Scouters National Jamboree Tour 2013
West Virginia & Virginia
July 22, 2013 — We just returned from an exciting coach tour from Valley Forge PA to Beckley WV where we attended the inaugural Boy Scouts of America National Jamboree at it’s new permanent site, the Summit Bechtel Reserve, located in the hills of West Virginia. This high – adventure base has plans as far at the vistas seen from any of the mountaintops on the property and will take 100 years for the BSA to realize the full potential of the grounds.
Ameranall Travel in conjunction with Dave Cooper, our group leader, put together a jam packed short three night tour to West Virginia and Virginia highlighted by our group spending a full day at the Jamboree as VIP guests.
In route to our first overnight stop in Lewisburg WV we made a brief stop for lunch in the historic town of Harpers Ferry WV located in the Historic National Park. That evening our group enjoyed a special West Virginal style dinner at Food and Friends located in the historic town of Lewisburg WV. If you love prime rib, Black Angus no less, cooked to perfection, Salmon, or almond encrusted chicken breast accompanied by a fresh salad, roasted vegetables and potatoes wedges, the best sweet dinner rolls ever, and topped with fresh homemade apple crisp, you will love Food and Friends. Outstanding!
After spending a full day at the Jamboree the next day we traveled back through the beautiful mountains of WV crossing into Virginia where we spent the night in Lexington VA. The historic manor home that houses the Hampton Inn Lexington was the nicest Hampton Inn I have ever stayed in. It’s a beautiful boutique hotel that sits at the entrance to Historic Lexington. If you have never visited Lexington it is definitely worth a stop especially if you are a history and war buff. I confess I am not but thoroughly enjoyed this small town, it’s history and our charming, witty and extremely knowledgeable tour guide who took us through the town by horse drawn carriage. A word of warning, this is a hilly town but that too is all part of their history.
After a full morning in Lexington we departed for Charlottesville VA where we overnighted in the beautiful Omni hotel located at the foot of the historic pedestrian shopping area. Here a few of us stopped at Miller’s, a local pub, one of the many eateries along the shopping street offering indoor and outdoor dining. Here I had the one thing on my food list while in the south, fried green tomatoes. These were not like the fried green tomatoes my Mother made! These “Whistle Stop Fried Green Tomatoes” were the best I have ever had encrusted in crisp lightly fried cornmeal, topped with fresh salsa, feta cheese and a ranch dipping sauce on the side. Yum!!! They were so good I came home and made them myself because I just had to have them again.
That evening we enjoyed a group dinner at our hotel and I have to mention, the Omni outdid themselves with our meal. It is a rare thing to have a group dinner that includes filet minion and the beef is cooked medium rare to perfection. You would think this was a foodie tour wouldn’t you? There’s nothing like good old southern cooking.
On our final day we spent the morning at Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson beginning with a tour of the house and time to wander the beautiful grounds. Our history lessons taught us that Thomas Jefferson was a statesman and leader. He was the author of the Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom, third president of the United States, and founder of the University of Virginia. He voiced the aspirations of a new America as no other individual of his era. As public official, historian, philosopher, and plantation owner, he served his country for over five decades. But, a visit to Monticello will show you an inventor, a natural engineer and as thrifty as they come with his eye continually on conservation and a way to do things better. You are introduced to the man.
Departing Monticello we headed home through the scenic mountains of Virginia, up through rural Maryland crossing into Pennsylvania stopping in historic Gettysburg for dinner at the Dobbin’s House Tavern before returning to Valley Forge. Sadly our tour came to an end but not without having made new friends, reacquainted with old friends from our World Jamboree tours and great anticipation for the next Dave Cooper Scouter tour.
Mary Ann Devery
