golddog goes for a ride

you're 70 miles away from New River Gorge National Park
may be backtracking a bit but would enjoy reading a trip report if you happened to go
place looks amazing

I’ve had terrible luck with inflatable mattresses maybe I need to give it another go.

i really like inflatable mattresses, do not understand why so many people hate them

lol only time i ever had a serious back issue was caused from washing dishes in a sink for midgets

Went camping with my wife once. Thing was under inflated so that my fat ass was sleeping on hard floor and her side felt inflated.

have you tried not being fat for the air mattress benefits?

Hey dragon, welcome to the thread!

Sorry red, didn't see the post about New River til now.

First things first. This is all I do (except put the rain fly thing over when it cools off a bit).

Not sure how much you can tell, but the mattress almost takes up the entire floor.

I took this angle because I wanted to highlight something important. In the upper-right corner of the tent, you'll see a little mesh pouch. Make sure any tent you get has similar space(s). Super handy for putting stuff like glasses, car keys, flashlight, etc.

Also note that the mattress has about six inches of space along the bottom. That's good, in cooler weather I'll throw a hoodie/sweats/beanie in there. Too hot to wear initially, but nice to have handy later in the night. So hint 2 is make sure your tent has a least a little free space.

Hint #3 is to create a 'tent bag'. Mine's just a small ziploc with things like eyeshade, noise dampening ear plugs, mini LED flashlight, etc. Keeps the stuff you're going to use every camp night together. Easy to throw in my 'camp bucket', and pull out after setting up.

If anyone else has interest in various camp things I've learned, or has hints for me, all ears.

Went to Raleigh and saw the state capitol.

Colorado's is still better. I was surprised that Raleigh has a pretty good skyline. For some reason, I thought it to be like Lincoln or something--pretty much a capitol and that's it. Unfortunately, couldn't find a spot to get a pic.

Being a college basketball fan, drove around and found Cameron Indoor Stadium

You'd never know it was an arena from the outside. They actually made Krzyzewskiville official, with a sign (though you can't make it out too well).

For anyone who doesn't know, the students used to camp out here for tickets to games, even in the dead of winter (though I imagine that's not as bad at Duke as a lot of places).

Then it was down the road to the Dean E. Smith Center

They have this nice display outside of all the NC basketball lettermen, paid for by Vince Carter

They even have their own water tower.

Of the two campuses, Duke's felt more claustrophobic (lots of trees making it seem roofed) and private (everything bloacked from parking). I guess that makes sense, it's a much smaller campus.

Later on, drove by Winston-Salem

And then Pilot Mountain

On the way to Mount Airy. Supposedly the inspiration for Mayberry. I never watched it too much, but didn't see the resemblance. Did see someone driving what was a pretty good replica of Andy's police car, but we were going opposite directions and I didn't bother to turn around.

Crossed into Virginia, and took another section of the Blue Ridge Parkway. This part was more driving through a forest than looking out over one. Still, it opened up sometimes to nice views.

Some settler's cabin

Took a short hike along Round Meadow Creek

Didn't realize how far down the trail has taken me.

The view from Lover's Leap

And another overlook

Got to Fairy Stone SP, VA, where I set up camp.

Some deer

Then in the morning down the road. Smith River near Bassett

And again neat Martinsville

Had sent a friend of mine who likes NASCAR the picture of Rockingham, so sent him a picture of the track here. CAn't find it now.

Roanoke

Scenery on US 460

Crossed into WV and came upon Pinnacle Rock SP.

There's a short, but somewhat steep, set of steps around back nearly to the top. Nice view.

This near Maybeury (yes, that's the right spelling)

Welch, WV

Not sure where this was, but this guy isn't carrying any gear he doesn't have to

Got to Chief Logan SP and saw this guy

Nobody around to check in. Went to the campground host to see what to do. He made a few calls, and told me to go to the lodge to register. Gave me directions, and warned me it's a very hilly, twisty road.

He was right. Only three miles, but on a narrow, up-and-down, side-to-side road. Got there, told them I needed to register for the campground. No, I didn't need water and power, I'm just a tenter. They took my money and gave me a receipt showing I was in site 2. I asked for a map of the campground. They didn't have any. WTF? Literally every other campground has copies of their maps for those using the facilities.

