A Fourth of July Mystery Ride July 1, 2013
Posted by nrhatch in Travel & Leisure.trackback
“No fair! You and dad get to go to New York City for your anniversary while we’re stuck here doing NOTHING!”
Without waiting for a response, Nicole flounced out of the room, with all the indignation a 9-year-old can muster.
Hours later, Nicole heard her grandparents arrive, with doors opening and shutting. Still pouting, Nicole didn’t run to greet them with her usual enthusiasm.
Her mother came to the foot of the stairs. “Nicole! Come down. We’ve got a surprise for you.”
Intrigued, Nicole rolled off the bed and clunked downstairs with satisfying “thuds” and “thunks.”
Her brothers, John and David, sat at the kitchen table wearing huge grins.
Her 7-year-old sister, Beth, squealed. “Guess what?! We’re going on a Mystery Ride with grandma!”
Nicole glanced around for confirmation. Her grandmother nodded. The black mood lifted, with hugs all around.
In no time, the three youngest nestled in the backseat with great aunt Edie. John sat in front between his grandparents.
Everyone waved as they pulled out of the driveway.
Nicole loved Mystery Rides.
To the beach.
On picnics.
Hiking to a waterfall.
Visiting Turtle Back Zoo.
Nicole caught her grandmother’s eyes in the rear-view mirror.
“Where are we going?”
“Och, I cannae tell ye . . . twould no be a mystery.”
“Can we guess? Will you give us clues? I’m reading a Nancy Drew detective story and . . . ”
“Aye. We’ll give clues.”
“Have we been there before?”
“No. But it’s been there awa.”
“Is it older than you?”
The adults chuckled. “Oh, yes. ‘Tis older than us.”
Beth piped up, “Is it bigger than a bread box?”
John yelled out, “Is it man-made?”
David rubbed his stomach, “Will there be something good to eat?”
“Hold it. Hold it. One at a time. Yes. Yes. And . . . YES!”
As they crossed over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, Nicole’s “inner Nancy Drew” solved the mystery.
“I know where we’re going!”
John rolled his eyes. “No, you don’t.”
“Do too! Colonial Williamsburg!”
Two hours later, they checked into a motel. Beth saw the swimming pool and started to cry. “I don’t have my bathing suit!”
Grandpa unlocked the trunk and pulled out the suitcases stashed inside. “Oh, yes, you do!”
King’s Arm Tavern, Colonial Williamsburg
After dinner at the King’s Arms Tavern, they watched a Fife and Drum parade and fireworks over Palace Green.
Nicole grabbed her grandmother’s hand.
“What a great way to celebrate Independence Day!”
* * *
Fireworks over Palace Green, Colonial Williamsburg
Want to join the fun? Enter the Fourth of July Secret Mystery Writing Contest.
Spirit Lights The Way 
I loved the grandparents’ accent…is it Scottish? And how cool to see places I recognize! My husband is a 5th generation Delawarean and I lived there for 3 years with him. Ahhh, the King’s Arms Tavern…brings back memories. 🙂 Thanks for a very fun story!
Yes, my mother’s parents and Aunt Edie emigrated from Scotland in the 1920’s and had a lovely Scottish brogue which they played up from time to time . . . especially on Mystery Rides.
Williamsburg is such a great place to learn about history, and the taverns are fantastic fun. Writing this made me want to make plans for a visit this fall.
Yes, it was a fun story and loved the way you weaved in the mystery all over!! 😀
Thanks, Shree! If you have the chance this week, Susanna is accepting entries through Friday.
Oh! So I’m not too late! I kinda..ahem…forgot about it..lol.
I might try to see if I can come up with something. Thank you 🙂
The entries I’ve read so far (#1 – #10) have all been terrific. Susanna’s too. Hope you’ll have a chance to play along.
I think I recognize a smile up there!
Yes . . . that’s “Nancy with the Laughing Face.” 😀
Wow, Nancy! I am so impressed! You wrote an actual mystery story in 400 words! And having struggled mightily with the task myself (and finding I really don’t know how to write a mystery! :)) I am amazed! Great job!!! 🙂
Thanks, Susanna. Your contests are always such FUN ~ this one gave me a chance to share memories in a fictional format.
