Friday, May 6, 2022
We’re off!
Chainsaws, tree parts thudding to the ground, and wood chipping serenaded our breakfast and departure preparations. This cacophony was music to our ears. Our neighbor was having all her sweet gum trees removed – no more gum balls for her and us.
After locking the house up and hitching the car to our motorhome, we departed a little before 10 am heading due west across North Carolina. We got behind the eight ball before we even departed the Triangle area.
The weather was overcast with mist and rain on and off during the entire trip. We stopped for lunch at a rest area just west of Winston-Salem enjoying tuna croissants and chips at the RV dinette while parked among the truckers.
Jane spent most of the first day of our adventure on her iPhone researching and making reservations for a future trip to the NY Finger Lakes region during the summer. I guess the travel bug has bit us hard. I was remembering my late father (and mother) because today would have been his 96th birthday.
 |
|
Trucker Luncheon |
My concerns about climbing the Blue Ridge escarpment while towing the car were alleviated because, with the accelerator pedal floored, we were able to maintain a speed of 50-55 mph. We readily passed trucks and other RVs with flashers on in the far right lane. However, after we refueled in Maggie Valley, the grades steepened. Flooring the accelerator on these climbs only yielded a speed of 35-40 mph. After we traveled through Cherokee and passed Harrah’s Casino, we arrived at the Cherokee / Great Smokies KOA.
Under threatening skies, we hooked up the utilities at our campsite including 48-channel cable tv. Shortly after we returned inside the RV, a dark terrible storm with high winds, torrential rain with hail attacked us. We heard several branches crashing on the roof and loud bangs around us similar to our morning commotion. Once the storm abated and light and calmness returned, we and others ventured outside. About 30 yards in front of our RV, a poison ivy-covered sycamore tree along the Raven Fork River had snapped during the storm and the crown had fallen over a riverside rental cabin. Fortunately, the damage to the cabin was minimal and there were no occupants. We took a stroll to check out the campground but quickly returned to the RV as the temperature had dropped significantly after the storm.
In the RV, we consumed snacks and beer, listened to the news, played a few board games and considered our options for tomorrow. The intermittent rainfall continued throughout the night.
 |
|
Riverside Sycamore broken by the Storm |
 |
|
Riverside Rental Cabins unscathed by the Storm |
The storm bypassed Greenville. We did get lots of wind. Glad you made it safely through the storms. Zorro enjoyed a day of sunning on the screened porch. I too was thinking of our sweet Dad. We were blessed to have him. Lisa