August 9, 2020

After a month-long hiatus in western Kentucky that gave us the opportunity to see family and friends, as well as for Dave to take care of a few RV-related honey-do’s, we hit the road this morning, bound for our workamping job in Virginia. It’s near the northern tip of the Blue Ridge Mountains, not far from the cities of Staunton and Waynesboro. Neither of us have ever been, so to say we’re excited is putting it mildly.

My good friend Carol, who lives in Virginia, has bragged for years about the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, so when I spotted an ad for workamping positions available not far from where she lives, I submitted our application right away. The campground we’re assigned to, Sherando Lake Recreation Area, is managed by the U.S. Forest Service, so our experience at Land Between the Lakes last year was a plus, as was a personal recommendation from our boss at Hilman Ferry campground. Except for the fact that they won’t be strenuous, I have no idea what our duties will be once we get there. In exchange, we’ll be given a free campsite. It’s a win-win.

We try to limit the miles traveled in a day to 200, though we could do nearly twice that if we had to. Our average speed is 50 mph, so going 200 miles equates to about four hours driving time. We generally like to leave by 9 a.m. and be at our destination by 1:00 in the afternoon, leaving plenty of time to explore.

Our first stop on this trip was a Harvest Host: DelMonaco Winery in Baxter, Tennessee, about an hour east of Nashville. Not all Harvest Hosts can accommodate our big rig, but this one could and the reviews regarding parking ensured ease of getting in and more importantly, getting out.

We are parked in a large, fairly level gravel parking lot adjacent to the main building. Along Felix’s port side is a convenient, well-maintained grassy area that’s perfect for walking the pups. We have plenty of room to extend our slides, and we’re far enough away from the tasting room/restaurant/event center that running our generator doesn’t disturb anyone. The location is close to the highway, but far enough away that it’s safe and secure. That’s important because the pups get me up before sunrise for their early morning walk.

While walking around outside shortly after our arrival, two friendly ladies who were apparently connected somehow with the restaurant engaged me in polite conversation. I soon learned that one was the owner and the other, her mom. Ashley and Teresa were delightful to talk with and conversation flowed easily. The winery has been here for a dozen years, they said, but Toast, the restaurant, just opened when Covid-19 hit. Already though, I read the online reviews and they were glowing. Dave and I had already planned to eat there, so I told them we’d be up shortly.

They greeted us warmly when we got there and Teresa seated us outside on the patio overlooking the concord vineyard. Since it was Sangria Sunday, Dave decided to try one. We both love seafood and each ordered the Gulf Coast Omelette, filled with shrimp and scallops and a decadent crab and crawfish sauce. That’s the deal with staying at a Harvest Hosts: free overnight stay in exchange for patronizing the host. We ate like kings for less than the cost of a campground site. And we supported a small business. Another win-win.

Tomorrow our destination is a Passport America campground in Bristol, Tennessee. The stem on one of our rear tires needs attention, so we’re thinking that there ought to be a plethora of tire shops in the same city as the Bristol Motor Speedway, and hopefully one of them can do the job. Not knowing what to expect at any given destination is part and parcel of RVing and though it might make some people uncomfortable, we’ve been lucky meeting the right people at the right time. It certainly adds lagniappe to the journey!

We anticipate being at our destination on Wednesday and so I’ll keep you posted on our whereabouts like I have since we left Bandera, Texas. That was 1,259 miles ago! Until then, be well, stay safe, and remember to wash your hands!😷 Love, Maria