Good Fry Day.

Where they started lickin' fingers.

Corbin, KY – Hugging the slopes of the Appalachian Mountains, we pull up to a vintage gas station that welcomes us with a white-sided café. The neon outside is quiet this misty morning.

It’s Good Friday, and only a slight detour.

The pumps haven’t worked in years and the café is, of course, not just another forgotten roadside restaurant now. It’s ground zero of a restaurant chain that has grown to offer more than 55,000 locations in 55 countries and territories around the world.

Now, it slings the origin story of Kentucky Fried Chicken.

The once-noble building’s windows are etched with the name “Harland Sanders.” Ever the marketer, Sanders ensured the etchings faced inward, so you’d learn his name as you ate.

The attraction is now predominantly a museum focused on myth-making and brand-building, and it provides models of the Colonel’s hotel rooms, his customary white suit and other memorabilia, including a Harlequin novel where he rescues a damsel in distress, and Crocs pinned with fried drumsticks.

Even the stick figure for the bathroom wears his customary string tie.

But it still sells chicken.

And fries.

Vitals:

• Time: 7.5 hours
• Distance: 470 kms
• States: Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina
• Weather: Rain, cold
• Wildlife: None

The Can Can't.

How hot was it? Hot enough for Nashville Hot Chicken.

Louisville, KY – The first let loose with a crack that shot across the parking lot.
Then, another.

And another.

It's a wonder nobody ducked for cover.

How hot is it? Well, upon opening the trunk in the parking lot of a random Nashville McDonald's, four cans of beer exploded all over me, spinning on the ground in pinwheels of sweet and sticky spray.

We had wondered for several miles about the aluminum clicking sound coming from behind us.

It was as though we had pulled the pins and tossed grenades that soon rolled under the adjacent car. The kid inside must have wondered what was going on.

The car and I reeked like we were on a week-long bender.

Fourth of July fireworks, it seems, had come early.

Vitals:

• Time: 8 hours
• Distance: 641.9 kms
• Weather: Sunny and hot
• States: Tennessee, Kentucky
• Wildlife: None

Memph Is Absurd.

I know I passed through Cairo yesterday, but?

Memphis, TN – Yesterday was about history.

Today, it seems, more about a theatre of the absurd.

It began with a trip out to a massive reflective glass pyramid tucked into a concrete pretzel of intersecting highways and a bridge to Arkansas.

Naturally, it's a Bass Pro Shop.

Inside, there are large pools of fish and ducks. And, of course, alligators. You can even stay in a hotel ringing the upper levels if you really can't get enough of the swamp. Don't worry: there's a bowling alley should you tire of shopping.

It's actually one of the world's 10-largest pyramids, and former home to the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies. But, it's still incredibly odd. Really, who needs a six-basket fryer with their camping gear?

Land of the Rising Sun.

We carried on to the Peabody Hotel for its twice-daily duck march. (I told you the day was absurd, no?)

At exactly 11 a.m., four ducks were escorted from their $200K penthouse (again, absurd, right?) by a duckmaster – and two honorary duckmasters, bronze duck-head canes in hand – out the elevators, over a red carpet and into the central lobby fountain. The drake didn't show today.

They'll enjoy an afternoon spent circling the marble sculptures to an adoring crowd before ducking out in the same ceremony, in rewind, at 5 p.m.

I proceeded to tuck into a shrimp po' boy at Trolley Stop Market and visit the birthplace of rock-and-roll, Sun Music, before venturing down a rapidly improving Monroe Avenue dressed with neat historical sidewalk signs describing businesses that had previously occupied the buildings.

The old Wonder Bread factory is currently being surgically rebuilt into something modern, saws sending sparks dancing into the sky.

Yesterday's history is welcoming rebirth.

Even if some of it is absurd.

Stuck in Time.

Putting the tacks in tacky, at Graceland.

Memphis, TN – There could be absolutely no question.