And I loved the Motorcycle (grand)Mama in your story!
Loved going along the ride, Nancy! I don’t know if your characters have visited Colonial WIlliamsburg before, but I’ve never been there… it seems like it would be a lot of fun! As does New York City, of course, so… you know… either way…
🙂
I spent 4 years in Williamsburg during college. It’s a fantastic slice of history with costumed interpreters strolling around . . . and delicious food at Colonial Taverns.
We visited for the first time when I was about Nicole’s age.
Nice work Nancy.
Thanks, Tammy. Susanna’s contest give me a chance to do something a bit different.
Niiiice. You are a wonderful writer, Nancy. You really get reader inside of Nicole’s head.
Thanks! I remember getting my nose out of joint a time or two at her age. 😉
This is very different for you. Is it memoir or fiction? Are you in any of those pictures?
I’d do it, but I’m neck deep in straightening out my blog follows. I decided to do it all. I’m recreating RSS feeds on feedly (not switching that over was a huge mistake), and I’m creating a page on my blog so I’ll have them all in one place ( I tried to do a sidebar, but couldn’t figure it out. I had one before so I’m not sure what happened. How did you get yours in the sidebar? I couldn’t get the links to work.)
Anyway, I might participate otherwise. I need all the incentive I can get right now to start writing again.
It’s fiction, with heavy doses of memoir and memory. My grandparents did take us on Mystery Rides, including one over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and one to Maine.
The photos are of me, my brothers and sister, my grandparents, and my mom (at the zoo).
If you can do widgets on your sidebar with your theme, there should be one marked “links.” But it’s been so long since I set it up that I can’t remember if there was a trick to it.
I hope that you will play along. Susanna is accepting submissions until the 5th and she has some GREAT prizes lined up for the winners.
I thought I recognized you in a couple of the shots. I’ll think about playing, right now I’m organizing. . .
How nice to add photos to your story! I liked the voice of the grandparents.
Thanks, Tina. I loved listening to my grandparents and aunt Edie talk. A very warm and welcoming accent.
I saw that you entered Susanna’s contest. I had jury duty this morning so I haven’t been around to read anyone submissions. I’ll swing by soon.
What a cute story! My kids would love this. Wonder what Grandpa is up to this weekend…
Maybe Grandpa should take the kids on a Mystery Ride this weekend? Sometimes the Mystery Ride was local ~ out for ice cream or to the movies. Other times, they took us overnight so my parents could get some R&R.
A mystery ride sounds like such fun — and what a perfect destination for July 4th! Loved the grandmother’s Scottish accent (my grandma was Scottish, too). Well done!
Thanks, Beth. Nothing like a wee bit of Scottish brogue to put a smile on my face.
We LOVED going on Mystery Rides with my grandparents . . . once they took us to Maine for a week. My mom packed our suitcases and snuck them into the trunk.
…and Colonial Williamsburg has something for everyone!
And if the mystery and history get old, Busch Gardens is right around the corner.
What a fun story! I felt like I was reading one of my favorite Nancy Drew’s! And the photos are just fabulous. My grandmother had that same brogue, and we took so many fabulous local car trips together. This was just a delight, Nancy!
Thanks, Debra. I enjoyed writing this AND selecting photos to include ~ simple pleasures are life’s treasures.
Maybe you could take your granddaughters on a Mystery Ride? I bet they would LOVE it!
I love the old photos. And the accents. Well done.
Thanks, Andra. I don’t know which I enjoyed more . . . writing the story or picking the photos.
If you’re in the mood, Susanna’s accepting submissions through Friday the 5th.
Great mystery story, without corpses!
July fourths must be great fun – but we’ve experinced many through books and films so it is quite a familiar occasion – for something that doesn’t happen here.
Thanks, Col.
Any one can enter. It might be fun to see you share an outsider’s look in at our celebration. Entries can be prose or poem. Just click on the link and see what you think.
btw = Do Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys still survive over there? They seem to have faded rather, in SA. I was nuts about them at one stage.
Several of my nieces read Nancy Drew in their pre-teens ~ but Ms. Drew had LOTS of competition for attention. Harry Potter. Amelia Bedelia. TV. Computers. Video Games. Etc..
