It has been ages..
Leaving from New Jersey to West Virginia to go to a Blue Grass Festival.
Driving into thunderstorms but, we are going anyway.
After all past challenges.. what is a a storm?
Then hop over to parts of Tenn.. loop over to North Carolina hit some places and then head back up at a leisurely pace.
We are thinking around a week or so.
So excited to finally be able to see the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Oh QD, on the road again!
I love road trips, actually. Especially the kind that have no pressure to BE anywhere in particular.
The Blue Ridge Mountains, aka Appalachians, aka Smokey Mountains, AKA a million other things as they wind their way up the East Coast, are beautiful in any weather at any season.
There used to be an NPR radio program (may still be for all I know) called Mountain Stage, that featured all those wonderful performers. We even saw a live performance in Boston.
Have a wonderful time, relax and remember: When you want to have fun you shouldn't TRY to do all the things you WANT to do, because they you will miss the joy of what you are doing.
Hugs, Elaine
Oh what fun! I hope you have a fun and safe trip, and that if you're anywhere near Chattanooga you'll message me!
The only way we got to "see" the Smoky Mountains was to buy slides. They aren't called the "smoky" mountains for no reason! I hope you have better luck! And have a great time.
Sharon
I think it's GREAT that you are taking a trip. Mine starts July 1.
Ah Joe, as I recall you are doing a major road trip, with camping and cooking out and the whole amazing thing!
You have more adventure in you than I do, sir!
Have fun!
Keep us posted.
Hugs, Elaine
Glad to hear you are going on a rode trip. My DH and I did that trip in April. Loved it!
Enjoy!
Sallie
I'm so excited for you!! Enjoy!
Maria
Have a great and safe trip :) You will be close to my neck of the woods. Im by the boothill of Missouri...yay earthquake country.
So nice to be alone with DH.. no interruptions, watching the clock.
Decided to have fun with daughter who recently moved to Colorado .. drove there and was sending road 'selfies" .. so we did the same..lol
Left NJ @ around 10 and arrived in Summerville, WV around 7:30 after some meandering.
Had to see Summerville Lake before we turned in for the night.
(http://static.panoramio.com/photos/large/6525594.jpg) pic is off the net.
Some history about the Lake.
(http://img.geocaching.com/cache/large/4692502b-1517-4772-9966-11fa14b5df30.jpg)
Most people think of Black Gold as oil, but in West Virginia it is - and always has been - coal. A large portion of the 5974 acre Summersville Lake Wildlife Management Area is comprised of the reclaimed land from a defunct strip mine. There are several old, overgrown mining roads/trails to explore.
[imghttp://www.wvpottery.com/handmadepottery/sunrise-overlook.jpg][/img]
Hope you enjoy ~.~
Been so long since I've been in a car for more than an hour..
Found it was best to make a "foot rest" to raise legs. Thank goodness for Neurontin and Systane eyedrops (for the AC). Life through chemistry is my motto.
Blue Grass Festival Today. DH thinks 2-10pm? That is a lot of dedication.
This (and you) are so inspiring! I have been thinking about a road trip for too long; time to take action.
love the photos and the history
Trish
That sounds wonderful - especially the music - enjoy!!!! My extended family is from all around those areas - spend a lot of time there growing up. Enjoy some good Carolina BBQ for me! ;D
DH did do the full day of the concert 2-10pm.
I did 5-10pm.
One group was from Nova Scotia a trip I have been planning in my head for years.. maybe on day.
I got to say hello to some people.
Friday, we drove over the 3rd tallest bridge in country. Glad we stopped at the visitors center otherwise we would not have seen anything. Bridge sides and height.. viewing non-existent.. so no photos.
New River Gorge Bridge, TN
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQe6ARTz8kW_DQIiNeIf2JhRqGhPxAcHpFibKWvhOsfwllSJ1xA)
Then stopped to see Douglas Lake
[imghttp://www.pioneertradingpost.com/images/douglas-lake.jpg][/img]
Photo shows more than we saw..lol
I needed to get to a room and crash.. so when we finally did I crashed for bit more than 3 hrs. and woke at almost 8pm. Unasked, DH brought back a large Gatorade for me. Guess, my sagging is apparent. But, 11 or so hrs. sleeps seems to have helped. And today is a new day.
Having Gatorade instead of the usual AM coffee..lol.
Ok .. have a great day.
I am really enjoying your updates and photos!
Trish
Please keep the pictures coming. They are really nice. Whenever I get on I am going to make sure I see your updates.
I do love road trips and motels, most motels. And the whole thing.
Glad you're pacing yourself, QD.
Even when that means crashing, that is a form of pacing, no?
Hugs, Elaine
Pic off the net, but looks like the one I took yesterday as we watched the sun set over
Lake Santeetlah, NC And met a very nice young family there with the most precious little girl.
(http://imagesus.homeaway.com/mda01/b3d7d959-5514-43e4-97de-efaf0983dc0b.1.12)
(http://www.grahamchamber.com/picts/SANTEETLAHDAM.jpg)
Water, Water, everywhere..
(http://thunderbirdresort.com/pics/AerialLabel.gif)
History http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Santeetlah,_North_Carolina
Today we are going to a site altitude 6,000ft. So how tall would a building need to be?
So why are we here?..LOL
When I met DH.. I said do you have a motorcyle? (Pre-SJS symptoms of dizziness, etc.)
Well he used to.. so he bought one. Then symptom rudely not only came knocking at the door .. but, moved in and well we know how that goes.
