Month: June 2016

Mountains, hiking and Dolly Parton

On By arabelmortimerIn Family and Friends, General musings, Travel, USA4 Comments

Four years ago I hiked the Appalachian Trail.

I had set out early in 2012 to try and become a famed thru hiker, but sadly missed out on the accolade by 380 miles. Did I fail? Some would say yes.
I however listened to the sage words of my father when he asked me if I felt there was anything else I would learn by hiking those 380 miles, was there anything I had left to gain except to say I had done it, miles for the sake of miles? I thought long and hard at the time and the answer was no.
By then I had learned a great deal about myself, my family and friends, as well as having accumulated some wonderful new friends along the way and a partner with whom I share my life today.

And to date, hiking the AT has been the single greatest achievement of my life.

Katahdin

Continue reading “Mountains, hiking and Dolly Parton” →

Little barn on the lane

On By arabelmortimerIn General musings, Travel2 Comments

Deep in the heart of the Tennessee countryside there is a little country road. Unassuming to look at, not even worth a glimpse as you pass by; it winds gently but briefly through a small, short valley dotted with simple wooden houses and elderly outbuildings.

Near the end of this road, standing atop a small grassy incline, is a barn. Nothing to mark it so very different from the others around it, slightly newer perhaps, but a modest red barn nonetheless.

And it is here, in the virtual silence of the countryside, with trees and fields and birds for company, that we find ourselves still and restful for the week.

DSCF3132
The little barn on the lane

 

Continue reading “Little barn on the lane” →

Nashville here we come…and now we’ve gone (Part Two)

On By arabelmortimerIn Family and Friends, Travel, USA4 Comments

Another disturbance tonight, although this one from nature, a thunderstorm – our first in the bus!
I feel all safe and snug and happy as I hear the storm roll through, the rain pattering outside. It’s only when we rise in the morning and are about 5 minutes from getting underway that I hear Loops curse from the front, standing near my seat with a roll of paper towels in hand. It seems we have our first water leak.

Continue reading “Nashville here we come…and now we’ve gone (Part Two)” →

Nashville here we come…and now we’ve gone (Part One)

On By arabelmortimerIn General musings, RV, Travel, USA3 Comments

Doesn’t time just fly by these days?

The last time you and I met, Loops and I were making our way north through Florida in much haste for a rendezvous in Nashville, Tennessee. Well, I can tell you we made it. In fact, since the last time I wrote, three other states have welcomed us over their lines, even if for a brief while.

Continue reading “Nashville here we come…and now we’ve gone (Part One)” →

The time has come…

On By arabelmortimerIn RV, Travel, USA1 Comment

It seems that our transition from people who own an RV, but only play about with it and don’t live in it, to full timers on the road with no home but their RV, happened all very quickly.
One moment there I was on my hands and knees scrubbing the carpets clean, washing the bus and waxing the roof, and the next thing I know we are fully loaded and shipping out. Continue reading “The time has come…” →