The Road-trip Begins!

View on the Parkway - definitely worth the extra miles to drive this route!

Winding through the Appalachian mountains and into the midwest, we've only needed to camp one night so far, much to our surprise.  

Hike in the Appalachian mountains.

With the many family, friends and friends of family, our camping has not been the typical "camping" which usually lack showers, laundry and comfy beds.  

View while driving through the Appalachian Mountains on the Parkway

Our camping has consisted of luxurious mountain houses, boathouses and convents.  Yes, a convent.  We spent the night in Adrian, Michigan with the Dominican nuns.  They even found it humorous when my Aunt Sis informed them we were on our honeymoon!  

Me and Aunt Sis

After selling our sailboat to a pair of young newly weds, Jon and Geri, that plan to honeymoon in the Bahamas like we did, we took off on our road-trip immediately.  Time was of essence and we had much to do and see.

Jon & Geri on the Tanqueray

We were excited to sell the boat and be on our way, but it was a bittersweet day, saying good-bye to our trustworthy home was not easy.  

Sara, Mike and Nelly on the road.

There’s a saying known among boaters, 

      “The two happiest days are the day you buy a boat and the day you sell it”.  

This rang true for us although it was hard to say good-bye to the Tanqueray, our home of 9-months.

Nelly enjoying her new favorite spot in the truck while driving through the Parkway.

Now our adventure continues on a cross-country road-trip back to the West coast.  Below is a re-cap of our driving adventures through the Appalachians and the Mid-west thus far since the Tanqueray left our worried minds:

Last photo aboard Tanqueray

• Sold the Tanqueray on August 8, 2012 -
• Cause for a champagne celebration with the Walker's
• Lucky Tanqueray, she will be heading back to the Bahamas in November with her new owners, Jon & Geri!

• Departed Fort Pierce, FL on August 9, 2012 - 
• Good-bye & Thank-you to the Walker's 

Nelly relaxing in the backseat while road-tripping

• 4 hour drive to Palataka, FL (2 nights) - 
• Hello Aunt Terri, Miles, Tyler, Holli, Charlie & the girls
• Tyler takes us on an hour flight to St Augustine and back.

Flying with Tyler

Mike in the back seat of the airplane

• Holli gives us our first haircuts since the Dominican Republic!
• Terri & Miles take us out to Happy Hour – it’s a fun visit. 

• 3 hour drive to Savannah, GA (lunch stop)
• Enjoyed a delicious meal of shrimp & grits and walk the Historical waterfront. 

Savannah, GA

• 6 hour drive to Asheville, NC (3 nights)
• Visit with the Naimark's & Mike's Granny Pat

Mike, Granny Pat and Sara overlooking the Appalachian mountains

historic site - Biltmore

• Hiking, picnics, campfires, jumping into cold-cold water, Biltmore
• Fun times in Asheville yet again!

Picnicing with the Naimarks

Beautiful waterfalls in the Parkway outside of Asheville, NC

Mick, Callie, Lizzy, Mike and Sara on a hike

View in the mountains of Asheville

Sara, Mike and Granny Pat

Blueridge Parkway - view of Appalachian Mountains

• -1 day Scenic Detour on the Blueridge Parkway (1 night camping)-
• We ran 4 strenuous hikes in the Parkway, our legs were exhausted.

Driving on the Parkway

Hike along the Parkway

Music museum off the Pa

Hike along the Parkway

View off the Parkway

9 hour drive to Sandusky, OH (3 nights)

Drove through 4 states: NC, VI, WV, OH - beautiful drive with lots of green rolling hills

Stayed with Mike’s mom’s childhood best-friends daughter, Alice, in a boathouse on Lake Erie

Alice, Nelly and Mike outside the boathouse in Sandusky, OH

Spent a long day at Cedar Point, World’s Best Amusement Park

• Visited the Sandusky Yacht Club
• Visited Mike’s 2^nd Uncle Rick and his historical 1900 house
• Visited Mike's moms recommended sites - Catholic church, library, grandpa's grave, parks

St. Mary's Catholic church in Sandusky, OH

• Visited Mike’s Great Aunt Rita

Mike and Great-Aunt Rita

• 2 hour drive to Adrian, MI (1 night)
• Stopped at Ottowa National Park for a nature run.

Ottawa National Park

Ottawa National Park

• Stopped at a local fruit stand for Melon Mania 4 for $1.00
• Visited my Great Aunt Sis and the Adrian Dominican Sisters
• Spent the night in the convent with the nuns!

Aunt Sis showing me the history of the
Dominican Adrian Catholic nuns.

• 5 hour drive to Chicago, IL (2 nights)
• Stopped at Indiana Dunes Park & saw Great Lake Michigan
• Priceline 4-star hotel in downtown Chicago only $65/night
• Unfortunately parking costs $50/day
• We snuck Nelly, the cat, into the hotel (Wish us Luck with that endeavor!)

View of downtown Chicago

Nelly relaxing in the Hyatt

View from 32nd floor in the Chicago Hyatt