A Great Day In Alleghany County

We had the chance to spend the day in Alleghany County today, beginning at a crafts fair in Crouse Park. There was some absolutely beautiful work on sale, and the music and dancing was fantastic.

You just can't beat a live bluegrass band.

Rick and I both have ties to Alleghany that run deep. I've made the trip up the mountain for court for nearly 20 years now, and Rick actually lived in Sparta for two years while he was the sports editor for The Alleghany News. In fact, he was still there when we first started dating.

After leaving the crafts fair, we had lunch with James and Lib Reynolds, and their grandson, Matthew Bottomley. James took the boys on a tour of Glade Creek Dairy in Ennice, where he works. The dairy is owned by Blan and Dr. Tracy Bottomley, who is married to James and Lib's daughter, Amy.

This is James with Adam and Jesse in the milking barn. Check out the look on Adam's face.

Ever the trooper, though, Adam sidled right up to one of the cows and tried his hand at milking. Remember that scene from A League Of Their Own, where the baseball scout asks the character played by Geena Davis if the cow she's milking is hurt in the process? She says, no, the cow doesn't seem to mind.

To which the scout, played by Jon Lovitz, replies: "Well ... it would bruise the @#$@#! out of me." I don't know why, but I couldn't help but think of that scene as Adam gave milking a shot.

Tracy and Amy's sons -- Jonah, Matthew and Luke -- helped Adam and Jesse feed the calves they're raising. The city boys -- Adam and Jesse, obviously -- were amazed by how quickly the animals sucked their milk bottles dry.

Quicker, by far, than Adam or Jesse ever had.

Below, Adam and Jesse pet a couple more of Glade Creek Dairy's calves. It's people like James and Lib, Blan, Tracy and Amy and their children who make the world go around. I appreciate their friendship.

Victory Junction Gang Fund Raiser

Rick, my husband, covered all but one of Adam Petty's 43 starts in what was then known as the Busch Series, as well as his only Cup start at Texas in April 2000. As a result, they got to know each other.

They weren't necessarily life-long friends, but they were close enough to joke around quite often. Rick tried his best to set Adam up on a date with one of my very single and very attractive cousins, to no avail.

I'll never forget getting a call from Rick, who was in New Hampshire when Adam lost his life, telling me what had happened. I can say this without hesitation ... it was the very worst moment of Rick's professional career.

We're proud to have named one of our sons after Adam Petty. I also felt honored to be asked to take part in tonight's fundraiser for the Victory Junction Gang Camp, which was founded in Adam's memory by his dad and mom, Kyle and Pattie Petty.

The event was held tonight at the Stone Center in North Wilkesboro. Jesse (middle photo) and Adam (bottom) also helped out by drawing raffle tickets.

Road Trip!!!

After spending a total of 15 hours in airports going to and coming home from New Hampshire last week (no, really ... 15 hours!!!), Hearsay was more than happy to drive to Daytona today.

Yes, it was the Fourth of July. But, sometimes, a monkey just has to do what a monkey just has to do. All in all, it's an easy 550-mile drive. First, Hearsay went through ...

South Carolina. Then, it was on to ...

Georgia, before hitting ...

Florida.
After a traditional first-stop dinner at the Olive Garden in Ormond Beach, Hearsay couldn't help but head down to the ocean. There's something majestic about the ocean, something soothing and peaceful.