Saturday Drive

What a wonderful Saturday. As noted in the previous post we took the 130 mile round trip drive to Roanoke. The temperature once off Groundhog Mountain is about 10 degrees warmer. It had to be pushing 80 as we cruised through the traffic light in Floyd. I knew it was a good day, usually we get the red. That's the way it is folks, the only traffic light in the county almost always stops you. The sunroof (or moonroof, depending on the time of day) was open and windows were down and CD of choice was Joyce Meyers. At one point she said a prayer for the conversion of family and friends of her audience who don't know Jesus. I couldn't help inserting the names of a few bloggers I know. God was truly in His glory.

On a personal note since I'm riding around doing the insurance thing I've decided I should get paid for it. I told the poobah that I felt sorry for him and will take the insurance exam and go to work for them. They are very short handed in this area and are , I don't think desperately is too strong a word, looking for people. It will mean my little fledgling wife will have to take wings and go off flying for herself. But over the past month or so she has gained the confidence to do so. It will also mean the bills will be paid and if all goes well we will return to a positive cash flow.

The road down Bent Mountain into Roanoke affords a grand view of the Roanoke Valley where the blossoming trees promised spring. As we reached the base and were following the Back Creek Road the wonderful aroma of hickory smoke laced with animal fat waft in the open windows. And that meant somewhere in the vicinity there was to be had that most desirous of all mountain foods, Bar-B-Que! There it was, that black drum (not to be confused with the fish) on wheels with the smoke billowing out. Since we had to wait until the return trip to stop the anticipation was almost too much to bear. But stop we did, and oh joy, a free sample of melt in the mouth pork shoulder fresh from the smoker. We bought a pound and two scoops of homemade ice cream. The ice cream was one of those serendipitous little blessings which God has a habit of dropping on one unexpectedly. Unusually warm day, hand churned peach ice cream, (Wanda had apple pie flavor) and the smell of fresh pork B-B-Q coming from the back seat and a clear view for miles from the road up Bent Mountain. Could life get any better?

A quick stop at the hardware store (if we don't have it, you don't need it) in Floyd to replentish bird seed and then on to Slaughters Market for bread for the B-B-Q which now is really smelling good. It's about another 30 miles up to the mountain and the Toyota was zipping around the curves of the Floyd Pike. Just past Dugspur we turn onto, what else, Dugspur Road.

As we head up route #638, which you may recall has been the sight of several adventures such as the bull in the road, I begin following a trail of "horse apples". Coming around a curve the above source is located. These horses and wagon belong to the folks who have a farm down the road a bit. Their kids were following up in the little pony cart. With the true hospitality so evident in this area we were invited to follow them home. They have a large farm and said that among other things, there is a rodeo in the works. But today one of the horses had thrown a shoe. We'll stop by some day when we are less tired from a long but enjoyable drive and when there's not the promise of pork B-B-Q calling from the back seat.

Home.
Wanda had a peaceful walk down Orchard Trail spotting a flock of wild Turkey while I relaxed on the couch with a well deserved pork bar-b-que sandwich and a beer to watch the constant flurry of hungry birds feasting on a fresh supply of sunflower seeds.