Vacation Day Six – Holly River & Home

We spent the last night of our trip at Holly River State Park in west Virginia.  We arrived with plenty of time to setup and collect firewood.  Chloe was roaming all around and we thought it would be funny to see what she would do if we got in the car and drove down the road without her.  She sprinted after the car, dashing down the right side and then the left.  Since that experience she never wanders far when we’re near our car!

Up to this point we had great weather, so we were not at all suprised when a thunderstorm rolled in around the time we were going to sleep.  We survied the night and had already packed most of our things so as to make leaving early the next morning quick and easy.

I had told Janele of a small historic West Virginia town named Helvetia recognized for its German restaraunt.  We were both hungry for a good breakfast and since it was on the way home decided we would stop there for breakfast.  We spent 1 hr driving down a mostly dirt road that we thought would be paved; and another hour on “normal” roads we drove right through the town before we realized we had just missed it!  To our dissappointment nothing was open since it was Sunday morning.  So we continued on deciding that we would stop when we got to Seneca Rocks.

We pulled into Yokum’s Vacationland Restaraunt for the most interesting dining experience of our lives.  I wasn’t sure whether or not to be impressed that I could see three different types of wallpaper on the same wall.  I wanted to make a rush for the door, but Janele just wanted french toast.  I settled for a cup of stale coffee and egg sandwich.  The food wasn’t as bad as we expected but we still got out of there as fast as possible.

We continued on our way, with about 7 hours of driving ahead of us.  Around lunchtime we came across a park along a very nice creek.  We stopped and let Chloe swim for a while since she had been in the car all morning.  When we left there were several cars backed up to the delapidated boat ramp; I guess that was a West Virginia beach.

That was our last stop before we arrived at Janele’s parents house for dinner before heading home.  We ended up traveling over 1500 miles in 6 days.  We covered a lot of ground and had a lot of good experiences but both decided that we spent too much time in the car.

Vacation Day Five – Another Gorge

Today we were on the road by 8am en route to New River Gorge, WV.  The drive was pretty uneventful and we made it to the Gorge by 2pm where we had a picnic lunch in the parking lot and then checked out the overlook.  The bridge over the gorge is the world’s second largest arch bridge.  We both agreed it was a cool place and thought about driving down into the gorge but decided to press on to Holly River State Park, WV where we would be spending the night.  There was a lot to do in this area including hiking, whitewater activities, and caves.  Maybe someday we will return there for another vacation.

At some point in the afternoon I developed a craving for a slushy.  We were driving through small towns with less than desireable mini-market gas stations, and I finally found one that I was sure would have a slushy machine.  Boy was I ever wrong, they hardly had a decent soda fountain,  I guess they don’t know what slushies are in that part of WV.

Vacation Day Four – The Great Feast

Today was the climax of our vacation.  In the morning we drove about 30 miles south up to the top of Mt Mitchell.   At a height of 6,684 ft, it is the highest peak on the East Coast.  Since there was a road that took you to the top, there was no chance I would have been able to convince Janele to hike it.  We did take a 1 mile trail across the ridge to the next mountain top.  It was a cool cloudy morning and the forest we were hiking through was unlike any I have ever seen before.  It was definitely a cool experience, and I hope to return and go backpacking there someday.

Next up was the drive north again to visit Linville Falls and Linville Gorge. The falls were really cool but a lot of other people were there also, so it wasn’t a secluded hike like I am more used to.  Janele was not up for a long hike since we had already done a few shorter ones but I was able to convice her to come along with me on a 1 mile round trip hike into the gorge.  We drove back a dirt road to get to the trail and had a relatively easy time getting to the water.

The water wasn’t freezing, but the current was pretty strong so I just swam across so that Chloe could spend some time swimming.  Janele watched from the comfort of her rock.

Once we left the gorge we were tired and I was getting hungry for the occasion that I was looking forward to for months; the friday night Prime Rib and Seafood buffet at the Little Switzerland Inn!  We had reservations for 8:00 but ended up getting there a little after 7:00.  We sat outside on the patio because it was a beautiful evening.  The food was excellent and we enjoyed a chance to sit down to a nice meal together.  One the way back to the campsite we pulled into an overlook and just relaxed on a blanket for a while, it was a wonderful end to a busy day.

