We sold the big yellow trailer. It was just getting too big to haul around and we wanted the option of being able to take a tent site if we needed too.  So from now on Minnie will be the little pop-up, much easier to haul, cheaper on gas, easy to park.

So good bye Minnie, hello Minnie.

We decided to take a road trip in the Ford , no trailer this time, staying in hotels and with friends. Double click on photos to see them larger.

We went to to Atlanta to visit Patty,  to Asheville NC, to Lynda’s sister’s in WV and the Kings in VA.  Patty took us out to the High Museum in downtown Atlanta and to Anticos Pizza, where we had the best pizza ever. Dinner at her daughter’s Emily’s house and on to Asheville, NC

A long but enjoyable drive thru the Blueridge Mountains and we were in Asheville, NC. Downtown isn’t much unless you love shopping malls. But Asheville has a huge River Art District and it’s right in the mountains. Much cooler in the mountains unlike Tampa.

We stayed at the Asia Spa and B&B. It’s a 1920’s house totally rebuilt as a 6 bedroom spa with a steam room and sauna. Asia motif through out the building. Our room also had a gas fireplace and a whirlpool bathtub.After a hard day of gallery hopping, Lynda had to try out the tub.

They serve breakfast at the Asia and the first day they served French Toast in a ramekin! I gave them a copy of my ramekin cookbook “Small Foods” and they said I could use their idea in my next book, coming soon.

The River Arts District was great. Tons of old warehouses along the river, converted into artists studios/galleries. There was a circle labyrinth built after one of the art buildings burned down. Unfortunately, they are building a huge brewery just across the river so I’m sure it will smell up the area. The brewery is supposed to attract 1/2 million visitors a year. Anyway you can visit the galleries and talk to the artists as they work and maybe buy some artwork. We really needed a few more days in Asheville but we were off to West Virginia to visit Lynda’s sister. The visit there was great, we tried to talk them out of their cat Bovver who was black and brown soft log hair. They wouldn’t hear of it.

So we were off for Virginia. Our friends own a condo with a slip just off Chesapeake Bay. We had a great visit and actually made French Toast in a Ramekin there. It was great. A days drive from there we stopped for the night in Savannah and then home.