Love the updates on Hope. Looks quite cozy now and sounds very inviting.
Beth, I quite agree with you about the HOAs. My brother is stuck with one that is totally assinine.
Sara, I hope you get that new roof on before winter. I'm quite sure the roofing people/supplies are in great demand. I remember going to a hardware store to buy some material to patch a break in a cement retaining wall about a week after the floods in Nashville and the guy said they had sold out in the first 48 hours. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
For the past 2 weeks or so, the Nickle Plated CIBs have been on the road and we are still 1200 miles from home. But we have turned south as of yesterday so there is hope that we will get back to Nashville this month. We left out on the 24th of June and spent two nights in Bardstown, KY visiting some of the sites along the Bourbon Trail. Then we wandered ENE to Milton WV to the Blenko Glass Co. tour and had an awesome time watching them blow glass vases, etc. The next night found us in the Amish country of Ohio where we had a very weak WiFi signal but a pleasant RV campsite alongside a business that raised deer. The deer wandered over to the fence looking for food and they were gorgeous. But we were expected in Warren PA the next day for a week of camping with friends/fellow geocachers. It was the annual GeoWoodstock event that brings together cachers from all around the world. We saw lots of folks we knew and met lots of others. It was fun and Chapman State Park was very nice but had no cell tower reception so we had to drive into town to use our phones or our internet. Didn't matter much since we were busy caching and visiting. After that we spent a couple of nights in a state park on Lake Erie in NY and then 2 more nights at a private campground on Grand Island where we took a memorable tour to the Canadian side of Niagra Falls. We left there and traveled all the way across the state through Albany to Mass. and up 91 into Vermont where we took a tour of Ben & Jerry's. Couldn't stay long in Vermont as we had plans to ride the cog railroad to the top of Mount Washington. That was fantastic. 72 at the base and 43 on top with winds gusting at 45 mph! Very memorable. We left the mountain and made a brief stop in front of the Mount Washington Hotel which is huge (think Biltmore) and was rented out for the whole weekend. Who has that kind of money? Since we couldn't stop there we drove on across the 302 to Maine to visit the Delorme store and headquarters in Yarmouth. If you like maps like I do, this place is a must if you are in the area. Finally I said "I'm tired. I need to rest." We have spent a couple of days in Salisbury, Mass just doing down time things like sleeping and laundry and walking laps in the pool to get the blood flowing to my toes again. We did take the train into Salem today to play tourist, but didn't over do it. Tomorrow's weather looks wet but we are ready to head on and I suspect that the goddess is anxious to be back in Tennessee and shed of me.
So far we've camped in 9 states, nearly lost the car when we failed to put the brake on before unhooking, found out how reliable my road service policy is (very good), and learned how to drive with a flat on the read inside until you reach a safe place to pull off. We've overnighted in state parks, private rv camps, a truck stop (the night of the flat), and a Walmart. Getting better at hooking up the toad but still stressing myself out over it. It's nice though to have it when we camp somewhere, get set up, then jump in the car to go visit.
So, this has gone on long enough. Will pull up stakes and continue south tomorrow but haven't decided where we plan to stop or for how long. Since I retired and the goddess has been retired, we don't really have to be back on a certain date. Thank goodness for electronic bill paying. Will check in again in a few days if the reception is good.
Wishing all safe journeys and happy times!
Vickie
You got in allot a miles and seems some experiences, too, under your belt. Glad you are safe. You did well!
