Finally Home

I really hated to leave the Hampton Inn in Lexington Virginia. We had our usual complimentary breakfast in the beautiful dining room and then I took a few photos.  None inside as it was very busy with families travelling for the Easter holiday. 

Outside corridor

Clock

Pool and spa

We reluctantly packed up and took off, as we had 450 miles to go and I wanted to get home. We got back on 81 and got off at Berkely Springs WV.  This is another beautiful place that I'd like to go back to someday. They have the Country's first warm mineral springs and the town is really cute. Even George Washington has been here.  Here is a castle

 

More mineral springs

We passed a couple other places the day before that I want to mention.  One was the headquarters of Shutterfly in North Carolina. Patti uses them to make the most wonderful photo books!  Another place we passed was the historic Shot Tower, by the New River in West Virginia. 

 

The early settlers used to make ammunition here, more than 200 years ago.  

We also went by Carowinds, an amusement park I'd love to go to someday

After going through Berkely Springs we took 70 West then 99 then I think the 80 to the 219?  Anyway, we ended up in Ellicottville and then Chaffee and Java and Varysburg then HOME!  After being in Florida for 3 months then home for a week and gone again for two weeks it felt like I had been gone forever.  Plus, John didn't go on the Mississippi Riverboat cruise so I hadn't seen him in two weeks and I really missed him. Today I have to unpack and catch up on laundry. Tomorrow is Easter, have a great day!

*All images courtesy of Google, as for some reason my mom doesn't like me going 75 and taking pictures. 

A Long Day of Driving

We had a quick breakfast at the hotel this morning and then took off. By the time we got fuel it was almost 11.  Back on Route 301 which I really love but it makes me sad too.  This was "the" way South years ago, before the 95 opened.  Now it is full of once-beautiful examples of mid-century architecture.  Deserted and abandoned motels, diners, and gas stations, once thriving and now run down

From 301 we got on 321 and took that to 77 I think?  We got stuck in a horrible traffic jam in Charlotte. It looked exactly like this

Two hours and only 20 miles later we finally emerged from the snarl.  Almost 500 miles today and we ended up in Lexington Virginia, after being on 81.  This is our gorgeous Hampton

The front part is a bed and breakfast and there are regular rooms around the side and back. We were too tired to eat and just snacked in the room.

Home by tomorrow night! 

Heading Home, Part II. 4/16/14

So today I found myself making the trek from Zephyrhills Florida home to New York for the second time in 3 weeks.  This time driving my Mom (and her car!) back.  The good news is she had a recheck on her broken wrist yesterday and it was healed enough to take off the fixator

 That's the 'before' and here is the 'after'

Just a Velcro brace! 

We were packed up and ready to leave around 1:00, which is actually a day earlier than I thought so that's great. Traffic was light on 301 and we managed to go 300 miles before we stopped in Statesville Georgia around 8.  We got a room at a brand new Hampton Inn and it's really nice. 

 It has a keyless tap and go entry which is super handy when you're loaded down with luggage like a pack mule.  We went next door to the Mellow Mushroom for dinner, a place I've never been but now love.  We started with the signature soup

 Which we were leery of at first but loved at first spoonful. We also shared a small pizza and each had an awesome beer, Terrapin Tree Hugger.  It was the special today and we got to keep the glass.  Yay for free swag! 

  After a quick call to the husband, I'm doing a blog post and Mom is reading the paper.  Maybe we'll make 400 miles tomorrow? I want to get home to this sweet face