Day 7 - Shenandoah to Asheville, NC

With snowflakes in the air we showered, ate breakfast and packed up the car and followed the Skyline Drive out of the park to the southern end.

Asheville, NC has been a city I have wanted to check out for a long time and Brian's high school friend Dean lives there so we decided we had to make it one of the stops this time around.  Also, we had decided to head west with the thought that there are airports if Brian got the job and he needed to get back in a hurry.

The drive out of VA following the Blue Ridge Mountains to TN is a lovely one and the road was lined with more Eastern Redbuds.  As we entered Johnson City, TN I had to put on Wagon Wheel by The Old Crow Medicine show since the city is mentioned in the song and upon our turn to I-26 we found WNCW a bluegrass station out of Asheville and suddenly the drive was perfect!  I-26 is s gorgeous drive and I highly recommend it.

We arrived at Dean's around 5 pm and headed over to the walk to grounds at the Biltmore Estate.

For more pictures of the grounds, gardens and house exterior go here.
We then headed back for a quick tour of downtown Asheville, including the Montford district and then headed to West Asheville for an amazing dinner at Nine Mile, Caribbean inspired food.

Miles traveled: 380
States traveled: VA, TN, NC

Day 6 - Shenandoah National Park

We were up with the sun after a chilly, windy night and decided to get into the car after breakfast and drive a bit so that we could run the heat.  We drove back north through the park and took in some more overlooks.(Up that is my hand blocking the sun in the photo of Old Rag.

We stopped into the Byrd visitor center and talked with a ranger named Woody who gave us multiple hiking suggestions and then checked out the reader boards about the history of the park, because, Reader Boards, Information, Interpretive Panels.....one of Amy's favorite things!

We decided to hike the Rose River Loop trail and hook up to Dark Hollow Falls as an attempt to get out of the wind.  It was a lovely hike and the falls were flowing pretty well.

We headed back to the campground and took hot showers had some snacks and then made a dinner of pasta with marinara and white beans, there was enough leftover for 2 lunches!  The wind died down right before we turned in for the night and it was a much more comfortable sleep but still chilly outside of the sleeping bag.

Miles traveled: 20ish
Mile hiked: 4
Cases of where we are starting to dress a like as a married couple: 2 (see evidence above and below)

Day 5 - April 25 Denver, PA to Shenandoah National Park

After sleeping in and a lazy pack, we set out for Shenandoah at 12:30. As we drove south and especially after crossing the Mason-Dixon Line, the trees were blooming and budding out. Perfect time of year for the Eastern Redbuds and Flowering Dogwoods. We entered the park right around 6 pm with the plan to find a spot at Lewis Mountain Campground and if not use Big Meadow Campground, where we have stayed before, as a back up.

The prolific deer where the first wildlife to greet us along the Skyline Drive which never fails to impress!

We had our choice of sites at Lewis Mountain and settled in, eating a dinner of bread with oil, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives in the waning twilight.  It was cold and windy and the overnight temps were forecast in the 20s.  It was snowing back home and if there was precipitation in Shenandoah that night, it would have snowed too.

Miles traveled: 226
States traveled: PA, MD, WV, VA

Day 4 - April 24

We set out with the intention of driving all the way to Shenandoah National Park but along the way we realized that we were in fact, very tired, and not quite sure of our next move as we were hoping Brian would have a job opportunity coming up, so we decided to veer off the Interstate and head into Lancaster County Pennsylvania to find a quite place to hole up for the night.  We rented a cabin at Dutch Cousin Campground and settled in for a relaxing evening. 

We made some curry, watched a moving on streamed a movie and slept in!

Miles traveled :227
States traveled: NY, NJ, PA

Slow pace start..... Day 1 -3

Once the car was fully freighted, we headed to my sister's house in Concord NH (we did this in '09 too), Brian had a job in Boston on Monday 4/20, so I hung out and marathon watched Star Wars Episodes III, IV, and V.  We then headed to Brian's sister's in Troy NY and spent the night there. We, of course, stopped at the Vermont Country Deli in Brattleboro, VT to get some "Vermont Veggie" wraps to go.

In Troy, we were able to catch our nephew Jack in a school play about the framers of The Constitution.  The kids did a great job!

Miles traveled: 252
States traveled: NH, VT & NY

Whoa! Another Road Trip!

This blog is getting some action again!  We are heading out on another road trip and blogging for family and friends that care to see what we're up to.  This road trip is shorter than the one in 2009 but we are sure it will be another wonderful experience. Back in '09, we drove through Utah but did not stay there, at the time we said we would come back and check it out in more depth.  Now is that time! After some stops and starts on the date we set off, we have set of and here is a glimpse! Link to packing pics

This time we are taking the trip in our 2008 Honda Fit

Goodbye Subie

Last year, Subie took us around the country, did all we asked from tackling washout dirt roads to cruising the asphalt, a fantastic automobile! Yesterday we said goodbye and Subie's last gift to us was the $2500.00 trade in that was still less than the cost to pass inspection. Rust in peace.