Hello everyone:
A warning...I have eaten well and had some wine after another long day on the road.
I awoke later than usual about 7:40am and had a very slow start to the day....my husband also slept in a little. So we departed Sweetwater TN about 10 am after seeing some bright, energetic Blue Jays searching for food ont he ground and calling loudly through the woods. There were doves as well...a delightful morning viewing birds...the temps were around 6 and the air was very damp so the cold penetrated to the bone.
We had lunch just north of Atlanta in the Marietta Diner,306 Cobb Parkway, Mareitta Ga which my husband found listed on the Food Channel's ... Diners,Drive-ins & Dives....WOW....the parking lot was full and many of the licenses were from various states...the whole atmosphere was diner...true diner...the Art Deco decoration was fabulous...the service wonderful...and the food was absolutely delicious....excellent pricing...and we had enough left over for supper...which is why I am feeling so mellow right now...mmmm ...mmmm good.
Oh this stop improved my outlook of Georgia...the entrance to the State was not welcoming...there was garbage and trash along the edges of the highway....the drivers were very inconsiderate about the other drivers around them....totally ignoring any light signals!!! The truckers were considerate but not regular drivers...I was also horrified to see drivers texting and talking on their cell phones.
After lunch we drove through Atlanta...this was about 2 pm...so the traffic wasn't heavy...but still there were a few moments that made me think we were driving through Toronto!!! Ugh!! I did not like the drive but I remembered the trucker in Walton who suggested this route...and thanked him silently.
Afterward we drove into southern Ga....very different landscape...huge sweeps of land...green leaves still on the trees...sunshine and blue skies!!! felt good to drive through. Saw pecan orchards and many history site signs.
There was a beautiful sunset...much later than in Ontario....very red skies...we arrived at the Tifton KOA just before closing....and set up camp...reheated our lunches and settled down for the night.
I am fading now...more tomorrow.
Sunshine
Anne
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Hello from Tennesse
Hello from the KOA called "Sweetwater Valley" in Tennesse just south of Knoxville.
Another long day on the road...very dramatic weather....sunny in patches...rain/mist in others and very dark clouds in other spots with many times that we had all of these effects at once while driving up high ( to us) elevations!!
Departed Walton,KY at 9:30am...crossed the Kentucky River about 11 ish...had lunch in Berea, KY. Drove past Mt Vernon turnoff and past London KY. The scenery was such a mix of valleys...ridges...rock cliffs...all very saturated with rain, We did see many flooded rivers and small lakes....at least my husband could see over the barriers...I only saw some of the lakes. But I was so happy to see the horses in their fields...such beautiful horses. There were some hawks hunting and I thought I saw a couple of Turkey vultures but not sure.
There were flashing lights warning traffic about something ahead and we were advised to turn to a particular radio station...I did manage to get the message...it had to do with a fog warning on the hwy.
Once in Tennesse, my husband bought gas at the exit 141 which has the name Royal Blue on the map.
We stopped at Camping World in Knoxville to pick up a few things. Very welcoming people...interested in where we were from and going to. We received good wishes for asafe road trip.
Arrived at Sweetwater Valley KOA AFTER passing the gate and listening to our gps which took us down the road...which had very very deep water filled ditches on one side...to turn around we had to drive up the entrance to Murray's Chapel on a high hill...then turn around in the parking lot and come back to the gate! I was so glad that we did this with some light left in the day! We were made welcome and settled quickly...the owners could see how tired we were...they did suggest a place that delivers pizza if we wanted...but later after setting up a little we drove to The Dinner Bell in Sweetwater which offers home cooking and a buffet. It was busy and full of friendly people and good food. One gentleman noted that I wasn't from the South because I was cutting up my food in a very English way! He asked where we were from and mentioned that he has hunted in Ontario. Another couple talked to us when he heard we were planning our route through Atlanta and he gave us some tips about which route to avoid. It was so comfortable there to be chatting with people and to be so welcomed at the end of a long day on the road.
I am fading right now.
Sunshine & Laughter
Anne
Another long day on the road...very dramatic weather....sunny in patches...rain/mist in others and very dark clouds in other spots with many times that we had all of these effects at once while driving up high ( to us) elevations!!
Departed Walton,KY at 9:30am...crossed the Kentucky River about 11 ish...had lunch in Berea, KY. Drove past Mt Vernon turnoff and past London KY. The scenery was such a mix of valleys...ridges...rock cliffs...all very saturated with rain, We did see many flooded rivers and small lakes....at least my husband could see over the barriers...I only saw some of the lakes. But I was so happy to see the horses in their fields...such beautiful horses. There were some hawks hunting and I thought I saw a couple of Turkey vultures but not sure.
There were flashing lights warning traffic about something ahead and we were advised to turn to a particular radio station...I did manage to get the message...it had to do with a fog warning on the hwy.
Once in Tennesse, my husband bought gas at the exit 141 which has the name Royal Blue on the map.
We stopped at Camping World in Knoxville to pick up a few things. Very welcoming people...interested in where we were from and going to. We received good wishes for asafe road trip.
Arrived at Sweetwater Valley KOA AFTER passing the gate and listening to our gps which took us down the road...which had very very deep water filled ditches on one side...to turn around we had to drive up the entrance to Murray's Chapel on a high hill...then turn around in the parking lot and come back to the gate! I was so glad that we did this with some light left in the day! We were made welcome and settled quickly...the owners could see how tired we were...they did suggest a place that delivers pizza if we wanted...but later after setting up a little we drove to The Dinner Bell in Sweetwater which offers home cooking and a buffet. It was busy and full of friendly people and good food. One gentleman noted that I wasn't from the South because I was cutting up my food in a very English way! He asked where we were from and mentioned that he has hunted in Ontario. Another couple talked to us when he heard we were planning our route through Atlanta and he gave us some tips about which route to avoid. It was so comfortable there to be chatting with people and to be so welcomed at the end of a long day on the road.
