Sunday, May 22, 2016

Day Two - TN & VA

Saturday, May 20

I am writing this from Rocky Knob Campground, off Mile Marker 167 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. There are like, four occupied sites at this entire campsite. It's so quiet!

I slept in a little bit at Grandma's, then ate mashed potatoes and apple cake for breakfast like a grownup. While Aaron and Aimee socialized, I locked myself in the bedroom and called Expedia and then Alamo about the duds of cars they'd given us, and arranged for ANOTHER car at the airport location.

At the airport, Aaron actually got to pick out his preferred rental, which is how we got Car #3, a Jeep Patriot, for all of 10 minutes until he asked to switch to Car #4, a BRAND-NEW Chevy Equinox. The airport staff were horrified at our Charleston experience and worked with us until we had the best car available. This thing is pretty swanky, not gonna lie. SEAT WARMERS. BACK-UP CAMERA. And not a push-button start, which I hate.

It took a while to settle on a car and then switch our gear, but we got back to Grandma's in time to meet Aaron's cousin Corey and (new!) wife Amy, then pile into Corey's truck with Aimee to go eat at Giovanni's Pizza. I am still working on that delicious calzone, and it was totally worth it. Don't tell my Fitbit. (Which is dying and we forgot both chargers and I AM FREE OF YOUR NAGGING, FITBIT!)

The drive into Virginia went really smoothly. It rained a lot (surprise...) but cleared up as we hit the Blue Ridge Parkway.

So far, Virginia is like a boring North Carolina? It took a while to hit the gorgeous views, but a lot of it is farmland and rolling pastureland, or tree canopies over the two-lane road. I feel enormous, piloting this boat down a road with no shoulders. But it's quiet and pretty, and we basically have this campground to ourselves.

It is also raining (...) and we're journalling and eating in the car, because why not. I applied seam sealer to the tent, so fingers crossed this time? It'll be an early sunset with this rain, so hopefully an early bedtime and then we can be well-rested and have the chance to properly de-stress after two awful weeks at home and work.

Also, my favorite horse won the Preakness. I know you all cared. WHOO!

The tiny "optional" third row in the Journey, accessed only by folding down the middle seat.

Getting started. Oh hey. Rain clouds.


These next few are our first real view from the Blue Ridge Parkway, around Rocky Knob.




Early season campground = empty.


These flowers grow on the trees overhead!

Mushrooms?

4 comments:

  1. Its called a tulip tree. Grandma and Granddaddy had one in the back yard, but they cut the perfectly healthy and beautiful tree due to an irrational fear that it was going to fall down and destroy the house. No I'm not bitter, why do you ask?

    Was great seeing you guys, hope the rest of your trip is MUCH better than its' start!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh and by the way: fun fact! We print that bag o' charcoal you have there here at work. :-)

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