Day One, Afternoon.

Huntsville, Alabama

12:01: 640.6 kms.
12:11: Nice little welcome centre in Kentucky. Free maps! And literature. Whoo hoo, paraphernalia! Oh, did I mention maps? It’s a little muggier, having climbed to 26 degrees.
What’s Playing: Led Zeppelin, Box set, disc two.

12:59: Gas stop number two in Carrollton, Ky. The terrain has become much hillier and is very green. Gas is $2.519 a gallon and came to $17.77. Lucky sevens! Where’s Vegas? There seems to be a big business in the “flag car” industry out here. There are so many trailers with “Oversized Loads” (and this has nothing to do with the obesity rates in this country) as people seem to be moving their houses on large trucks quite a bit. Not quite trailer homes, but…

13:01: 718.8 kms.

13:30: Louisville!

14:01: 827.8 kms. The rock at the side of the road is red and it has climbed to 30 degrees for the first time today.

14:20: Hodgenville, KY, birthplace of Abraham Lincoln. I had no idea he was born here.
What’s Playing: Pet Shop Boys, Discography

14:46: Oh goodie, the rain has returned. And we have now apparently entered the Central Time Zone. So it’s now really 13:46, but I’m going to stick to EST for consistency. A lot of caves in this area, but it is pouring too hard to really see the road, so no spelunking for me today. Driving rain? Not quite the rain for driving. It is, in fact, blinding, particularly when passed by a large truck. It’s actually quite harrowing. The car in front of me actually just surfed off the road and I have felt myself lift onto the top of the water a couple of times. There has to be a good inch to two inches of water on the highway and it is blowing hard. At times, I’m having to drive by shadows of trucks in front – I cannot even see their lights. There are no shoulders to speak of here, so it’s not safe to pull off. Wouldn’t be safe anyway because nobody would be able to see me. So much for seeing the country.

15:01: 915.7 kms.
15:28: National Corvette Museum.

15:47: 1,000 kms! at Scottsville/Franklin, KY

15:55: Tennessee!







Really nice welcome centre in Tennessee. And yes, more maps. Everything’s bigger…in the south? Yay, normal-sized urinals. Yes, these are the things that amuse me.
What’s Playing: Rogue Wave, Split CD: Descended Like Vultures and Out of the Shadow
16:01: 1,012.6 kms. Today has been a fine, full palette of gouaches in a stunning array of greys. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to describe it as watercolours, all blended together instead. Grey either way. Oh, and wet.

17:01: 1,084 kms. Traffic has been really heavy around Nashville and its Batman-like Bell South tower. Grey, but not raining too much at this point. Woo hoo, though, everyone seems to be going to Knoxville or Chattanooga, so the road’s actually clearing up in my direction. A way down the road though, still more end-of-day traffic.
What’s Playing: Killers, Hot Fuss (though I just heard Nickelback on local radio. Hurriedly changed it. Phew.).

17:24: Misty rain still, but could that be – wait a second, brace yourself, no – yes! It is the sun!

17:31: Yes, this is juvenile. Yes, he’s a former President. But the Polk Motel? Good thing his first name wasn’t ‘Quick’. Or “Harry”. Or definitely, Richard.

17:38: First sighting of a confederate flag of the day. Would not be the last. Also saw a quail or pheasant along the side of the road, pecking away at the tarmac. Tasty. The surroundings have been pretty green most of the way down, but there has not been very much water. Apart from the rain, smart ass.

18:01: 1,189.1 kms. Just passed a place called “Boobie Bungalow”. I kid you not. Yikes.
What’s Playing: Sam Roberts, We Were Born in a Flame

18:10: Second directional blunder of the day (not too bad all things considered). I missed the exit I was supposed to take for Huntsville, thinking I didn’t have to exit while still in Tennessee. Oh well, not a major miscue, just need to circle back. A couple of times. Seems to be the way. Once back on track, it’s a neat drive through the country. And the sun is out and – get this – finally, blue sky. The clay at the side of the road is really red.

18:59: Huntsville!

19:01: 1,271 kms. Stopped to wander downtown Huntsville until 20:00. What an absolutely gorgeous city. The highlight by far of the trip. It’s old and every building seems to be historical. And historical in the real sense of the word, rather than just being old. All of the buildings seem to have been converted into spaces for lawyers. They are everywhere. Pretty much every second building. Lots of money. Oh that’s right, lots of lawyers.


Details, big and small, not overlooked in Huntsville.


It’s dead downtown at night though, with only a couple of restaurants open and nobody milling about. Lots of great architecture to look at. The frescos are stunning.


Above: Entrance to a private club. Below, yes that does mean the sun was around for a bit today to be able to set. Sunset over Huntsville. Ah, good sigh.

The homes, too: something else.

I found a Super 8 hotel and decided to stay in the room that time forgot. Not the best room I’ve ever stayed in, but with the amount of time I’ve spent on the road today, it’s welcome nonetheless. Free Internet and a King-Sized Bed. Good news. Went for southern bbq for dinner after looking a number of places. Dreamland Bar-B-Que Ribs, just up the street. Styrofoam plates and plastic utensils. The paper towel roll rests on the table. And they bring you white bread and a (Styrofoam) bowl of bbq sauce to dip it in as a warm-up. Not environmentally friendly, but okay. Pulled pork sandwich (with pickles on it) and coleslaw for dinner. Spicy. The place smells like smoking meat. And I mean that in the very best of ways. Tax and tip: $10.

Final kilometre tally for the day: 1,286.1. On the go for more than 15 hours. The car was wheezing, wanting to protest when it came time to drive back to the hotel.