I know it has been a while since my last update. I was planning to update this when I got back but I had terrible sinus problem for 3 days...
Well everyone, I am back to my "normal" life, having returned from my yearly pilgrimage to West Virginia to visit family and friends. This trip was a bit different than most but it was a good different.
I left on Friday morning (August 22nd) at 7:15 AM CST. My plans were to drive to Wildersville, TN and spend the night at Natchez Trace State Park before continuing on the following morning. Since I was traveling solo and had a new GPSr unit, I was excited to test it out on the road as well as doing a little Geocaching along the way. For more info on my Geocaching adventures, please see my Geocaching blog.
I stopped at Kroger to get a few things I would need for the road (milk, juice, sandwich stuff) as well as some cash before I started out. I took my time, driving carefully even though I was in a hurry to get to my destination. I had been informed by Knightmare_Duck that "caching along the route" would delay my arrival time considerably so I made plans not to over do it.
Gas prices surprised me some. In the Dallas area we were paying $3.40 or less per gallon but the cheapest I saw it my first day was $3.49. The prices only increased the further north and east I drove. Of course when I got back the prices were about the same as they were when I left, albeit a couple of pennies lower. I guess the rest of the world as not gotten the word yet.
My first day of traveling took me from Dallas,Texas to Wildersville, TN. While I normally get to the camp by 5:00 PM, it was closer to 7:00 when I actually got there. Blame it on the geocaching. I found a great spot (actually I was just the second camper to make it into this area) and nibbled on some food I had packed. I grabbed my geocaching gear and took a little stroll to see if I could get one before the light failed. I was successful.
The campground was wet and the air was humid. I was soaking wet with sweat and I hoped that I would cool down in good time. I was getting sleepy and the park ranger had still not shown up to collect the camping fee of $11.00 per night, of which one night was all that I would be staying. I did not want to go to sleep and have him wake me up so I stayed up until he finally arrived. In the mean time several other campers showed up looking for some sort of gathering that had was supposed to go on. I later learned the gather was cancelled due to weather.
I slept fitfully Friday night. It was hot and humid and I was sweating profusely. I tried to cool down but nothing seemed to work. Finally around midnight/1:00 AM I was able to fall asleep. I noticed a few campers came in late and set up in the dark. I got up and treated my self to a hot shower at the bathhouse. It felt good to wash away the sweat and grime from the day before. After I was finished with that, I ate a light breakfast of fruit, yogurt, cereal bars, and milk. A quick brushing of my teeth and I was ready to hit the road. First stop, the gas station.
Mileage on the van on the first day was about 22 mpg. Not great but considering the hills and the fact it is a v6 and a van, I was not too disappointed. The second day's mileage was more of the same and my meals were also more of what I had eaten the previous day: sandwiches, water, and fruit. I am a creature of habit.
I arrived in WV about 8:00 PM local time, which is about two hours later than normal for me. Again, caching along the route will slow you down. I also made sure to make some calls along the way (via mobile phone) to those who needed to know where I was and when I would be in.
When I arrived at my mom's house, I unloaded the van (my wife's vehicle, the vehicle of choice when traveling) and gave my mom a hug. We chatted for a while and then she asked me if I was hungry. I was, since the last meal I had was a sandwich eight hours before. I told her I was and she asked me what I wanted. In the old days, mom would have a ton of leftovers in the fridge. Coming home meant some of mom's home cooking. But ever since dad died back in 2002, mom has stopped cooking and lives of frozen dinners and sandwiches. Wanna take a guess what delectables I was offered upon my arrival? I declined food when I learned what was available and she seemed hurt. I tried to explain things to her but she just did not understand.
Mom and I caught up on things and before I knew it, I was yawning. It was about 10:00 PM local time and I was bushed. I have not had a plethera energy lately and I really need to go to the doctor to see what is causing my deminished stamina.
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