The night was filled with thunder and lightning. Granny was at it throwing more strikes as the rumbling continued for quite some time. I peered out between the curtains of our hotel window to see if our rental car was still there. The rain was coming down in sheets and local flash flooding could be expected. This area although plush and green is in a drought. Today heavy thunderstorms are coming this afternoon.

Good morning, Vietnam! Just kidding, good morning to everyone. Heather had oatmeal, and I had scrambled eggs, sausage patty, biscuit, and gravy. A very polite gentleman approached our table and asked if we were enjoying our breakfast and our stay. Naturally, we regaled him with tales of our constant enjoyment of our stays at Drury Hotels. We had a pleasant conversation with the brand new General Manager, John Shrader, who was on his first day at the property. Steven had moved from St. Louis, Missouri, and had previously managed the Drury Hotel next to the Big Arch. (No, not the McDonald’s Arches, but The Gateway to the West.) John’s career began as a young man working on riverboat cruises along the Mississippi River. His paddleboat cruise line promoted him to a larger boat, and he eventually moved to work in Florida cruising all over the East Coast up to Quebec, Canada. Throughout his career, he gained valuable experience working for various hotel chains, which helped him become an assistant general manager. When he applied for the position at the Drury Chain, his years of experience weren’t enough to secure the job of general manager, he had to start as an assistant manager. Drury executives explained that while he might have been a good manager elsewhere, he lacked the specific experience required to run a hotel in the Drury style.

Heather is an excellent navigator and got us uptown and parked in record time. We had 20 minutes to spare before we got on the comedy bus tour of Charlotte, North Carolina. Our driver was so professional yet incredibly knowledgeable and funny. We learned so much history about this beautiful city and how carefully it has been built around its founders and its future.

The city was named after Queen Charlotte solely to secure financial assistance from the British government for its construction. Despite never visiting America, it took seven years to complete the city’s development. Remarkably, when the city was finished, the residents of Charlotte were the first to send a letter to the British authorities expressing their intention to secede from their rule.

On this tour, we visited numerous surviving homes and mansions in Charlotte. The city is divided into four wards, each with its own distinct significance. The stunning architecture and grounds were truly remarkable. Notably, the cemetery depicted was visited by George Washington during the war to pay tribute to his fallen soldiers.

We also visited the NASCAR Hall of Fame here. We bought all-inclusive tickets and were delighted with their value. We had lunch, entry, unlimited simulator rides, and discounts at the gift shop. We bought a couple of NASCAR jerseys, but it was best to leave Heather behind so she could work at the gift shop and pay for all our merchandise. It was a blessing that Ryan Newman hasn’t been inducted into the Hall of Fame because she would be working there for a long, long time.

As usual, Heather and I raced head-to-head, and I lost again. She’s definitely the better driver. Heather, you’re my hero! I admit defeat, but we did race again. I immediately took the lead by intentionally wiping out two other cars behind the pace car, blocking my wife. I maintained my lead and won! However, after the race, the scoreboard didn’t work, so there’s no official record of this. So, it never happened… but we know, don’t we, babies?

As we made our way back to our car, the heavens opened up, showering us with downpour. Soaking wet as we finally made it to our car. We drove back to our hotel, navigating through a lightning storm while struggling to defrost our car windows. Unfortunately, we decided against venturing out tonight. Although I was tempted to try the Golden Cow after we ate at the purple cow, we’ve chosen to stay in. Good night, everyone!

“Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your values, your values become your destiny.”

— Mahatma Gandhi