The day had to begin with Paul Simon's controversial classic, Graceland.

It would end, however, with live music reverberating from every corner of Memphis's legendary Beale Street. Home of the blues.

Given some of the city's history, the blues make absolute sense.

We spent the morning at Elvis's former home, sweat dribbling down my brow. Graceland is surprisingly modest in size – but in nothing else. Bedecked by green shag carpet and folded fabric ceilings, gold taps and plush white leather sofas, the house is a faded Polaroid of seventies kitsch.

But, you can't got to Memphis and not visit once.

Just incredible. Nothing witty to say about this.

By contrast, we visited the Lorraine Motel  – and the attached National Civil Rights Museum – where Martin Luther King Jr. took his last breaths in 1958. It's similarly locked in a time warp, with an old Dodge and Cadillac standing sentry beneath the balcony where he was shot. You could take a photo in black and white and few would know it was from today.

The museum visit also includes a visit to the room from which James Earl Ray took the shot that fateful day. In terms of museum concepts, it's breathtaking.

It seems I always end up at the heavy sort of museum that makes you reflect. Given how little things seem to have changed in this day and age, that may not a bad thing.

At night, live music pours out every doorway along Beale Street. So does the beer.

Snare drums of cicadas fill the trees as sighs of brass horns rattle through the humidity.

Beale Street may not be the longest, but its neon-clad bars have been witness to a disproportionate amount of music history.

It's the home of the blues in a gritty city that has seen its share of heartache.

Vitals:

• Time: 1.5 hours
• Distance: 177.4 kms
• Weather: Sunny and hot
• States: Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee
• Wildlife: None

Like a Champ.

So. Many. Churches.

Campbellsville, KY – I floated by a butterfly, and got stung by a bee.

I don’t imagine the insect was thrilled about having slammed itself into my leg at 80 km/hr, leaving me banking through 10 more minutes of curves before I could finally stop to pluck the stinger from my skin.

Wear chaps, you say?

Soon thereafter, we passed a white house nestled into the trees that was notable for vast streams of red that ran down its face. I presume its owners butcher animals on the second-floor porch. At least I hope that's what it was.

It was a bit of an odd stretch of road to say the least.

We had continued our slow return north on Highway 27 after a morning ride on the stunning  Cherohala Skyway into Tennessee. Far less technical than Tail of the Dragon, the 40-mile scenic byway continues to twist and turn and is, in many ways, a more enjoyable ride. Along with rides out of Prestonburg and through Great Smoky National Park, this was a highlight of the trip.

If you like being blanketed in the silence of your own thoughts, meandering streams, trees and vistas that stretch into three-dimensional panoramas, the Cherohala Skyway might be the place for you.

I know it was for me.

Vitals:

• Time: 8 hours, 30 minutes
• Distance: 489.3 kms
• Weather: Sunny, with rain at the end of the day; hot
• States: North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky
• Wildlife: None

Tame of the Dragon.

Salmon? No, slalom!

Robbinsville, NC – No sign trumpets your arrival.

Instead, you suddenly find yourself in the maw of the dragon.

While we had slalomed across roads in six states already, this was the main event – the ride we were here to challenge. Tail of the Dragon in Deals Gap, North Carolina features 318 curves over 11 miles as you roar over the border into Tennessee. It's trumpeted as the top motorcycle and sports car road in the United States.

It's a technical ride with constant shifting as you swish over roads banked like a bobsleigh track. After two days on the highway, it took a conscious reminder to ride with my feet. No, it's definitely not a time for sightseeing. Instead, I aimed high and tried to not look away out of fear of missing the next curve, which was inevitably imminent. Repeatedly.

Mission: Don't add to the Tree of Shame.

My mind even barely registered the Lamborghini sitting at the crest of one of the hills.

Although the roads were relatively quiet that time of day, light through the trees danced, playing tricks on my eyes as I bent myself into a couple 300-degree turns. Ever present: the unwillingness to contribute to the notorious Tree of Shame.

