Onward and Upward

Yesterday we spent the morning packing up and readying our camper that we had never used before. It was quite taxing bc I had just taught my first class at our homeschool co-op and I had been really preoccupied during the week. To pack up a camper requires days of prep and planning, even for a short weekend, and my mind had not been able to focus fully on it as I would normally have done. Maybe I should not have planned such a big trip the first week of school but it is Labor Day and it was a way to maximize our holiday. C'est la vie. It will all be worth it even though it was a bit stressful trying to remember everything with a serious case of mom brain.

We packed and headed out about noon, going up back roads through northeast Alabama through Chattanooga at rush hour (not fun), and up the road a bit to Sweetwater, TN, where we found a KOA with a pool and some other fun things for the kids to do. We arrived early enough to set up camp and have plenty of time before dark to play and relax. I'm glad I built in time to make this trip more laid back than it could have been. Even though the campground was crowded, we were able to get a couple of sites last minute and they even moved people around to accommodate us. Nice people. This morning we woke up with some time to drink coffee before we packed up and headed out. Easy camper to set up and break down, which is nice because we will have to do it a lot.

I have reservations at Creeper Trail Campground, which is a Christmas tree farm and RV park in Whitetop,  VA, a little place on top of a mountain, which also happens to have no sewer hookups, just a dump station. We are staying there 2 nights and while it would be nice to be able to take long showers (one of us who shall remain nameless enjoys a good 30 minute shower before bed), it is camping after all. We shall persevere. No other campgrounds with sewer hookups were available over the holiday weekend anyway so it could not be helped.

Whitetop sits at the trail head for the Virginia Creeper Trail, a rails to trails park that extends 17 miles from Whitetop to Damascus, running almost exclusively downhill the entire way. It is supposed to be an easy ride and great for people of all ages, which is great because we will have 2 small kids with us and a bike trailer. Excited to see what this trail is all about. Tomorrow morning we ride the trail and take the shuttle back up the mountain. Wish us luck!