August 30 - September 5, 2022
Wytheville, Virginia - Jonesville, North Carolina
It didn't look like it was going to be possible, but a couple weeks ago Sherry (On My Own) and I realize that our routes are going to cross after all! I make a couple quick adjustments, get a reservation at Stony Fork Campground where she is staying this week, and after too long since the last time, we're able to have a meet up with this dear friend!
Our Tuesday drive south on I-81 is easy and quick. We arrive at the campground (after missing the turn and having to unhook the Jeep to turnaround) before 1:00 in pouring rain. Of course the sun is out ten minutes after we're set up in our shady, 30 amp, electric-only site.
Wytheville, (with-vill) Virginia is named for George Wythe, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and mentor to Thomas Jefferson. It's also famous for being the only Wytheville in the world :-) And it's home to this lovely national park.
We've been blessed with many new friends since hitting the road in 2015, many like Sherry who I connected with through our blogs before we moved into the RV. Meeting many of them many times around the country has been a wonderful highlight of this lifestyle. We last saw Sherry with David who sadly has passed away, back in 2018. She now travels solo, continuing the hiking and kayaking and discovering that she and David enjoyed for years. She's my hero!
Over our two day visit we enjoy a couple meals and plenty of wonderful conversation (we share identical views on so many important issues). A short drive to Big Walker Lookout to see what we can see in between. I'm so glad we could make this visit happen!!
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| A nice young woman offers to take our pic with Sasquatch, and while it's not a great one, I'm happy to have the memory captured. |
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| Finally, a lookout that does! |
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| A perfect 78 degree day. |
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| For $8 you can climb the over 220 stairs to the top for an even longer view. I can't, and we don't, but you could. |
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| Wonderful spending time with this lovely woman! |
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| We check out a nearby campground that is "a good place to crash" :-)))) |
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| Two handsome billy goats along the road. The larger one turns his head so I miss his long brown beard. They both look like they've been to the groomer! |
Heading out on Thursday (we're loving the short-lived chilly morning) we hook up at the very tight and narrow dump station across the street. The campground fits big-rigs, but it's definitely not big-rig friendly.
70 miles on I-77 and we land at Hometown RV Park in Jonesville, North Carolina. Lots of "villes" in this part of the country! The park is a little over a year old and perfect for our needs. Their park WiFi is strong (the repeater is on our utility pedestal!) which we need for the Fantasy League draft we're doing on Monday. 50 amp FHUs on a level and open-sky gravel site. Not large spaces, but adequate grass for Tessa with picnic table and fire ring.
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| Hard to beat this network access :-) |
This was a last minute reservation when I made changes for our last stop, and I'm grateful they had a spot for us over the holiday weekend. The park is completely full for the three days.
Because it's an unplanned "fill-in", I have no list of things to see and do, and checking after we arrive discloses there is in fact nothing to see or do :-) Good time to get the laundry caught up, pick up groceries, enjoy North Carolina BBQ, and avoid the holiday (others must find something to keep them entertained).
Sunday we're in downtown Elkin for a tasty brunch at Southern on Main. We arrive just ahead of the later rush, and the rain. The pouring rain. The buckets of rain. Tessa takes longer than usual getting in the Jeep because it's so disorienting, so we're soaked by the time we're tucked in. Thoughts of checking out the little town and surrounds are replaced with holycrapletsgethomeandgetdry!
It pretty much rains for the remainder of our time here. Quickly we're on a water front site, while many others have lake middle property.
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| While drying out, Tessa watches the weather channel on dog TV. |
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| In SoCal, rain is very exciting for M&M - much better than the triple digits they've had for so long :-( |
Football season is officially started with the completion of our little fantasy league draft completed on Monday. Like last year my plan is to just have fun with it, and like last year I'm immediately vested as though I'm paying millions for my picks. So silly, so fun.
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Elliott points out brother Ezra with his back-to-school-cool haircut!
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| Our fun and feisty Little M is four! |
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| The youngest grand, Oliver, appreciating all that yogurt has to offer. |
I don't know how you keep so perfectly up to date. I posted about July 22nd today. LOL. I can't thank you enough for rearranging your schedule to fit me into it. It was simply wonderful having you here. I am sending both you and Bill my very best heartfelt wishes for his quick recovery. I know better than most people what it's like to have to do hospitals on the road.
ReplyDeleteI've been trying to write the posts every day or two days so I can stay caught up this time. Photos take the longest to choose and edit and caption so I try to at least get those done, then wrapping it up on the day we leave each place is much easier!! Getting to visit with you was the best!!
DeleteMy good thoughts are winging your way for you and Bill.
ReplyDeleteLinda Sand
Thanks Linda!! Things are moving in the right direction for sure.
DeleteHow great that you caught up with Sherry and had some time to explore. The east certainly is getting their share of rain. Boy, to just get it out here some way. But don't worry global warming is just a myth!
ReplyDeleteAh yes if only the rain would spread itself out evenly we'd have less fire and floods! I can't believe the heat the west is having lately, that myth is brutal.
DeleteIt’s Gay…Sometimes, those unplanned stops turn out to be the best…especially when friends are there! Love all the green, the Mountain view, and Tessa’s weather channel.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad Sherry and I were in contact about our locations and able to make this little detour :-)) I wonder if Tessa gets confused about looking over a lake that comes and goes here!?
DeleteAlways great to catch up with friends and keep the relationship fun.
ReplyDeleteWe were so tired of the rain we are staying further north on our trip west.
Always fun to see what the grands are up too.
We've had rain every week since we got to Iowa in May so I'll be curious to see when we actually out drive it! Better than that heat wave in the west though so no complaints here. Also nice to be done with the winds for the last couple months.
DeleteGreat photos--glad you found a spot to hang for the holiday weekend. That rain looks wonderful! The photo of the vine on the tower looking out over the mountains is so cool!
ReplyDeleteI've yet to be tired of the rain after a dry winter in AZ. That place on the mountain was pretty run down and that old wood with the vine really grabbed my eye - how nature could make it look so pretty :-)))
DeleteOh, how fun to see you and Sherry together! Meeting up with good friends on the road is a delight. And as you said, she's definitely an inspiration in her commitment to continuing her travels solo.
ReplyDeleteI must say, I'm rather delighted that Labor Day is now behind us (only another RVer understands how wonderful this is, haha!!). Your grands are adorable, and Ezra has such great style. :-)
It was so great to have that time with Sherry, sure glad we could make it happen. Seeing the rv parks no longer full, even on weekends, is delightful indeed :-))
DeleteI am envious and happy you got to see Sherry. Bonus finding any park over a holiday weekend, but you do seem to have this reservation thing down.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you and Sherry caught up, the friendships we've made with other RV'ers over the years have been such an added bonus in our life.
ReplyDeleteFor us as well. A surprise but definitely a major highlight :-)
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