Day 2 - 31 Dec - Wilkes-Barre Penn to Salem, Virginia
Odometer reading this morning: 120,884 Weather: Sunny and white!
We woke up this morning to snow…lots and lots of snow….but so beautiful! It was coming down lightly when we went to bed and there could not have been a breeze all night because all the tree branches and every other surface was piled high with snow. As we pulled onto the I-85 and started to drive up into the Blue Ridge Mountains, the valley on either side of the highway looked like a black and white photograph. As we came down from the mountains, the snow started to disappear and by noon, when we crossed the border in to Maryland, it had all disappeared and the temperature had become quite mild.
We went through 4 States today: Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia. We’ve already put Virginia on our list of places to come back to even though we didn’t get off the interstate except to get gas. The highway (I-85) meanders through a valley bordered on one side by the Blue Ridge Mountains (very close and visible) and the Appalachian Mountains on the other. Even at this time of year, the countryside is beautiful…rolling hills, horse and cattle ranches with beautiful big ranch houses…and we are surprised at how green everything is. The temperature is mild, but certainly not warm, and although we did see the odd advertisement for a ski resort, there can’t be any skiing very close because there is no evidence of snow…now or recently past.
Clearly, there is lots of history here. There are ‘historic’ battlefields everywhere, including Shanandoah, as well as the homestead of ‘Stonewall’ Jackson. The drive along the Interstate was pleasant and I can imagine how lovely the countryside would be on some of the secondary roads. Yep…gotta come back. We want to get 3 days of putting decent miles behind us before doing any sightseeing and certainly get away from the snow-belt. (I’d say we were very close).
Wayne found another coupon so we pulled in to the Howard Johnsons near Roanoake, Virginia and got a nice double room for $39. That includes breakfast….after all, we do have our standards.
New Years Eve…we are thinking of the gang at the Portugese Club and will miss them but we’re happy to be where we are and eager for what’s still ahead. It’s been another wonderful year…a new daughter; a growing and healthy grandson; a fabulous family (immediate and extended); sons & daughters we love beyond comprehension; and each other.
We woke up this morning to snow…lots and lots of snow….but so beautiful! It was coming down lightly when we went to bed and there could not have been a breeze all night because all the tree branches and every other surface was piled high with snow. As we pulled onto the I-85 and started to drive up into the Blue Ridge Mountains, the valley on either side of the highway looked like a black and white photograph. As we came down from the mountains, the snow started to disappear and by noon, when we crossed the border in to Maryland, it had all disappeared and the temperature had become quite mild.
We went through 4 States today: Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia. We’ve already put Virginia on our list of places to come back to even though we didn’t get off the interstate except to get gas. The highway (I-85) meanders through a valley bordered on one side by the Blue Ridge Mountains (very close and visible) and the Appalachian Mountains on the other. Even at this time of year, the countryside is beautiful…rolling hills, horse and cattle ranches with beautiful big ranch houses…and we are surprised at how green everything is. The temperature is mild, but certainly not warm, and although we did see the odd advertisement for a ski resort, there can’t be any skiing very close because there is no evidence of snow…now or recently past.
Clearly, there is lots of history here. There are ‘historic’ battlefields everywhere, including Shanandoah, as well as the homestead of ‘Stonewall’ Jackson. The drive along the Interstate was pleasant and I can imagine how lovely the countryside would be on some of the secondary roads. Yep…gotta come back. We want to get 3 days of putting decent miles behind us before doing any sightseeing and certainly get away from the snow-belt. (I’d say we were very close).
Wayne found another coupon so we pulled in to the Howard Johnsons near Roanoake, Virginia and got a nice double room for $39. That includes breakfast….after all, we do have our standards.
New Years Eve…we are thinking of the gang at the Portugese Club and will miss them but we’re happy to be where we are and eager for what’s still ahead. It’s been another wonderful year…a new daughter; a growing and healthy grandson; a fabulous family (immediate and extended); sons & daughters we love beyond comprehension; and each other.
posted by Lynne @ 2:57 PM
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