Our Journey Across the Country
North Carolina and Virginia | 3/27/22 - 4/1/22
After our stay in Myrtle Beach we wanted to get up to Connecticut asap to look at real estate there. Our experiences so far, combined with internet research on various data points including cost of living, climate, landscape, architectural styles, politics, and social/cultural amenities, continually directs to Connecticut as a good place for us. With spring emerging, and realizing that we only had a few months before we need to head back west for Sam’s wedding (!), we felt an urgency to fast-forward through the Mid-Atlantic and get up into New England to have time to really explore and get a feel for the area. Plus, travelling around in a RV isn’t free! So we planned short stays in Roanoke Rapids, NC - Winchester. VA - East Stroudsburg, PA and Accord, NY.
We stayed 2 nights at The RV Resort at Carolina Crossroads in Roanoke Rapids, NC first, 3/27 - 3/29/2022. It was a no-frills park that catered to large RVs with its wide, clear driveways and easy pull-thru sites. It was a good choice for the short stay there, although there was not much to do in the area. We did go to a Logan’s Roadhouse which had really good food and huge portions. Our waiter asked if we wanted more rolls for our doggie bag, and did we want to take our (recently refilled) beverages. Had we known he’d send us a full basket fresh rolls and 2 new cups of sodas, we could have ordered differently - I think we got two full meals with the leftovers!
After North Carolina we entered Virginia - which was the moment we felt the New England charm take over. As we traveled to our next campsite, Candy Hill Campground in Winchester VA, we saw beautiful farms and ranches, as well as several interesting steel bridge structures and overcrossings, along the highway. Virginia has preserved much of the colonial architecture from the 1700s and 1800s so 200+ year old buildings are very commonplace. On our free day we explored the town of Winchester, which has great civil war history and a nice walkable downtown. We ate at a tiny vintage diner and drove around the area. We were scheduled for 2 nights at Candy Hill, but the weather on the 3rd day was forecast to be stormy with possible lightening and very high winds - not great for driving a big metal bus down the highway! - so we asked for an extra night. They had someone else coming in to the spot we were in, so we had to pack up and move across the campground to another spot. We took the short move as an opportunity to get the RV propane filled up at the park office so we wouldn’t have to do that on our travel day. Our added day at Candy Hill was stormy with hail, but produced a magnificent full rainbow, and the sun breaking through lit up the blooming forsythia just like a pot of gold. 3/29 - 4/1/22
from SC into NC
North Carolina has some nice freeway landscaping
the white trunks of the birch trees stood stark against the evergreens, and reminded me of charcoal and pencil drawings from my college days (this is not a drawing)
RV Resort at Carolina Crossroads, NC
Mike assures me that the company knows it's not "yellow"
reminder that we are still in the South
forsythia seems to be the first to bloom
yellow daffodils are the icon of spring up here!
The Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg VA
almost immediately upon turning inland from Fredericksburg the landscape changed from coastal cypress and pine forest to rolling hills and farmland. Mike and "the guys" were very happy!
Spring in Virginia
The lovely rolling hills of Virginia
a stately home in Winchester VA
sometimes the cats sit with their front legs just hanging
Candy Hill campground in Winchester, VA
We've never seen these before!....This is a robot that traverses the supermarket floor and scans for spills.
Candy Hill is a place RVers can stay to go to the SHENANDOAH APPLE BLOSSOM FESTIVAL
saw my first Cardinal in person! weird to see an all red animal!
The Amherst Diner felt like we were walking into the 1950s or 60s. The food was pretty good . It was so small! maybe 5 tables and the counter seating.
the Amherst Diner decor...
you could hear every conversation!
downtown Winchester VA
cozy coffee shop corner
We found a new way to drink espresso....with ice cream!
Old Town Winchester
many homes in Winchester VA have these stone walls with pointed rocks as their top cap - why?
Carmine helping pack up on move day
gorgeous rainbow on our final (added) day in Virginia