Finding HHHappiness

We spent the weekend in Woodruff, SC at a art and music festival called Hippies by the River. There where 60 total vendors at this event. Unlike most events there was a real focus on vendors here. It could better be discribed as a craft fest with camping and the occasional musical act just after sun down.  (the store set up at night) After a successful little festival we were excited to hit the road furthur south into warmer weather. The temperature got as low as 29°F over the weekend. We packed up all our gear and hot the road Sunday mid afternoon. Making it a good distance south. To the border of Georgia for the night.  (camp for the night. Just north of Augusta Georgia) We got some great rest and are excited to travel through Georgia into Florida. Monday is Carmen's birthday so we may make a couple extra stops along the way. Thanks for tuning in!

We had a wonderful stay at our little camp in Western North Carolina. Relaxing by the fire, working hard on creating things, and a quick trip to to the local brewery. The Brewery is called Sidetracked and their beers served by the glass were great!! Only crowlers and growlers to go, but man what a great atmosphere.  (a view from outside Sidetracked brewing Morganton, NC) (Sidetracked brewing interior) (Thomas the "Dank" Engine, hazy IPA) We returned to Alice to relax at the campfire and fend off the ladybugs. The lady bugs love Alice! We made a couple fun videos on TikTok also. I'll put links to them below.  TikTok video 1 TikTok video 2 (campfire) (Michelle has been hard at work on a large granny square coat project) (tons of ladybugs at most of the windows and a swarm around Alice like nowhere else in the area. (Ladybugs are good luck!)) We retired to the sheets to get some rest for the drive south ...

We got pretty decent sleep at our pull off the road campsite. Carmen was quick to get things set up to be home for a while. Fetching a fair amount of firewood and making a couple small repairs/improvements to Alice as well.  (camp all set up for a few days) (a view from the road) We both worked through the day creating works for the upcoming show and commissions. Stoking a fire in the afternoon made for a great time to catch up on blog posting and crocheting. (Michelle working steady enjoying the warm fire) It was a nice relaxing day, working rather than driving was a nice change. Thanks for tuning in!

Upon waking up on the farm. We went for a nice morning walk after breakfast around the farm. We got to visit all the animals, meat goats, milk goats, haired sheep (no need for sheering) pigs and chickens.  (meat goats, keeping an eye on us as we pass by) (chickens that gave us some beautiful unwashed eggs. Unwashed eggs, do NOT need to be refrigerated. That's great for bus life) (the hogs, raised for the kielbasa and breakfast sausage we will enjoy over the coming days) After coffee/tea and our walk, then a nice morning chat with our host for the night. We hit the road once again. This time with sights set on a place to park and work at, for, hopefully 4 days. (mountains in the distance) As we traveled through a small town called Hiddenite, NC. We noticed a sign for an emerald mine. We decided to stop in and try our hand at rockhounding. Emerald hollow was the name of this mine. The fee was $20.⁰⁰ per person and the shovels and bucket...

We had a chilly night at the winery. Cold air makes for great sleep, but not so fun to escape the blankets in the morning.  (sunshine in the frosty grass of Golden Road Vineyard) Carmen woke up early, only to find the furnace had overheated at some point in the night. Shutting itself down for safety, making it quite cold while the outside temp was only 28°F. He quickly got it fired up again and the bus nice and toasty as he cooked a hearty breakfast for the two of us and sunshine. After breakfast we packed the breakables and strapped the drawers shut. Ready to explore the area on our way to the next destination.  We hit the road headed in a Western direction, sights set for Stone Mountain State Park, NC. This park is home to a waterfall unlike any waterfall I had seen before. This water fall doesn't actually fall, it slides. (Top of Falls at Stone Mountain SP ) The mountain is made of solid granite rock. Creating a slide for the water to cascade over ra...

After a relaxing couple days we continue our journey South and West along the blue ridge mountains into North Carolina.  (camp at North River Campground a hot fire on a cold evening) As we crossed a river in Buchanan, VA we spotted a most unique footbridge. This was unlike any other bridge we had seen before. A suspension bridge with cables drawn to a center tower and a couple of rather small steel beams to support the walking surface wood boards. The link below takes you to a short video of the bridge discribed above.  (info board about footbridge crossing James River) Buchanan Swinging Bridge (Swinging Bridge overview) (a view as you start across the footbridge) After our walk about the suspension footbridge we hammered down on some back country roads up and over the the blue ridge mountains and into the Mt Airy, NC area.  17 miles on Blue Ridge Parkway, VA (time lapse) Backcountry roads in My Airy, NC area We made plans t...

After leaving Pennsylvania we found a great little spot for the night at a scenic overlook off of state RT 48 in West Virginia. Opon pulling in we found lots of graffiti on the pavement. It wasn't anything impressive either, just highschool kid chicken scratch...I love so n so and so on. The graffiti was concerning that we may have to fend of some kids with spray paint trying to tag our rig in the middle of the night. Though that never happened and we got a wonderful night's rest. I've included a link to a short video below of the view walking off of the bus stairs in the morning. (Alice parked at the scenic overlook) (a view out the doors at the overlook) WV to VA time lapse We continue south in the morning after cleaning Alice's windshield to capture some time laps footage. Through West Virginia into Virginia. We had a cloudy semi rainy day of travel into Virginia. Along the route we stopped into Lost River State Park for a short hike and some ...

Well, it has been some time since we have made a post on here. To bring you up to speed we have 98% completed the bus build that we have named Alice. We are on all social media outlets as Alice_the_skoolie. We have more about the build and some detailed videos available on TikTok.  (Interior of Alice_the_skoolie) With Alice mostly complete making her very livable, we have given up our apartment. Living  in Alice full time for over two months now. We have officially left our home state of New York chasing the sun. We have many festivals of all kinds planned for the winter months. We hope you follow along for the journey.  (night time photo of our store Hammocks Hats and Happiness set up in front of Alice at a music festival in New York) We have found that many people who live in skoolies or RV's and travel alot tend to stay on the highways and sleep in Walmart parking lots everywhere they go. Now I do see the convinces in this, I must say I prefer o...