Tag: travel

Road Trip Day 13 – South through Virginia to Tennessee

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It was a misty morning in the little corner of West Virginia where I spent the night. I had decided to get on the road as early as possible, so packed my gear and lugged it down the twenty steps. I could hear a creek, so took a quick walk, but couldn’t get close to it because of the foliage, but I did see cows.

I grabbed a cup of coffee and an apricot bearclaw at this coffee shop down the road in Winchester, VA.

It was a beautiful drive, too misty to see much, but it gradually cleared and I enjoyed my drive through the Appalachians very much. I stayed on the interstate, not stopping much, and did manage a couple of pictures.

I’m in Elizabethton, TN tonight, staying in a studio loft in an old building next to the Doe River, which is a branch of the Watauga River. I can see the river and the covered bridge that the town is famous for, from my window. I took a little walk through town to get some food (disappointing) and walked through the bridge.

This house is across the street from the bridge and I think it is really cool:

I’m really loving going to new places and seeing new sights, but I am also so ready to be home again.

Road Trip Day 12 – Five states to West Virginia

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After enjoying morning coffee and a sunrise on the fabulous patio of my airbnb in Chester, NY, I got on the road and made a deliberate detour to New Jersey, because it is a state I’ve never been to. I took back roads and went through Port Jervis, NY, where I had to stop and take a picture of this restaurant:

The little piece of rural New Jersey, was really beautiful and I did manage to get a few pictures:

Still on the backroads, I entered Pennsylvania and stopped for a bit here:

I knew I’d be driving all night if I didn’t quit stopping every few miles, so got back on the interstate. I drove through a corner of Maryland, then got to West Virginia, and took the back roads again for a bit, and had to listen to John Denver sing Country Roads (take me home)!

The views of the Blue Ridge Mountains are astounding, but the roads were narrow so I didn’t stop until I arrived at another wonderful airbnb in Bunker Hill. Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to get some pictures.

Road Trip Day 11 – On the road again, through Connecticut and back to New York

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It was bittersweet to say so long to my two precious kids. But we had a great visit, just the right length, really, to catch up and hang out. They are both happy in their lives – although adulting is hard. We had breakfast together, then I hit the road.

I made a new friend, the lady who rents a room to my daughter. She and I had a lot in common, and I hope to keep in touch. We traded books and she gave me this:

I had planned a fairly short drive for today, so I could arrive a little early, and just enjoy chilling out. The drive was easy, and I arrived at my airbnb around 4. It is close to Goshen, NY- just perfect, with a lovely patio just for me. I picked up a couple of bottles of wine along the way, and plan to open one, and hang out here all evening.

Addendum: I was just finishing this post, and my host came out. She has chickens and a little garden, and gave me some eggs and fresh produce.

Road Trip Day 8 – Across Vermont, and finally, Massachussetts

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I’ve driven 2400 miles in one week, and traveled through nine states.

I very happily arrived in western Massachusetts where my youngest two children live, grateful for the sights and experiences along the way. It was another rainy morning, but I had only 100 miles to go, and arrived in time for lunch, vegan sandwiches from a local shop. I’m so glad to see them.

I drove the back roads through the Green Mountain National Forest, thrilled by the changing fall colors.

We got sandwiches from a great shop for lunch, then hung out and enjoyed catching up and being together. My youngest rents a room, and her landlady invited me to sleep on the daybed in her upstairs room, an offer I gratefully accepted.

In the evening, my daughter went off on a previously planned commitment, and I had time alone with my other child and their partner, and enjoyed a delicious vegetable soup with pasta and tofu.

Me and my awesome Lavender
Me and my daughter Carol Anne.

I look forward to being here for the next couple of days, with these beautiful people.

Ch-ch-ch-change

Sara Moser2 Comments

When it comes to life, we spin our own yarn, and where we end up is really, in fact, where we always intended to be. –Julia Glass, Three Junes

The past year and a half has been challenging for the entire world. Yet, I am my own world. I have always had a tendency to do things differently than “the standard”, and this period of time , this pandemic time (which isn’t over!) is no exception.

I am an acute care RN case manager, which means that I work in hospitals, but don’t have direct patient care. I have seen the front line workers, what they do, their dedication and exhaustion. I am pro mask wearing and pro vaccination. I didn’t, however find myself as one of so many who isolated themselves at home. I couldn’t, if I wanted to keep working in my profession.

What am I getting at, you may be wondering if you’ve read this far? Well, I am the kind of person who likes change. In my youth, I wrestled with this, but now, at the edge of the “golden years” I embrace it. Thus the title of this blog. So, I found a way to have change and adventure by taking on a couple of travel gigs. Just as my husband was returning from a year + position in a city 4 hours away, I decided to work away from home.

So, in 2021, I spent two months in Chattanooga, TN, a city I fell in love with, and plan to return to. I came home for a bit, then spent the summer in Carson City, NV, and although I had some great experiences exploring parts of Lake Tahoe and going to California, I never want to return there. Again, I am home, and am returning to work locally, grateful for the adventure and perspective gained.

I am going to take a solo road trip before I settle down again. I want to write about it, thus my reappearance on this blog. I will make a circular route, taking my time, visiting family and maybe a few friends along the way. I know my approximate route, but am making no advance reservations. I’m looking forward to the adventure of uncertainty.

If you want to come along, follow me.