Reluctantly leaving Hilton Head behind, we were on the fast track heading to RI. Not only was our new baby, Pivot waiting patiently for our return but we were also anxious to begin the attack our long list of improvement projects.

Sometimes when planning our itinerary, finding a place to stay close to our route and within a three hour drive, limits our choices of campgrounds for a quick overnight stay. This was the case on our first night after leaving Hilton Head. Not many choices so we reluctantly made a reservation at Big Rig Friendly RV Resort in West Columbia, SC. Reluctantly because when we were there in November of 2023, this so called “resort” was a dirt pit and under major construction. Plus with a daily rate of $69, it was a ridiculously expensive rate for what they had to offer. Even with a 10% Good Sam discount ($6.90), our total was over $70 (includes $4.97 tax and a $3.00 charge for online booking).

Maybe this time would be different? Nope, still a lot of construction happening and still the expensive daily rate. Maybe someday when the resort is completed that rate will make sense but not now. Quiet night on pull thru site #35.

On our second night, we stayed at Camping World Racing Resort at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, NC where a large 30’ x 100’ pull-through site (#I11) would be our home for our one night stay. A quick drive around town and breakfast at the Parkway House prior to our departure the next morning were our only activities during our quick stay.

Mayberry, NC was our next destination on our itinerary. Here we would enjoy a two night stay on site #69 at Mayberry Campground.

After breakfast the morning after our arrival at the Rusty Rooster, it was time to re-explore the downtown area. Yep, the town was as charming as ever! The most significant claim to fame for Mt. Airy is its connection to Andy Griffith, who was born there in 1926 and went on to become a very popular actor, producer, and writer. His portrayal of Sheriff Andy Taylor in “The Andy Griffith Show” brought the small-town charm of Mayberry to life, a fictional place inspired by Griffith’s hometown.

As depicted in our post from our previous visit in our post Mayberry Meanderings, visiting here quickly becomes a totally immersive experience in all things Andy Griffith. So many things to do here!To see an extensive collection of memorabilia from the actor’s career, a visit to the Andy Griffith Museum is said to be worth a visit. Fans of the show can also visit the replica of the Mayberry courthouse, complete with Andy’s office and jail cells. We never made it to the museum but we did check out Andy’s office and jail cell. Pretty cool!

Foodies might want to sample a delicious famous pork chop sandwich at the Snappy Lunch, a diner featured in the show (huge and delicious) or try Moonshine Ice Cream at Hillbilly Ice & Creamery (yummy) or try some “Olde Tyme” goodies at Opie’s Candy Store!

New to us in town was an 18′ by 14′ mural, painted in 2021 and located in the Jack Loftis Plaza on Main Street. This mural is a vibrant tribute to the Easter Brothers gospel trio that hails from Mt. Airy.

Done with our quick revisit in town, being a beautiful day, a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway, which was a mere 14 miles from Mt. Airy (milepost 199.4), was a must, a repeat performance from our 2019 visit. Always a beautiful scenic drive!

Leaving Mt. Airy behind, nestled in the scenic Roanoke Valley and surrounded by the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains is the charming small town of Buchanan, Virginia. Limestone Park, which is managed by the Limestone Park Ministries, is located along the scenic James River and offers four 30 amp electric only sites ($35) and 10 30/50 amp electric/water sites ($45) as well as other amenities. We had reserved site #7, one of the electric/water sites.A true icon in town is a historic wooden bridge that spans the James River. The Buchanan Swinging Bridge, as it’s often called, is one of the longest swinging footbridges in the United States, stretching 366 feet and 57.5 feet tall across the river. Originally constructed in 1851, the bridge has been rebuilt several times due to flood damage, with the current structure dating back to 1938.

Nearby cautionary signs limit the number of people on the bridge to three at a time and also warn against running or causing the bridge to sway.

The sign and the thoughts of being suspended over a river on a windy day on a creaky, swaying structure definitely convinced me to remain on land so Rob had to experience this adventure by himself!

