I was recently on a ride home from Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, and got to thinking about a planned trip to Northern West Virginia. I got a sudden urge to go visit the old homestead while I was up that way, adding a day onto the trip.

When I got home, I did some research on the Internet and contacted people living on the road I was on, and found that my neighbor, an old guy we used to call Uncle Vik, still lived in the same house. He had always been strong in my memory as the guy who always handed out candy to us kids... something looked on as suspect these days, but he was a neat guy. He is now 96 years old and married to the woman who moved into our old house. We set up a meeting for the morning after my arrival, and arranged for his son-in-law, who now lives in my old house, to give me a tour of the old place.

Quite surprisingly, I also found a guy named Jim Miller, living in Cleveland Heights, who had the JiMiller Band - pictures on their WebSite suggested it may be the same guy and a few emails later, I had a place to stay and plans to spend the day with my best friend of 38 years ago.

The trip is a bit nostalgic, a real stroll down memory lane for me. Following the visit, I wandered back home down the back roads of West Virginia and Virginia on the way to my annual Brunswick Stew Party where Kim was going to meet me.

The 550 mile Interstate-77 ride northbound was a pain in the ass (pun intended), but the three day ride home was very nice... and contrary to weather.com's predictions, dry as well.