2019 Fall Western Trip: Kentucky to North Carolina

Friday and Saturday 10/25, 26: 206 miles, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, Kentucky

Site 25

The drive was on Interstate 64 all the way today.  We have stayed here before, and we like the campground very much.  The paved sites are water and electric only, back in, good size and usually treed.   The only downside is that the sites were designed as perfect 90 degrees back in, and the paved pad is narrow.  Thus it can be a challenge backing in, especially if the ground is wet.  The park was quite full, which has not been our experience in the past when we camped here in October.  After a streak of about 10 days of sunny weather, the forecast for tonight is for rain all night.

It rained again off and on all day Saturday.  We had wanted to spend time at the Horse Park, but the weather would have made it unpleasant.  So instead we made our last grocery shopping stop for this trip.  Then we read, napped, and watched some college football on TV.

Sunday 10/27:  304 miles, Asheville East KOA, 

Site A-2

We left Lexington by 9:00.  The itinerary was I-75 south to Knoxville, TN where we picked up I-40 east. to Asheville.  The traffic on I-40 was horrible, especially as we got closer to Asheville.  There were several places of 5 mile per hour stop and go traffic.  The entire journey of 300 miles took over an hour longer than it should have.

This is a pleasant KOA, with a stream flowing through it and a couple of large ponds for boating and fishing.  Like most KOA's, the sites can be a bit tight, but that was offset by the views of the water and a really nice place to walk the dogs along the stream.

It was a sunny 73 when we arrived.  Our original plan was to hunt up the recently opened New Belgium Brewery.  However, we were so spent from the drive, we just stayed at the campground and relaxed.

Monday 10/28:  210 miles, parked at Jordan Lakes SRA near Apex, North Carolina

Crosswinds Campground, Site 50

We decided to leave I-40 as soon as possible today.  There is so much traffic, and so many slow downs.  Today it was an accident that closed one lane.  Just east of Statesville, we got off the Interstate and took NC Rt. 64.  It turned out to be a very nice drive with some beautiful countryside and small towns.  It was a nice drive that was not as stressful as I-40.  I'm glad we took it.

This is an amazing campground.  Jordan Lake Reservoir is 14,000 acres with 180 miles of shoreline, and the State has created a Recreation Area to protect it.  

There are several campgrounds in the recreation Area.  We are in Crosswinds.  I reserved the site online, not really knowing what to expect except most of the reviews were very good.  Boy, did we get lucky.  The sites here are HUGE!!!  They are wooded, large, and private.  They have water and electric only, but there is a modern bathhouse near us.  We also have a waterfront site.   I now wish we had booked several days here.  It is so beautiful and quiet here.

The beach at our site.

Sunset over Jordan Lake

Tomorrow it is on to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and the Cape Hatteras KOA.