Holly is rude

Holly's friends in Chuluota, St Augustine and Fletcher all must keep their toys in a basket, say their humans.  Once Holly gets somewhat comfortable in the new place, she helps herself to the toys she wants to play with.  She is rude and doesn't wait for a host to offer a toy up.

Holly going to school

Holly at French Broad River Park

After school Holly gets to play, and she likes big sticks!  This stick was the diameter of a broom stick and half as long.  She can't carry it.  She can drag it back to you.

As for school, it has been a while since Ashby, the last Roser dog, was trained.  Holly will get the same training.  Right now she is good on a leash.  There is lots more to come!

Cades Cove or Lady Antebellum

You can't do it all . . . .

Several of you who know of our wandering have recommended Cades Cove.  But Lady Antebellum is at the Grand Ole Opry Friday night.  Probably can't do both, and we are about treed and vistaed out.  What to do?  What to do?

Devil's Courthouse

Just fascinating what people will come up with.  There is a rock outcropping that you can see from Big Ridge Overlook.  Pictures did not come out well because it was right into the Sun when we were here.  But in the same mountain there is supposed to be this cave where the Devil holds court, or something like that.  Debbie did not want to stay and defend . . . .

Anyway, going south on the Parkway from Asheville was better than going north.  It was more prime time for the leaves, but overall the scenery was just more better.  And for sure the best drive we have been on yet has not been the Parkway.  Back to Asheville we took a side road, Mt Pisgah Highway or 151.  There is sign just before the point of not being able to turn back, STEEP WINDING ROAD NOT RECOMMENDED FOR TRUCKS.  That is an understatement.  You can see where the road and trees are scarred where vehicles could not make the turn.  At 75.8 by 189.1, there was no trouble horizontally.  No trouble with ground clearance.  There was some concern in places the Thule cargo box might be at risk.

GQ and Deb

[Debbie:  insert caption here]

North on the Blue Ridge Parkway

North from Asheville on the Parkway takes you to Mount Mitchell, the highest ground east of the Mississippi.  Not going to share a lot of pictures because others do pictures better than us, and we decided in Paris in 1999, when the memory of a place fades, and there is nothing new to see, we will go back!

But there are new memories now.  First, who the heck thinks a speed limit of 45 mph is safe on the Parkway?  The Benz is not a sports car or motorcycle but it holds its own.  The Benz is torquey and able to do the ups and downs just fine in automatic or manual, but at 45 the Parkway is like a go cart ride.  At 45 the driver is not looking at the vistas!  There are those that race from overlook to overlook but the whole dang thing is beautiful.

The other thing, hold the inside line well, especially on right going bends, because the guy coming the other way is surely over the double yellow line in your lane doing the same.

Didn't see any wildlife, but did see wilddeath.  Some poor racoon, young and small, didn't make it across the Parkway.  Didn't come to know lumbering racoons taking 4 seconds to cross the road need to make sure there are no cars within 300 feet!

A great place to stay

It turns out, picking hotels may be an art.  Our needs are not consistent.  Our desires are somewhat consistent, but our desires are tempered at times by price.

Here at Wrightsville Beach we picked a great place to stay.   Best Western Plus University Inn Wilmington.  Close to where we wish to be.  Good price.  Room very clean, neat, well appointed.  Small dog park for Holly with low growing grass that she doesn't get lost in.  Lobby and common areas are well suited to sneak away to while Debbie sleeps in.  Great breakfast.

It would be grand if all our picks were this good, but we can imagine there will be a horror story to tell by the time we get to the Pacific Ocean.  Hotels are ranked and reviewed, but who can you trust?