Day Two: 300 miles
New Market, VA to Kingsport, TN
Day two was more traveling than the mileage reflects. We took the scenic route for a good part of the way—Skyline Drive along the Appalachian Trail. Slow going—30 to 40 mph—but it was absolutely beautiful.
Diego is fairly happy traveling in his Sherpa.
He curls up and sleeps between rest stops, and we stop frequently to let him and Thumper stretch their legs. This trip might have been easier before the baby started walking, but luckily we arenÂ’t in a rush. WeÂ’re taking our time (as the mileage reflects) to give him the chance to run (okayÂ…toddle really fast) and explore as often as he needs. That has us stopping every two hours or so for at least a half hour. WeÂ’re getting a great tour of the rest stops of the south. I have to sayÂ…theyÂ’re rather nice. Lots of clean grassy areas, picnic benches, clean rest rooms. We expected to want to get off the highway and into the small towns for our breaks, but weÂ’re finding these grassy rest stops are better suited to toddlers and dogs than the towns are. The last time we tried to take a break off the interstate left us changing a diaper in a scrabbly little patch of grass in a gas station parking lot in southwest Virginia, just up a sloping drive that led to a ramshackle little church and group of houses and a sign about brethren somethingorother and maybe IÂ’m just being a paranoid northeastern Jew but it didnÂ’t look very welcoming down there, if you know what I mean. WeÂ’re getting off the road for meals but not for blowing off baby and dog steam.
As for meals…road food isn’t ideal for vegetarians who can’t eat dairy. It’s a good thing the baby and I eat eggs or we’d be very hungry indeed. Lots of scrambled eggs on this trip. Food aside, some of our best experiences so far have been when we’ve stopped to eat. We hit a Waffle House on this leg of the trip at an off hour and it was empty. The waitresses doted on the baby and gave him a little yellow football to take with him. They were both moms and encouraged us to let him wander around. An old guy named Lee chatted with Thumper and called him “one tough hombre.” And the coffee was good. As were the eggs and grits. Ah, Waffle House… They didn’t even mind the plaintive little doggie sounds coming from the Sherpa bag until I shared my toast with Diego.
Everyone loves Diego. We even met another Italian greyhound at a rest stop and they had a little impromptu play date.
I finished the first tiger sock, but didnÂ’t get much more knitting done after that, because Thumper didnÂ’t nap as much as he did on Day one, which meant most of my time was spent keeping the kid amused.
We were trying to reach Knoxville before stopping, but the baby let us know heÂ’d had enough by the time we crossed the border into Tennessee. And so Kingsport* it was. There was a Bible open to the Book of Job when we got into the room. At least it was the old testament. Baby, I don’t think we’re in Brooklyn anymore.
Vegetable side dishes from Perkins for dinner, and then sleep.
*According to the hotel desk clerk, Kingsport is where they make the plastic for diet Coke bottles.
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Hey Cari,
I think you’ve left Thumper’s name in your post.
Travelling with a toddler is certainly an experience. More than two hours and the bored whinging is more than enough incentive to have a rest break!
Posted by: Ginchy
The last time I was in the Appalachian’s was 1967…I still remember their beauty. I was the oldest of 6 (17) and the youngest was 6 months old. It was an experience (one full summer in the car) I’ll never forget!
You have a challenge, traveling with a young one and a dog, but it sounds like you have a lot going for you, too.
Posted by: margene
I drive to and from Arizona from Oregon at least once a year so the dogs and I have gotten quite adept at the road trip. I don’t think the stop every two hours really slows us down at all and I tend to feel better at the end of the trip just because I got up and burned a little steam off too.
Sounds like you are having fun! Blogging this trip will be great fun for Thumper when he is older.
Posted by: Laurie
So what does the tattoo on your leg say…it is quite lovely.
Posted by: Darci
Hey Cari,
I think you’ve left Thumper’s name in your post.
Travelling with a toddler is certainly an experience. More than two hours and the bored whinging is more than enough incentive to have a rest break!
Posted by: Ginchy
The last time I was in the Appalachian’s was 1967…I still remember their beauty. I was the oldest of 6 (17) and the youngest was 6 months old. It was an experience (one full summer in the car) I’ll never forget!
You have a challenge, traveling with a young one and a dog, but it sounds like you have a lot going for you, too.
Posted by: margene
I drive to and from Arizona from Oregon at least once a year so the dogs and I have gotten quite adept at the road trip. I don’t think the stop every two hours really slows us down at all and I tend to feel better at the end of the trip just because I got up and burned a little steam off too.
Sounds like you are having fun! Blogging this trip will be great fun for Thumper when he is older.
Posted by: Laurie
So what does the tattoo on your leg say…it is quite lovely.
