6/12/11 (Sunday):  Wiley is all done with his appointments and is scheduled for DBS surgery on 8/1 at University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor.  We're so pleased that he'll be able to get the surgery.  Since we were paid up through 6/10, we decided to head to Boone for a week before going back to FL for my 6-month cancer appointments.

We stopped around lunch time at Port Clinton, OH.  It's a quaint, little town on Lake Erie.  This little lighthouse is one of the smallest we've ever seen.











We stopped for the night near the Ohio/West Virginia border at a Microtel.  With our senior discount, it was only $70 per night (including a free breakfast buffet), and it was really a great room.  Just an aside here--if anyone wants to make an investment, there's not a single campground on I-77 in Ohio or West Virginia (and very few motels).  It's beautiful country and someone could make some money there!

Wiley caught a little cold on the second day out, so our first day in Boone was spent catching up with friends and being lazy.  This morning he's feeling better, so we took a little drive on some of the mountain roads.  These two deer were enjoying a morning drink from the creek when we surprised them.

The rhododendron was in bloom on the higher peaks along the Blue Ridge Parkway.  It's all finished at the lower elevations.

We were lucky enough to catch part of the "Great Race" along the parkway, too.  There were some interesting cars!  The race goes from Chattanooga, TN to Bennington, VT.  It's not a speed race, but a precision race, where the drivers strive to be at scheduled check points at a particular time.  Check out their link:  The Great Race.

We'll be back in New Smyrna Beach on 6/18. I have my cancer check-ups the next week, then a family reunion and return to Michigan in mid-July.  Hope everyone is having a great summer!