Arrived in Millstone today. As we went through town we pulled over at a carwash to talk over what we were going to do. There was a guy washing his car. As he left we said hi, he said hi and he was on his way. On the way back into town we stopped at a little gun shop (go figure) to check it out and this guy shows up there. When we get outside and get to talking and introduce our selves, He tells us his name is Dana Starcher. And after throwing out a few names it turns out, He is our cousin. We talked with him for awhile got a couple of pictures together. Told him about our web site and he is going to have his girlfriend pull it up to what we’re up to. Then we had lunch at the café and she waited on us we all joked back and forth then headed for the homestead. As we pulled up to the house a guy was working on his car and a lady standing next to him. We parked introduced ourselves and it seemed like things just flowed from there. They offered a great deal of information, let us hang around as long as we wanted. We talked and had a cigar and only wonder what has childhood must have been like. As impoverished as it might have been, there was a richness which no one could deny. My heart breaks for Him even more after seeing where he came from, as to what evil could befall him to never want to go back or even share his family with us. He had to have his reasons, I will have to trust that it was just the way it had to be.

Arrived in W.Virginia today. The scenery is unreal. Bob was right about what everything looks like. Everywhere you look it’s like a post card. People are incredibly friendly and amazed at what we’re doing. It’s like a blank spot in our memory dealing with Dad’s keeping his childhood a mystery giving us only glimpses occasionally by way of a funny story, or to teach us some life lesson  filtered through his simple hillbilly logic. Which you could seldom argue with. Looking forward to seeing the homestead tomorrow.