Atlanta and Home

So basically on Friday it wasn't a great day.  It was raining and not much exploring was going to happen on account of this inclement weather.  We did get out to a playground and park in Roswell and sussed that out, and unfortunately we poked ourselves into a giant Wal-Mart to take in that business; but we didn't buy anything.  After that we went to this indoor trampoline park called Sky-Zone.  We had a bit of a family pass and a jump around.  I suppose I have already mentioned that.

On Saturday we just sort of hung around the neighbourhood.  It was still raining and it was enough to impede an outdoor exploration.  Perhaps if we were at home we would have went out, but we were travelling and had on clothes or footwear to suit.  We went to Buckhead and headed for Lennox Mall.

Shelly and Marsha toured the mall and got that business done, while I took the kids into the Legoland Adventure area.  It was okay - the kids seemed to enjoy it.  It was a 2 hour affair that included so interactive Lego building, a history lesson about Lego, a ride, and a few other exhibits to check out.

On Sunday it was still misty and overcast, but Stone Mountain would be our ultimate destination.  This is a odd geographic landscape that over millions of years, has created this enormous rock heaving out of the ground.  The perimetre of the rock must be a few kilometres, and it would go a few hundred feet up.  There is a walking path, but that wasn't going to be an option with the company we brought, so we thought we would take the gondola up - the gondola was closed of course.  But we were still able to walk around the base of it, and the shops were all open in the consuming area.  They had it decorated really nicely, and the fall colours were evident.  There was an impromptu parade which we participated in, and overall it was a fantastic trip despite poorer weather.

On Monday morning we pushed northeast towards North Carolina.  Boone, NC would be our ultimate destination.  I had last been to Boone, NC in 2002.  I remembered its distinct vibe and feel as a mid sized, hip city.  I thought Shelly would enjoy going into the artisan shops, and I really wanted to go to the Mast General Store.  Eventually we got to Boone, got a hotel, and had some time to explore and see the city.  Without fail it was pretty much as I expected, and I was very impressed by the easy going feel and mountain-like community it presented.  It would be a lot like Nelson, BC, maybe a bit Stratford-ish, ON too.

Mast General is a great store.  It is a store that time has forgotten.  It is a general store with an operational post office and such, a huge wood stove in its centre, lots of candy and crafts, hunting supplies, and just generally cool things.

On Tuesday we found Interstate 77 and proceeded north.  It was a really, really great drive.  No construction like on 75, you drive through a few tunnels through mountains, great scenery, and just different, but neat.  We weren't making great time, but eventually we got to Akron after 7:30 at night and thought that would be a good enough highway haul.

There was only 450km left to drive - So we headed out on Wednesday morning and it was sunny and warm.  Travelling with the kids had been fine, and continued to be fine.  Wally traveled very well and pulled more sleep then he had every slept before in his life it seemed.  Molly not so much or as good.  She wasn't too interested in movie watching, book reading/looking/, colouring, or anything involving a solitary activity....  However we did alright and kept her mostly engaged.

We got all the way to Port Huron and gassed the car and fed the stomachs.  It would be see-ya-later to the states and let's get the you-know-what home.  We would make a quick stop in Bright's Groove to visit Janet and Pete, and then onto the last 80km leg home.  We arrived by 3:30 or so.