So I encouraged DH to join a motorcycle group. Yes, I did. Off he went and goes. And send me photos, calls everynight.. so I travel along via the net.
He has been here 5 times and ridden "The Tail of the Dragon"..
(http://racingready.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Les-res-image-of-topogrphical-view-of-the-Tail-of-the-Dragon.JPG)
So where we have just spent the night we have seen and met some motorcyclists
But, more importantly.. I can see DH excited to show me the sites he has seen (heart).
*Then 'he' is surprise to see the sites I have researched and he has missed..lol.
Be well and hope you enjoy ~.~
* So glad I brought my own coffee maker.
We arrived home last night around 10:30 PM.. around 2,200 miles to our what turned out to be a 9 day loop.
Left NJ, drove through southern Pennsylvania, into West Virginia, south though winding mountain roads, that seem to turn onto themselves, hairpin turns and all, to northeastern Tenn.
Thank you again, A66eyroad for the offer.. part of our trip goal was to look at possible places to retire and at that time we were on a 7 day timeline, so not going that far south. Just looking at possible lake areas.
We then crossed, meandered the roads into North Carolina. Stopped in Asheville. And loved it there .. so stayed two days. Saw a lake that 'looked' close on the map.. but, driving the roads .. took an hr. outside of Asheville. Lake and golf combo DH loved it.. and it was very nice. But, the windy roads? Darn, looked close on the map..oh well.
We had dinner at a restaurant in Asheville that served Himalayan food.. it was great and they had a 'Ginger Lemonade with Clove"..it was so refreshing. Here is a (net) photo of the inside.
(http://a3.urbancdn.com/w/s/eJ/7yPu7a3PTkfJva-640m.jpg)
We both liked the drink so much. Here is something on the net I am going to try.
(Funny because I buy fresh ginger, slice it and make tea..DH laughs about it because I often do not use it all and it dries out..)
(recipe next post)
Ginger Beer Sierra Leone Style
Author: Recipes From A Pantry
Recipe type: Drinks
Cook time: 15 mins Total time: 15 mins
Serves: 6
Homemade ginger beer West African style.
Ingredients
120g (4¼ oz) fresh root ginger
1L (4¼ cups) of boiling water (or sparkling water)
2 cloves or more
2-4 tbsp sugar to taste
Juice of half a lime or more to taste
Instructions
Peel the ginger and chop into large bits
Add the ginger to a blender with about 50ml of water and blend into a paste.
Pour the ginger paste into a large heatproof bowl and top with the boiling water.
Add in the cloves and let stand for a couple of hours so the ginger flavour develops.
Slowly strain the ginger beer through a sieve into a new container and throw away the bits left in the sieve.
Add in the sugar and lime to taste and then let the ginger beer cool in the fridge before you serve it.
Notes
After settling for a few hours you will notice that the bottom of the ginger beer is cloudy. That is the heat of the ginger beer. If you don't want it hot especially if serving children then be careful to leave that cloudy bit behind when straining it.
* I asked the waitress/hostess how the lemonade was made. She said the ginger was put in a blender and the juice and pulp used, fresh lemons and a clove.. with some other spices?
So this is all I found on the net..maybe someone else knows.
I will upload and pick some photos...
I took some of a chapel with amazing stained glass windows in the Biltmore Village section of Asheville.
The windows were done by an apprentice to Tiffany. They are truly amazing.
For now I will give you a link to images
https://www.google.com/search?q=historic+biltmore+village&espv=2&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=57e2U738CceUyATImYCwDA&sqi=2&ved=0CGgQsAQ&biw=1093&bih=534
On the SJS side.. I did find that I needed naps every other day, which worked out fine since the World Cup Soccer was happening..lol. And that was when it was at the hottest during the day anyway.
Instinctively, I found myself adding more protein to diet and stopping at fresh produce markets.
Fresh blackberries..bigger than DH thumb and so sweet. Peaches. We found a market with tables and umbrellas and sat to eat some there. (Hickory, NC)
I did find I needed to add back in a mid day dose of neurontin. Something was going on with my left leg into my knee..so during the trip I did take two tramadol. Systane for the air conditioning in the car. And my eyes were pretty swollen during most of the trip.. I could almost make it jiggle.. groan. But, I wear glasses. So it made me look extra tired (even when I wasn't) during the trip. Oh well.
The added humidity in the south had my fingers swelling.. so I suppose living there one would need to adjust.
Today in NJ temp @ 10:40 is 70 w/ 50% humidity.. when we came home there was branches and such in the street, there had been a thunder storm. Perhaps effect of Hurricane Arthur. I'll have to check the weather.
Looked at my email before we started home. And some not so great news. So we definitely needed to come back. We had been considering driving to the NC barrier islands, I wanted to go to Tangier Island. But, with the Hurricane and emails.. and being tired. Time to go home.
Regroup.. I could feel the weight start to weigh on my shoulders as we drove closer to home.
I think the reason why I was finally able to make the trip was due to the Predinsone trial I was on.
I am thinking it broke for however long a vicious inflammation cycle. But, I will save that for another post.
So I hope some photos came out and I can share them with you soon.
Happy 4th.
My best to all..
I am glad you were able to go on this wonderful trip. Asheville is a beautiful place. I enjoyed visiting Biltmore House and Gardens. That has been a few years ago.
There is nothing like a road trip where you get to see so many things along the way. It's been awhile now since I have been on one, but the memories are wonderful.
susanep :)