FALL TOUR 2004

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=110 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="040f0f21egerdp.jpg"> <div> <B><IMG SRC="041203c0.jpg" border=0 width="32" height="60" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#66334C" FACE="Arial" ><B>The Magic of Reading</B></FONT><B>      |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Magic of Reading"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="03ff2f02egerdp.jpg"> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="14">    <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="14">  <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="14">    <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="14"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="1073bed0.gif" border=0 width="315" height="493" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=370 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="042f0f03.jpg"> <div> <I>FALL TOUR 2004</I></div> <bR> <div> <B>Wednesday, September 8, 2004</B></div> <bR> <div> NASHVILLE, TN  Ben's Fall 2004 Tour officially begins tomorrow, September 9 with programs at the Mount Juliet and Franklin public libraries in the Nashville Metro area.  So, what is Ben doing in Nashville the day before his work begins?  </div> <bR> <div> Call it a retreat.  Call it a working vacation.  Call it . . . having a little fun!  Ben does love Tennessee!</div> <bR> <div> Actually, I spent most of this day on the phone to India trying to get help removing a worm from my computer.  Big worm!  Ben is back online.  Now, time to have fun.  A good book would be nice!  </div> <bR> <div> The drive over yesterday from South Carolina was right through the wet and windy reminants of Hurricane Frances.  Thirty tornadoes were spawned in South Carolina!  We saw clouds that looked</div> <div> just like the ones on the weather channel that have tornadoes dangling from them.  Luckily, none formed on I-26 or I-40 as we hydroplanned by. </div> <bR> <div> <B>Sunday, September 12, 2004</B></div> <bR> <div> COLUMBIA, TN  Thursday's library programs were great fun.  I do believe this was the fourth time I've spoken in Mt. Juliet and about the same for Franklin.  Libraries are always a special treat and a special challenge because you never know who is going to show up!  You might have an audience of mostly four year olds, or mostly senior citizens, or five people or 100.</div> <bR> <div> I had been thinking for weeks that it would be difficult traveling from Mt. Juliet to Franklin during rush hour, but Ben drove the long way around (almost to Murfreesboro) and never encountered any traffic at all!  I may have driven twice as far as absolutely necessary, but I was able to make twice as good time and have twice as much fun doing it.  Traffic sucks the joy out of life and I avoid it whenever possible.</div> <bR> <div> Friday morning I hopped into the van and drove north on I-65 to Portland, TN for two programs at Watt Hardison Elementary School.  It was foggy out and there's a lot of highway construction around Nashville just now, so I was happy to pull into Portland without incident.</div> <bR> <div> My thoughts about Watt Hardison Ele:  What nice, well-mannered children!  Ben was the first school assembly program some of the very young students ever saw, and I hope it will be the best.  Abe Lincoln was at Watt Hardison last year.  You know, I never hear of anyone doing George Washington, Thomas Edison, John Kennedy, or Martin Luther King.  Seems like it is just me and Abe traveling the highways regularly in the Southeast.</div> <bR> <div> The afternoon was spent at Liberty Elementary in Franklin, TN.  As I turned onto the road leading up to the school, I knew I had been to the school before.  It must have been a long, long time ago because no one remembered . . . except me.  The kids at Liberty were lively and wonderful.  I hope I got their weekend off to a good start.  Ms. McDonald, my contact at Liberty Ele, is an exceptionally enthusiastic and nice person! I wish her the best because she brightened Ben's day and made him feel welcome and appreciated at Liberty Elementary.</div> <bR> <div> I chose to spend the weekend in Columbia, TN at my favorite Hampton Inn.  The same nice lady checked me in as the last time I was here, and the same very talented older lady served up the best breakfast Saturday and Sunday morning.  Hotels can be heaven or they can be the other place, and the payment of a few extra dollars is what usually makes the difference.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Thursday, October 21, 2004</B></div> <bR> <div> LEXINGTON, VA      Up early and drove from Harrisonburg, VA to Buena Vista.  It was a nice little drive of about 65 miles.  Sky was overcast and it was cool.  The clouds seemed to be just at the top of the mountains, sometimes covering the highest peaks.</div> <bR> <div> I spoke at three schools today:  Kling and Mountain View Elementaries in Buena Vista, and Natural Bridge Elementary in Natural Bridge Station.  Great fun everywhere I went.  Kids were wonderful!!</div> <bR> <div> At the Natural Bridge program I spoke with a lady from a local newspaper for a long time, before and after the program.  Then, after the show, I went out searching for a Ben Franklin wax statue I heard about that was supposed to be in a shop closeby.  I noticed the newspaper lady was also in the shop and I went up to her:  "I'm glad to bump into you again," I said.  She said, "excuse me?"</div> <div> I had to introduce myself again; she didn't recognize me in a baseball cap and jeans!</div> <bR> <div> The neat thing about Glasgow, a tiny town two or three miles from Natural Bridge Station:  they have these huge dinosaurs everywhere!  I mean, top quality, large statues.  When they started talking about a statue of Ben Franklin, I at first thought they meant I was a dinosaur!