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| Virginia Horse Center & Blue Ridge Mountains |
Blue Ridge Parkway
10/1/10
We said goodbye to the Virginia horse Center after going down the block to the Waffle House again for breakfast. Jo was in grits heaven, hot grits with crumpled bacon bits mixed in as well as hash browns. I had the biscuits and gravy. not as good as we used to get at Gwennies in Sequim but the biscuits were fantastic. They were soaked in butter then grilled!
Getting back to our spot on the hill I took the opportunity to wash the trailer. It was the first time since the start of our trip and it brought out a lot of the shine we started with.
We also had time this morning to take a couple of very long showers in showers that were large and simple but with plenty of hot water and plenty of dry space to dress. We then attended the morning session of the Saddle Bred events which ended with a dog show.. The horsey people like their dogs. Some dog show categories were, cutest dog, best barn dog, best non barn dog, dog that most looks like their owner. It was non sanctioned of course. My kind of show.
All in all this has been a very nice spot. We had privacy up on a hill that overlooked the massive grounds with only two other campers spaced very far away for company. We had power and water but no sewer. We’ll clean out at the next spot. The power is always good for the lights and the electronic gadgets. If we’re careful with the use at a non service site we can get by with charging everything with the trucks aux. power outlets as we drive along.
The horse shows were very interesting and I actually got into them and attended three sessions. Saddlebreds have been crossed between thoroughbreds and gaited horses from Kentucky. They have pronounced high stepping knee lifting gaits at walks, trots and canters. And of course the riders all dressed to the “Nines” in formal attire with bowler hats for the ladies and fedoras for the men, tails for everyone.
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| Otter Creek Blue Ridge Parkway |
They did have a Western class for the ladies with showy rigs of silver for the horses and individual styles of glitter for the ladies. The western version of the gaits were more relaxed. It was tough picking the winners with my unexperienced eye but we got better as the shows continued.
Later we strolled through several barns looking at the horses and ponies close up and reminding ourselves of when we raised horses on Maui.
I’m glad we came.
The morning was clear and bright and a firm but a continuous mellow breeze came up the hill side and mixed with the sunshine.
This afternoon.
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| Airstream reflection |
We’re back dry camping in the national Parks. Today we stayed at a small delightful place called Otter Creek. We got the last pull thru that wrapped itself in an arc around the trees and looked down into Otter Creek. It was just the right size and gave off a soothing chuckle and burble. We arrived early, we turned in early and we awoke early, my kind of hours. the trees were tall and thin with a predominance of black locusts. The canopy was fairly thin and let in filtered light. Even Moochi ventured out and explored the creek bed.
10/2/10
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| Light in the canopy |
Another 50 miles down the parkway we came to a place called Otter Peaks with a lodge and rooms that overlook a serene lake. Beyond and above the lake rose Otter Peak, an almost perfectly symmetrical cone densely clothed in deciduous trees save for the very tip peaked by a cluster of rocks.
The lodge served some of the tastiest food thus far. Actually Virginia has been so good to us food wise. Prices are reasonable and quality is off the charts. Simple things like real southern fried chicken, light and moist and crisp, warm red beets in a sweet syrup,
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| By Otter Creek |
fruits and berries so fresh and even whip cream you could stand your fork up in. It was a wonderful meal in a dramtic setting on the shores of the lake. In the distant rolling grassy hills a civil war enactment was happing and glimples of canvas tents and cook fires added to the interest.
We will be heading to Greensboro, North Carolina for an appointment in two days with an Airstream dealer to have some service work done on the trailer. It has been too nice for the past couple of days to go into the problems so I won’t. Suffice it to say we are thinking about selling this one somehow somewhere and getting a newer one while on the road. A 27’ with a better floor plan and only a couple of years old would be so much nicer and dependable. We still want to spend time next year doing more traveling closer to home say Montana and Wyoming and from Big Sur to Jasper. So we are not giving up yet but we are certainly finding out what we do not want in an RV.
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| Otter Creek |
Not sure about Mexico anymore. I’ve heard too many warnings lately to be hauling a nice looking Airstream down that far and deep.
We made it to Roanoke National Park and set up and unhitched beneath a tall overhanging oak tree. Don’t you think the thousands of acorns littering the parking site should have given us a clue about this spot? It’s one of those stupid is as stupid does moves. Every hour or so a big fat acorn drops on top with a bang. Stupid, but we’re not moving, we deserve this one.
On a not so keen note, kudzu has begun to show up in the park.
See ya.
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| Roanoke Valley |
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