My favorite eldest son!
Sunday afternoon proved to be the PERFECT time weather-wise to load up two vehicles and head to Damascus, Virginia with the intent of leaving my van parked outside of the bike shop, and take the pickup loaded with bikes up to the top of White Top Mountain to ride the 17 mile section of the Virginia Creeper Trail down to where the van was parked.
Then we would simply swing by and pick up the pick up and take two vehicles home.
For those wondering – White Top mountain is about half the distance to Damascus from Mouth of Wilson, so it is a bit of backtracking to do it all.
The main objective of the two car parade was to avoid being crammed into 15-passenger vans with strangers of unknown origin. Masks or not – being packed in a van with strangers of any sort is NOT social distancing. And the ride is about 30 minutes. So no.
This is the first time I have ridden the Creeper Trail this year.
And I had planned to ride it more often then we have, but you know – weather issues, trail closures due to Covid, other conflicts came in.
Saturdays are a NO RIDE DAY for us as the trails can be packed – especially with leaf season coming up. So if you plan to ride, think mid-week, afternoon. Or as we did – Sunday – afternoon.
Jason, crossing a trestle.
Click to Play:
Bike in sunbeams.
The spiders are busy!
The world is full of amazing beauty!
My bike -
Fat tires, and a comfy granny seat all the way!
Click to Play:
This was the episode that tainted our whole day.
I had taken the keys to the van with me while we drove to the top of White Top Mountain in the truck to start our ride, back down to the van.
I had told myself to clip the key fob to my belt loop with the carabiner. And then we were so excited to be riding, I was getting help fixing a problem with my helmet, making sure tires were good, adjusting my seat – and promptly forgot about the keys locked in the truck – until we were about HALF WAY DOWN THE MOUNTAIN.
The hubster, trooper that he is – turned right around to ride about 8 or 9 miles back up to the top.
Jason and I slowly made our way down the mountain on the trail, taking our time because we knew it was going to take at least twice as long to ride back up, as it did to come down.
By the time Dave reached the truck, he decided to just drive the truck back to Damascus and pick us up. We were all exhausted. And hungry. And wanting to get home.
I am loving spending time with Jason.
Key mishap and all – it was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
(You can see where Jason gets his personality. LOL!)
We were home by 9pm. Zoey had spent much longer in the kennel than we intended, but she did JUST FINE! She knows no matter how long it takes, we come home again.
It was straight to bed for me, I couldn’t keep my eyes open.
Today’s plans include a rainy drive to Wallburg to get some stuff done there. We had a huge tree taken out that was encroaching on the house and I want to see what they left. I wish I could have seen them take the whole tree down – it involved a crane!
We’ll have some mother and son time today – and then Jason’s big job helping us out this week is to power wash and paint the rusted porch roof at Quiltville Inn. At least that is the plan, weather permitting.
Right now - it's raining. Again.
Right now - it's raining. Again.
How about your Monday ahead?
Quiltville Quote of the Day -
The toilet paper crisis of 2020 still has me shaking my head and laughing!
What will you do with the last day of August, 2020?
When I went to the grocery store yesterday, both sides of the paper products aisle were fully loaded with toilet paper. But there were NO paper towels!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like quite a Sunday afternoon adventure! I am so glad you are enjoying your time with Jason.
ReplyDeleteThe TP conundrum still abides!!! The first week of the panic i was given a pkg of Kirkland TP -- I had just stocked my cupboard, but took advantage of the opportunity... I have yet to open that pkg!!!! I still have ten rolls of the original purchase! when? March? Yes, it's only me, but it boggles the mind, and soon we'll have people selling TP in parking lots... at half price, wouldn't surprise me... happy Monday, Thanks for sharing the bike ride... Cats in Carlsbad CA
ReplyDeleteI heard or read somewhere that some of those greedy Gus’ and Gussies were offering packages of T.P. at quite the markup not markdown. I guess their kids will still be using it 50 years from now if it hasn’t rotted away. Lol.
DeleteWhat a beautiful ride. I know you are enjoying time with your son. Making wonderful memories. Enjoy.
ReplyDeleteWe have TP
ReplyDeletewe have TP and paper towels but no napkins. My "I survived the Great 2020 toilet paper shortage" brings many smiles when I wear it.
ReplyDeleteBonnie, you are so industrious it makes my head spin! Have more fun with Jason, be careful on that roof and have a great week. :)
ReplyDeleteI love hearing about your adventures, Bonnie! Summer into fall is our dry season in the Pacific Northwest, so we treasure every drop of rain. Today we're getting a little mist. I'm so glad it is almost Sep 1st, my medicare starts tomorrow! What a relief, no more expensive insurance premiums every month. Is that more money for fabric??! No I have more than I can use! Keep enjoying life!