NBD, I'd driven through before when looking for someone originally. Twists and turns later, got to site 2 and set up.

After a little while, the host came by and asked if I was in the right spot. Yes, I said, they gave me #2. That's strange, as it's supposed to be blocked off. (It's right next to his. Maybe a perk that he doesn't have neighbors?).

He looked at my receipt, and said, "oh, no, the tent sites are down there." and pointed (just outside the campground gate) to where I'd turn. He also mentioned that site 2's table had gotten dragged over to 1, and to come get him if I needed help putting it back. Told him I didn't figure on using a table.

Well, nobody told me that. Grrr. OK, I'll tear down, it will only be 10 minutes or so.

Trundle down there, and find a nice spot--grassy clover, only three sites in a pretty big area, and no others occupied. Get set up, look around, and the only facility is a water pipe coming up out of the ground. Not even a portable toilet. At this point, we're probably 3/4 of a mile from the main campground's bath house. So, a pretty long walk if necessary.

Or, I could just piss in the woods.

All in all, a nice campsite, just some frustrating dumb things.

Up a little before dawn this morning. I've used the last of the homemade breakfast burritos, so have to find that on the road.

Drove around Logan, didn't see anything other than FF joints open. Stopped at a gas station, asked if there was a local place I could go, the guy couldn't think of one. Sigh.

Early enough the fog hadn't burned off in a lot of spots.

Some of those were thick enough I thought it might be fire.

Crossed into Kentucky. Lots of road construction on the parkway I was on, but similar scenery--densely wooded hills.

Got to Lexington, and wanted to accomplish a few thing. Almost immediately, found a liquor store which had local beer for tonight.

Found Transylvania University, and a shady spot for my lunch. Right next to the soccer field. The scoreboard gave me an unnecessary laugh.

Here's what Lexington looks like.

Was time for an oil change, so got in line at a Valvoline. Sat in the hot sun for about 20 minutes without it moving and bailed out. Found a Chase Bank, and made my car payment. Used their wifi to find a Jiffy Lube.

When I got there, noticed they had public wifi (as noted, kind of a surprise rather than being just a thing, like in Denver), so told the guy I'd be on my laptop doing stuff.

Naturally, once I got on their network, Microsoft decided to send a new windows update, which makes my poor laptop almost unusable. Between Webroot and the update, disk goes to 100%, so nothing else (like Chrome) gets much of that resource allocated.

Well, at least got pics off my camera and on here.

Finally leaving Lexington, saw something called the Kentucky Castle.

Going along, saw a sign for Woodford Reserve tours. It's back in a way, took me through some horse country.

Tours were full, but I could walk over to the gift shop and see a little bit of the place.

This is what a $15000 bottle of bourbon looks like

They have a nice sitting area for those who want to have a drink.

Not sure how great the idea of a fireplace is when it's 100 degrees out though.

From there, went to Frankfort and saw the state capitol

Colorado's is better.

After that, cruised down the parkway Elizabethtown. Too hot for camping tonight. Found a hotel, did a load of laundry, having a few beers, and going to let Microsoft spend an hour updating.

Tomorrow, back to my native time zone. Planning to head toward St. Louis. Going to msg a couple of college buds to see if they want to try to connect.

This is great, thanks for posting.

Nice. Too bad Woodford couldn't squeeze you into a tour. Some of the pics were like deja vu all over again:

Made it to a friend's place in STL. Rain most of the day. Bleah.

no worries
congrats on an amazing collection of craggy rock outcropping pics
😃

Elizabethtown is a place with all the chain hotels and restaurants at one exit. I always try to find a local place to eat, but couldn't find anything.

There was a Waffle House right in front of the hotel, but I've had that (even though we don't have it in Denver). After driving over to get some ice, I saw a Shoney's. Figured that Tom would approve of that choice just as much. 😀

Moving on, the parkway was angling sort of south, so I looked at the amp and saw a highway which sort of went toward Evansville. Exited, missed the turn for that highway. Continued on though--it's just a different experience not a bad one.

