March 31, 2023: It’s always a bit of a rush to get ready for a long trip that involves multiple activities. Do we have all the biking gear, kayaking necessities, hiking equipment, camping apparatus, not to mention food, clothing and toiletries. We’ve done this before so our lists definitely help us prepare. Billy has been working on the camper while Ann collects all the stuff. After we do the food pickup for our local food kitchen we’re on the road at 1:00 headed not too far to Chuck and Laura’s beautiful house. It’s a cool, drizzly day but Ann and Chuck take Rugby for a forest walk, Chuck uses a throwing stick to shoot a ball way down the forest road, much to Rugby’s delight as she races full tilt back and forth to retrieve over and over. Laura is at work, not returning until after 8:00, so it’s a late but delicious dinner vegetarian lasagna dinner.
April 1, Saturday: On the drive to Altoona, PA we hit every kind of weather - hard driving rain, sunshine, then HUGE winds. It’s a stretch of highway that must funnel the winds through the hills as there are large traffic signs with High Wind Warning alerts. With kayaks of the roof and pulling a camper it’s no fun. We pull off the highway under a severe weather alert and wait for a half hour. SO glad to get to the hotel - Quality Inn and Suites which was clean and all fine. We used the exercise room to try and work off some of the nervous energy from the day. Dinner at Perkins was OK.
April 2, Sunday: Breakfast at the hotel was bleh…usual processed stuff. It’s a much better driving day, no rain, no wind, lots of curvy mountain roads where we see the first signs of spring. Lunch at Subway, nos dinner in the hotel room in Lexington, VA. Gorgeous afternoon - walk around the local area and then use the fitness center. Billy’s cold is progressing in a negative direction.
April 3, Monday: Breakfast was OK. More beautiful mountain roads today, we cross the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Rav is doing well pulling the trailer up and down these mountains. We stop at a grocery store in South Boston !? to stock up and arrive at the campground around 3:00. There is hardly anyone in the campground, nice sites all near the water at the Kerr Lake Reservoir Recreation Area near Henderson, NC on the border with VA. Nap and then potatoes and salad for dinner. Billy spends much of the night sitting up in the Rav to prevent coughing.
April 4, Tuesday: It’s a slow day. We rode bikes all around this enormous campground, many of the sections are not open yet. Lots of resting and catching up on relaxation. Hot and sunny at 81 degrees.
April 5, Wednesday: Another hot day. We kayak in the morning in one direction and the other way in the early evening on this enormous reservoir. It’s the Kerr Reservoir, but locals say it is pronounced ‘Car’.
April 6 Thursday: Another hot day. We biked 20 miles on the Neuse River Trail. The entire trail is 30 miles and in super condition, much of it tree lined. We crossed about 19 bridges in one direction, then again on the way back. There seemed to be every kind of bike and rider on the trail. Couldn’t wait to get back and shower off the sweat! Later that night there was a HUGE thunderstorm - the loudest, closest, longest storm we have experienced. Yikes! The people next door lost the covering over their tent, it was a long night for them and they left early the next morning.
April 7 Friday: The thunderstorm broke the heat but talk about extremes - now there’s a hard cold rain with a high temperature of 45 degrees! We drove into Henderson and had lunch at Pino’s Italian Restaurant and did some shopping. Having to stay inside works our well for Ann who is working on the Bennington GMC Newsletter.
April 8 Saturday: Another rainy, cold day. A morning walk gets done before the rain sets in. Again we went into town, this time to see the movie “Air” with Matt Damon about how Nike signed Michael Jordan and thus started the whole “sneaker craze.”
April 9 Sunday: The rain finally ends and we drive from Kerr Reservoir to Arrowhead Campground near Troy, NC in the Uwharrie forest. It’s pretty much out in the middle of nowhere - dirt road to get into the campground. We have a lovely site, forested, secluded and a peek-a-boo view of Badin Lake. We get settled in and walk around the campground and down to the lake. Stir fry veggies - yum for dinner.
April 10 Monday: We walk on the Badin Lake trail, about 5.5 miles, partially around the lake, part through the forest. Nice trail with no big ups and downs with good views of the lake. Tofu with peas in marsala sauce - quick and easy.
April 11 Tuesday: We kayaked on Badin Lake where there were lots of little coves to explore. Saw great blue herons (they are hard to get a photo of - you see one, then as soon as it sees you it takes off), lots of turtles, many fishermen. We drove to the nearest town to get propane and ice cream.