Posted by: Darci
Such a pretty drive! I’m glad y’all are enjoying it 🙂
Posted by: Mish
Ah! A post about the trip WITH baby. It sounds like you all are doing great!
Posted by: Natalie
I didn’t know you had a tat on your leg. What does it say?
Posted by: Miriam
An otherwise perfect day. Popped in and out of antique stores along Atlantic Avenue. Found gold, oversized plastic cherubs at a flea market. Bought tomatoes on a vine at the market. Had two cups of coffee and vegan chocolate cake at Bushbaby – but had this feeling in my gut… there’s something missing in Brooklyn. I miss y’all. Gonna fly to Portland with the boy and a bag of bagels in the spring.
Posted by: xina
I see others are just as curious as me…what does that tat say on your leg?? I love the sock and it sounds like your road trip is going really well!
Posted by: Stephanie
I love Waffle House! But I get what you’re saying: i have felt very weird and unwelcome in certain parts of the country. Dave and I were on a driving trip through Arizona once, and we went into an antique shop in this old mining town called Jerome. I was stopped in my tracks by the stack of anti-semitic tracts by the front door, warning people about the Zionist Occupation Government and how the Jews run the media, the world bank, etc. When I spoke with the shop’s owner about them, she shrugged and said something about people having the right to express themselves and how that “literature” could be found at any number of local establishments. We beat a rather hasty retreat out of there.
Posted by: regina
I hear you on the lack of vegetarian road food. I’m nearly-vegan: allergic to most dairy, hate eggs. With my beloved and I living in different countries, we spend a lot of time on the road, and I’ll sometimes actually eat the pecan waffle at Waffle House in desperation (and I’m not the kind of person who considers sugar and fat a meal). Waffle House does have the best coffee on the interstate, though.
Also, reminded by the leg tat discussion: how is the manuscript-shopping going? I wanted to ask you if you had any work out there in publication, other than your short story about the woman searching for her father, that we could read. To whet our appetites for the day when your baby finds a publisher.
Posted by: jodi
Once I traveled by bus from NY to San Fran. Beautiful, but kinda scary. Esp. at the rest stop somewhere in Montana- ammo for sale next to the snack cakes, and the 100 year old proprietor giving me the stinkeye. There were a few stops where I decided not to step out of the bus at all. But- the US is a frickin’ beautiful place.
I was vegetarian at the time, and subsisted on curly fries and scrambled eggs.
Posted by: Iris
Such a pretty drive! I’m glad y’all are enjoying it 🙂
Posted by: Mish
Ah! A post about the trip WITH baby. It sounds like you all are doing great!
Posted by: Natalie
I didn’t know you had a tat on your leg. What does it say?
Posted by: Miriam
An otherwise perfect day. Popped in and out of antique stores along Atlantic Avenue. Found gold, oversized plastic cherubs at a flea market. Bought tomatoes on a vine at the market. Had two cups of coffee and vegan chocolate cake at Bushbaby – but had this feeling in my gut… there’s something missing in Brooklyn. I miss y’all. Gonna fly to Portland with the boy and a bag of bagels in the spring.
Posted by: xina
I see others are just as curious as me…what does that tat say on your leg?? I love the sock and it sounds like your road trip is going really well!
Posted by: Stephanie
I love Waffle House! But I get what you’re saying: i have felt very weird and unwelcome in certain parts of the country. Dave and I were on a driving trip through Arizona once, and we went into an antique shop in this old mining town called Jerome. I was stopped in my tracks by the stack of anti-semitic tracts by the front door, warning people about the Zionist Occupation Government and how the Jews run the media, the world bank, etc. When I spoke with the shop’s owner about them, she shrugged and said something about people having the right to express themselves and how that “literature” could be found at any number of local establishments. We beat a rather hasty retreat out of there.
Posted by: regina
I hear you on the lack of vegetarian road food. I’m nearly-vegan: allergic to most dairy, hate eggs. With my beloved and I living in different countries, we spend a lot of time on the road, and I’ll sometimes actually eat the pecan waffle at Waffle House in desperation (and I’m not the kind of person who considers sugar and fat a meal). Waffle House does have the best coffee on the interstate, though.
Also, reminded by the leg tat discussion: how is the manuscript-shopping going? I wanted to ask you if you had any work out there in publication, other than your short story about the woman searching for her father, that we could read. To whet our appetites for the day when your baby finds a publisher.
Posted by: jodi
Once I traveled by bus from NY to San Fran. Beautiful, but kinda scary. Esp. at the rest stop somewhere in Montana- ammo for sale next to the snack cakes, and the 100 year old proprietor giving me the stinkeye. There were a few stops where I decided not to step out of the bus at all. But- the US is a frickin’ beautiful place.
I was vegetarian at the time, and subsisted on curly fries and scrambled eggs.
Posted by: Iris
I am LOVING your travelogue. Keep ’em coming.