I expect the Hardy Boys are still around, but suffering the same issue of increasing competition for readers.
Oh, lovely, Nancy What a fabulous trip. Beats New York!
We had lots of lovely trips into the city, as well. It was a quick 45 minute trip by train, bus, or car . . . as long as we avoided rush hour. My great aunt used to take us into the city at Christmas to see the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall.
With a pop-in to see the toys at FAO Schwartz. And we bought roasted chestnuts from street vendors to warm up our fingers.
Great story Nancy, Fiction, with heavy doses of memoir and memory are my kinda thing. I was hoping to take part, but am struggling with my effort right now. Maybe by tomorrow…
Thanks, Grannymar. I had TONS of FUN writing this one. I hope you can play along . . . Susanna’s accepting entries until Friday the 5th. All the rules can be found via the link.
Contests like these always draw in so many gems…and sometimes stir nuggets of memory. I enjoyed the almost voyeuristic peek into your past, especially since it reminded me so much of my own. It made the story much more personal somehow. I had to grin at the mention of Nancy Drew…she was a regular staple on my bookshelf. I even mentioned her in MY blog post. LOL! Thanks for the share, and best of luck!
I spent the morning at the courthouse for Jury Duty . . . and am looking forward to reading the other submissions. I’ll keep an eye out for Ms. Drew in your post. 😀
Loved your mystery ride idea. Reminded me of my youth — as well as the photos! Great story.
Thanks, Patricia. If you’ve entered the contest, I’ll be making the rounds shortly. Tuesday at the latest.
Love, love, love all the old photographs!!! I felt very nostalgic while reading this. Well done!
Thanks, Heather. I enjoyed selecting nostalgic photos to accompany the story. Susanna’s contests are such fun.
What a wonderful story! I loved all the pictures and links. (It put me in the mood to read a Nancy Drew mystery.) 🙂 What a fun surprise for Nicole and her siblings. I’m glad her folks packed the swimsuits! I really enjoyed it.
Me too! I had quite a collection of Nancy Drew mysteries growing up. Thanks!
Grandparents and the beach (Island Beach State Park, to be exact)… no mystery, but always a great time.
Grandparents + The Beach = Perfect Together! 😎
Island Beach State Park is a a great destination . . . especially combined with the boardwalk rides, food, and fun in Seaside Heights.
Oh fun and mystery! Was that a semi-true story? It felt so real. And I’m not far from Turtleback Zoo either.
It’s semi-true . . . we did go on Mystery Rides with my grandparents, though not to Wmsburg for the 4th of July.
We loved Turtleback Zoo, Mayapple Hill, and the South Mountain Reservation when we lived in northern NJ.
I love the story! I imagined you as Nicole 🙂 Mystery rides sound fun – especially when bags are packed without the kiddos even knowing it.
I forgot about the writing contest. I don’t think I can write a better story than you just did, but it sure is fun to try. I’ll have to check out the rules again!
Nicole is much the way I remember being at that age . . . black moods, and all. 😛 We loved all the mystery rides ~ out for ice cream, to a picnic, or overnights with smuggled bags in the trunk.
Hope you can play along. I wonder if you can do a stand alone 400 word July 4th mystery that also ties in to your Darlene, Dottie, and Myrtle mystery. That might be fun. I’ve loved the entries ~ from stolen tiaras to missing party hats, a lost pony.
Nancy…I owe you one.:) For this wonderful trip down memory lane…NYC, Colonial Williamsburg and Nancy Drew! I loved the family photos…what a beautiful touch to a great ‘mystery’ story. We never had mystery rides when I was a kid and I never did them with my own children (wish I had)…but my son and his wife took me on one a couple of years ago when they were living in Boston…would NOT tell me our destination…we spent a glorious weekend in Montreal. 🙂
Oh, how FUN! What a great destination for a Mystery Ride. I took my parents on a few short Mystery Rides when they visited as adults. Trying to figure out the destination adds to the pleasure of the journey.
And another Nancy Drew fan . . . I loved watching her solve mysteries with Bess, George, and Ted.
I’ll be around shortly to see what you cooked up for the contest. Something tasty, I’m sure.