Vacation Day Three – Setting Sail

It was a beautiful morning in the land of Fairy Stones, after a simple breakfast we loaded Chloe into the car and took to the lake where we rented a canoe.  I was excited as this was Chloe’s first ever canoe ride; I found out it was also only Janele’s second time (and first time actually paddling).  Chloe was excited to jump in the boat and we had an easy time getting underway.  At first everytime Janele would paddle Chloe would pounce to that side of boat and gulp up as much water as she could (maybe she was trying to paddle too).  This made Janele a nervous wreck since she thought we were going to tip; thankfully that didn’t happen.  We spend about an hour paddling around the entire lake which was very enjoyable.

After our lake excursion we got packed up and made our way back to the Blue Ridge Parkway to visit the Mabry Mill.  I enjoyed reading about the history of the mill and taking pictures.  The entire Blue Ridge area is rich with history and a number of different attractions and visitor centers allow you to appreciate the area.  You are able to get a sense of what life used to be like for people living in the mountains.

My original plans for the rest of the day were to backpack to an old AT Shelter, but we found out that they do not allow overnight camping there so we spend the entire afternoon driving to Spruce Pine, NC.  It was a long drive, paritally because we missed the small dirt mountain road the campground was on (No commercial signs are allowed along the Blue Ridge Parkway) and ended up taking a 45 minute detour to get there.  It was almost dark as we pulled into our campsite and we quickly setup and enjoyed a fire before falling fast asleep.

Vacation Day Two – Chloe & Eva

On day two we had a wondeful breakfast provided by Caroline at Ashton House. We were the only ones staying there that night so things were quiet.  Caroline was very welcoming to us and Chloe, it was nice to find a place to stay that enjoyed dogs.  They had two cats and we were surprised how well Chloe behaved around them.  The one cat actually terrified Chloe which was hilarious to see, it hissed and clawed at her.  We left there right before lunchtime and made our way down the Blue Ridge Parkway.  We had lunch at an overlook; we were blessed with another beautiful day.

A deer came wandering by and Chloe almost chased it into the woods, but she was obedient to her owners when they called her back.  Once Chloe was safely locked away in the car the deer came back to have its picture taken.  A few moments later a woman stopped by with her dog Eva and Chloe had a friend to play with until she was exhausted.  We drove a few more hours and spent the night at Fairy Stone State Park in VA, it was a very nice park with a lake and nice facilities.  Chloe did some swimming in the lake after dinner, Janele retired early to bed and I stayed up for a while relaxing by the fire.

Vacation Day One – Two Years

Thats how long Janele and I have been married, time flies huh?  June 17th was our anniversary, one day after UE Camp ended, how convenient right.  Since we were planning to take the rest of the week for our vacation I planned a secret stay in a Bed and Breakfast in Staunton, VA for our anniversary.  Unfortunately that secret only lasted about 4 hours, I am always to excited to make Janele guess my surprises (it took her over 30 questions in a game of 20 questions to guess though).  We left Tuesday morning and had a wonderful trip down skyline drive in which we had a picnic lunch and a few short hikes.  We were happy to get to the bed and breakfast and enjoyed a delicious pizza in the park as we watched some squirts play baseball.  We ended our night with our favorite show (currently anyway), Hell’s Kitchen.

Ultimate Experience

Janele and I just finished another 4 days of Ultimate Experience (UE) Camp. Its that time of year that we have the privilege of staying in luxury accommodations at Promised Land Camp. We always have fun hanging out and getting to know the Jr Highers better. This year was no exception, our campers were awesome and everyone enjoyed the speaker, Chad. It was amazing to see how relationships and unity developed among the youth in just a couple days. When its over after the action packed 4 days you usually just want to sleep; but not before getting a real shower! (This year camp featured the “sewer slide”). Now camp is over and we are on vacation; time to relax!