April 12 Wednesday: Hiked Morrow Mountain - it was quite hot and we’re not used to hiking, especially in the heat! It was much cooler on the way back. Good path, extremely well marked and cleared. It’s a roller coaster walk, continually up and down little valleys and then all up to the summit. There are great views at the top. There is also a paved road that goes to the top, so there were some cars and people there, but not too crowded. This area had Many fallen down trees, apparently there are lots of storms and wind here. A much needed Pepsi/Gatorade/Kettle Chips snack on the way back. Sausage, pasta, diced tomatoes make a good dinner.
April 13 Thursday: We pack up and drive to Warriors State Park, TN, it was a long drive and we werecre tired when we arrived. This a park much different from the ones that we usually stay at. It’s geared for lots of people with many activities and sections to the park. There is a whole other section of the park on an island and the park includes a marina, launching ramps, couple of old tennis courts, walking paths, group shelters, frisbee golf course, soccer fields… Our site is not ideal as the picnic table is on another level and we face the road, but it will do for awhile. There are trains that come nearby and blow their horns during the night!
April 14 Friday: WSP - We need an errand and catch-up day so we drive to Johnson City to get a surge protector for the camper - especially after the huge thunderstorm a couple of days ago! We go grocery shopping and restock the camper, then to a local laundromat which is very clean and modern. These were good activities as it ended up raining much of the day.
April 15 Sat: WSP - Up and out early today - Ann for a jog and Billy for a bike ride. Kayaked on the south fork of Holston River in the afternoon - nice views, some wind, quite a few fishermen. Lots of people and activities in the park. Stir fry veggies and rice.
April 16 Sun: WSP - We wake up to rain, but it’s not supposed to rain until the afternoon! Luckily, it only lasted a short time, so we got ready, had breakfast and headed into Kingsport to ride the 10 mile Greenbelt. This is a paved bike/walk path with great diversity - it goes along the Holston River, through neighborhoods, partly downtown. We see 2 large birds in a nest high up in a tree, lots of geese and ducks, and a beautiful Indigo Bunting. After the bike ride, we went to and rode on a gorgeous restored carousel. It had been in storage in Bridgeport, CN for 15 years and was in need of major repair. They renovated it, got volunteers to carve and paint the animals and it is absolutely stunning! Back at the camp there are 2 very persistent birds trying to make a nest in the yellow kayak which is on the rood of the Rav. Billy cleans is out and they just keep bringing stuff in! Baked potatoes, and veggies, strawberries and yogurt. Did you know, supposedly, Long Island Ice Tea started here!
April 17 Mon: WSP Hiked Bays Mountain on a very windy day. Great park with a nature center, reptile exhibit, wolves, bobcats, deer, birds. All the animals were either born in captivity or injured and can’t be returned to the wild. Along the path we met a local historian (only person we met the whole day) who was happy to talk with us - giving us the scoop on how the park came into being in the early 70’s, about the people who used to live in on the mountain, and about all the efforts to put in the diversity of trails for biking, hiking and people of disabilities. There was a lovely fire tower at the top of the mountain but it was so windy that it wasn’t fun. Taco dinner.
April 18 Tues: Drive to Crowder RV to get a foot for the camper, then drive to Stony Fork Campground. We were here last year and really enjoyed this tranquil, forest setting. There are many “first come, first serve” sites at this campground. We walked around the campground and see another Aliner and speak briefly to the couple - Mike and Shirley - from Florida. It’s always fun to compare Aliners - their’s is a new, double dormer model.
April 19 Wed: SF - We want to see what a different part of the AT looks like, so we drive to a trailhead through gorgeous country with rolling green hills dotted with cattle. It was hot! There was good footage on the trail, much more open than the trails in Vermont, we went up and down small hills, and along a stream. Part of the trail goes through private property and we had to climb 4 styles (climb over ladder/gates) which keep the cows in separate parts. Billy wanted to try the Famous Bowl at KFC - a bowl with mashed potatoes, corn, gravy and chicken - sort of bleh! We had a nice evening visit with Mike and Shirley. They had an older Aliner for many years and just upgraded to the new model. Really nice couple and we seemed to have a lot in common. They have a sailboat in Florida - maybe we’ll make it down there to go sailing with them!
