This is one of the many beautiful sights we are enjoying here at a KOA Kamp in Asheville, NC.

East Coast

We've traveled from the Adirondacks in NY to the Blue Ridge Mountains in NC. We're camped at a KOA with our site right on the edge of a beautiful pond. As I write this a Canada goose is making him/herself at home here in our site. The leaves are in full color and the weather is beautiful, in the 70's. Some rain yesterday but it has cleared today. Jessie stayed back at camp to catch up on laundry and this blog while Tom went into town to check out some used book stores. He'll probably come back with an arm full.

You're looking at a very welcomed Starbuck's sign! Coffee houses are practically an unknown commodity here in the East. When we spotted this we gave a big hurrah and headed straight for it!

The Biltmore home, built by George Vanderbilt in the 1800's. We took a tour of it and decided our next home will be fashioned after it. It's the largest home in the US so we would have to add an extra room.

cruising Chesapeak Bay, viewing battle ships and forts.

Help! I'm being held captive!

An evening of solitaire

We're in the small town of Oxford, NC. The night before last we camped in a food store parking lot only to be surprised by the sound of cannon fire, flares in the sky overhead, the sound of a machine gun in the middle of the night, more cannon sounds at the crack of dawn while a trumpet played "Reveille" with more flares overhead. Unknown to us until talking to a service station attendant, we were parked next to a service training grounds.
We had a great time exploring the East Shoreline of Virginia and Williamsburg. We've entered NC and on our way to Durham. Found a library here where we're able to catch up on our email.

We have traveled through Pennsylvania, Maryland and Washington, DC and are now in Virginia near Norfolk in a small town called Hampton. We spent a few nights in the Gettysburg area at a KOA camp where we toured the battlefield and learned about the horrors of that war. We met some really nice people at the camp and Jessie even got to beat 3 opponents in a game of scrabble. We gathered around a campfire on one of the evenings and . had a great chat with some of the members of a group that camp together on a regular basis.
Washington DC was amazing with all it's historic buildings and museums. Our favorite was the Art Museum where we we able to view original artworks by famous artists. What a priviledge!
We crossed the border into Virginia and toured along the coast of the Cheasapeak Bay where we got our first glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean.
We attended an Episcopal church on Sunday and were warmly greeted by the Pastor and congregation. We were invited to go into their dining hall where many of the members were preparing for a pancake dinner that was to take place that evening. They had already prepared sausage and fried apples so offered some to us. Very delicious. I had never had fried apples before. You must try it. Simply slice the apples (skins and all) and fry in butter with a little sugar. Yummm!
Somewhere in Pennsylvania we picked up some horrible bugs that have been pestering us ever since. We're finding them everywhere in the trailer and the truck. I've encluded a picture of one of them. They're about the size of a dime with a hard shell and really creepy. Tom refuses to kill them so everytime he finds one he gently takes it to the door and releases it. Just when we think we've vanquished the last one another one appears. YUK!

We have arrived at Cherry Hill Park, an RV park near Washington, DC. How exciting!! We plan to take the bus tour through the capital tomorrow. Tom is looking forward to hanging out with Obama and chatting about Jessie's politics and what can be done about them.

This scrapple" was served to us on our breakfast platter when we ate at the Mountain Gate Family Restaurant in Pennsylvania. The waitress told us it was made by boiling a pig and gathering the grease and scum that floats to the top and compacting it into a square. Then it is deep fried. It can be served plane or with syrup. GOOD GRIEF!!

Goodby Adirondacks, hello civilization!

Today, Oct 3rd we're at the home of Jessie's niece, Carol Drake and her husband Dave. We had to say goodby to the Adirondacks and get back into civilization. Carol and Dave live near Albany, NY in Clifton Park. Last evening we went out to dinner with them and their friend Steve (a motorcyclist enthuiast) Great fun! Jessie's highlight of this morning was being able to take a long hot shower in a real home. (Traveling in an RV has its drawbacks).