Kind of a running list of where things stand and what I need to do to make vacation happen.

It looks like it will be a great week down in West Virginia with lots of sun and temperatures warming up to the upper 60s by the end of the week. Maybe some rain for the drive down on Saturday but even that evening doesn’t look like a wash out. Checked the oil over the weekend, and that was good, I could pick up some pre-mix coolant and top that off just to be safe.

Tonight I’m going to run to Walmart to get some initial supplies and things I need around the apartment. Start packing and getting ready. Been thinking a lot about what I want to cook down there, as food shopping options really are limited in Davis and Thomas high country area and I don’t plan to drive to either Oakland or Elkins mid week if I can avoid it. I was hoping to get ice cream in Davis/Thomas but the one ice cream parlor in the region closed before Columbus Day Weekend. Kind of a bummer as it’s going to be warm by the end of the week. Maybe I can get my fix of pumpkin ice cream on the way back home. Doesn’t have to be fancy — I’m all for vanilla soft-ice cream with a pumpkin dip. I’ll bring some cans of pumpkin puree to have pumpkin with non-fat greek yogurt at camp, plus pumpkin-oatmeal pancakes and pumpkin-oatmeal biquits for my pumpkin fix.

Got to transfer $300 from my rainy day bank account to my main account to keep the balance up and then withdraw $200 in small bills for miscellaneous expenses like campground fees and farm stands on the way down. I get paid next Tuesday but my bank balance is currently fairly low and with rent due along with automated investment and retirement there still will be insufficient funds despite the money coming in. At the end of November though my deferred compensation will max out so that should mean a good boost in pay that will help me catch up again on my bank balance.

I need to print up some maps for some of the areas I’m exploring plus make sure I have cached the forest service and topographic maps on my phone. While I should have service at camp, not all locations will and it’s better to be safe then not have the maps I need. I really plan to GPS and share as much of my trip as possible, including posting tracks of drives, bike rides and hikes along the way. Plus get podcasts to listen to up at camp, especially for the first rainy night where it’s unlikely I’ll have much service.

I want to soak 15 bean soup tonight, make hard boiled eggs and knead bread to bake on Friday afternoon so I have things to eat on the way down and Saturday night without much cooking especially if it turns out Saturday evening is wetter then it’s trending. I also want to get some cider doughnuts to enjoy on the way down, maybe in Oneonta. Hit the hay early Saturday night at camp in Penna and get on the road early Sunday around day break to Cumberland, Maryland.

Sunday looks like the rain will pull out fairly early which is good if I want to spend a few hours exploring the Chesapeake and Ohio Trail in Cumberland on Blackie my mountain bike before heading down to Keyser to top off my propane and do one more supply shop at Walmart before heading up the Allegheny Front and setting up camp in the high country.

Monday is going to be a bit cool but sunny and the rest of the week could very well be t-shirt weather at least by the end of the day with lots of sun. Planning many bike rides and hikes through the week to scenic locations. Want to have many good, delicious and healthy meals to cook even though I won’t have my full oven but I’ll bring my camp oven and Dutch oven. Undecided about the food processor, I could bring it or I might just mill up oatmeal for pancakes and baking in advance.

Then just kind of relax. I want to have fun but not be rushed or trying to see and visit as many places as possible at once. Be able to watch many sun rises and sunsets, have some nice fires, listen to music and podcasts. Take pictures and enjoy the scenery. Eat good healthy meals. Maybe do a bit of bike riding under the moon light, get a craft beer from Mountain State Brewery. Make the most of it before heading back north come the following Saturday.