I had cause to celebrate this evening. A bottle of wine later, I find myself feeling nostalgic again. The last time I felt this way, I put together a pictorial explaining to you guys why I can't leave California.
Its fall now, the leaves are turning, its time for the fall colors. This time of year my heart turns to .... Virginia!
In 1749 a family of immigrants left Iggelheim Germany and boarded a ship named the Phoenix headed for the new world. The ship landed in Philadelphia on September 15 of that year. Once in the new world this family chose to settle in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, on the Hawksbill Creek, just east of the present day city of Stanley Virginia. It was the family of Johann Georg Bentz. That was my Great-Great-Great-Great-Great Grandfather. Georg (pronounced Gay-Org) is of course the German version of George. Once in the new world, which were British colonies at the time, the family surname Bentz was "Anglicized" to Pence.
So the Shenandoah Valley has special meaning to me. Its my spiritual home. I can understand why German immigrants of the era chose the Shenandoah, its beautiful no matter what time of year you go there.
Skyline Drive is a popular destination for tourists, especially this time of year when the colors are changing. Its a road that winds its way along the ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the east of the valley. I'm looking forward to the day I can drive the Pantera on the Skyline Drive.
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