Ok...well maybe not home. Its just hard to drive amid these parts without thinking of the song.
The snow ploughs were out early in Washington. That along with the sun being out ensured our escape from our hotel prison by 9am.
Rather than driving to Pittsburgh we drove in a southerly direction. Pittsburgh is north west of Washington and the weather is predicted to deteriorate further. 36 hours stuck in our hotel was enough for us. We didn't want to risk being caught anywhere else. We figure if he head south we will be coming into slightly warmer weather where the temperature will be above zero and would be less likely to have us caught. The storms across the USA have brought record breaking snow and quite frankly I could go for the rest of my life as well as the next one without seeing a single white snowflake. I am learning to hate it.
It was roughly a 4 hour drive to Roanoke, Virginia. There was very, very thick snow the whole way although it didn't really affect us on the Interstate. The snow ploughs are out in their thousands clearing the major arterials. Unfortunately people in the suburbs are stuck because the snow ploughs have to keep the major Interstates clear and cannot get to the suburban areas for several days. Some people have their own portable ploughs, or in most cases, their own snow shovels. It is back breaking work though. Clearing their footpaths or driveways, or more importantly digging their cars out, is horrendous. In fact the news reported yesterday that in the Washington area alone, there had been 3 deaths where people aged 47-55 had suffered fatal heart attacks whilst shovelling snow.
Driving through Virginia was pretty despite the state being blanketed in snow. I still find it amazing at how each state can come with its own personality and culture. I think that if the state wasn't blanketed in snow, it would be farming country. There were a lot of cows and horses, as well as big and beautiful properties. There would be money here I would say.
I felt an enormous privilege to be in the presence of what John Denver sang about. I am always overwhelmed to be anywhere that has supplied the inspiration for song lyrics. I can see how the Blue Ridge Mountains got their name. They indeed were a blue ridge which ran for miles and miles throughout Virginia. They have a very distinctive thick blue line which appears to run across the top of them the whole way and I am darned if I can figure out what does that. The Shenandoah River was pretty much just a river though. Not large and partially frozen. I am sure it expands in areas away from the Interstate but I can only go on what I saw.
Roanoke is also blanketed in snow but unlike the major cities, had not been ploughed that well. The main highway has most lanes cleared, with the exception of the far left hand lane (usually the turning lanes or slow vehicle lanes) so merging became interesting. In the city centre the streets are extremely narrowed however due to the show. Obviously a narrow plough had gone through just pushing the snow drifts slightly off to the side making it somewhat hazardous. Traffic heading in both directions where forced into the middle of the road so there was a lot of patience required.
Our hotel in Roanoke (The Hotel Roanoke) is known as the "Grand Old Lady on the Hill". It has stood since the late 1800's which if course meant to me that it has to be haunted. The hotel resembled a German Chalet which was extraordinarily quaint and just a little bit spooky. The rooms remind me of what an attic would look like - small, cozy....and haunted. I made a mental note NOT to research the hotel until after we left.
Tonight I finally got to eat at a "Golden Corral". The Bear has wanted to take me to one since our first trip to the United States but the opportunity just hasn't been there before. Well what a place! I will be honest and say that I felt like I was in a restaurant that was filled with people from both the Duck Dynasty and the Jerry Springer Show, but that was ok! I could be my extremely bogan self!
Now this is a place we could do with back in Oz. It would send Sizzler out of business in a heartbeat. It was a buffet of the heartiest kind with all sorts of simple meat dishes such as pot roast, rissoles and fried chicken. It had all sorts of vegetables including mashed potato (which I just LOVE!) and all sorts of pasta, Mexican dishes, and steak. It also had a completely cold salad bar filled with cold cuts, salads and "yeast rolls". But best of all, it had a desert bar AND bakery, as well as a fairy floss machine. The desert bar had a milk chocolate fountain and a white chocolate fountain with fruits and marshmallows to dip into it. There was a variety of cakes and truffles, slices and jellies....a soft service ice-cream machine as well as 8 sorts of main ice-cream. There were toppings that included choc chips and gummy bears. Most importantly it had my favourite ice-cream that I absolutely LOVE to have whilst in the US - a sherbet ice-cream. We do not have this at home. The most amazing thing of all, is the price. Its about $10 an adult which just absolutely does my head in. How the hell does Sizzler get off charging what they do?
More snow is predicted tonight although it wont be as heavy as if we travelled to Pittsburgh. We are going to move further south to Knoxville tomorrow, providing the ghosts that undoubtedly roam the hallways of The Hotel Roanoke don't eat me alive!
