As we head into the 9 o’clock hour we have gone up one degree to 47. Still a very dark and chilly morning. The weather of recent reminds me of mid-November.

I decided I don’t really have the time to order county maps from the Virginia DOT before heading on my trip but hopefully they will send my free state map before then. I may pick up a Rand McNally when I’m down there because I wish I had more detail then my US Atlas.

Sunday morning I think I will get my tires rotated and truck inspected. Saturday I need to clean the cab out well. I want to put together a check list for packing so I don’t forget anything important before leaving early next Saturday for Pennsylvania.

Next Week Sunday, I will head south on US Route 219 for northern West Virginia, briefly crossing through that cesspool known as Maryland. Tuesday or Wednesday heading into Virginia and midweek will drive Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Park. I might head farther south along the Blue Ridge Parkway or maybe not into Jefferson National Forest. I don’t know how I will come back to NY State, I might take I-99 and night over at PA’s Tioga State Forest or maybe I-81 — although I loathe to take I-81 as it means going through a lot of cities on a narrow, congested, old freeway in Pennsylvania. Might take US 219 back to Ridgeway then visit Benezette to see the elk in rut and head up to Austin Dam and overnight there. Still finalizing plans but things will evolve based on weather and what I find when I’m down there.