Somewhere in Indiana, it started raining. After a while, the interstate came to a stop, in a construction area where we were on the other side of the road. Later on, the highway was closed.

Found out later a dam had broken, forcing the road to close. Backroaded a while to get back to the highway.

Made it to here.

Have friends out in the suburbs, so visiting them tonight. Back on the road tomorrow.

Loving the trip photos!

We do have a Waffle House in Denver, 84th and Pearl. Might actually be Federal Heights but close enough!

👍

Shoney's is fine--or used to be. It has been years since I've been in one since they seem to have disappeared around here. Loved their Big Boy and Slim Jim (?) sandwiches--and even the breakfast buffet that they added some years later was good.

need the shoney's back story

fun fact, in rickyut parents took a sabbatical and we drove across country all summer towing along a trailer

as you can imagine, lots of picnic/camping style food mixed in with plenty of fast food while on the road

so when we got out a sufficient distance out west, we see this thing called a shoney's and decided to give it a try

was amazing, we could sit down and use napkins and silverware, had a salad bar etc etc - don't even remember the food - just recall it being a magical experience

so every time we saw a sign for shoney's we'd start yelling "shoney's shoney's" trying to get rickdad and rickmom to stop there - they gave in a few more times, but by then the magic was gone and novelty of something different wore off and we realized it was indeed total trash

whenever i think about heroine addiction and chasing that dragon, i think of my first experience at shoney's a magical and indelible dining moment that'll never be repeated again in life and every subsequent visit was mired in disgust and disapointment over how it should have been

Oh God, you are stuck in hell. Gotta get across the river and not be in Illinois.

Scattered, smothered, and covered. Yum.

Welcome to the thread, comeasur, and thanks.

After Mike & I went for breakfast, I headed up to Hannibal. Walked around, saw lots of Mark Twain stuff, had my sandwich for lunch. Pictures later.

Got to a place called Mill Creek, KS to camp. Probably last night on the road.

It's even emptier than I remember.

After leaving St. Louis, decided to go up to Hannibal. Many years ago, when I lived in DSM, I traveled down to STL each year to see the guys. So, this time, I took an indirect route.

Scenery pretty similar, of course. Lots of this.

Everything within about 20 miles is Mark Twain. Here's downtown Hannibal though

There's a lighthouse on the edge of downtown

Mississippi and town from there.

The floodgates along the levees were all closed. Not sure if it was still rising.

They left a block as Twain would've seen it. The white house is his boyhood home.

And across the street (brown) is Becky Thatcher's. The white building was Twain's father's law office.

Not sure if these have been maintained, or are reproductions. Huck and Tom:

Mississippi from river level

and a statue of Clemens as a pilot

From there, I cruised across Missouri on US 36. It's a four-lane, so pretty easy driving. Pleasant scenety.

And into the top of Kansas. Quite pastoral:

Ground along, finally found a campsite west of Topeka. Sun was getting low, and I'm in unpopulated BFE; thought I might have to drive past dark and get a hotel, which I don't prefer. It was a nice campsite, right along a little creek. I70 was just behind the creek, and some train tracks on the other side, but the noise wasn't terrible.

Not sure what this is. Some monster from the deep. Had a shape like a northern, but I wouldn't guess they are down here.

Moon came out at campsite

Had a decent sleep.

Got up just before dawn.

Washed up, then packed up tent etc. Headed north, but that road was closed. There's a detour sign, going down a gravel road. OK. The first turn marked which way to go.

After 3 miles or so of that, I was getting concerned. Finally got to the point where the road I was on ended in a T, with no sign to tell me how the detour should proceed. Pulled out google maps. As always, google knows all, and google tells all. Eventually wandered up to US 24, where I found a really nice breakfast spot in Belvue. Very arty, paintings by the waitress' late husband, and the place was painted up in bright colors.

Came across the Republican River.

It's quite shallow.

Found this old relic out in the middle of nowhere.

But mostly, it was plowing across the plains again. Getting close to Denver, the clouds looked ominous.

But not much amounted from them. Got on home. Pretty tired. Unpacked car, doing one load of laundry, but probably an earlyish night.