North Bound

Today is Monday and we just finished the drive to Damascus.  (No roadside bombs or camels, it's the one in Virginia.)  This is the home of the Virginia Creeper Rail Trail which is 34 miles of trail through the deepest of banjo country.

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From town, its about a 17 mile uphill run to Green Cove.  HOWEVER, we've hired a shuttle driver to haul us to the top of the grade which makes it a 17 mile downhill run.  (An I'm old enough to not even be embarrassed to reveal that fact.)

Decided to do the first hotel stop of the trip since there were no showers at the Cades Cove Campground.  The aptly named Old Mill Restaurant, Bar and Inn is in an old  converted (sorta) grist mill.  Picturesque on the local stream.

We were in the parking lot this evening straightening out the Funmobile when a somewhat shaggy lookin dude emerges from a utility van to engage us (me cause you mom disappeared) in a conversation of the merits of a conversion van like the Funmobile vs his unconverted Chevy van that he sleeps in the back of.

Turns out he's an escapee from Chigago-land who opted for the isolation of the Tennessee Appalacians over a more palatial retirement in Lombard.  Nice enough dude but probably a single guy..  I remind your Mom that she should be thankful that  I didn't go seedy yet.  Then she reminds me that Nora could take care of that issue.

So Tomorrow at the crack of  ..... noon?  we're off for our ride.  Depending on the status of my butt, I may have another post tomorrow.

No Pics

Good Night From Damascus.