Goal day one : Johnson City Tennessee , so we can be up early to visit Roan Mountain State Park
Before we headed out, I had prepared some food to take along for the first leg of our journey. It made our first evening much easier since we could simply relax and enjoy our meal in the hotel room rather than having to go back out looking for somewhere to eat.
We made several stops along the way, taking the back roads as we love to do. One of the highlights was revisiting a few antique shops in Cleveland, Tennessee, that we had discovered on our trip back in March. Since thrifting and treasure hunting are two of our favorite pastimes, we always keep our eyes open for interesting shops along the way. We spotted several during this drive, and, of course, I couldn’t resist stopping. I ended up finding some wonderful treasures and a few really great bargains!
We’ve officially reached our destination for the first day of travel! That’s actually a little unusual for us because we’re not typically the kind of travelers who go straight from point A to point B. We love taking our time, wandering off the beaten path, and exploring whatever catches our eye along the way. It seems like every time we glance out the window, there’s something new that sparks our curiosity. Maybe it’s a little antique shop, an interesting roadside attraction, a charming small town, or just a scenic road begging to be explored. We have a hard time passing up an opportunity to stop and see what’s around the next bend! But this time, we managed to make it to our destination on day one without too many detours. That’s a pretty good accomplishment for two people who love a little adventure along the way!
We decided to call Johnson City, Tennessee, home for two nights. What a charming little community! It’s the kind of place that makes you want to slow down and look around a bit. There are plenty of shops to explore, restaurants to choose from, and lots of things to keep visitors entertained. After a day of traveling, it was a nice place to settle in, relax, and enjoy a little change of scenery. And, as always, we were happy to have another little town to discover along the way!
Marley was perfectly content staying in the room with Mom and Dad. She really is such a good travel companion! She never complains, settles right in wherever we go, and is always happy to head outside for her potty breaks on her leash. Of course, she knows there’s a little reward waiting for her afterward—her special potty treat from Daddy! It’s become part of our travel routine, and she wouldn’t want to miss it.
The next morning, we headed out for our usual morning walk, and Mother Nature had a beautiful surprise waiting for us. The sunrise was putting on quite a show, painting the sky with soft morning colors and giving us a lovely view to start the day. Now, I’m not typically an early riser, but when you’re traveling, sometimes the best moments happen before the rest of the world wakes up. Marley, on the other hand, is always ready for an early morning adventure! She’s eager to get outside, sniff every new smell, investigate her surroundings, and see what the day has in store. I think she would happily volunteer for morning walks no matter what time the alarm goes off! And honestly, with a sunrise like that, even I didn’t mind getting up a little earlier.
After taking advantage of the complimentary breakfast at the Comfort Suites, we were fueled up and ready to hit the road for another day of exploring! And apparently, we were enjoying a little extra pampering that morning. Breakfast in bed, with coffee served right alongside it! David was quite pleased with the service. After all, he doesn’t get this kind of royal treatment at home! I think he could get used to this hotel routine. It’s amazing how a simple hotel breakfast can make the morning feel a little more relaxing before another day of adventures begins.
Come along with us as we travel from Johnson City, Tennessee, toward the beautiful mountain scenery of Roan Mountain. There’s always something to discover when we take the road less traveled, and this stretch of our journey promises plenty of sights, little stops, unexpected treasures, and memories along the way. So settle in and follow along as we see where the road takes us and make a few more memories together! Surprises in store for both of us this day!