April 20 Thurs: SF - Pancakes for breakfast and then drive to Hungry Mother State Park to go kayaking on the lake there. Nice paddle, there was some wind, but it kept it from being too hot - we went end to end on the lake. There are many hiking trails here and we planned to go for a hike after the kayak, but didn’t have the energy. Ice cream on the way home helped revive us and then a nap back at camp. Veggies, pasta and red sauce.
April 21 Fri: SF - We drove to Christiansburg and biked on Huckleberry Trail to Blacksburg. The name comes from the fact that the trail used to go so slowly that people could hop off the train, walk next to it and pick the huckleberries along the way. Only part of this trail is a rail trail, there are other sections that have some pretty steep ups and downs. It was nicely surfaced and some of it was rural, but another section went past a very busy freeway.
April 22 Sat: SF - It was a rainy day so we do a bit of touristing in Wytheville. We had a delicious lunch at the “1776 Log House” which is a very unique restaurant set in a historical building with some original parts, lots of small nooks, crannies and rooms throughout, along with a bar and gift shop. We walked downtown, saw the “Big Pencil”, antique stores, visitor center.
April 23 Sun: SF - This was a big day! Last year we rode on part of the Virginia Creeper bike trail from Damascus to Abingdon. This year we tackled the section from Damascus to White Top which is an up and up and up trail - it rises 1600 feet over 17 miles with the slope increasing the higher you go. The trail goes through beautiful, forested country, along a river. The trail is quite bumpy. Most people take a shuttle up to the top (Whitetop) and then ride down to Damascus. I didn’t know if I’d make it to the top, but mile by mile (with some walking) it went by. Then we got to ride all the way down. 4 hours up and 2 hours down for 34 miles - it was exhausting but a great feeling of accomplishment. We celebrated by going out for pizza for dinner.
April 24 Mon: Drive to New River State Park, NC There are lovely campground trails here that go down to the New River and around through the forest. Millions of Xmas trees are farmed on hills all over this area.
April 25 Tues: NRSP - Today we hiked along the Blue Ridge mountains to Bluff Mountain along lovely trails with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. We decided to go down and walk on the road for a bit as there was little traffic and then we could see both sides of the ridge, so we go through a closed part of a parking area and meet a woman who asks if we have a screw driver. She is trying to open 2 boxes that contain her parents’ ashes. These boxes are sealed and not meant to be opened but with a pocket knife, bottle opener, blade and much effort and time Billy is able to hack the boxes apart enough to get the ashes out. She was so grateful - she told us that she and her parents used to come to this spot to picnic and she had driven 1 1/2 hours to get here. Serendipitous happening are the best!
April 26 Wed: NRSP - We rode on the New River Trail State Park bike trail from Fries, VA to near Galax. This is a very rural rail trail that follows the New River or a tributary - the river is gorgeous and wide, sometimes quiet and sometimes tumbling over rocks. We see huge parts of tree debris way up onto rocks that tells us that the river must really roar sometimes! The 950 foot bridge that we cross is great fun, along with the tunnel through a mountain. The weather report doesn’t look promising so we decide to leave the next day.
April 27 Thurs: We decide to gradually head north and go back to Stony Fork. VA as we are certain to get a site there. We settle back in and walk along the nature trail in the park.
April 28 Fri: SF - We went into Wytheville to do laundry and restock groceries.
April 29 Sat: SF - We had the best hike of our trip along the Seven Sisters trail. The trail leaves from the campground and goes up and down 7 knobs along a ridge through beautiful forest. The sign at the top is damaged - by bears we are told. We met a bike rider as we were coming down - we can’t imagine trying to ride a bike along the ups and downs of this trail. The only down side of this loop trail is the 3 mile walk back along the road, but there is virtually no traffic so it’s not bad.
April 30 Sun: The plan was to drive to West Virginia to a campground there. However, the weather forecast is for 4 days of rain with temps highs 40’s, lows 30’s - doesn’t sound fun! So we find a hotel in the little town of Franklin, WV. Mountain Springs Motel. This small town really is in the middle of nowhere, but a walk through town shows up that it has some lovely historic buildings and extremely nice old homes, so there must be income potential somehow! Walked to the local grocery store and got microwave meals for dinner.
May 1 - Mon: We continued to drive north and arrive at busy State College, PA to stay at a Radisson hotel. This is, by far, the loveliest hotel that we stayed at - everything is is tip-top shape, all the fitness room equipment works, we can charge the car, the beds are super comfy, the breakfast is good. We watched “Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy” and had a room picnic for dinner - fun!
