June 3, 2001: Home At Last… Escape from LA, Part 5
Posted by Roger D. · 47 Comments
In case you missed yesterday’s report, we did finally catch my dad (aka Big Jim, or BJ) at Cracker Barrel, along with Peggy, my step-mom. We all had a nice dinner together somewhere around 9pm, and then we all made it to the Ramada there in Crossville, Tennessee. But darned if BJ didn’t have another trick up his sleeve, and sure enough, he beat us to Boone… by about an hour!
First, though, I need to back up a little. In my exhaustion last night, I failed to give any indication of how lovely Tennessee appeared to us, especially once we’d passed Nashville. I tried snapping a few pictures, but the best one shows a pretty sunset scene through a thoroughly bug-smeared windshield (shrug). By the way, all the trip’s pictures should be up by Wednesday, and I’ll let you know where to look.
BJ had split the hotel early in the moving truck, and we led Peggy the last 160-or-so miles in her van through the midmorning and past midday. The first 130 of that took us east along the last part we expect to see for a while of Interstate 40, then onto Interstate 81 north on the other side of Knoxville, then to highway 321 and all its many odd-numbered tributaries in Elizabethton. We drove through Bristol and then through the last thirty miles of the most scenic, lush, green, heavenly country we’ve seen anywhere. The Tennessee-side of the drive into the Cherokee National Forest offered lots of access to Watauga Lake, and the green hills and mountains ahead in North Carolina also dazzled us. By the time we’d climbed up to just above 3,000 feet of elevation, we were in Boone. Peggy followed us in, and soon we were turning onto Winkler’s Creek Road, then onto the gravel of Rocky Creek Road. Three-tenths of a mile later, we saw the Budget truck at the end of the lane named Rocky Maple which crosses Rocky Creek… the place where we’ve already started making our home, and where we’ll be settled for the months ahead until our (Amelia’s) new home is ready.
Awaiting us on our arrival were Beth’s mom Ginny, sister Ann and brother-in-law Chuck (donning video gear), our nearly three-year-old niece Grace and her baby-sister Claire (7-8 months), plus BJ (donning an unmistakable ear-to-ear grin).
So now, you have some idea of how amazing the journey is to our new home, and if you accept our standing invitation to visit — for snow skiing, white-water rafting, golfing, camping, hiking or baby visiting (Amelia’s due on 8/31) — we promise a great time with many more laughs… and we vow also to listen attentively to the travel tales you bring to share. After hanging with us across these 2,400 miles, we owe you that much, at least….
Thanks again for all the well-wishes. You all helped us see our journey through.
Love — Roger, Beth, Maggie, Callie, Amelia-in-the-pod
Escape from LA by Roger Darnell
. Countdown: Wednesday, May 30, 2001 – The Countdown Begins
. Day 1: Thursday, May 31, 2001 – Simply Grand
. Day 2: Friday, June 1, 2001 – Catching Up
. Day 3: Saturday, June 2, 2001 – Almost There
. Day 4: Sunday, June 3, 2001 – Home At Last…
Digital snapshots from our journey eastward.
I genuinely enjoy looking at this website, it has superb content.
This is a good blog. Keep up all the work. I also love blogging and expressing my opinions.
I simply wanted to compose a quick comment in order to appreciate you for the lovely ways you are giving out at this site. My considerable internet lookup has now been compensated with good quality ideas to go over with my co-workers. I ‘d believe that we website visitors are unquestionably fortunate to be in a wonderful network with very many brilliant professionals with useful plans. I feel extremely fortunate to have come across your entire website and look forward to really more pleasurable minutes reading here. Thanks once more for everything.
Thanks, Your post is an excellent example of why I keep coming back to read your excellent quality point of view….
Hi! Would you mind if I share your blog with my zynga group? There’s a lot of people that I think would really enjoy your content. Please let me know. Many thanks
Whoah this blog is wonderful i like reading your articles. Keep up the good work!
Thank you so much for your posting. It was very interesting. I hope to see more posts from you in the future.
Please let me know if you’re looking for a article author for your weblog. You have some really great posts and I feel I would be a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off, I’d absolutely love to write some content for your blog in exchange for a link back to mine. Please shoot me an e-mail if interested. Thank you!
Nice blog
Greetings! Quick question that’s entirely off topic. Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? My weblog looks weird when viewing from my iphone. I’m trying to find a template or plugin that might be able to resolve this problem. If you have any recommendations, please share. With thanks!
