All over the map . . .: Key West to Nova Scotia??

Well, no, we're not there yet - but we are on our way!!

This “Epic Road Trip” started with an early dream of mine to have a road trip between the tip of the Florida Keys and Nova Scotia. Now, my dream is coming true!

After a super fun time in Key West, Harold and I are on our way north. Leaving Lindy and Maren at the Miami Airport, we hit the Interstate, then jogged over to A1A just south of St. Augustine, our last stop in Florida.

“Camped” for three nights at the beautiful Anastasia State Park. Had a blast riding our scooters all around nearby St. Augustine, the oldest continuously occupied city in America.

This place is steeped in fascinating history, and holds much of the charm and nostalgia of New Orleans. All in all - a perfect place to enjoy a holiday by the shore! We zipped by the lighthouse, then toured Castillo de Marco, learned a lot here about the history of St. Augustine - very interesting!

Here's the house I want to buy!

And here's one in our price range.

Originally the Ponce de Leon Hotel - now a liberal arts college - gorgeous!

Old gates to the city of St. Augustine

Happy touring & tasting at San Sebastian Winery

One of the many gorgeous avenues . . .

. . . and another

Ponce de Leon didn't find it & neither did we.

Got a bit of exercise at Anastasia State Park.

and then - heading north again - this time out of Florida!

. . . but not before stopping for a bag of juicy Florida oranges and some grapefruit!!

and then . . . .

"Welcome to Georgia"

. . . and South Carolina

Happy to be off the Interstate today as we explored US-21 out of Columbia, SC. We’ve been noticing all the dogwoods!! White & pink! Also, other blooming things along the way, including roadside wildflowers, forsythia and also big clumps of wisteria out in the middle of nowhere. Of course we sped through miles and miles of piney woods interspersed with hardwoods, just beginning to sprout their spring leaves. A beautiful drive all the way. We loved being off the beaten path and seeing the little houses and churches and the little towns (Blytheville, Ridgeway, Great Falls) along the way and a lovely scenic area by Wateree Lake. Noticed that much of the scenery reminds us of home – gently rolling hills, lots of green and actual mountains in the distance!

. . . and North Carolina!

We saw North Carolina mostly from the Interstate as we're wanting to make some good time getting to the Appalachians. Even the Interstate is beautiful, though traffic in the big cities can be a bit hairy!

and then . . . "Welcome to Virginia"

Came into southwest Virginia on a little "blue highway", glad to be slowing down and ready to enjoy the Blue Ridge Parkway!

Log cabin of Aunt Orelena Puckett at Groundhog Mountain
on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Aunt Orelena, legend has it, gave birth to 24 children, but none lived past the age of two years. Late in life, she became a midwife and delivered more than 1,000 babies in the area around Groundhog Mountain - the last one her own great-grandnephew in 1939, the year she died at the age of 102!

Mabry Mill
Uncle Ed Mabry ran a combination sawmill, gristmill and blacksmith shop.

Had a little rest on the Parkway at the James River, a placid ribbon of blue flowing through a densely wooded gorge. The Visitor Center there was closed, but we had a delicious lunch in the parking lot, then went exploring.

We found the old locks, part of a plan (reportedly hatched by none other than George Washington!) to link the Ohio River with the Atlantic Ocean. A canal was started in the mid 1800's, but the ambitious scheme to extend the canal never materialized.

John Denver said it - remember? . . . "almost heaven, West Virginia, Blue RIdge Mountains . . . " (can't get that tune out of my head!!) We are so happy for the experience of a little trail hike alongside tranquil Otter Creek - there in the Blue Ridge Mountains!

Idyllic scene at Otter Creek

And then today, Sunday Apr 10, we landed in Front Royal, a little town in Virginia just at the north entrance to Shenandoah National Park. First afternoon, took a quick scoot around the historic center of Front Royal.