I still have stacks of old Nancy Drew books in a closet…maybe I will have to take them out and reread them.:) I loved the Hardy Boys also.
You should! Maybe you’ll be able to share them with your grandkids in a few years.
I had a shelf full of Nancy Drew growing up. My brothers had the Hardy Boys. I read both. I half expected to bump into the collection last summer in my parents’ attic, but they must have been donated to a Book Sale at some point.
I love the way you have incorporated a part of your childhood with the story. . .great job!
Thanks! Life is a tapestry of moments bound together in overflowing memory banks. It’s FUN to pluck out individual threads and toss them into the Pensieve (a la Dumbledore).
http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Pensieve
Lovely old photos
Thanks, BB. I had fun selecting photos to go with the story.
This is great, Nancy! Love the way you illustrated it with old photos. 🙂
Thanks, Clar! I’ve enjoyed all the stories I’ve read so far. I’ve got a few more to read. But this has been a super FUN challenge from Susanna.
Great job. The photos are an added bonus. It shows you were thinking, thinking, thinking. You must be a mystery writer. I really enjoyed myself. (I used to love Nancy Drew.) Think I’ll read one tonight. 🙂
Thanks, Robyn! I think I might enjoy writing a mystery ~ I love reading them. Enjoy your Nancy Drew mystery tonight.
I loved Williamsburg–and we took our kids one summer. But boy, our youngest was NOT a fan. It was hot and historical and…well, we still laugh about his rallying cry: “Why must you torture me?”
Six year olds are so dramatic. 🙂
Fun mystery–enjoyed the accent and the Nancy Drew channeling! 🙂
Your son’s rallying cry reminds me of a walk around Wmsburg on a sweltering hot day when we overheard a boy of 6 or 7 say, with emphasis:
“I’m not cranky and irritable because I’m tired. I’m cranky and irritable because I’m S~W~E~A~T~I~N~G!”
Parents do know how to torture their kids . . . even without locking them in the stocks at the courthouse.
Hahahahaa! SO true!
Kids say the funniest things at times . . . when provoked, poked, and prodded. 😀
Nancy, Wonderful story! I L-O-V-E this….what is more wonderful than family?!! Makes me miss my grandparents….I loved them so, but how I wish I had appreciated them more – the heritage – the wisdom. Are those actual pics of your family? I have so few of my grandparents. My dad was in the military, so we were often far away.
Thanks, Laura Anne! Those are photos of my family . . . including the grandparents who took us on Mystery Rides.
I enjoyed the delightful illustrations on your story. You’ve got real talent.
Thanks, Nancy, you are very kind. I espec. like the pic of the little girl and 2 boys on the steps. She does not look happy. My mom has one of me like that…we were going to eat breakfast out w/ another family…a real treat…but we got there too early and the restaurant was not open yet. WE had to wait an hour – and our folks took a picture…I showed my adamant displeasure. 55 years later it still comes back to haunt! 🙂
That photo of my brothers and sister was taken in Kennebunkport, Maine at Cabot Cove Cottages.
I’m not sure where I was or why my sister was so unhappy. But I’m fairly sure the black clouds blew away quickly.
Love the photos! We made just such a trip to Williamsburg, with 4 kids in the backseat too!
How timely! It is a great family destination with lots to interest kids of all ages.
Timely? Sorry for my sentence structure weakness – it was 40 yrs ago!
It wasn’t your wording, I read it wrong. I read “we just made” instead of “we made just.” My bad.
The story and photos were just great! Nice entry!
Thanks, Penny. Susanna got a wonderful crop of submissions this time. I’ve enjoyed every one of them.
There’s so much to love about this story. I love Gran’s accent, and the factual details, the kids guessing game, and the priceless accompanying photos. Thank-you for posting.
Thanks, Joanne! As mysteries go, this one is a rather pleasant, non-life-threatening, one. Glad you enjoyed. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Love the tie in to Nancy Drew and the relationship between the kids and grandparents. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Pam. Susanna got some tremendous entries for this 4th of July mystery contest.
What a fun story. I would’ve loved to go on a mystery ride with my grandparents. The pictures were a really great addition too.
Thanks, Margaret. Grandparents + Mystery Rides = Perfect Together!