Bailey and the White Glove

Yesterday I had an exciting lunch time adventure. I met Sax at Capt Gus’ where we picked up some lunch and then headed to the womens and babies hospital. I know, a strange place for two guys to have lunch; turns out that Lenny had a baby (well ok Sheila had the baby, but Lenny helped put it in the leg).

Bailey is a nice looking kid, who I think looks just like her older brother did once upon a time. We got to assist in the move out of the delivery room into a more suitable living quarters. It was at this point that the white glove comes into play. Lenny and Sax made talk of the “white glove” and how you are under no circumstance to be caught in the hallway with the white glove on your shoulder. I was intriqued and had to ask them how they knew of such an event; as if it had happened to them before. It was at that very moment I realized I had a white glove on my shoulder! Ahh the agony.

Loft Mountain

For memorial day weekend Janele and I took to the road for a camping trip to skyline drive. It was a vacation filled with firsts. It was the first time we had the pleasure of camping with our friends Joel and Amy. It was also the first time we camped with 3 consecutive days without rain.

We spent Friday night at the Fretz residence and hit the road by 7am on Saturday. It was a lot colder than any of us had anticipated and the overlooks along skyline drive were frigid with the steady breeze that was blowing. Big Meadows was our lunchtime destination where we enjoyed a nice meal in the lodge overlooking the valley. The food and service was good despite much difficulty understanding our waiter; whom we believe was Phillippino. If you’re ever traveling down skyline drive, stop by the Big Meadows Lodge for a nice breakfast or lunch.

I had been looking forward to frolicking in the meadow the entire week before out trip. However, because our stop for lunch took longer than anticipated and no one else seemed to share my enthusiasm for a leisurely stroll through the meadow we promptly continued the 30 mile drive to Loft Mountain. With a lack of overlooks and a desire to break camp we made no more stops before reaching the campground.

Now I must tell you that I made reservations back in march and that even then the selection of campsites was few and far between. I selected what I thought would be a great site nested in the woods with plenty of room for us to enjoy. What we found instead was a small cozy campsite that sat on a nice slope by the side of the mountain. Sounds nice at first, until you try and set up two tents. We ended up putting our picnic table in the driveway to our site and gave Joel and Amy the only flat spot to pitch a tent. It turned out to be a nice site anyway, and we enjoyed the privacy it provided.

We spent the rest of the day Saturday relaxing around the fire and eating, my two favorite things to do while camping. Joel and I were the wood gatherers and each day we took the wagon out to fill up with wood. This was the first trip we took the new Subaru on, and it was great. Chloe enjoyed being able to sleep on her bed in the back the entire time, and it was nice to be able to go out driving together at night. Sunday night we took a drive at dusk and saw a nice sized black bear crossing the road. In addition to that we saw a large snake on the road and several deer. At one overlook I was standing with Chloe at my side (not on a leash) and as I glanced into a clearing I saw two deer. I immediately went to grab Chloe and just as I did she also noticed the venison not too far away. In a frantic attempt to keep prevent her pursuit into the woods, and breaking nearly every park rule for dogs, I dove after her and tumbled down the rock infested slope. We both made it out alive and provided a memorable experience for all.

I was always the first to rise in the mornings, in eager anticipation for the hikes I had planned. Sunday we hiked the 5+ mile doyles/jones river falls trail. I left early to park the car where we would be ending the hike. It was an enjoyable 3.5 mile hike along the Appalachian Trail back to the starting point where I met everyone else at noon. I took Chloe with me and she had a great time. The views along the ridge were amazing, and it was a perfect day to be hiking. I was able to break in my new Gregory Palisade pack which was a very nice improvement over the old oversized one I had been using.

Given the beautiful weather and a holiday weekend there were many other people out on the trail. The waterfalls were crowded and it was hard to get good pictures with people climbing all over the place. We had lunch at the first one we came to. A mile or so later we found a nice swimming hole in less crowded area. Even though the water was still pretty frigid I took a few short dips and let chloe have a good swim.

