On the trail to Colorado - 1st day, August 5, 2012

Why is it that when I'm on vacation I am up before the chickens.  Guess I'm just anxious to hit the road or don't won't to miss anything.  After a few more last minute details and clothing items I forgot (always better to have more), we headed out for our road trip to Colorado.

Weather started out rather foggy but cleared as soon as we reach Asheville.  Thank goodness...I was so not looking forward to travel West on I-40 with fog.  I decided to get out my Carolina Wild Flower Guide Book and was reading some of them to Buddy when I realized all I had to do was look out the window in the road side ditches and saw flowers I had seen before but did not know what they were.  Just thought they were weeds.   So what I found on the side of I-40 was, I think, Queen Anne Lace and Water Hemlock.  However, it is hard to identify them exactly when your traveling 60 mph.  Can you believe Buddy would not pull off on to the shoulder so I could get a better look.  lol   Well, here is what I decided to do....take a picture of what I think they are from my book....How cleaver of me!



Queen Anne's Lace


Also know as Wild Carrot.  This plant can be confused with the other flower I identified, "Water Hemlock".  You can't tell in this picture, but it has a central purple floret (in most variety's) and in it's first year, the roots are soft enough to eat.  It's been known that its long taproot can be roasted and ground to use as a coffee substitue.  I don't think I'll try that.
 The Black Swallowtail butterfly love them.

Water Hemock
Stay away from....all parts of this one is highly toxic to the nervous system of humans and animals.  It is considered the most poisonous plant in America.  My new guide book also confirms that both flowers are found on the roadside ditches, ponds, creeks, etc.  This was fun for awhile until we crossed into Tennessee....didn't have a guide book for that area.  lol

Well by now, it's Mimoisa time and a fuel stop.  Look at this funny thing I found at our stop.  An ultra light?????  Would be interesting to see fly.

Lunch time is nearing, but now a stop at the Tennessee Welcome Center for a good stretch and RV check.  Well maybe a little rocking chair time also.





We are making pretty good time until we hit a thunderstorm and then, of couse a wreck.  Lost about an hour.  Our designation for tonight, is Clarksville - just on the TN/KY line. 

Rolled in and set up to find the levelers where not coming down....ended up there was an RV Teck on site and he came by to give us a hand.  Still no luck so I guess we want be stabalized for the next month.  Add this to our list of kinks we need Camping World to look at.

Wow.....another storm hits us....hard, hard, rain, wind like I haven't seen in awhile and then the lightning comes and last and last and last.  Glad I had pre-cooked the ribs and I just re-heated them in the oven.  Dinner served during a storm. What fun.