ReplyDeleteCongrats Sharon in Seattle! Mine started one year ago in September. It was such a relief! Felt like a big weight off my back. Happy Birthday!
DeleteWe are still searching for some Clorox products.Because one of our sons and his son,our grandson, come for dinner most Thursdays, they look for paper products for us!!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you're having a fabulous visit with Jason! I am thrilled for you and your family!
It would have been great to be the fly on your helmet seeing your travels by bike!Thanks for your blog written nearly everyday.
Helen S. in Winston Salem
Oh Bonnie, that husband of yours is a keeper!! Anyone willing to ride back 8 or 9 miles uphill - my hat is off to him!
ReplyDeleteYou picked the perfect time to ride the Creeper. Glad it was a good day but sorry about the keys! Been there, done that!
ReplyDeleteI was laughing hysterically when I put in my grocery order with Walmart last week....no bananas available for the last 2 weeks! They wanted to know if I would allow substitutions...🤔😂😂😂. I’m not sure what they had planned to substitute. This year has been one for the record books! So excited ...we have rain in the forecast thru Thursday! Yeah! We are desperate in central Texas. Everyone have a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful countryside! Here in So. CA we have a shortage of toilet bowl cleaner. Go figure!
ReplyDeleteLove your blog....highlight of my day!
Beautiful area to be quarantined. I get 'my favorite oldest son'. I have 3 boys (men) and I use the same expression.....except middle and youngest. Cutting trees can be a nightmare. We are on acreage and spend a small fortune every couple years on tree trimmers. This summer a eucalyptus branch fell in an old grove (very old like 100 yrs.)we have. The branch is about 2ft. in diameter and 40ft. long. It is hung up between 2 other trees....that's a nightmare. I think the term is a 'widow maker''. The ground is on a hill and very uneven so we don't walk up there. Enjoy your time with your family. Patty McDonald
ReplyDeleteI wish w could post pictures. A few weeks ago I was in Costco and they had most of one whole row in the back stocked to thee ceiling with TP! They ar ready corn to a surge! I snapped photos and laughed...
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fun time and your noble other half - aren't they wonderful. Loved seeing the captures of you all enjoying being outdoors together, just delightful. Thanks so much for sharing, as I know what it's like to have sons a long way from home.
ReplyDeleteWhile you were biking with your son from Oregon I was riding with my adult son from Oregon...in Oregon! We had an Airbnb in Sunriver and he drove from Portland and we were able to spend some great family time biking...which he loves to do best. Glad you are getting some "son" time too!
ReplyDeleteBonnie, I can relate so well to you and the car keys. However, there is an old song that goes something like this. “Anything you can do I can do better” and I will tell you why. At one time I had a reputation for locking my keys in my car. This one time and of course it had to be a special occasion, my parents’ 25th wedding anniversary. I was out running last minute errands and on my last stop realized I had locked not 1, not 2, but 3 sets of keys in my car with the engine running. I had put my keys in my purse, but, locked my purse in the car — just taking my wallet. I had a logical reason for doing so, one less thing to carry. Needless to say I figured it would be quicker to call home and get somebody to bring a set down to me (I had about 5 or 6 sets of keys for that car if I remember rightly). Of course after that whoever was in the car with me insisted that I hand over the keys as soon as we were parked, out of the car and the car locked. I really don’t know why. Lol 😆 Marion
ReplyDeleteHi Bonnie. Great story and you have a sweet husband and son. About the toilet paper and Covid, I just finished a quilt that I’m not really thrilled with as it’s a little plain, so when I dropped it off to be quilted in Franklin, NC at A Stitch in Time, Kirk, the quilter, was dying to use a toilet paper roll pattern he had acquired at the beginning of the lock down. I thought, Why Not!! I’ll never figure out why people ran out to buy toilet paper! Now I have my Covid-19 quilt-toilet paper shortage and all!
ReplyDeleteI, too, love my bike rides - take when we camp and explore the campground! Love your shirts - glad you had a great ride, how fun!
ReplyDeleteMy last day of August - finally into the routine of online teaching AND today is the first day of FMQA with HollyAnne Knight. I'm so excited to start this. Thank you for making usaware of it. Did the launch pad week and decided I needed this. Thank you Bonnie!
ReplyDeleteMy last day of August - finally into the routine of online teaching AND today is the first day of FMQA with HollyAnne Knight. I'm so excited to start this. Thank you for making usaware of it. Did the launch pad week and decided I needed this. Thank you Bonnie!
ReplyDeleteWith the rise in the crime rate, the best anti-theft bike locks are more essential to buy. They keep your bike safe when you are no near it or buy inside your office for official work.
ReplyDelete