Ashland to Charlottesville, VA

Our stressful traveler

Tuesday July 2, we get up to the sound of pouring rain.  We did our best to dodge rain showers but didn't have much luck.....oh what fun it is to pack up in the rain.  We finally get all packed up and head out about 11:15 for our 1.5 hour drive.  What a drive, rain, sun shine, rain, sun shine, the weather really couldn't make up it's mind.  We finally get off 64 about 3 exits early, planning on finding a shopping center (Starbucks) to unhook the car...but after driving the RV through downtown Charlottesville, we found route 20 and just headed to the CG.  When we got back to route 64, we stopped at the underpass, disconnected the car and sent me on my way.  I get to the CG, and as I'm checking in Brad pulls in and waits at the top of the drive.  I walked to our campsite, get him pulled in where it is fairly level, then back to the office for the car.  We then get to set up in the rain, oh how refreshing :-)  We just hung out at the CG for the evening, dinner on the grill, many dog walks (lots of sniffing and other dogs to meet), enjoying the rain and humidity. 

Wednesday we headed into town, first to the bagel shop, then a tour through town checking things out and finding a little bike trail along a little river, a little more touring through town,

off to  'The Fresh Market', Starbucks and then we head home.  Lynne and Rick are planning to be here about 7:00-7:30, so we are planning chicken wraps for dinner.  Change of plans, they have a house showing so it has delayed the arrival time until about 10:00......no worries.  They ended up pulling in about 9:30, get parked and set up the necessities, then come over and hang out with us until about midnight.....off to bed. 

Instead of 'Where's Waldo' it's
'Where's Lynne and Rick'

Thursday we all slept in (including the dogs).  We finally had breakfast, I guess it was really brunch, at about 10:30-11:00, then we all got cleaned up and headed up to Carters Orchard.  We walked around for a while then did a little wine tasting, which ended up with a 6 bottle purchase.  We headed home about 4:00 to have an early dinner, then back to Carters Orchard for some music and the 9:00 fire works.  That was a lot of fun, a bottle, 2 or 3 of wine, some snacks, nice fireworks and a good time had by all.  I do believe it was the first time any of us got to watch the fireworks go off at eye level.  We get out of there about 10:00, back home, visit for a while and then off to bed. 

 

Friday we did the brunch again, pancakes and sausage then got cleaned up and headed out about 1:30.  Today we are heading into the Main Street Mall.  We got there and had a lite lunch at Nooks and from there headed down the walking mall.  We did some shopping at the artisan shops and a book store with a couple of stops in between.  The one shop we stopped at had some beautiful Kaleidoscopes, upward of $400.00, but we got to enjoy many of them.  We ended up being in town until about 5:30, then stopped at the grocery store on the way home.  Tonight it is just snacks for dinner consisting of cheese, beef sticks, pretzels and crackers for dinner....what a beautiful day. 

 

Today we had fruit for breakfast and made it out of the CG by noon.  We headed to Crozet for the food networks famous pizza (not disappointed) then stopped at an artist shop (earrings were purchased) then on to the wine trail.  We stopped at three different wineries but the ones was so crowded we didn't even get up to the bar to do some wine tasting.  We did show them, we just bought a couple of glasses of wine and I think even a purchase was made.  We finally ended up at the Cardinal Point Winery.  The people were very nice and it is actually owned by a retired General, so you got a military discount.  We did our tasting then we each got a glass of wine and went out on the patio to relax and enjoy.  Brad was talking with this older couple while the rest of us gathered up our purchases and headed out to join him.  We then found out they were the owners of the winery and he is the retired General.  The had a band playing in the field below the patio, so we enjoyed the sounds and the beautiful day. 

 

 

We'll have to see what tomorrow brings.

Diane and Brad