The day began with a deer, but ended with a dragon, slain.

Twice.

Vitals:

•     Time: 10.5 hours
•     Distance: 569.8 kms
•     Weather: Sunny with fluffy clouds, hot
•     States: Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina
•     Wildlife: Deer

Out of Town.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, minus the bear.

Pigeon Forge, TN – We began the day careening down Highway 23 – the Country Music Highway, apparently – past tree-lined peaks nestled into low-lying clouds.

I hadn't gone a mile before a sun-kissed fawn crossed the road in front of me. It ambled away with an awkward gait and a stunned look. I'm not sure it knew what to make of the rumble from my engine.

Cedar and eucalyptus provided nature’s cologne, eagerly breathed in. The whole experience through the clouds reminded me of my time in Rwanda. Today offered some of my all-time favourite rides.

All morning, we'd go up, down and around like we were riding a ribbon a young child had awkwardly glued to a page.

Then, stuck in traffic, we were greeted by the neon theme park that is Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, which is set against the vast majesty of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It's sadly reminiscent of Niagara Falls, Ontario: once a beauty, now faded and overcompensating with too much make-up.

Instead, strip malls showcase 'As seen on TV' stores, countless billboards for commercially made ‘moonshine’ and Dollywood. All of this framed by the towering canopy of trees cascading over winding roads through the park.

I’ll take the latter, thanks.

The Hills have Eyes. But no Gas.

Yup, there's a chapel up on that hill...

Lexington, KY – When a fisherman, knee-deep in a river, chuckles at you and asks – in his thick, North Carolina drawl – how much fuel you have left, you know you might be in the middle of nowhere.

Especially if he's the only person you've seen in half an hour.

It turns out simply punching “Chapel Hill” into the GPS does not necessarily relate to the hometown of the University of North Carolina.

There is, in fact, quite a difference between the city and a random chapel on a hill. In this case, it was also a difference of 376 kilometres.

Instead, we were smack-dab in the middle of the Smoky Mountains as the fisherman pointed me toward the nearest gas station – 25 miles away.

If we did not take the wrong turn.

The news temporarily put a damper on what had become an all-time, top-five driving day as we twisted and turned through the mountains, 'Riding the Rattler' – 32 miles and 250 sharp turns that made me thankful to be driving a car with a manual transmission.

With sufficient gas to make it, you could only laugh – but we would not end up at the university.

It was, nonetheless, a beautiful day driving through the Smokies, bookended by a fantastic breakfast at Mama's Boy in Athens, and a visit to Country Boy Brewing Company in Lexington.

How could you go wrong with peaches, falling from French toast and topped with candied pecans at a funky little restaurant promising 'Southern Fun Dining?' This was Georgia, after all. Great atmosphere, friendly staff and tasty twists on southern favourites. So good.

Similarly, how could you go wrong with dark craft beers infused with coffee and aged in bourbon barrels in Kentucky? In short, you couldn't.

What a great day.

Vitals:

• Time: Nine hours
• Distance: 714.3 kms
• Weather: Sunny
• States: Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky
• Wildlife: Turtles on the road

Hammer Time.

The road ahead is long for the Mustangs.

Jackson Centre, OH - Like a cement arrow pointing to the bayou, 20 hours of road unfurl before and behind us. Now a third of the way in: New Orleans, here we come.

Building on months of preparation and anticipation, the excitement of 39 Alternative Spring Breakers has seemingly been bottled into the bus like a soft drink, shaken vigorously. Soon, the building will become more tangible as we begin a Habitat for Humanity project in the Big Easy.

Despite some apprehension at the border as we waited to see if one of our team members would be turned back because of a misplaced passport, we were left with a relatively uneventful crossing. Exhale. A stunned jubilation took over from there, fueling this strangely exciting road trip.

