Lori, Maggie, and I went to Phillipi, West Virginia for the four day weekend to visit Lori's son Tyler (my nephew) and Lori's friend Harry who is also Tyler's legal guardian/step father.

We left Alliance Friday at 5 PM and got to Phillipi at about 9 PM.  We left Phillipi Monday at about 3 PM and got home around 9 PM.  We stayed two whole days and two half days.

We returned Gus, Harry's former dog who Becky's family adopted for two months.  Gus now has new owners, who live down the street from Harry.  Saturday morning, I got some video of Gus going home with his new owners.

We went to the Barbour County Fair on Saturday night from around 6 to around 10 PM.  Tyler and I went on four rides together and Tyler played two games and won a little green bear.  First we rode on Zero Gravity which is one of those centrifugal force rides.  I got some video of us on that ride and then the camera quit.

Tyler got sick from Zero Gravity, but I was still eager to ride another and Tyler went along even though he didn't feel well, but that didn't turn out to be so wise after all.  Our second ride was Hurricane, which was a bunch of cars attached to a spinning center, by mechanical arms that shook the cars up and down.  I thought it looked like fun, but boy did I turn out to be wrong.  The ride smashed me into Tyler's ribs and left us both with headaches, neckaches, and stomach aches.

But we didn't learn our lesson from that ride.  After resting, we rode Casino Royale, which was a giant casino board that spun around and gyrated up and down.  I had a good time with that one, but Tyler was evidently not as happy with it as  me.

After that we could've stopped, and we should have, for our own well being, but I was too stupid to quit and Tyler went along again, good sport that he is.  We went on this rocket like thing the name of which I forget.  It was like a big boat swinging back and forth.  Between the awful stench of the ride operator smoking a cigarette right next to us and the constant up and down motion, my stomach just couldn't take it and I puked down the side of the ride!  After we got off I collapsed in a heap on the ground while Tyler and Harry waited for me and dozens of onlookers watched me.  Tyler wasn't feeling so well either, but he managed to wait about two hours and we were home before he finally puked too.

Happy ending!  We both felt better later and Lori and I bought pizza for everybody and it was good.

Sunday afternoon I went for a two hour stroll around Phillipi during which I climbed a steep hill and discovered a college!  I also saw some deer and got pretty close to three of them! 

Edit:  At the college I found a statue named 'Student' and another named 'Apollo' and also the town bell which I had often heard through the window in Tyler's room where he graciously allowed me to sleep.  Ah, so that's how far away it is!  And I found a nice perch from which to view the whole valley where Harry lives, where I sat for several minutes to take in the scenery while I wondered whether this valley qualifies as a 'hollow' (or 'holler' as the locals refer to some valleys).

Sunday night we ate spaghetti together which Lori made; and Harry, Maggie, and I briefly spotted some deer.  During that time, Lori also stitched elastic onto Harry's new pants which seemed an exceedingly kind thing to do for him.  Monday morning and afternoon we prepared to leave while we watched and/or slept through a That '70s Show marathon on TV.

I had a good time and I am glad I got away from Alliance with my sister and my niece, whom I hope enjoyed the trip as much as I did.  See you next time Tyler!