By Ben Orcutt -- Daily Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN — Saturday's Route 11 Yard Crawl from New Market to Stephens City was a day for patient spouses to support their bargain-hunting significant others.

Tammy Thompson, 35, and her husband, Bobby Thompson, 36, traveled from Hampshire County to take advantage of the fourth annual, 40-plus-mile yard sale on U.S. 11.

Mrs. Thompson found a good deal at the home of Michael and Karen Fleming in Middletown, who were selling clothes for a buck a bag.

"Just bargain shopping," she said.

Mr. Thompson said he and his wife had been at it for several hours, and that he was looking forward to taking a break to get something to eat.

"I'm just supporting her," Thompson said of his wife. "She's having a good time, so that makes me happy."

The Flemings also were enjoying the pleasant weather and boasted sales of about $200 in the early afternoon.

"We're going to try to go to the beach this week," Mrs. Fleming said, anticipating the use their yard sale proceeds.

Mr. Fleming said he began setting things out for sale about 6 a.m.

"People were trying to buy stuff as we were setting up," he said. "We've done yard sales before living on [U.S.] 11, but never anything like this."

Though he appreciated the money his family was earning from the event, Mr. Fleming said their primary purpose on Saturday was to "get rid of stuff."

This was the fourth year for the yard crawl and the first time it extended to Middletown and Stephens City. Donna Brown, 52, of Frederick County, was happy with the northernmost locations.

"We went to Cedar Creek and turned around," she said. "Last year we went all the way to Edinburg. The truck's full. We can't get anything else in it. The prices in Stephens City and Middletown were a lot better."

Brown said a Victorian bamboo bird cage she purchased on Saturday "is the deal of the summer."

For Bo Ingram, 62, and his wife, Marty, 60, of Middletown, Saturday was a chance to get rid of unwanted household items. The Ingrams were sporting official $6 yard crawl T-shirts to acknowledge their enthusiasm for the event.

Like Mr. Fleming, Mr. Ingram said the best part of the yard sale crawl was "getting rid of all this stuff."

"We're selling stuff very cheap," Mrs. Ingram added.

And Mother Nature provided a glorious day.

"The weather's been great," Mr. Ingram said. "People have been nice. It's been a lot of fun."

Mr. Ingram said the determining factor on whether he and his wife will be on the selling end of next year's event "depends on how much more we sell."

The Ingrams were joined at their home by friends Pat Hyland, 61, and his wife, Suzi, 52, of Frederick County. Pat Hyland said he and Ingram both teach in Frederick County.

"I've seen some of our colleagues," Mr. Hyland said, appearing, with his wife, to be enjoying the day as much as the Ingrams.

Stephens City resident Cecelia Salyards, who admits to being forty-something, set up shop in the parking lot of her employer, the Family Country Market.

Salyards was selling homemade jams and jellies.

"It's doing good," she said. "Plus, we sold tomatoes from the garden."

Salyards' 7-year-old daughter, Rachelle, was also selling some items and had made more than $35. Rachelle said she planned to spend her earnings on a game.

"People started shopping at 5 o'clock in the morning, and they've been here ever since," Salyards said. "This is a tremendous thing for us. We read it in the Daily they were going to include Middletown and Stephens City. I said, 'Wow, we have to jump on this.'"

Part-time antique dealer Mike Spiker of Martinsburg, W.Va. was set up near Salyards, but was not doing as well. However, Spiker said he was still having fun interacting with shoppers who were at least looking at his wares.

"Absolutely," he said. "Yes sir."

* Contact Ben Orcutt at borcutt@nvdaily.com