Sunday, 22 February 2026: We left Legacy RV Resort early Sunday morning, looking at a six and half hour drive per the GPS. Arrival time was predicted at 1:15pm. Not a chance! We had to make some stops for propane, since the weather was going to be cooler, for fuel, and for lunch at a minimum. We were hoping for a 4pm arrival.
Making time on an all-interstate trip was fairly easy. The winds were somewhat rough, blowing the weather change into the areas. We hit a couple of spots of rain before we landed on the NC Line. At the Tennessee state line, we hit major snow. On the eastern side of the mountain, it was simply blowing around. When we hit the western side, it was sticking to everything. This was our pucker point. No problem, slow down, only an hour to go.
After one last stop to top off the fuel in case we needed to run on generator during any weather and wind events, we finally landed at Moody Bluff. Four pm on the dot, and it was cold!
Setup was quick, but we had an issue with the outside tent. The fiberglass poles were starting to splinter. We headed to Academy Sports and then Home Depot, only to find that no one stocks bicycle tents, at least not in the middle of winter. So, we ordered a new one and had it shipped.
Off to dinner… We found a place called The Corner in Kingsport, another pub style restaurant with a good mix of people. The menu was varied but simple. The food and the service were good. The bar crowd would keep us entertained.
Monday, 23 February 2026: The snow and winds blew all night with temps down in the teens. Monday morning, we woke to no hot water in the camper. We have had an issue once before where the hot water froze. The underneath of the motorhome is not fully enclosed. For some reason, Jayco decided to wrap all the pipes with insulation except for the last eight inches of both the hot and the cold at the water heater. No problem, I knew what I was doing, I thought. No hot water for the day. We now know how to use the bathhouse. We will see what the evening brings.
We visited family Monday afternoon and went to Troyer’s Mountain View Country Market for a late lunch. The grill is open until mid-afternoon, and we were excited for the stop – not only for the food but also the frozen French vanilla latte with a drizzle of caramel and light milk. We also bought some peanut butter pie for dessert and some fresh California oranges for snack. A great place to restock.
We headed back to camp to check out our water issues. I thought I had a bad check valve that may have frozen. I headed to Lowe’s and found a replacement. I replaced the piece; still no hot water. Oh well, we will try tomorrow. Over night, we left the kitchen sink dripping since the overnight was going to be coldest. Tuesday morning, no water in the kitchen, hot or cold. Come on warmer weather. We will wait and see.
Tuesday, 24 February 2026: We had some crap to deal with in Telford around noon, so we headed that way after giving up on water for the morning. We met with Lester for about an hour before lunch. The air outside was still very cool as we stood and discussed the service he was providing. Once done, we settled up with an all clear and no need to call him for service again anytime soon. By the way, if you need a good septic cleanout, call Swatzell Septic Tank Services in Chuckey, TN. You will know the right number when he mentions on the voicemail how much crap they have to deal with.
Off to lunch at Mountain View Restaurant in Telford, another good local spot with a menu that provides for anyone in your party. Meatloaf for Kevin and a veggie plate for Beth (fried green tomatoes, cornbread casserole, side salad, and a roll). Good southern food and very filling. Since we were right beside Troyer’s, we restocked on the oranges since two-thirds of them were already gone.
Back to camp to find some thawing. Well, water on the ground under the camper, so it must be thawed on the inside, as well. Once inside, we found that we left a faucet on in the rear bath which would not have been a problem if we also had left the tank valve open. The good news is that we only flowed the little bit of water from the holding tank, so we were not completely flooded since the pump ran out of water. Whew, two or three lessons, all at once. We cleaned and dried up the mess. We hope we are done with the deep freeze for a while.
Wednesday, 25 February 2026: Beth traveled to Jonesborough for the “Cousin Lunch”. Her cousins get together once a month for fellowship and a meal, and she tries to make it to each one she can. After a long day of work, we spent some time with our niece, Annaston Hall, who attends ETSU. We met for dinner at McCallister’s Deli in Johnson City. The food was delicious and fueled us up for our next stop Freedom Hall. Senior night for the ETSU Bucs. On the way in, we were each given a new t-shirt for gold out night. Tonight would also include the trophy presentation from the SoCon Commissioner since the Bucs had already finished at the top of the SoCon. A good night of great basketball even with the loss. #GoBucs!!
Thursday, 26 February 2026: Beth was able to visit with her mom and aunt today for bit. She also got to enjoy “Music by Trudy” with them. Old songs and hymns at a gathering each Thursday morning. What a treat! After work, we headed to Texas Roadhouse for dinner with Angie and Patrick. It is always so good to see them, and we had a great time and a great meal.
The weekend brought lots of visits with family and friends. Friday, we met some friends for dinner at Phil’s Dream Pit BBQ. This was our first time there, and the food was good.
We traveled to North Carolina on Saturday to visit with the kids and Kevin’s parents. Sunday we visited Beth’s mom and relaxed around camp. Working in Johnson City, 30 years ago, we were familiar with a restaurant named Perkin’s Restaurant. Today, they are known as Perkins Restaurant & Bakery. Neither Beth nor I had never tried it, but the parking lots are always full of cars. Sunday night, we gave it a try. Reminded us of Lizard’s Thicket with a little better food quality. We already have plans to return for some of the bakery items, desserts, soon.
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