</div> <bR> <div> <B>Friday, October 22, 2004</B></div> <bR> <div> FAIRFAX, VA     Drove from Harrisonburg to Fairfax . . . a nice little two hour drive on a cool, overcast day.  This afternoon's program was Greenbriar East Elementary, Fairfax County.  I had a friendly, lively group of third, fourth and fifth graders who asked some of the best questions Ben Franklin has heard after the program was completed.</div> <bR> <div> Found my motel in Manassas and was delighted to settle into a room overlooking a lake covered with Canada geese.  It's going to be a great weekend!</div> <bR> <div> <B>Monday, October 24, 2004</B></div> <bR> <div> LAUREL, MD      First stop this morning, Matthew Henson Elementary in Prince Georges County, Maryland.  Spoke to a lively group of 3, 4 and 5th graders.  Kids were friendly and learned everything very fast.</div> <bR> <div> Then, jumped on the Washington D.C. beltway and headed southwest to Lincoln Elementary in Loudoun County, Virginia.  Lovely school, lovely kids, a place I am sure everyone enjoys spending time!  The kids arrived knowing lots and lots about Ben Franklin.  I felt right at home and was sorry to have to go after the program.</div> <bR> <div> Headed back up the toll superhighway to D.C.--then on to Laurel.  </div> <bR> <div> After a difficult day of travel, I finally found my hotel.  It looked great on the outside . . . on the inside it looked like a bomb had hit it.  I'm glad I'm only paying $89 plus tax for the lovely room and the war-time ambiance.  </div> <bR> <div> <B>Sunday, December 26, 2004</B></div> <bR> <div> My travel journal for Fall 2004 seems rather incomplete.  Let me fill in a few gaps before I wrap things up for 2004.  I do hate to leave things undone.</div> <bR> <div> My Fall 2004 Tour actually began at the same place as the Fall 2003 Tour:  Pinewood Prep, Summerville, on Sept 3. I announced to that group that in a little more than one year Ben would be celebrating his 300th birthday!  I also told the excellent students at Pinewood that I had learned that it is very likely Ben Franklin never flew his electric kite at all!  The kids weren't thilled to hear that bit of news, so I decided to keep it to myself from now on.</div> <bR> <div> The week following my visit to Nashville I spent in Alabama and Georgia--before another hurricane, I forget which, washed out the remainder of my schedule for the week.  Among the schools I visited:  Heritage Elementary, Huntsville, AL; Howard School, Atlanta, GA; Disque Middle School, Gadsden, AL.  I rescheduled two south Alabama schools for March, 2005.</div> <bR> <div> On September 20 I spoke to two groups of middle school students in central North Carolina.  I visited Elise Middle School in Robbins in the morning and drove down the road a few miles to Westmore School in Seagrove.  A thoroughly fun day.  Super students!</div> <bR> <div> On September 23 I presented two programs in Whiteville, NC.  First I spoke at Whiteville Primary School.  That evening, I performed for the Columbus County Literacy organization.  People were uncommonly friendly everywhere I went.</div> <bR> <div> October 12 it was Lugoff Elementary, Lugoff, SC.  I spoke to 4th graders and just had a jolly time.  It's nice on the rare occasions when all the kids in my audience are the same age!</div> <bR> <div> October 13--Ben visited two schools in the Charlotte, NC area.  First it was Queen's Grant Community School; then I drove up the road five miles or so to Bain Elementary.  Lovely driving around in the fall.  Blue skies.  Leaves just beginning to turn.  Love my satellite radio.  What does Ben listen to?  50s, 60s, 70s, and CNN.</div> <bR> <div> October 18--Performed at Fairfield Elementary.  I shook the hand of the school principal who said he had shaken the hand of a man who had shaken the hand of Robert E. Lee.  He provided me details that convinced me this was an actual fact.  He had remembered and honored the experience for 50 years, and I am sure I will remember it the rest of my life!  What a gift to give someone.</div> <bR> <div> Oct 19, 20, 29, Nov 1--Performed at four Harrisonburg (VA) City Schools. I was thankful to be invited by the school district to speak at Keister, Stone Spring, Spotswood, and Waterman elementary schools.</div> <div> Everyone treated me especially nice.  What a lovely place to spend many glorious fall days!  </div> <bR> <div> Nov 2--George W. Bush re-elected President</div> <bR> <div> Nov 3, 4--Performed at two wonderful schools in or near Newport News, VA.  Hats off to Poquoson and Sedgefield Elementary Schools.  A unique and delightful experience at both schools.</div> <bR> <div> Nov 5--Stovall-Shaw Elementary, Stovall, NC; South Hill Elementary, VA.  Thanks for the good times!</div> <bR> <div> Nov 9--North Augusta Elementary, SC.  </div> <bR> <div> Nov 10--Dowell Ele, Marietta, GA.  </div> <bR> <div> Nov 11--Veteran's Day.  Dunleith Elementary, Marietta, GA.</div> <bR> <div> Nov 12--West Hardeeville Elementary, Hardeeville, SC.</div> <bR> <div> Nov 18--Columbia Elementary, Orlando, FL; All Saints Academy, Winter Haven, FL</div> <bR> <div> Nov 19--Lake George Elementary, Orlando, FL; Pleasant Hill Elementary, Kissimmee, FL.</div> <bR> <div> Dec 2--Rossville Middle School, GA; Indian Lake Elementary, Hendersonville, TN.</div> <bR> <div> Dec 3--Oneida Elementary, TN.</div> <bR> <div> Of the thirteen schools I visited from November 5-Dec 3 I am proud to note that five of them I had been to before.  It always warms my heart when Old Ben is invited back to a school!</div> <bR> <div> For the first time ever, I visited the same school in three consecutive school years.  Indian Lake Elementary, Hendersonville, TN now holds a record which may never be broken!</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Bens Travel Journal "><U>  Ben's Travel Journal  </U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Magic of Reading"><U>The Magic of Reading</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>  </div> <bR> <bR> <div>   </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>