Posted by: claudia
Happy Trails, please keep the post’s coming
Posted by: Heidi
I can see this blog-voyage is going to make me want to grab the nearest vehicle and head west…such good vicarious road-trip fodder. Love the pics!
I hear you on the difficulty of road food. As a mostly vegan (egg whites being the only exception) who also can’t eat soy (not that they have much soy in the South), I usually picnic out of grocery stores.
I know it’s a bit of a shock to drive straight from Brooklyn into such an assertively Christian region, but I really love the South. People are so friendly and seemingly relaxed.
One more editorial comment – I think road-trips may be good for babies. I have the fondest memories of very early ones; looking out the window at the moon and thinking it was following us.
Posted by: Lizbon
Why is it that babies asleep in cars are SO CUTE? I always snap a pic of my little one when I catch her snoozing while cruising. Glad to hear your trip is going well! My daughter is just a few months older than Thumper and I could not imagine driving cross country with her (I am still reeling from two back to back plane trips a couple of months ago).
(PS There is a name in your post that I didn’t recognize. Not sure if it is Thumper’s real name that you accidentally let slip but thought I’d point it out in case you didn’t want it made public).
Posted by: LauraJ
One day — I don’t know where and I don’t know when — I’m going to eat these “grits” of which you speak.
Posted by: alison
your trip sounds wonderful maude. go and have more grits for me.
love harold
Posted by: harold
Don’t be too thrown off by the brethren and the bibles. Southerners tend to be very friendly, especially to babies! and dogs too! We are also home to the meat and three – you just need to find places with quality threes (not fried or drenched in butter).
Posted by: Jennifer
Waffle House, now I live in the wilds of NH, they are a distant memory
After divorce I drove from the ass end of Florida to Chapel Hill NC, in a crappy van with all my stuff and 2 dogs!!! I found Waffle house to have the most well lit parking lots and palatable coffee
thanks for the memory
happy trails
Posted by: diane
I am LOVING your travelogue. Keep ’em coming.
Posted by: claudia
Happy Trails, please keep the post’s coming
Posted by: Heidi
I can see this blog-voyage is going to make me want to grab the nearest vehicle and head west…such good vicarious road-trip fodder. Love the pics!
I hear you on the difficulty of road food. As a mostly vegan (egg whites being the only exception) who also can’t eat soy (not that they have much soy in the South), I usually picnic out of grocery stores.
I know it’s a bit of a shock to drive straight from Brooklyn into such an assertively Christian region, but I really love the South. People are so friendly and seemingly relaxed.
One more editorial comment – I think road-trips may be good for babies. I have the fondest memories of very early ones; looking out the window at the moon and thinking it was following us.
Posted by: Lizbon
Why is it that babies asleep in cars are SO CUTE? I always snap a pic of my little one when I catch her snoozing while cruising. Glad to hear your trip is going well! My daughter is just a few months older than Thumper and I could not imagine driving cross country with her (I am still reeling from two back to back plane trips a couple of months ago).
(PS There is a name in your post that I didn’t recognize. Not sure if it is Thumper’s real name that you accidentally let slip but thought I’d point it out in case you didn’t want it made public).
Posted by: LauraJ
One day — I don’t know where and I don’t know when — I’m going to eat these “grits” of which you speak.
Posted by: alison
your trip sounds wonderful maude. go and have more grits for me.
love harold
Posted by: harold
Don’t be too thrown off by the brethren and the bibles. Southerners tend to be very friendly, especially to babies! and dogs too! We are also home to the meat and three – you just need to find places with quality threes (not fried or drenched in butter).
Posted by: Jennifer
Waffle House, now I live in the wilds of NH, they are a distant memory
After divorce I drove from the ass end of Florida to Chapel Hill NC, in a crappy van with all my stuff and 2 dogs!!! I found Waffle house to have the most well lit parking lots and palatable coffee
thanks for the memory
happy trails
Posted by: diane
ha! kingsport, TN… now you are near my hometown! grew up not more than 15 miles south of there. 😀 that part of tn is known for alot more than where they make plastic for coke. 😀 but i wont bore you with it all. 😀
on to knoxville! i just moved from there to FL 9 months ago! 😀 i’m loving the pictures of the mountains, i miss them alot more than i thought i would!
Posted by: tammy
My mother is from the Tri-Cities area (Bristol/Kingsport/Johnson City), and I spent most of my childhood summers driving along the Appalachian trail. I also love, love, love Waffle House … I got to take my kids to one in Atlanta earlier this summer. Now they’re sad that we don’t have one here in Massachusetts.
