DAY 3: Ashville, North Carolina → Atlanta, Georgia.
This was my first real day of wandering. We got a taste of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, as we took back roads from Etowah, NC to Atlanta, GA. In my original plan, I had intended to spend some time in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, but had to skip this part of the trip when I became eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. I snagged appointments for the first day I was eligible and needed to delay the start to get the second shot. I have no regrets about that decision, as it gave me some peace and allowed me to hang out more with folks I met on the road. The Great Smoky Mountains are the most visited national park in the country, and I very much need to find my way back there in the van sometime soon. What I saw from the eastern edge and foothills was stunning. We took our time and checked out some back roads along the way towards Atlanta, and a beautiful overlook at Lake Jocassee.
We are still moving fast at this point to catch up so that we can have ample time in the south and southwest and make some important reservations on the west coast by late April.
In Atlanta, at my sister’s beautiful home, there was a comfy bed waiting for us and the best food. My sister and nephews used their COVID home time to up their food game.
