Anywho, on to The Roadtrip. This trip was planned on a whim 2 weeks before we left. My mom wanted to go up to Pennsylvania to see my brother and his family. She asked if the kids and I wanted to tag along. Sure we did! I am tired of doing new house stuff anyway. So I planned our trip up to Houtzdale, Pa. It is near State College which is where Penn State is (about 1300 miles from here). So on Monday, 5 hours after our planned departure time...we hit the road...(major kink in plan).
Me, my mom (Maggie is what the kids call her),4 kids and one cute (but not potty trained) piggy named Norman (or Normal as Caleb kept calling him) were on our way! *Sidenote* Norman was my mom and brothers' idea, I had no say in this. Norman is to be Beulah's husband. Beulah is my brother's pig.
For my plan to work we needed to be in Chattanooga, Tn on Monday night. Not happening. We made it to Tuscaloosa Monday night and then to Chattanooga the next day.
The original plan was to get on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville, NC and then ride it up to Roanoke, Va. Realizing we would be too late for Asheville we headed for Boone, NC. The Boone area is absolutely beautiful!
Appalachain State University...
We finally got on Blue Ridge Parkway about an hour and a half or so before dark. For the short while we drove on it we had to stop for an entire herd of cows that were loose, we went the wrong direction for about 30 minutes, and there were SEVERAL deer in the road. I don't have a great rapport with deer that like to hang out in roads. There are also no street lights on the BRP or bathrooms for that matter. I quickly realized we weren't riding this puppy to Roanoke at night with 4 kids and Norman with his pea sized bladder. Enter GPS.
I can honestly say the rest of the trip up was one geographical surprise after the other and we CERTAINLY did not need the Blue Ridge Parkway for the scenic route. What we could have used was an Atlas or something with a little more perspective than the 3 inch partial map the GPS provides. We were on the curviest, most mountainous, backroads EVER for most of the rest of the trip up. We were actually on a gravel road at one point. I would have never thought to jump on Hogback road to get to Pennsylvania from Louisiana...but we did. And let's just say there is no cell service in the town of Mouth of Wilson, Va. We went through Virginia and to West Virginia on Tuesday night. On Wednesday, we went through Maryland (we were on the gravel road when we entered Maryland) and finally into PA. Pennsylvania is stunning. The farms look like they belong on postcards. We finally made it to my brother's new house Wednesday afternoon. While there I got to meet Murphee, my newest niece. She was born at 32 weeks and is just a little peanut of a person.
That day the kids chased the chickens then we had a bonfire and made smores.
The next day it rained so we went bowling in State College and had ice cream at Penn State's famous creamery. 
On Friday, we went into town and had I had a Philly Cheesesteak at a place that makes the best bread ever. We went to a super cute park that had chipmunks everywhere and then we rode my brother's horses and his ranger around his land.
Alrighty, the picture thing is no longer working. Stink. To be cont'd....again!!!
2 comments:
Somehow none of this surprises me given the parties involved. Cute pics!
Weew, it is exhausting to drive 1300 miles. But it's a good way to just escape chores and stress. The kids looked so happy there. And it seems your food was gone even before you reach Pennsylvania! LOL! Cheers to your road trip! :)
[Junior Perrera]
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