Relaxing lake time for a change! Also, great changes prove themselves!

Well, it's been fun to buy a new-to-us sailboat but getting the chance to spend time on our "big boat", the 1998 Bayliner 2452 Ciera Express Hardtop, well, that's just relaxing.

We've spent the last year getting her outfitted and prepped for just the occasion we had this weekend. Great cool summer weather, even if it was a little overcast, we had a great time!

The work begins!

Let the work begin!

Maiden Voyage... not counting North Carolina!

Backing her down the ramp, Stacey did a great job. Rachel is coming out to help!

Bringing home baby

Our 1998 Seaward Fox Carbon Fibre Cat Rig!

A trip from Arkansas to North Carolina is not a short one, especially if you are returning in the same weekend! Don't let the 9 hours listed on the GPS fool you...it's always more!

We left at midnight Thursday night and took turns sleeping in the back of our Ford Flex where we had made a palate. Everything was on schedule and we arrived in Knoxville just as planned. Had a nice breakfast then went shopping for needed items at West Marine.

Now is when the trip gets interesting. GPS is a great thing for cities but when you are in the middle of nowhere in the Appalachian mountains it might think someone's driveway is a road and it had no idea a major road was out due to flooding. We went a couple of hours out of the way but finally arrived about 3 pm on Friday. Not counting our 2 hour stop in Knoxville that makes about 12 hours drive time. And we still have 4 hours back to our planned hotel in Dandridge, TN... IN THE RAIN (wait for it) DOWN A MOUNTAIN (wait again...) WITH A SAILBOAT IN TOW! AHHH :D