Woke up in Roanoke to drizzling rain and low 60s. The hotel room had no microwave to heat our tea, so we had to run the water through the coffee maker half a dozen times to get rid of the coffee taste. On the plus side, I enjoyed the hot tub, where I luxuriated in solitude last night, and John went through his exercise route in the fitness center before God woke up this morning.
At a pee stop on the way to Asheville, NC, we picked up a stand for my GPS (John threw away the one that came with it after I insisted that, “No, I’ll never use it!”). It’s kind of flimsy (what do you expect for 14 bucks), but it seems to do the trick. I can see it and still look at the road, which is much safer than when I had to peer at it down on the floor, where it inevitably fell after tumbling out of the cubby where I tried to wedge it. Most of the time we still use the maps (John’s preference), but John has come to an uneasy peace with the machine after it guided us back to the hotel last night with no problem after our meal.
Today’s journey took us into Tennessee. The rolling hills of Virginia gradually morphed into tree-covered mountains that filled the horizon with hues of gold and rust, softer and more muted than in Virginia, but still beautiful.
We arrived in Asheville around 1:30 pm. Decided to hold off on lunch so we could sample the Asheville restaurants instead of the NOT delectable offerings at the truck stops. As it turned out, a very wise choice. We stopped at Tupelo Cafe in downtown Asheville. At 2 pm the place was packed! We found out why when we were served. John salivated over southern fried chicken with ham and a cheesy cauliflower dish. I savored a delectable piece of salmon with a delicate maple sauce and amazing goat cheese grits. Yum!
After our lunch/dinner, we browsed in little shops along the main drag. Which reminds me: I forgot to mention the hot sauce we saw in a little shop in Virginia. The label warned: “Refrigerate after opening or you will die.” We almost bought it just for the label but decided we had to get hot sauce in New Orleans.
The most interesting of today’s activities, however, had to be the visit to the aSHEville Museum. It had a great display (John would say “broad” display) of exhibits related to women and women’s rights, including one on the treatment of women in advertising during the past 100 years and a gorgeous display of quilt art. But the absolute HIGHLIGHT was the collection of antique vibrators. Turns out doctors invented the first electromechanical vibrators in the early 1880s to save time and alleviate sore fingers. Back then, doctors treated women’s “hysteria” with their magic fingers. Surprise, surprise—the women never really got cured; they just kept coming back for more “treatments.” Gives “playing doctor” a whole new perspective.
It’s 52 degrees here and raining tonight, so we decided to relax in our room at an Air BNB about a mile from town. Michelle, the homeowner, was very gracious and allowed us to drop off our stuff earlier than the listed check-in time before we went to town. Haven’t met her, just talked on the phone. We have our own area in the downstairs, with a double bed and private bath. Not fancy, but everything we need.
Just read Jane H’s email that it was in the 70s at home. Sigh! At least Montgomery, our stop tomorrow night, is supposed to be 75 and sunny. More like it!
John’s looking at hurricane footage off Bermuda in his continuing effort not to relax. Hoping it goes out to sea and not to New Orleans!