With Ontario and Michigan behind us, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana still loom lazily ahead. It turns out folding 6"3 into these seats comes as easily as sleeping in them. Which is to say, not.

Several hours in, the chatter persists. Cell biology texts lay strewn across upholstered seats, Shark Week has given way to the O.C. on the DVD player and a deck of cards shuffles between seats. Aces.

And the stale smell of french fries lingers still.

kentucky hills
The sun scorches behind
the scratched-out erasings
that carve jagged brushstrokes
folding over the curves
of these hills.

In darkness,
the lines shine brightly,
a second on,

a second off,
like a light switch
switched
hypnotically.

The beauty of not having to drive,
for once.

End of Transmission.

London, ON – Like a present that has already been ripped open, the journey home is, naturally, far less fun.

As much as I still love being on the road, most of the mystery and anticipation has by then seeped out the window. Of course, heading back into Ohio and Michigan isn't much of a draw, either.

Just past Cincinnati, Ohio, a car accident shut down the highway for a half hour and the power steering became obstinate again. Twice. The temperature continued to drop the farther north we went, dipping to six degrees. So much for sandals.

Yup, we're home. And Easter turkey awaits.

Vitals:

• Time: 12 hours
• Distance: 1,113.7 kms
• Weather: Hazy, with sun
• States/Provinces: Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, Ontario
• Wildlife: None
  

Homeward Bound.

Athens, TN – I feel a kinship with the sparking red taillights that dot the fog like fireflies.

Passing through the veil that hangs over the highway, we all have our own adventures, stories and destinations – similar, but unknown. License plates pass as name badges for points across the continent and generate knowing waves from someone sharing a home, still far away.

Working through northern Florida and into Georgia, colourful signs advertised oranges, pecans and peaches. The fog eventually burned off, giving way to ethereal clouds of yellow pollen that hung languidly in the air. Magnolia season is upon us.

The road before us continued to stretch through Atlanta, where planes swooped low like hawks with talons exposed. Unclear signage carried us in a loop around the airport. Four times. With the day drawing to a close, we were greeted by rust-coloured hills in Tennessee and a date watching the Final Four.

Go Butler.

Vitals:

• Time: 13 hours
• Distance: 959.5 kms
• Weather: Foggy, giving way to a mix of sun and cloud
• States: Florida, Georgia, Tennessee
• Wildlife: None
  

A Caricature.

Spartanburg, SC – Weaving through hilly switchback cicatrices and past the French Broad River in the back country of North and South Carolina, we finally had our first deviation from the Interstate on this trip. 

Naturally, the day had begun to yawn.

A rock slide in Newport, Tennessee had caused us to detour an hour out of our way, which not only provided fun driving in the hills, but the most eye-opening experience of the journey thus far. It was a prime and timely opportunity to reflect on our good fortune, even in the face of current adversity in our lives.

Like a sad caricature, a young pregnant woman stood smoking on the rickety porch of a fallen-down trailer nestled in the trees. A half-dozen baby carriages in various states of disrepair sat perfectly aligned, much like the weathered, parted-out pick-up trucks to the side. 

I almost expected the moment to carry a New Yorker-type quip underneath.

Throughout the area, decrepit trailers and clapboard homes shrugged like depressed shoulders. Perching on the edge of the riverbank, they lacked doors and sported window frames that slouched into diamonds. A pauper’s garden of refuse dotted the lawn.

It really made us think, even as we careened through the fun-to-drive hills and curves – extreme poverty exists everywhere. Though unexpected, it was the day’s highlight.

From the time we entered Tennessee, however, we could tell from the spicy, humid aroma of the air and the red and white flowering trees that blossomed like small puffs of smoke that the onset of spring was already here. With budding trees comes a budding season and budding promise for the journey ahead.

And Carolina barbeque for dinner wasn't a bad way to end a day, either.

Vitals:

• Time: 14 hours
• Distance: 1,323.3 kms
• Weather: Predominantly grey, warming up in the afternoon; rain in major cities in the north
• Province/States: Ontario, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina
• Wildlife: None
  

Outtakes.

