"Don't plan on sitting around all day, Jondale."
"Don't worry, I never plan on sitting around all day when I visit you guys."

Around about 1am Saturday morning I parked my truck in front of AC's and Babba's house, pulled my backpack and lappy bag from the passenger side, called AC to let me in and went to bed an hour later. The nor-easter making its way to the Atlantic gave me rain, fog and, I believe, a headwind to fight all the way from Hampton Roads. Slightly annoying, yes, but entirely worth the while if it meant spending the weekend in NC in the mountains.

How I miss the mountains. At almost every turn there is a new country to explore, seemingly undisturbed terrain with only a road concocted by some magic to get you from one pass to another. I've found traveling at night to be most convenient, especially when making the trek home. I can set my own pace, open a window, turn up the music loud and let the road take me where it will. But the mountains, they make dealing with a bit of traffic and a slight delay worth it. Taking advantage of the opportunity on the drive home I stole some pictures with my camera. I'll post the one that turned out well later on today. It's of a bright and sunny day, the road leading on into a mountain forest two weeks or so past its peak foliage with a mountain top in the distance capped with snow being blown off the other side by blustery winds.

If you haven't realized, I love a good drive every once in a while. There's nothing quite like the rythm of the road beneath your tires with music playing now and then and nothing but you and your thoughts the rest and, once you make that final turn, the promise of a warm house with a warmer greeting, a dog not unlike Chewbacca's son, and good memories to speed you on your way wondering when you will be back to make more.

***Updated 12:05am 11/18/08***

Pictures are now posted from the trip. I posted four of them. Check them out here.