a trip to the North

Packing up Audi for the first big trip.

We left VA June 23 (Carol's Birthday!!) around 4pm. We had plans to stop in Lancaster for dinner with our dear Chesnutt's and then continue to Nova Scotia. It was exciting to be packing up. We had not seen Bryan and Meredith for over a year.

New York at about 1 am, I think my memory's a bit foggy.

I'm so thankful Rob is a fright dog. He defiantly made the night driving happen. We did stop at a rest area to sleep form 4:30a until about 6:00a. Then I took the wheel.
Of course it was time for breakfast in Freeport, ME (home of L.L.Bean). Oh and breakfast, so delicious just ask Rob. Over look. We stopped here so we could call Carol and sing HAPPY BIRTHDAY! The singing was a little lacking but our view was not. That is Baxter State Park below, the ending of the Appalachian Trail and the highest peak in Maine.

A little present from Maine, a bug bite!

I was totally interested in these signs at this Maine Welcome center, how to stretch when riding in a car for hours.

So far Audi was doing great! Almost to Canada!

Snack along the way, a popcorn cob! Delish!

NOVA SCOTIA!! meaning New Scotland

We have finally arrived. On Friday afternoon Curt and Michelle VanHolstyn and family came by for lunch and fun.

This is down below at Bry & Mere's. This lovely stream runs through. Just to the left of the above picture there is a cabin, you can actually sleep in there.

Skipping rocks

Bryan grilling up our dogs and burgs.

Julia and Jake

Meredith taking the kids for a little spin.

Wedding time

The Bridal party.

It was FREEZING cool. Well maybe not freezing but it was COLD. The wedding was nice though, we were very glad to enjoy Luke & Melita's wedding day.

my Love.

This is the meadow they were married in. Very windy, but a really beautiful location.

Four friends.

Five friends. There were many Applebee's talks. Priceless precious times.

And they are off!

Back to Bry & Mere's for a little Hymn sing and more delicious food.

Monday came to early. We were back on the road around 10:30am. Rob again was a machine when it came to the driving. I slept from midnight until 6:00am when I took over driving.I must have been done taking pictures by then because there is none of Bryan and Meredith's house, none of our stop in Moncton, New Brunswick for lunch at Jeremy's, a friend of Rob's for years gone by, but there are some of returning home.

We arrived home again at 8:15am on June 28, less than 24 hours after we left Bryan and Meredith's.

It was a fast trip but wonderful to see the Roossinck's, we figured it had been April 2010 since we had last been together. Too long again.

Thanks Bry & Mere for the wonderful weekend. We love you much!

It's a date our style....

It all started because Rob was in Belgium experiencing great difficultly with finding the Stanley Cup playoffs (hockey, just in case you were unsure) on the television.

So after some ingenious thinking we came up with a great solution.

In the picture below, Rob is on the computer, we were on Skype, so I turned the computer so the web cam pointed at the TV. Then, I brought a speaker up to the computer so he could hear the game. I sat next to "Rob computer" and it was just like him sitting right by me! (well close)

I loved turning and looking at the computer to see Rob's face. What a delightful date with my husband.

Too bad the team we wanted to win lost.

The things we do while he is away, just to feel close. And yet another reason to thank the Lord for technology!!

The best in tent camping....

North Carolina or bust!

1st of all this trip was the first time Rob and me had been back to NC since we met there. (special!)

We had decided to go down for time at Lake Junaluska first and then from there we would go camping. The weather was perfect, campground was wonderful, and of course the time together was priceless.

Southern VA

Lake Junaluska

We left the Lake on Sunday afternoon and headed southwest to Franklin, North Carolina where Standing Indian Campground is located.

Almost there

Setting up camp! This was the first time we ever used our Lantern, Rob did a great job!

Can you tell it's morning?
First time using our stove, it was a little hot for the pancakes- opps!
Rob, definitely, the man of the coffee.
Perfect!
After breakfast we headed out to check out some of the trails.

Rob was looking at our mileage

This was the stream not far from our tent, the sounds we went to sleep by.

Relaxing after a little hike around.

One of my favorite pictures of Rob from this trip. Full relaxation mode!
Suppertime, again I love the peaceful look on his face!

Day 2:

Yes that is me, it's morning, what can I say??

Our breakfast.

Rob was VERY impressed with my campfire cooking skills, I told him my Dad was a GREAT teacher.

Nothing like camp coffee!

After breakfast we headed out for a day of hiking.

The white blaze (the white rectangle on the tree) is the official blaze of the Appalachian Trail.

Smoky Mountains

5,500 feet, we have gone up 2,000 feet from the campground.

Going down.

Can you find the monkey face?

By the time we returned to camp we had gone over 12 miles. It was a beautiful day.

Rob making popcorn, it was delish!

Wednesday morning breakfast, I thought my "toaster" was genius!
Mmmm camp coffee!
Packed and ready to go.

On the drive home we took a beautiful drive out the back way. Rob mentioned a couple of times, "This is why I wanted this truck, so I can drive on roads like this."

Sparta, North Carolina

What a wonderful trip we had. Full of new adventures for the both of us. Rob was great about trying out a stove & lantern that needed gas instead of propane. We both had brought ideas about how tent camping should go, and I can say that we both enjoyed the time SO MUCH! As we drove home we talked again about the blessing of having a teammate that enjoys to relax in the same way, truly a gift from God. We look forward to the next tent outing......