London, Ontario - I have had a few days back in Ontar-I-O to regain my bearings, as well as to hibernate a bit (though I watched a couple of suns set, and a few stars dance, while learning about blogging in Malaysia). Just in time to return from vacation and face the hordes of weary, post-labour day souls turning up their collars to fend off the small teeth of fall. Self-sharpening like Ginsu in preparation of the w----- to come. I love this time of year. I can smell it, touch it, taste it. And best of all, I can feel it to my core.

A few additional photos from the trip south this past week.

Huntsville, Alabama: Beauty is all around, waiting to be found. A piece of graffiti I found written on a white board that had been affixed to the red brick wall. Just seemed poignant as I poked around alleys in an otherwise empty downtown Huntsville looking at the architecture and details on the buildings.Near the Kentucky/Tennessee border: Did I mention that it rained? Hard? I believe that this storm 'benefited' from the effects of Tropical Storm Ernesto threatening south and east of here. It was wet. Very wet. And this was when the visibility was still relatively good.Tennessee: From the category of signs gone wrong (or "Signs gone Wild!"?), we first have the "Polk Motel", which -- yes -- is named for one of the country's former Presidents. I'd still think they could have named something a bit more prestigious for him. At least a Suites. An Inn, perhaps? With a motel, there are just too many jokes (or pokes!) to be made.Alabama: That said, however, taking the cake are the Alabamans? Alabamians? (Yes, just looked it up; that's the correct offering for you trivialists.). Really, this one writes itself. And it's in the south, no less. Was there no thought put into that one? I can imagine the bank officer sitting there reading the business plan, snickering. With the number of strip joints I had seen advertised along my route, I would have been pretty disappointed to have pulled in here thinking it was somethign else and instead found that it was a 'Restaurant supply' store. At least it wasn't a carpeting depot.
Huntsville, Alabama: The store fronts (which were actually mostly lawyer offices) were really beautifully done with leaded glass and ornate designs. Huntsville, Alabama.
Huntsville, Alabama: A pigeon decided he wanted to be a part of this one. The buildings were so neat that I found myself looking skyward during most of my visit. At least there was nobody around to relieve me of my wallet when I was there because I was doing more craning than, well, a crane. Huntsville, Alabama: Which direction next? A few weeks until the next road trip, this one, however, only inter-province. Will be joined by a co-pilote this time, though!

Day Two, Afternoon.

Alas, no photos from this afternoon. There would have been some nice ones, too. I can picture them in my mind. Battery issues. Or battery owner issues. I was too worried I'd forget to take the battery with me if I recharged it last night. And it would have really looked out of place in that room, which hasn't changed much since Nixon was in power. Wish I had risked it -- there was some neat stuff out there today. Oh well, live and learn. Tomorrow, we begin anew.

12:24: 1,513.6 kms.
What’s Playing: Pulp, This is Hardcore

13:24: 1,630.3 kms.

13:42: Back off the highway looking for the Turkey Creek Outlets. Disappointing. Didn’t even get out of the car. They look just like the big boxes set up back home, just more plentiful. Money scurrying, quickly gathered and crammed back into my pockets.

14:08: Knoxville! Wild man’s back at it again, off the highway looking for the University of Tennessee. Go Vol’s. There are tents set up all around this city with signs advertising “Revivals”. I don’t think I’m going to stop here. Or there. Oh, there’s the university. In between, I also saw the World’s Fair park, replete with big, gold dome and ran over my share of bad, bad streets. Have you not heard of grading, folks? Driveways should not drop vertically to the street. Not good for the shocks. Or the bumper.
What’s Playing: Coldplay, Parachutes

14:31: More gas. $2.679 a gallon for a total of $21.89. With some clever guesswork, I managed to pull into a gas station directly beside the street that leads into the university. And almost got into an accident in the process (sorry to the guy who’s likely still cursing Canadians everywhere). Funny enough, UT is not located on University Avenue, but on Volunteer. It’s a good thing I have a fondness for orange. Bright orange. Everywhere. The university is still bustling with students.

