Lexington, VA

Well, here we are in Lexington, VA, home of Virginia Military Institute (the West Point of the South).  We left Cincinnati this morning and traveled along the Ohio River on US 52.  Lots of campgrounds along the Ohio River (which, like many other rivers in this area, is running fast and high).  Probably not going to be able to use some of those campgrounds for a while.

Also along the river were many power plants, both atomic and coal/gas-fired ones, along with steel plants and coal mines.  In Ashland, we decided to wash Snowflake - she was getting to look almost brown - we'll probably get better gas mileage now :-).   Crossed the Ohio into West Virginia and passed through Charleston.  We were kind of switching back and forth between US 52, I-64 and US 60.  I thought US 60 looked like kind of a shortcut instead of dipping down south.  Well, on the map, and in theory, that was correct.  What we forgot to take into consideration was the fact that US 60 had lots of hills, curves, log trucks, etc.  Scenic, but definitely not a time saver.  One of the rivers we traveled along was the Kanawha and it was really flooded.  It was fun traveling through the "mountains" of West Virginia and admiring all the trees.

If Nevada artists have to appreciate the subtlety of brown, then those in West Virginia have to enjoy the greens.  Maybe they could write a book "Fifty Shades of Green".  In Ashland, we finally washed Snowflake - she was looking more like slush!  Finally got around to calibrating the compass in the car because it was showing us traveling in the wrong direction.  I'm sure you know, but one of the things you have to do when you recalibrate the compass is change the zone and then drive in circles until the compass recalibrates.  Must have looked weird to anyone watching us drive in circles in the WalMart back parking lot!

Finally got back on I-64 and drove into Virginia.  Tomorrow we'll drive over to Kilmarnock - should get there around noon or so.