A nearby sign provided a glimpse into the history of the bridge:

Since 1851, portions of the Buchanan Swinging Bridge have played a critical role in the Town of Buchanan’s history while providing a scenic crossing of the James River. The Buchanan Swinging Bridge you see now is 366 feet long, 57.5 feet tall at the peak, and the only one of its type to cross the James River. Portions of the bridge have witnessed Hunter’s Civil War raid, the rerouting of U.S. Route 11, and numerous floods.

The original stone piers rising from the James River were constructed in 1851 for the Buchanan Turnpike Company’s Toll Bridge (above). The toll for every person to pass through this wood covered bridge was five cents with an additional five cents for each horse, mule or oxen, and wagon.

On June 13, 1864 the covered bridge was burned by Confederate General McCausland in an effort to prevent Federal General Hunter and troops from crossing the James River on their way to Lynchburg. The bridge was rebuilt following the war but washed away in a flood in 1877 (above). At that time, the Richmond & Alleghany Railroad Company rebuilt a toll-free covered bridge.

In 1897 this wood covered bridge was replaced with a steel truss bridge that remained in use until 1938.

Luckily Rob made it across the bridge and back safely but his hat wasn’t so lucky.  Thanks to the very gusty wind, it took flight, quickly finding its way into the water! But luckily it landed close enough to shore so he was able to climb down the embankment to rescue it.

Having explored all of the historical significance of Buchanan, another section of the Blue Ridge Parkway once again beckoned to us.  Buchanan is located at milepost 90.0 – we drove to the Peaks of Otter Visitor Center (which was closed) at milepost 85.6.

Our next destination was Shenandoah Family Campground in Mt. Jackson, VA. Initially we were assigned to site P3 but after pulling into it, we realized we were next to some people who had several yippy pups so we returned to the office to ask if we could move to another site. No problem!

In researching things to do in Mt. Jackson, there were several attractions in the area, one being Shenandoah Caverns and the other being Route 11 Potato Chips. Since one of us (moi) is an avid potato chip lover, we opted to visit Route 11 – viewing the production of the chips and sampling their different flavored chips was just too big of an enticement to resist. Although, they don’t give tours, visitors are able to view their production area through large windows. However, when we arrived there mid afternoon, we were disappointed to learn that they were not making chips that day! Darn, but at least we could still try their chips.

Unlike mass-produced chips, Route 11 focuses on small-batch production, “unhurried” chips, to maintain a high level of quality and taste. With only 32 employees, it’s amazing that this small company can produce such a surprising number of chips each day. On average, the company churns out around 10,000 pounds of potato chips daily. This translates into about 50,000 pounds of chips each week! Wow!

Check out this video about Route 11 and their partnership with others in the area.

They source their “chip” potatoes, which are special varieties of potatoes with a lower sugar content that are ideal for frying from growers throughout New England and Florida.

As mentioned in the above video, another key partner is a family-run company based in West Virginia. J.Q. Dickinson which has been harvesting salt from the ancient Iapetus Ocean trapped beneath the Appalachian Mountains for over 200 years.

Instead of just being given a few chips to taste, visitors can choose up to six small bags of old fashioned, kettle cooked chips to sample. We chose Lightly Salted, Salt & Vinegar, Chesapeake Crab, Dill Pickle, Salt & Pepper and Sweet Potato. Yum! All of them were really good. Of course, we couldn’t leave without a purchase.

Despite a foggy start the next morning when we said goodbye to Mt. Jackson, we were excited that we only had one more stop before arriving in Rhode Island.

Tri-State RV Park in Matamorous, PA, where we had stayed before, would be our last overnight stop.

The next day would be the final leg of our journey, heading towards our summer home in East Greenwich, RI. Needless to say, it was great being back! As mentioned above, we had a long list of boat projects that we would be tackling over the summer but more about that in a later post.