The snow ploughs were out early in Washington. That along with the sun being out ensured our escape from our hotel prison by 9am.
Rather than driving to Pittsburgh we drove in a southerly direction. Pittsburgh is north west of Washington and the weather is predicted to deteriorate further. 36 hours stuck in our hotel was enough for us. We didn't want to risk being caught anywhere else. We figure if he head south we will be coming into slightly warmer weather where the temperature will be above zero and would be less likely to have us caught. The storms across the USA have brought record breaking snow and quite frankly I could go for the rest of my life as well as the next one without seeing a single white snowflake. I am learning to hate it.
It was roughly a 4 hour drive to Roanoke, Virginia. There was very, very thick snow the whole way although it didn't really affect us on the Interstate. The snow ploughs are out in their thousands clearing the major arterials. Unfortunately people in the suburbs are stuck because the snow ploughs have to keep the major Interstates clear and cannot get to the suburban areas for several days. Some people have their own portable ploughs, or in most cases, their own snow shovels. It is back breaking work though. Clearing their footpaths or driveways, or more importantly digging their cars out, is horrendous. In fact the news reported yesterday that in the Washington area alone, there had been 3 deaths where people aged 47-55 had suffered fatal heart attacks whilst shovelling snow.
Driving through Virginia was pretty despite the state being blanketed in snow. I still find it amazing at how each state can come with its own personality and culture. I think that if the state wasn't blanketed in snow, it would be farming country. There were a lot of cows and horses, as well as big and beautiful properties. There would be money here I would say.
I felt an enormous privilege to be in the presence of what John Denver sang about. I am always overwhelmed to be anywhere that has supplied the inspiration for song lyrics. I can see how the Blue Ridge Mountains got their name. They indeed were a blue ridge which ran for miles and miles throughout Virginia. They have a very distinctive thick blue line which appears to run across the top of them the whole way and I am darned if I can figure out what does that. The Shenandoah River was pretty much just a river though. Not large and partially frozen. I am sure it expands in areas away from the Interstate but I can only go on what I saw.
Roanoke is also blanketed in snow but unlike the major cities, had not been ploughed that well. The main highway has most lanes cleared, with the exception of the far left hand lane (usually the turning lanes or slow vehicle lanes) so merging became interesting. In the city centre the streets are extremely narrowed however due to the show. Obviously a narrow plough had gone through just pushing the snow drifts slightly off to the side making it somewhat hazardous. Traffic heading in both directions where forced into the middle of the road so there was a lot of patience required.
Our hotel in Roanoke (The Hotel Roanoke) is known as the "Grand Old Lady on the Hill". It has stood since the late 1800's which if course meant to me that it has to be haunted. The hotel resembled a German Chalet which was extraordinarily quaint and just a little bit spooky. The rooms remind me of what an attic would look like - small, cozy....and haunted. I made a mental note NOT to research the hotel until after we left.
Tonight I finally got to eat at a "Golden Corral". The Bear has wanted to take me to one since our first trip to the United States but the opportunity just hasn't been there before. Well what a place! I will be honest and say that I felt like I was in a restaurant that was filled with people from both the Duck Dynasty and the Jerry Springer Show, but that was ok! I could be my extremely bogan self!
Now this is a place we could do with back in Oz. It would send Sizzler out of business in a heartbeat. It was a buffet of the heartiest kind with all sorts of simple meat dishes such as pot roast, rissoles and fried chicken. It had all sorts of vegetables including mashed potato (which I just LOVE!) and all sorts of pasta, Mexican dishes, and steak. It also had a completely cold salad bar filled with cold cuts, salads and "yeast rolls". But best of all, it had a desert bar AND bakery, as well as a fairy floss machine. The desert bar had a milk chocolate fountain and a white chocolate fountain with fruits and marshmallows to dip into it. There was a variety of cakes and truffles, slices and jellies....a soft service ice-cream machine as well as 8 sorts of main ice-cream. There were toppings that included choc chips and gummy bears. Most importantly it had my favourite ice-cream that I absolutely LOVE to have whilst in the US - a sherbet ice-cream. We do not have this at home. The most amazing thing of all, is the price. Its about $10 an adult which just absolutely does my head in. How the hell does Sizzler get off charging what they do?
More snow is predicted tonight although it wont be as heavy as if we travelled to Pittsburgh. We are going to move further south to Knoxville tomorrow, providing the ghosts that undoubtedly roam the hallways of The Hotel Roanoke don't eat me alive!
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