On The Road Again

We are preparing to leave Nashville on Monday. It has been a great 3 weeks. We have had the opportunity to visit with several of our friends and most of the family who live in the area, plus a trip to Georgia to visit with my brother, nephews, and the new great nephew. But I get hitch itch after about a month, and I am feeling that longing for the road.

Practice pitching the tent

We are heading to Bowling Green, KY for the Life on Wheels conference, then to Virginia and the Appalachian Trail. I am looking forward to the LOW conference. This will be our first conference, rally or anything like this. We have heard how much fun they are.

It is so small

I am especially anxious to get started on my hike. I don’t want all that training in Erwin to wear off any more than it has. Besides visiting with friends and relatives, I have finalized my plan for the hike, made out my menus, bought and repackaged food and carried the full pack on my back for a couple hikes. I have also practiced one last time pitching my tent (it is still tiny), working with my stove, and purifying water.

At least I can sit up inside.

Thursday, May 1, I rolled up my sleeves and got all the monthly chores done. I didn’t want to leave Gene with the task of defrosting the freezer or vacuuming out the weep holes. He is such a Type A personality that if he knew they weren’t done he would be right in there doing it. I’ve already made him a list 2 pages long of things to do for me and the cat while I’m on the trial.

Practicing lighting my stove.

Thursday evening we had dinner with two couples from the Montana Owners Club. We had never met either couple, but felt like we are long time friends with Bill and Helen. We regularly keep up with them through their website which was how we discovered they were in Nashville for a few days.

Practicing treating water.

Friday I had time to visit with my friends in the lab at St. Thomas Hospital. These people occupy a special place in my heart. I worked there for a number of years on every shift and in several departments, but it was the folks in anatomic pathology that got me through college. They were happy to let me work flexible hours to accommodate my class schedule. I couldn’t have done without that benefit. The pathologists were invaluable in their support. Dr. Lou taught me how to sharpen knives on the stones (that was a long time ago, they use disposable knives these days) and I used that skill as a demonstration in my first speech class. It was good to see them and catch up on the gossip.

Reminds me of chemistry class

I had lunch Friday with my good friend and teaching partner, Karen. We are both retired now, but we taught for years on the same team, and our conversations together outside of the school setting were filled with almost nothing but lesson plans, students, and what the chances of a snow day were. I got in the truck after our lunch and realized that other than inquiring about mutual friends, neither of us had mentioned anything about school.

So, today we are securing the Montana for travel, checking the tires and filling up with fuel. We are pulling out bright and early Monday morning.