The Great Western Adventure Begins

Preparing for a two-week cross-country adventure in a home that you take with you can be a bit overwhelming for someone not really interested in….planning.  I tend to just ignore the lists and just put way more stuff in than I need whenever I happen to remember it.  The Husband, on the other hand, created multiple spreadsheets and practices minimalism when it comes to everything except food.  

For example, I was putting our clothing into the Minnie Winnie closets a couple of days ago.  Mine consisted of 310 pairs of pants/jeans/leggings/sweats/shorts, 10,000 sweatshirts/sweaters/t-shirts (long and short-sleeved), jackets, multiple pairs of pajamas, and all the underwear I could find.  I believe he packed three pairs of shorts, five t-shirts, a couple of sweatshirts, and a jacket.  I am pretty sure there were a few pairs of underwear and socks thrown in for good measure.  I just don’t want to wake up one day and feel unhappy with my chosen outfit and not have the ability to try on seven more outfits until I don’t feel fat, homely, or otherwise uncomfortable in my own skin.  So I don’t prepare, but I pack all of the things.

We hit the road yesterday afternoon around 4 and managed to navigate through NC, VA, and WV to our final stop at the Milton, WV KOA at 9:00pm where we met up with the illustrious other half of our adventure group, The Siesta Adventure Team! 

A few notes about the first leg of the trip:

• The WV Turnpike/Parkway (whatever it’s called) was at once lovely, expensive, and treacherous.  The rain hit us during the ubiquitous road work section that allows for exactly enough room for a clown car in each lane.  The Husband drove like a pro through the torrential downpour without damaging our marriage or our Minnie Winnie. [He says:  I didn’t think this was an accomplishment or any big deal.]
• There was a toll booth operator who was playing some sort of funky music…and, as we pulled away, he started belting out a tune in a fine baritone.  He was embracing his job in all its toll-boothy awesomeness. 
• We took advantage of the gas pump coverage at our stop at the Tamarack Service Center to dash into the camper to warm up some leftover Bill’s Pizza Pub original pizza we brought from home for our on-the-road dinner.  The inverter installed by The Husband came in handy to turn on full power for a couple of minutes to use the microwave.  #spoiledrotten
• Charleston, WV was a lovely surprise of a city. 
• The Milton WV KOA is truly a stopver campground.  Sites are close together and pull through, making our set-up easy and pain-free. However, staying longer than one night wouldn’t be advisable.  Not really a “sit out and enjoy the evening” kind of a campground, but more of a traveler’s pit stop. 

Friday morning, we woke up (fairly) bright and early, picked up stakes, and drove the short distance (less than five miles) to the Blenko glass factory, where the husband-half of the Siesta Adventure Team had arranged a 9:30 a.m. tour for us. 

Blenko, at first glance, looks like a pit of hell.  HOWEVER, the beauty that comes out of that misshapen and decaying building is extraordinary.  Ponytailed old men and young men with dreadlocks had been at the factory since 6am firing, carrying, shaping, and blowing what will turn into over 400 of the iconic Blenko water jugs, and more.  The tour takes about an hour and is extremely informative.  We had picked up a Blenko water jug on our last Great Adventure to Pipestem Resort, unbeknownst to us.  I just thought it was pretty. 

On our way to the Crawfordsville, IN KOA.  Stopping now at the Kentucky Welcome Century.  The Great Adventure continues.  #StillWinnie