Marc; If you ever do get up here, I will be pleased to be your guide to L.L. Bean's, which is all of five miles away from me. The best time to avoid the crowds is to go around 2:00 AM, as they are open 24 hrs. It is a long day's drive from Richmond. I have been there once and visit northern Va often as a civil war reenactor. The weather here last week was as hot as yours, BTW. Roger