Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Tracey and I went on our annual trip to see Bucky and Gwen Hill in Virginia On the way to Orange,Va., she reminded me that it was our 16th year going up there. We go every Valentine’s Day weekend and tour the wineries in the Shenandoah Valley. Every person she meets she tells the story that Bucky and I have been friends for 56 years. Which is true!

The girls spent Friday at the spa and Bucky and I drove over to see his brother, Billy and rode through his land. A big part of it is attached to Woodberry School.

Bucky and I went to Randolph Macon Academy in Front Royal, Va as well as Billy and their dad.

Bucky and I were teammates on the football and baseball teams at RMA. Bucky took the winter off to wrestle while I played basketball. That is a big sport in Northern Virginia.

The day came when we headed out to the wineries. It was Saturday, and it had snowed a lot up there. Our first stop was at the Gray Ghost winery in Amissville, Va . One we stumbled upon as Tracey calls it, the first time we went. Gwen wasn’t with us the first time but she hasn’t missed another in 16 years.

Next stop was the Narmada winery, which was Tracey’s favorite. Bucky and Gwen do not have a favorite but enjoy it because we’re up there. Bucky bought several bottles of wine from several different places and Gwen agreed with his selections.

Our next stop was The Black Twig restaurant where we got lunch. We had a sandwich and french fries with plenty of ketchup and I ate Tracey’s fries.

Our next stop was Sharp Rock vineyard in Sperryville, Va. I’ve wanted to go back there since I first visited it . It has fishing streams with cottages on it, which makes for a beautiful setting.

Bucky and Gwen have been our friends for years. No one can find a friend as good as Bucky and Gwen Hill if they searched the world over. We’ve invited them down to Washington in the near future. They’ve been here many times and love it here!! He could share my RMA sports history with my friends here. Some I’d want them to hear, and some, of course, I wouldn’t ever want to be told!

They were best of times with the best of friends and the best of places Washington, N. C. The Original Washington!

Harold Jr.