Posted by: Ruth
Hi,
Just found your blog and was reading back a bit farther where you were discussing colours to paint in your new place. I live in Vancouver BC so a very similar climate in many ways. Rain here mostly means drizzle and you MUST go outside in it. Many people move to the west coast and stay inside on rainy days. You need to go out every day – get good goretex and just walk in it, puddle jump etc. That way you won’t feel like it is a long grey winter. Pay particular attention to getting lots of sunlight in your house – I’ve always been careful when buying a house that the windows that face south and west are big and let light into rooms that I am in a lot such as the kitchen. I paint cool colours only in rooms that get lots of sunlight and try to use warm sunny colours as much as possible. It doesn’t have to all be yellow. Try for warm blues and warm greens. Or have sunny coloured cushions etc. I have used a colour called Dijon a lot with some red accents. Everyone thinks my house is cosy.
Best wishes for your new adventure and come and visit beautiful BC sometime.
Posted by: Sally
this reminds me-is dow still in tn? and i want to know about the tat too! can’t wait to see you!
Posted by: anina
When you get the chance, look up the song “Waffle House Fire” by the comedy singer the Rev. Billy C. Wirtz. He manages to summarize everything about the South in a song, a waffle, and a commentary on actual events. The man is (weirdly) brilliant.
Posted by: Tracy WW
Glad to hear your trip is going well. Wish you were coming further north. I’d love to show you around Minnesota!
Hope the rest of the trip goes well. We’re all eagerly anticipating your next updates.
Posted by: Michele
Wish I’d known you’d be driving thru SW VA as I’d have been able to provide the location of something a bit more welcoming in a pit stop or two (and even vegetarian food options) in Roanoke!
(Yes, some of the folks here in SW VA can be a bit intimidating to anyone from the North! – says the former Northern displaced here…lol!)
🙂
Safe Trip, okay?
(((Hugs)))
Posted by: knitnana
I love all the travelling photos! Road trips are great (and it seems that Thumper and Diego are having fun with it too), but I don’t take them as much since I moved to Oregon as when I lived in Texas.
Yay for your first sock! I’m glad to see you getting those Tiger socks. 🙂
Posted by: Jaime
ha! kingsport, TN… now you are near my hometown! grew up not more than 15 miles south of there. 😀 that part of tn is known for alot more than where they make plastic for coke. 😀 but i wont bore you with it all. 😀
on to knoxville! i just moved from there to FL 9 months ago! 😀 i’m loving the pictures of the mountains, i miss them alot more than i thought i would!
Posted by: tammy
My mother is from the Tri-Cities area (Bristol/Kingsport/Johnson City), and I spent most of my childhood summers driving along the Appalachian trail. I also love, love, love Waffle House … I got to take my kids to one in Atlanta earlier this summer. Now they’re sad that we don’t have one here in Massachusetts.
Posted by: Ruth
Hi,
Just found your blog and was reading back a bit farther where you were discussing colours to paint in your new place. I live in Vancouver BC so a very similar climate in many ways. Rain here mostly means drizzle and you MUST go outside in it. Many people move to the west coast and stay inside on rainy days. You need to go out every day – get good goretex and just walk in it, puddle jump etc. That way you won’t feel like it is a long grey winter. Pay particular attention to getting lots of sunlight in your house – I’ve always been careful when buying a house that the windows that face south and west are big and let light into rooms that I am in a lot such as the kitchen. I paint cool colours only in rooms that get lots of sunlight and try to use warm sunny colours as much as possible. It doesn’t have to all be yellow. Try for warm blues and warm greens. Or have sunny coloured cushions etc. I have used a colour called Dijon a lot with some red accents. Everyone thinks my house is cosy.
Best wishes for your new adventure and come and visit beautiful BC sometime.
Posted by: Sally
this reminds me-is dow still in tn? and i want to know about the tat too! can’t wait to see you!
Posted by: anina
When you get the chance, look up the song “Waffle House Fire” by the comedy singer the Rev. Billy C. Wirtz. He manages to summarize everything about the South in a song, a waffle, and a commentary on actual events. The man is (weirdly) brilliant.
Posted by: Tracy WW
Glad to hear your trip is going well. Wish you were coming further north. I’d love to show you around Minnesota!
Hope the rest of the trip goes well. We’re all eagerly anticipating your next updates.
Posted by: Michele
Wish I’d known you’d be driving thru SW VA as I’d have been able to provide the location of something a bit more welcoming in a pit stop or two (and even vegetarian food options) in Roanoke!
(Yes, some of the folks here in SW VA can be a bit intimidating to anyone from the North! – says the former Northern displaced here…lol!)
🙂
Safe Trip, okay?
(((Hugs)))
Posted by: knitnana
I love all the travelling photos! Road trips are great (and it seems that Thumper and Diego are having fun with it too), but I don’t take them as much since I moved to Oregon as when I lived in Texas.
Yay for your first sock! I’m glad to see you getting those Tiger socks. 🙂
Posted by: Jaime