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Leaving Virginia! My home since January 2003, but now I am happily homeless: pro tempore, and choice, not hardship. My first destination is my brother’s, in the St. Louis metro area, actually St. Charles county.

Of course, getting from the East Coast to the Midwest means crossing the mountains, and the direct route is I-64. But I didn’t want to take that with the chances of winter weather and high winds. I opted to cross most of Virginia on easy Hwy 60 and catch I-81 after Roanoke. Good choice. There were extremely heavy rains and high winds, so I had to pull off frequently and several times just waited it out, so it was a slow trip. First night, only got to Wytheville, VA, and the next day only Harriman, TN.

But the third day, though long, was easy: clear skies, clear roads. I couldn’t resist a couple of detours. When I pulled off around Paducah to get wifi, check the map and update friends about my expected arrival, I saw a sign for the historic downtown and riverfront. Why not? But after that one sign there were no more, just a detour, lots of twists and turns, and I ended up settling for a water view from a boatyard.

Moving along, I saw a sign for Golconda, IL. I had never seen that area, but it’s where my Abbott ancestors settled after spending some time in TN. My great-great grandfather served in the 2nd Seminole War, which earned him a land grant. I made the 21-mile detour to see the town on the Ohio river. On this gray day when everything seemed closed, I didn’t take downtown photos, but I certainly drank in the view of the wide Ohio.
I stopped that night in Webster Groves to have time with high school friends, and went on to O’Fallon the next day. Now I’m settled in with Ron and Jo for a few days, and am feeling like I have a home to come to, after all.
Have a great journey, Pat! I will be most interested in seeing where you may go, and the experiences you have! Godspeed! ClayMac