The Homestead

Uh, talk about a fish out of water. This place is unbelievable. After the GPS fiasco, we thought I had really gotten us into a pickle. When we drove up to "the tower", I knew we were in trouble.

The GPS gave us a couple of options to get here. The one I chose was 20 minutes faster. I figured it knew what it was talking about. After it wound us through the back roads of this little mining town, I was second guessing it for sure. We laughed and Tony was quick to point out I was the navigator and it wasn't his fault. Little did we know what was ahead.

We kept following the route it directed. At one point a sign said there was no outlet to a street the GPS said to go on. I figured it was just a grid, so we took another road and got back on track. When we found the place the other road was supposed to join in, there was a guard rail. Not sure what year the map on my GPS is based on, but there's been a detour created since!

From there the road narrowed and the lines disappeared. To say we started to get a little nervous is an understatement. I saw a sign that said "GPS navigation not advised". I wasn't too sure what that meant. Then the houses started to disappear. Next we started up a mountain with some kiss your ass turns. If you don't know what that is, then you're not mountain folk. It's where the road basically turns back on itself as you snake your way up the side of a mountain - a switchback. We were in the backwoods of the Virginia - West Virginia border.

I started hearing dueling banjos and the sound of squealing pigs. About this time we saw something in the road up head. Turns out it was a relatively young guy hitchhiking. I turned to Tony with that "you've gotta be kidding me" look. We started laughing and I couldn't stop. It wasn't that late, but I was a little delirious. Maybe it was the altitude.

Needless to say, we didn't pick him up. But the poor guy didn't have on a coat and it was 29 degrees outside. I told Tony we could at least go back, roll down the window, and throw out the blanket I keep in the car. But we decided against that plan. We kept the car pointed up the winding road.

We drove and drove. The GPS went through this phase where it would say we should turn in 90, 80, 70... feet. Then at one point it completely went bezerk and told me we were an hour away after we were within 15 minutes. The laughing started again, but the fear was creeping in. I was grateful scaredy cat Cass wasn't with us. I could hear her grumpy voice fussing in the back seat the whole way.

Finally, we got to a junction in the road. It had a sign for the hotel, so we knew we were on the right trail - literally. The road never turned to dirt, but there was a time or two I was expecting it. If I only had bread crumbs, I would have thrown them out to leave evidence we were there. We were grateful to see lights and civilization again.

We followed the signs and again wound our way through a little town to find the hotel. What we found is amazing. This place is a HUGE resort in the middle of no where. I can't wait to see it during the day light. I highly doubt I'll be finding a store to get food for the room. So much for my rebellious acts of defiance. But we might have to stay in our room. We're slightly under dressed.

We walked in and everyone is in party attire. I'm in my yoga pants and work t-shirt. Tony is in his usual jeans and black t-shirt. I only brought jeans and cowboy boots. Oh, what have I gotten us into?! Hillbilly rednecks in lifestyles of the rich and famous. Always an adventure.