May 2 - Tues: We are getting into home territory as we drive to Chuck and Laura’s house in Cooperstown, NY. Nice visit and walk with the dog along the property - Laura again is working late so we don’t get to see as much of her as we would have liked.
May 3 - Wed: Homeward bound as we make a stop at Trader Joes in Albany and cruise into Bennington. Then it’s unload and unpack - always good to be home!
April 1, Saturday: On the drive to Altoona, PA we hit every kind of weather - hard driving rain, sunshine, then HUGE winds. It’s a stretch of highway that must funnel the winds through the hills as there are large traffic signs with High Wind Warning alerts. With kayaks of the roof and pulling a camper it’s no fun. We pull off the highway under a severe weather alert and wait for a half hour. SO glad to get to the hotel - Quality Inn and Suites which was clean and all fine. We used the exercise room to try and work off some of the nervous energy from the day. Dinner at Perkins was OK.
April 2, Sunday: Breakfast at the hotel was bleh…usual processed stuff. It’s a much better driving day, no rain, no wind, lots of curvy mountain roads where we see the first signs of spring. Lunch at Subway, nos dinner in the hotel room in Lexington, VA. Gorgeous afternoon - walk around the local area and then use the fitness center. Billy’s cold is progressing in a negative direction.
April 3, Monday: Breakfast was OK. More beautiful mountain roads today, we cross the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Rav is doing well pulling the trailer up and down these mountains. We stop at a grocery store in South Boston !? to stock up and arrive at the campground around 3:00. There is hardly anyone in the campground, nice sites all near the water at the Kerr Lake Reservoir Recreation Area near Henderson, NC on the border with VA. Nap and then potatoes and salad for dinner. Billy spends much of the night sitting up in the Rav to prevent coughing.
April 4, Tuesday: It’s a slow day. We rode bikes all around this enormous campground, many of the sections are not open yet. Lots of resting and catching up on relaxation. Hot and sunny at 81 degrees.
April 5, Wednesday: Another hot day. We kayak in the morning in one direction and the other way in the early evening on this enormous reservoir. It’s the Kerr Reservoir, but locals say it is pronounced ‘Car’.
April 6 Thursday: Another hot day. We biked 20 miles on the Neuse River Trail. The entire trail is 30 miles and in super condition, much of it tree lined. We crossed about 19 bridges in one direction, then again on the way back. There seemed to be every kind of bike and rider on the trail. Couldn’t wait to get back and shower off the sweat! Later that night there was a HUGE thunderstorm - the loudest, closest, longest storm we have experienced. Yikes! The people next door lost the covering over their tent, it was a long night for them and they left early the next morning.
April 7 Friday: The thunderstorm broke the heat but talk about extremes - now there’s a hard cold rain with a high temperature of 45 degrees! We drove into Henderson and had lunch at Pino’s Italian Restaurant and did some shopping. Having to stay inside works our well for Ann who is working on the Bennington GMC Newsletter.
April 8 Saturday: Another rainy, cold day. A morning walk gets done before the rain sets in. Again we went into town, this time to see the movie “Air” with Matt Damon about how Nike signed Michael Jordan and thus started the whole “sneaker craze.”
April 9 Sunday: The rain finally ends and we drive from Kerr Reservoir to Arrowhead Campground near Troy, NC in the Uwharrie forest. It’s pretty much out in the middle of nowhere - dirt road to get into the campground. We have a lovely site, forested, secluded and a peek-a-boo view of Badin Lake. We get settled in and walk around the campground and down to the lake. Stir fry veggies - yum for dinner.
April 10 Monday: We walk on the Badin Lake trail, about 5.5 miles, partially around the lake, part through the forest. Nice trail with no big ups and downs with good views of the lake. Tofu with peas in marsala sauce - quick and easy.
April 11 Tuesday: We kayaked on Badin Lake where there were lots of little coves to explore. Saw great blue herons (they are hard to get a photo of - you see one, then as soon as it sees you it takes off), lots of turtles, many fishermen. We drove to the nearest town to get propane and ice cream.
April 12 Wednesday: Hiked Morrow Mountain - it was quite hot and we’re not used to hiking, especially in the heat! It was much cooler on the way back. Good path, extremely well marked and cleared. It’s a roller coaster walk, continually up and down little valleys and then all up to the summit. There are great views at the top. There is also a paved road that goes to the top, so there were some cars and people there, but not too crowded. This area had Many fallen down trees, apparently there are lots of storms and wind here. A much needed Pepsi/Gatorade/Kettle Chips snack on the way back. Sausage, pasta, diced tomatoes make a good dinner.