It’s a happy day to be able to read an article that is so clearly researched and written. I have very much enjoyed this informational content. Your layout is excellent. I will come back again. I will shurely insert a link to http://www.darnellworks.com/onup/2010/04/june-3-2001/ on my site.
Interesting information, I will be recommending
Spot on with this write-up, I truly think this website needs much more consideration. I’ll probably be again to read much more, thanks for that info.
Thanks to your time for this excellent read!! I’ve bookmarked you to take a look at new stuff you post.
I’m so impressed with how well you have gathered and put together this article. It’s well formatted and written. Quality work like this is a rarity. I appreciate the information and I agree with you. I will most definitely do a link to http://www.darnellworks.com/onup/2010/04/june-3-2001/ on my site.
cool idea in your weblog, is it a premium just one
It’s a shame you don’t have a donate button! I’d without a doubt donate to this excellent blog! I guess for now i’ll settle for bookmarking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to brand new updates and will share this website with my Facebook group. Talk soon!
Your blog is very well written; I love what youve got to say.
I really like your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you design this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz answer back as I’m looking to create my own blog and would like to find out where u got this from. appreciate it
Thank you friend — I’ve crafted this site myself using WordPress. I encourage you to check it out. You may also want to explore Blogger.com, Tumblr.com and Posterous.com. Good luck!
Sincerely — Roger D.
nice blogging site. keep up the good work i will unquestionably bookmark your rss
Probably the most extensive and very nicely planned post I have found on this subject on the net. Carry on writing. This is my own 6th time browsing your web web site .
Does your site have a contact page? I’m having a tough time locating it but, I’d like to shoot you an e-mail. I’ve got some ideas for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great site and I look forward to seeing it improve over time.
Hello I loved this article. I just thought to let you see that I liked it!
Hello I enjoyed yoiur article. I think you have some good ideas and everytime i learn something new i dont think it will ever stop always new info , Thanks for all of your hard work!.
Your June 3, 2001: Home At Last… Escape from LA, Part 5 writing is quite a wonderful post.
We hope you publish again soon!
Hello I enjoyed yoiur article. I think you have some good ideas and everytime i learn something new. Thanks for all of your hard work!
Hi, Thank you for the nice writeup. It in fact was a nice short read. I will come back to enjoy more of your excellent work. By the way, how can we communicate? Thanks.
I’ve been absent for a while, but now I remember why I used to love this web site. Thank you, I’ll try and check back more often. How frequently you update your website?
Nice blog here! Also your web site loads up very fast! What web host are you using? Can I get your affiliate link to your host? I wish my web site loaded up as quickly as yours lol
Hi webmaster, commenters and everyone else !!! blog was absolutely wonderful!
Hello webmaster, commenters and everyone else !!! website was absolutely wonderful!
Great article! I really enjoyed the reading. I am hoping to read more from you. I think you have great insight and vision. I am highly impressed with this information.
“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” ~ Lao Tzu
Did any one else observe this valuable wordpress blog take forever to load?
Ifor sure understand what you’re referring to,this blog is simply excellent .
But wanna remark that you have a very nice website , I the layout it actually stands out.
I truly wanted to write a comment to be able to thank you for these superb steps you are posting here. My incredibly long internet look up has finally been rewarded with reasonable details to exchange with my friends and family. I ‘d repeat that we visitors are unquestionably lucky to dwell in a magnificent place with very many wonderful people with insightful ideas. I feel truly happy to have used your entire web site and look forward to many more excellent moments reading here. Thank you again for everything.
I like what you guys are up to also. Such intelligent work and reporting! Keep up the excellent works guys I have incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it’ll improve the value of my website
Hello everyone, I am new to the on this web blogg and was just curious. How many of you earn a night check from you blog? I know this isn’t the primary reason for blogging (and it isn’t mine either) but it helps.
I m not going to say what every user has just said, but I do want to comment on your knowledge of the topic , i can say you’re truly well informed ,nice work.
I thought it was going to besome boring old post like on every blog , but it sincerely compensated for my time your very good,have a nice day.
I genuinely enjoy your web page, nevertheless I’m having a difficulty: anytime I load one of your post in Safari, the webpage is screwed – it is strange. May I mail you a screenshot? Anyways, continue your very good job; I truly appreciate reading you.
Thanks for this article
You have persevered through your overall blog to make a critical case, of the kind that might have negatively affected my career if I had not come across your web site. Your expertise and kindness in playing with all the details has been important! Honestly I don’t know what I would have done if I had not encountered your writing, which I can also now relish in the future. Thanks so much for your time… and for the specialized and effective help. I will tell the world about my encounter with you and your work.