Day 24 - Shenandoah to South Carolina

We had a goal today - to get to my sister's at a decent hour while it's still the weekend.

We awoke at the top of the mountain, and headed south down the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway.





We were pretty far from the smoky mountains, but the landscape looked the same to me, and we saw smoke, and looked up the origin with the intermittent cell service: It comes from the natural fog that often hangs over the range and presents as large smoke plumes from a distance. It is most common in the morning and after rainfall, and is the result of warm humid air from the Gulf of Mexico cooling rapidly in the higher elevations of Southern Appalachia.

Well I'll be darned.

This has to be one of my favorite byways - quiet, no traffic, and constant scenic turnouts all along the swervy appalachains.





Sean felt that it al looked the same, no diversity in the trees..




This was our view at lunch, note that I didn't publish the actual meal though!

6 hours total, and we were crossing the North/South Carolina border.

Here we are at the Ellison family residence!!





All the way there my niece Bailey was texting me on our whereabouts and the play by play at the Ellison's as we drove up. When we got there Bailey and my nephew Griffin were waiting on the lawn :)





Here's Bailey posing on their boat.

After all that driving, Robin had the right idea - swimming!


Sean raced the kids in the pool and had an under water contest with Griffin. This cute little boy from the neighborhood was showing us neat tricks that included jump roping a noodle float into the pool, and he soon clung to Sean. They raced around cheating like boys do and I noticed the little guy threw a few under water punches, but that didn't stop Sean from dragging the little boy behind so that he could pull ahead in the race. Well done Sean!

Jim grilled up some amazing steaks and chicken for dinner, and we all exhaustedly fell into a coma.


-- Posted from April's phone