July 23: We spent a couple leisurely hours on the stunningly green and peaceful Blue Ridge Parkway. Wildlife spotted: a deer and fawn, two marmots and one Appalachian Trail thru-hiker.
We hit the big city by mid-afternoon, smelling like camp smoke and road trip, bearing a resemblance to modern-day Beverly Hillbillies. ("Whooo-eee! Hey yall, we sure is glad to be here!") A shower made a huge difference, as did the dinner with my lifelong friend Kelly Schultz and her fiancee, Nick Skupnik. Kelly and I have known each other since we were five or six. While we were growing up, even though we went to the same school, we lived about 30 miles apart. Completely by accident, Nick and I ended up renting an apartment about two blocks from Kelly. It's fabulous to be so near, yet ironic that the closest we will ever live to each other is in a city across the continent from our hometown.

July 22: After a morning wander around downtown Knoxville, we pushed on to Roanoke, Virginia and camped along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Just about the time that we were finishing our dinner (baguette with bleu cheese and wine. . . marshmallows and turkey dogs. . .not as bad of a combination as you'd expect), a big rain came rolling through. Unfortunately the weather didn't stop the college-age "camping equals drinking heavily" crew occupying a nearby campsite. I can sleep through anything, but Nick didn't get a lot of rest.