By the time we finished we were all tired and headed back to camp. Dinner on Sunday was mountain pies, and they were delicious. We brought

enough food to last well over a week which is typical of my camping trips. Both nights we were able to enjoy the expansive night sky. There were no clouds anywhere and the stars and moon were amazing. I always lie in awe of the universe that God has created; it gives me a sense of his greatness and thankfulness that he reached down and chose for me to be his child.

On Monday as I was tending to the fire I started to cook some maple sausages I had gotten from the Turkey Lady at market I heard some rustling in the brush. When I looked down there were two deer passing by, just yards away from where I was standing. They didn’t seem to pay me any mind and continued on their way.

After a wonderful breakfast of pancakes, sausage, and coffee we began packing up. Amy and Joel had to head back Monday. Janele and I were staying one more night at Big Meadows where we rendezvoused with her parents.

I was able to convince Janele to join me on one more hike monday afternoon. She was tired a little apprehensive but was enjoyed the hike when it was all over. We did the Jones River Falls hike. It was hotter on monday but still very nice weather. We could tell chloe really enjoyed joining us on the hikes and relaxing around camp. I have never seen her more tired than she was on this trip. She hiked over 13 miles with me in two days (carrying her little doggy pack), and did a good amount on swimming also! I am in the process of training her for her first real backpacking trip later this summer.

Monday night we had a passing shower which was a minor inconvenience. After things dried up a little we enjoyed a fire and headed to bed. Tuesday Morning we packed up in an hour, took showers, and met Janele’s parents for breakfast at 8:30; another good meal provided by the Lodge!

Before heading home we checked out the visitors center which had a very nice display of artifacts and exhibits about the creation and timeline of skyline drive. Knowing the history makes the trip a little more exciting and interesting. Many of the trails and overlooks are rich with history.

Rather than head home the way we came we decided to exit skyline drive and wander down some backroads in the Shenandoah Valley. We meandered back a mostly stone road until it dead ended by a series of trails by a creek where we enjoyed our lunch. It was cloudy but the sun peaked out every now and then. We passed many nice looking farms and I dreamed of living in the foothills of the mountains someday.

We made it home safely and were happy to have completed another enjoyable camping trip. We made a lot of good memories and are looking forward to our next trip down the Blue Ridge Parkway in June to celebrate our two year anniversary.

Coffee and cheese steaks

Last Thursday I met my good friends Lenny and Jared downtown for our weekly accountability meeting. Since it was so nice this week Chloe joined us and we walked around town. We started out at the Prince St Cafe. If you’ve never been there I would highly recommend it. It was a warm evening so I opted for the iced coffee. When Lenny and Jared arrived (late as usual), it reminded them that dunkin donuts was giving away free iced coffee that day. We were disappointed to find that they closed at 4pm.

Because Lenny was in the mood for a milkshake so we walked up Queen St in search of a milkshake vendor. At the park Lenny thought he could climb the Binn’s Park placquard wall. I doubted his attempt would be successful and offered him a free milkshake if he could do it. He sissied out because he thought the security bike patrol would beat him up.

Let me just tell you that there are not many places to get a good milkshake in the city. Our attempt to find one ended unsuccessfully. There is a new creamery going in next to the cafe, so our day will come soon. We walked back to Prince St Cafe so I could refill my delicious iced coffee, I believe Jared also bought Lenny a drink, isn’t that sweet?

Unsure where to go next I directed our path down west king street. I must admit that is the first time I have ever walked down that part of town. If you’ve never had a similar experience I suggest that you try it during the day and perhaps take someone with you.

You might be wondering at this point why the title of this entry is coffee and cheese steaks since the two don’t really go together. Well, let me tell you that I was working up an appetite and being that we were not far from Cap’t Gus’ Steak shop we made that our final destination for the evening. If you’re never been to the Captain’s place for a cheese steak or fresh ham sub you are missing out on on the of the finer things in life. I treated the guys to a third of a cheese steak; they both thought it was so good that they decided to get it all over their shirts to enjoy when they got home.

The guys made their way back to the cars (I think jared may have snuck into the den to rent a video but I’m not positive) and I walked home with Chloe. It was a fine evening and I enjoyed the company of my friends.