Monitcello, or maybe have some fun facts about Thomas Jefferson to hear? I'd love to learn!