I am fading right now.
Sunshine & Laughter
Anne
Monday, November 28, 2011
Safely Camped
Hello everyone;
We are safely parked for the night at Oak Creek Campground in Walton, Kentucky after a long day on the road...driving through mist and heavy rain.
We camped our first night south of the border at a Flying J in Austinberg,Ohio. It was good to stop when we did at 3:30 pm after 6 1/2 hrs on the road AND we got to hear the Grey Cup game on our little computer notebook! It was a great break with beer and chips and the game though my husband took a half time break where he met and chatted to 2 other travellers at the stop. I returned from my halftime break to try to hear 'Nickleback' and only heard a little bit of one song and then lots of sports talk.
Now this was a 'boondocking' type of camp...no hook ups at all...self sufficient...self contained and we didn't have to run the generator. So we used the coleman lamp (battery run) and had the propane furnace on low at night. Hah I slept in my 'silks' and a heavy sweater!! The moisture built up a little but it was a good stop...safe and we had the facilities at the Flying J available all night.
Please note that today's date marks 24 yrs of me being smoke free!!! A huge thank you goes to my husband and daughters for their huge huge support...and the wonderful support at the time from my mother who quit smoking in her late 70's!!!
Today we were on the road for 7 hrs...with service centre stops...a simple lunch in the rv. My husband chatted to a gentleman who was working at one of the centres about a good route through Columbus OH...the gentleman recommended the truck route...which worked well for us.
I noted lots of greenleaves on smaller bushes under dark leaveless trees. There were many blackbirds and one hunting hawk during the drive.
The combo of rain and wipers made me tired at times...it was good to talk to my husband on our cb radios as we drove.
We crossed the Ohio River at 4:05 pm. The waters were very brown and the river was very full. We learned later that this area has been on flood alerts...receiving a record amt of rain this month. The record is from 1886!! Whew! Ah I kept thinking that I would take the rain over snow and slush any time.
I asked the rv camp owner for a dinner recommendation and he sent us to a great home cooking place enjoyed by the locals called Family's Main Street Cafe in Walton KY. We had a good home cooked meal and great service.
We are camped between two creeks...one is called Salem Creek...I don't know the other's name...this is a very pretty campground...hilly in places but peaceful even though close to the highway.
The forecast for tomorrow is for snowshowers so we are going to try to keep the day on the road short.
Sunshine
Anne
We are safely parked for the night at Oak Creek Campground in Walton, Kentucky after a long day on the road...driving through mist and heavy rain.
We camped our first night south of the border at a Flying J in Austinberg,Ohio. It was good to stop when we did at 3:30 pm after 6 1/2 hrs on the road AND we got to hear the Grey Cup game on our little computer notebook! It was a great break with beer and chips and the game though my husband took a half time break where he met and chatted to 2 other travellers at the stop. I returned from my halftime break to try to hear 'Nickleback' and only heard a little bit of one song and then lots of sports talk.
Now this was a 'boondocking' type of camp...no hook ups at all...self sufficient...self contained and we didn't have to run the generator. So we used the coleman lamp (battery run) and had the propane furnace on low at night. Hah I slept in my 'silks' and a heavy sweater!! The moisture built up a little but it was a good stop...safe and we had the facilities at the Flying J available all night.
Please note that today's date marks 24 yrs of me being smoke free!!! A huge thank you goes to my husband and daughters for their huge huge support...and the wonderful support at the time from my mother who quit smoking in her late 70's!!!
Today we were on the road for 7 hrs...with service centre stops...a simple lunch in the rv. My husband chatted to a gentleman who was working at one of the centres about a good route through Columbus OH...the gentleman recommended the truck route...which worked well for us.
I noted lots of greenleaves on smaller bushes under dark leaveless trees. There were many blackbirds and one hunting hawk during the drive.
The combo of rain and wipers made me tired at times...it was good to talk to my husband on our cb radios as we drove.
We crossed the Ohio River at 4:05 pm. The waters were very brown and the river was very full. We learned later that this area has been on flood alerts...receiving a record amt of rain this month. The record is from 1886!! Whew! Ah I kept thinking that I would take the rain over snow and slush any time.
I asked the rv camp owner for a dinner recommendation and he sent us to a great home cooking place enjoyed by the locals called Family's Main Street Cafe in Walton KY. We had a good home cooked meal and great service.
We are camped between two creeks...one is called Salem Creek...I don't know the other's name...this is a very pretty campground...hilly in places but peaceful even though close to the highway.
The forecast for tomorrow is for snowshowers so we are going to try to keep the day on the road short.
Sunshine
Anne
Friday, November 25, 2011
Off Again!
Hello everyone.
I am starting up my blog again because we are departing Waterloo, Ontario on Sunday for the warmer weather in Florida this winter. (We hope warmer!)
The old rv is again heading south being followed by our new/old Toyota SUV which we have had since the summer.
There is quite a difference this year...much less 'stuff' in the rv...we aren't exhausted with downsizing...and my husband is more settled into retirement.
We do not have any big plans for the winter just exploring wherever we are camping.
Hope that you are all enjoying the season!
Sunshine
Anne
I am starting up my blog again because we are departing Waterloo, Ontario on Sunday for the warmer weather in Florida this winter. (We hope warmer!)
The old rv is again heading south being followed by our new/old Toyota SUV which we have had since the summer.
There is quite a difference this year...much less 'stuff' in the rv...we aren't exhausted with downsizing...and my husband is more settled into retirement.
We do not have any big plans for the winter just exploring wherever we are camping.
Hope that you are all enjoying the season!
Sunshine
Anne
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