Quest for Spring - Day 3

Walmart, Salem, VA - Pigeon Forge, TN

March 3rd = Day 3

We left Salem, VA at 9:50 AM, it was sunny and 43 degrees. It really was a very quiet night in the parking lot and if there was a need for security we were unaware of it. We didn’t unhook, so there wasn’t a lot to do to get ready to move on. I felt it was warm enough this morning, I could shed my knee sock and did that feel good.

Near Wyetheville, VA where they is a lot of mining being done, of which if I remember it is for zinc, we saw a car fire which is something that you don ’t see very often, thankfully.

We also noted that the roadways had all been groomed. Where we normally see wildfowers growing, now we can see hundreds of daffodils coming up promising future travelers beautiful sights to behold.

We hit the Tennessee line about noon and this is where we found our Quest for Spring. We noted baby lambs, daffodils bloomed trees budded, green grass, mile-a-minute-vine green and growing, and the red bud trees beginning to show some color. Yes this is definitively spring in Tennessee. Makes me think of Krista and the last time we brought Al to Tennessee to see his family. Good memories.

We arrived at our reserved campsite in Pigeon Forge, TN at 3:00 PM, a lovely “pull through” site, the temperature was 72 degrees and the sun was bright a perfect day to clean out the motor home and cook a good dinner. I quickly changed into a short sleeved shirt and shorts and went to work, while Estee and Lou had a walk and got everything hooked up and changed some filters. I started dinner. I fixed pork tenderloin, baked sweet potato with cream cheese and pecan topping, fresh cauliflower and cranberry orange muffins. It tasted good to have a home cooked dinner. After dinner, I set to the task of cleaning up the motor

Quest For Spring - Day 2

March 2nd - Wednesday

Left Carlisle, PA at 11:00 AM after making some minor repairs to our hot water. Lou found the only way we could get hot water from our hot water tank to our sink our sink and shower was to put it through our winterization system, so for the time being this is the process we shall be using.

It is a bright sunny day with one sign of spring, no snow. We have noted many RV’s going north and we are in hopes this means there will be room for us in one of the many RV parks in sunny Florida, as many of the Military Base Parks do not take reservations. First come first serve basis.

We spotted the White Tail Ski Resort which is located in Antrim County 16 miles from the Maryland border. We had tried to tell our granddaughter, Michelle about it and couldn’t remember the name of it, this time I am writing it down, so we will remember, it looks like great slopes to ski.

Gasoline prices are $3.38 here. We arrived at the Maryland border at 11:50 and on into West Virginia at noon with a temperature of 59 degrees and a very strong wind. Estee was sleeping very peacefully in her bed located under the kitchen table.

We stopped at a Welcome Center in Virginia at 12:25 PM for a walk and to fix our lunch. We both agreed that was the nicest Welcome Center we have been in with the exception of the one in Mansfield. The bathrooms were very special --- with family restroom and toddles size potties and sinks. There were computer rooms, snack rooms and lounge rooms. While on our walk I picked Lou a dandelion and Estee grabbed it and ate it!!

We were back on the road at 2:10 and the temperature was 62. We stopped for gas at a Kroger gas station and it was $3.25 which was a bit cheaper and plenty of room to maneuver the RV around in.

The rest of our day was not the best, we started looking for a place to spend the night, Lou remembered a place he had stayed before but it was back at Natural Bridge and the only other place was 69 miles further south, so we decided to go back, well it got dark, and my DH is not fond of my GPS, but I decided it was time for some drastic measures, so I put the address in and off we went, only to arrive and find they were closed for the season. Feeling a little “miffed” Lou went into a campstore and asked for advice and they shared with him this was the first year they hade closed in the winter and they called three other places and found them closed also. He came back and told me the sad story and I programmed Walmart into the GPS and DH told me he had never stayed at a Walmart, my remark “hey, consider this your first time.” We pulled into Walmart in Salem, VA at 9:30 PM and were darn glad to be there.

We dined on left overs and called it good.

Day One Carlisle, PA

March 1st - Tuesday Sunny 44 degrees NO Snow

We left Benedicts at 10:30 this morning and drove to Williamsport to Sam's Club to fill the RV with gas, at $3.29 per gallon and then on to Western RV Village to spend the night. We got situated in our campsite and unhooked the car and drove to the base to pick up our medication for the next three months and grabbed a quick lunch at the PX and Lou got a hair cut. On to the Commissary to pick up a few groceries and back to the camp site.

Estee did really well at the RV while we were gone and was glad to see us and seemed to say, I remember this travelling thing, I get to take lots of walks and she was ready to go. Lou had purchased several new toys for her, a new ball and a new squeeky toy so she was a pleased puppy.

While I put things away Lou made a few adjustments to the RV and we received several phone calls, one from Lou's daughter and she and her family came out and brought our dinner to us. We enjoyed an evening eating and visiting with them. Brion and Casey were able to get our two televisions working, and that pleased Lou. They also brought us an electric cork screw extractor, which we will really enjoy, as Lou has problems with his wrists and struggles opening items, it seems that they always come up with very thoughtful gifts.

So tomorrow we are off for points further south. Don't know how far we will get, we are not going to hurry, taking our time and enjoy and rest as we go. Will post as we have internet available.

On The Way!

Hi folks!

This is Krista, Mom & Lou left for warmer weather today. They had wanted a new heading photo for the blog. (It may change as they haven't seen it yet ) So I took some snapshots and told Mother that I would post the pictures to her Blog for her today. Since she won't have Internet access for a while.

The were pulling out of the driveway at quarter of ten today and as of 3-ish they were at Carlisle. We only had one hitch getting them off this am, seems the front drivers side jack froze to the black top driveway!They felt that was a sure sign that it was time to head for warmer weather! But no worries, a little bit of man power (tapped on the foot with a hammer) took care of it, and we sent them on their way!