UT gets high marks for the efficiency of providing free visitor parking (from an attended booth, no less) and maps. With the size of campus, the allotted 45 minutes of parking was hardly sufficient to see everything, but it’s a great gesture. And I got to park next to “Peyton Manning Pass”. Cute.

15:16: There’s an old street car on wheels making its way up the road in Knoxville. It’s too early to brag, yes, but I have found my way back across town to the highway on the first try. Confidence can be the great equalizer. Okay, is there toilet paper hanging from my shoe? There’s got to be something.

15:24: 1,718.3 kms. 31 degrees.
What’s Playing: The Postal Service: Give Up

15:48: Oneida/Hunstville, TN. Absolutely delicious juxtaposition of a xxx outlet strip mall falling literally under the shadow of a hundred-foot-tall cross.

16:05: Kentucky!
What’s Playing: Interpol, Antics

16:24: 1,833.9 kms. 27 degrees.

16:29: Scary moment as a dump truck decides to merge into my lane. This time, it’s not his right-of-way. Had to drive down the shoulder in front of a construction zone to avoid becoming gravel for the offending beast.

17:24: 1,953.1 kms.
What’s Playing: Bob Dylan, Greatest Hits

17:35: Lexington! Off-roadin’ it again, this time for the University of Kentucky. I had been drafting quickly behind a car from Ohio so that I could make up some time and get to the UK bookstore before it closed. Then another car from Ontario came along. Obviously a veteran of the 401. Hello, new drafting partner. One of the first places I passed in Lexington had a giant donkey painted on the side of the building, with a sign that read “Big Ass Fans”. Don’t believe me, check out the website. The houses here are incredible. I’m seeing a theme developing: there’s money in the south. Damn.
What’s Playing: Split CD: Cat Power, The Greatest; Camera Obscura, Let’s Get Out of this Country

UK is a more modern-looking university, with mostly red brick buildings. It’s cooler out, despite the humidity. I can’t believe how much branded merchandise there is at these American schools. You can get almost anything with the school’s logo. And even the UK Marching Band has its own field. But as hawd as ah looked, I couldn’ fahnd Ashley Judd anywhea (workin’ on that southern accent). It’s a shame, really. Would’ve topped off a fine, fine day. It was nice to see, though, that even in Lexington, there is indeed still a student ghetto.

For the second time today, I have successfully navigated across a university city to re-find the highway sans map. Mom would be proud. It turns out that Lexington isn’t a one-horse town, though. It’s also home to Transylvania University. Can you imagine the looks you’d get if you had a medical degree from there? You don’t have to worry – it’s a small, liberal arts school. That goes by the short form, Transy. Glad they kept the ‘s’ in. I know, I know, like they haven't heard it all before. Just not here.

18:24: 1,988.4 kms.

18:44: 2,000 kms!

18:51: The horse farm to end all horse farms – thousands of acres divided with nice white fences. Not right beside it: Elmer’s.

19:02: Rain. Must be approaching the Ohio border. Oh wait, yes indeed I am.

19:24: 2,076.4 kms.

20:20: Certainly does not describe my vision right now. Bleary and tired. The end of the day was to have come sooner, but I got lured into going to the Nike Factory outlet beside the hotel. Dammit. I don’t need new basketball shoes, but I love them. And they’d normally be $200, but they’re on sale for $40. And they’re nice. And they fit well. And, dammit, they’re purple. At least there’s free wireless here and, an added bonus: free hot breakfast in the morning. Then it will be homeward bound. Wrapped up at 2,078.7 kms. tonight, reflecting a total of 792.6 kms for the day. And 13 hours out and about. More seeing of the sights, though. Good day. Now, good night.

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.