April 13 Thursday: We pack up and drive to Warriors State Park, TN, it was a long drive and we werecre tired when we arrived. This a park much different from the ones that we usually stay at. It’s geared for lots of people with many activities and sections to the park. There is a whole other section of the park on an island and the park includes a marina, launching ramps, couple of old tennis courts, walking paths, group shelters, frisbee golf course, soccer fields… Our site is not ideal as the picnic table is on another level and we face the road, but it will do for awhile. There are trains that come nearby and blow their horns during the night!
April 14 Friday: WSP - We need an errand and catch-up day so we drive to Johnson City to get a surge protector for the camper - especially after the huge thunderstorm a couple of days ago! We go grocery shopping and restock the camper, then to a local laundromat which is very clean and modern. These were good activities as it ended up raining much of the day.
April 15 Sat: WSP - Up and out early today - Ann for a jog and Billy for a bike ride. Kayaked on the south fork of Holston River in the afternoon - nice views, some wind, quite a few fishermen. Lots of people and activities in the park. Stir fry veggies and rice.
April 16 Sun: WSP - We wake up to rain, but it’s not supposed to rain until the afternoon! Luckily, it only lasted a short time, so we got ready, had breakfast and headed into Kingsport to ride the 10 mile Greenbelt. This is a paved bike/walk path with great diversity - it goes along the Holston River, through neighborhoods, partly downtown. We see 2 large birds in a nest high up in a tree, lots of geese and ducks, and a beautiful Indigo Bunting. After the bike ride, we went to and rode on a gorgeous restored carousel. It had been in storage in Bridgeport, CN for 15 years and was in need of major repair. They renovated it, got volunteers to carve and paint the animals and it is absolutely stunning! Back at the camp there are 2 very persistent birds trying to make a nest in the yellow kayak which is on the rood of the Rav. Billy cleans is out and they just keep bringing stuff in! Baked potatoes, and veggies, strawberries and yogurt. Did you know, supposedly, Long Island Ice Tea started here!
April 17 Mon: WSP Hiked Bays Mountain on a very windy day. Great park with a nature center, reptile exhibit, wolves, bobcats, deer, birds. All the animals were either born in captivity or injured and can’t be returned to the wild. Along the path we met a local historian (only person we met the whole day) who was happy to talk with us - giving us the scoop on how the park came into being in the early 70’s, about the people who used to live in on the mountain, and about all the efforts to put in the diversity of trails for biking, hiking and people of disabilities. There was a lovely fire tower at the top of the mountain but it was so windy that it wasn’t fun. Taco dinner.
April 18 Tues: Drive to Crowder RV to get a foot for the camper, then drive to Stony Fork Campground. We were here last year and really enjoyed this tranquil, forest setting. There are many “first come, first serve” sites at this campground. We walked around the campground and see another Aliner and speak briefly to the couple - Mike and Shirley - from Florida. It’s always fun to compare Aliners - their’s is a new, double dormer model.
April 19 Wed: SF - We want to see what a different part of the AT looks like, so we drive to a trailhead through gorgeous country with rolling green hills dotted with cattle. It was hot! There was good footage on the trail, much more open than the trails in Vermont, we went up and down small hills, and along a stream. Part of the trail goes through private property and we had to climb 4 styles (climb over ladder/gates) which keep the cows in separate parts. Billy wanted to try the Famous Bowl at KFC - a bowl with mashed potatoes, corn, gravy and chicken - sort of bleh! We had a nice evening visit with Mike and Shirley. They had an older Aliner for many years and just upgraded to the new model. Really nice couple and we seemed to have a lot in common. They have a sailboat in Florida - maybe we’ll make it down there to go sailing with them!
April 20 Thurs: SF - Pancakes for breakfast and then drive to Hungry Mother State Park to go kayaking on the lake there. Nice paddle, there was some wind, but it kept it from being too hot - we went end to end on the lake. There are many hiking trails here and we planned to go for a hike after the kayak, but didn’t have the energy. Ice cream on the way home helped revive us and then a nap back at camp. Veggies, pasta and red sauce.
