ON THE ROAD 2023, FIRST LAYOVER: NORTH CAROLINA!

 

Fairfield Inn & Suites
Elkin, North Carolina
Monday, January 23, 2023
Erie, PA:  31F; Elkin, NC: 35F

 

This is what we are leaving!

The white GMC Sierra was loaded and ready to roll by 8:15 a.m. After filling our coolers and coffee cups, we were on the road to I-79 to begin another adventure.  The last time we drove to Florida for cruising was December 2019 for our New Year’s Eve in Los Angeles and the 2020 Panama Canal trip back to Fort Lauderdale. It is great to be on track again after Covid and other things!

There was snow on ground, but the roads were good---this winter has been mild except for the snowstorm we missed in November while we were in Europe.

 

Fiesta Outlet in Flatwoods, West Virginia

TK is a very good driver and soon enough we were in Flatwoods, West Virginia for a stop at the Fiesta Outlet. The colors are wonderful, and I could not resist buying a couple of butterscotch and blue dishes and bowls for my dear daughters in law. We decided to eat TK’s world famous tuna sandwiches while parked there—for years and years tuna sandwiches have been our go to lunch on the road to Florida.  

 

Our traditional selfie at New River Gorge National Park

New River Gorge, West Virginia

The beautiful New River Gorge Bridge

We just had to stop at New River Gorge, another tradition—it is so beautiful with the dusting of snow.

Finally, at 5:15 p.m., nine hours on the road, we arrived at our hotel for the night. This year we are taking four days to drive to Fort Lauderdale instead of our usual three.

TK's Takes:  He was grouching about road construction in West Virginia. There was a lot going on. The temperature fluctuated between 29F and 35F.   Hopefully it will get warmer as we travel further south.