April 21 Fri: SF - We drove to Christiansburg and biked on Huckleberry Trail to Blacksburg. The name comes from the fact that the trail used to go so slowly that people could hop off the train, walk next to it and pick the huckleberries along the way. Only part of this trail is a rail trail, there are other sections that have some pretty steep ups and downs. It was nicely surfaced and some of it was rural, but another section went past a very busy freeway.
April 22 Sat: SF - It was a rainy day so we do a bit of touristing in Wytheville. We had a delicious lunch at the “1776 Log House” which is a very unique restaurant set in a historical building with some original parts, lots of small nooks, crannies and rooms throughout, along with a bar and gift shop. We walked downtown, saw the “Big Pencil”, antique stores, visitor center.
April 23 Sun: SF - This was a big day! Last year we rode on part of the Virginia Creeper bike trail from Damascus to Abingdon. This year we tackled the section from Damascus to White Top which is an up and up and up trail - it rises 1600 feet over 17 miles with the slope increasing the higher you go. The trail goes through beautiful, forested country, along a river. The trail is quite bumpy. Most people take a shuttle up to the top (Whitetop) and then ride down to Damascus. I didn’t know if I’d make it to the top, but mile by mile (with some walking) it went by. Then we got to ride all the way down. 4 hours up and 2 hours down for 34 miles - it was exhausting but a great feeling of accomplishment. We celebrated by going out for pizza for dinner.
April 24 Mon: Drive to New River State Park, NC There are lovely campground trails here that go down to the New River and around through the forest. Millions of Xmas trees are farmed on hills all over this area.
April 25 Tues: NRSP - Today we hiked along the Blue Ridge mountains to Bluff Mountain along lovely trails with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. We decided to go down and walk on the road for a bit as there was little traffic and then we could see both sides of the ridge, so we go through a closed part of a parking area and meet a woman who asks if we have a screw driver. She is trying to open 2 boxes that contain her parents’ ashes. These boxes are sealed and not meant to be opened but with a pocket knife, bottle opener, blade and much effort and time Billy is able to hack the boxes apart enough to get the ashes out. She was so grateful - she told us that she and her parents used to come to this spot to picnic and she had driven 1 1/2 hours to get here. Serendipitous happening are the best!
April 26 Wed: NRSP - We rode on the New River Trail State Park bike trail from Fries, VA to near Galax. This is a very rural rail trail that follows the New River or a tributary - the river is gorgeous and wide, sometimes quiet and sometimes tumbling over rocks. We see huge parts of tree debris way up onto rocks that tells us that the river must really roar sometimes! The 950 foot bridge that we cross is great fun, along with the tunnel through a mountain. The weather report doesn’t look promising so we decide to leave the next day.
April 27 Thurs: We decide to gradually head north and go back to Stony Fork. VA as we are certain to get a site there. We settle back in and walk along the nature trail in the park.
April 28 Fri: SF - We went into Wytheville to do laundry and restock groceries.
April 29 Sat: SF - We had the best hike of our trip along the Seven Sisters trail. The trail leaves from the campground and goes up and down 7 knobs along a ridge through beautiful forest. The sign at the top is damaged - by bears we are told. We met a bike rider as we were coming down - we can’t imagine trying to ride a bike along the ups and downs of this trail. The only down side of this loop trail is the 3 mile walk back along the road, but there is virtually no traffic so it’s not bad.
April 30 Sun: The plan was to drive to West Virginia to a campground there. However, the weather forecast is for 4 days of rain with temps highs 40’s, lows 30’s - doesn’t sound fun! So we find a hotel in the little town of Franklin, WV. Mountain Springs Motel. This small town really is in the middle of nowhere, but a walk through town shows up that it has some lovely historic buildings and extremely nice old homes, so there must be income potential somehow! Walked to the local grocery store and got microwave meals for dinner.
May 1 - Mon: We continued to drive north and arrive at busy State College, PA to stay at a Radisson hotel. This is, by far, the loveliest hotel that we stayed at - everything is is tip-top shape, all the fitness room equipment works, we can charge the car, the beds are super comfy, the breakfast is good. We watched “Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy” and had a room picnic for dinner - fun!
May 2 - Tues: We are getting into home territory as we drive to Chuck and Laura’s house in Cooperstown, NY. Nice visit and walk with the dog along the property - Laura again is working late so we don’t get to see as much of her as we would have liked.
May 3 - Wed: Homeward bound as we make a stop at Trader Joes in Albany and cruise into Bennington. Then it’s unload and unpack - always good to be home!
