08/12/01
What an adventure! Got off work early, oh yeah, I'm at Hardee's most evenings. Drive thru on your next trip on the back way. Darlin' and Marty have the coolers ready. Headed home and the truck is pulling to one side. Had a flat on the right front. Walked on towards home and got a ride half way to go get Darlin'. Little Ray came by to save us again. Took Darlin' and Marty down to the truck and followed them home to make sure they made it safely. Thanks, Bro! They drove the Toy home and changed the tire and put on the spare. We figured it out, that spare tire has to be 17 years old. An original! We're packed and so, slowly, we head out of town. Nice and cool outside, the stars are out and the planets are shining. We're off down Hwy 54 to Hwy 5. Stopped to see about the tire, it's ok, just a little larger size so we are taking it easy. On down to Hwy 60 towards Cabool, then on down to Willow following the highway. We stopped at the roadside park and Darlin' realized he'd taken off the oil cap to check it and never put it back on. The poor motor is covered in oil. This is just North of Fremont which is the next big town. Made it to an all night station, bought oil and used our lens cap off the digital camera as the oil plug. It fit perfect! On down the road, the highway now by-passes Sikeston, Missouri. We crossed the huge Mississippi River and come into Cairo, Illinois. Have never been thru downtown before. The highway is all under construction, with detour signs in the middle of the night. Found our highway and crossed the Ohio River. Lots of barges busy in the early light. Into Whitcliff, Kentucky and we stopped at an busy convenience store for coffee and fresh made biscuits and gravy. Darlin' set off the alarm at the front door, as embarrassing as it's been for many months now, and the lady asked him if he had purchased his shoes from K-Mart and yes, he had. It's his shoes that have been setting off the alarms! Of course, this kind lady got a JCAD brochure! Darlin' looked through his shoes after we got back in the Toy, took them apart, but found nothing. Off we go after a hot breakfast, and there is a lot of fog rising as we head towards Paducah. Stopped at the Super Wal-Mart, but the tire shop doesn't open until 8:00 a.m. and it's only 6:30 a.m. So, got new ice and cold drinks and away we go. Sure have enjoyed the fried chicken and biscuits we cooked earlier and brought with us. Got onto Interstate 24. Crossed the Tennessee River and it's so pretty. The fog is shooting straight up into the air. It looks really trippy. The sun is up and bright. Last night the moon was orange and looked like a tiny slice of cantaloupe in the sky. The fog is just about gone now. We're in Lynn County in Kentucky at 7:15 a.m. Lots of traffic heading towards Nashville. We stopped now and then to stretch and sometime to catch a cat nap. It's been a long night.
08/13/01
It's Monday, August 13th. Darlin' is too tired to drive any more. We traded and I only made it 25-30 miles down the road and I, too, had to pull over at a restaurant parking lot and we got to snooze for awhile. Darlin' is driving again and I'm still sleeping and it's cool out and starting to rain. These cool clouds are saving us from the heat. Now it's pouring rain as we go through Nashville. There are two new skyscrapers in the sky, visible in the fog and hazy rain. Stopped at Smyrna, Tennessee to get gasoline and ask directions to a Wal-Mart. We chose the one at Murphyfresboro and I'm writing and drinking an Icee with my Darlin' here at Wally world while the tire department is getting us a new tire on our Toyota. Still pouring rain as we head out, many waterfalls off these huge mountains and the road is closed on the West side. Heard that many towns are having flash floods this morning as it's raining hard. See the runaway ramps of sand for the big trucks in trouble. The Appalachian Mountains are beautiful today. We always stop at the Nickajack Lake of the Tennessee River. It's a great rest area. Darlin' has the blanket on the picnic table under the canopy. A rest for us again. Lots of folks out walking their dogs, children out running and playing. The clouds are hugging the tops of the mountains. Into Hamilton County, now we're in the Eastern Time Zone. We're rushing so hard on this trip, my Dad is critically ill in Georgia and we're trying to make it down in time to visit and say our good-byes and let him know how much we love him. The new sign says we're traveling on the Eisenhower Interstate System. Took Hwy 193 South and now we're in Georgia. Many signs advertising antique stores all along our travels. Came across Pendergrass Flea Market and it is a huge affair. The town still has a working train depot. The pine trees smell so good and the crepe myrtle plants are in full bloom. We've been steady driving all day and all night. Quite tired.
08/14/01
It's after midnight with hazy clouds and 80 degrees here in Northern Georgia. On Hwy N and then we took Hwy 129/11 heading towards Gainesville. Crossed Aller Creek and the water is all muddy. We got to Dad and Liz's house around 1:30 a.m. We made it to Statham! We found their place, there are so many new homes and buildings in this town that we hardly recognized the place. Woke up Liz and we got to sit around and have a visit for a couple of hours. Dad heard all the talking and we got to visit with him for awhile, also. We pulled out the fold out couch and snoozed, well, we fell down and were asleep. Darlin' woke me up around 6:00 a.m. If we wanted to catch Mom before she left for work, we had to leave now. Thanks Liz, the fresh coffee was waiting on the counter and truly delicious. Off we go to Monroe, got to visit with Mom for about 20 minutes. So good to see her, hug her neck and take lots of pictures. Her flowers this year are truly beautiful! Wonderful shower, cooked breakfast and cleaned up our mess. Off we go back to visit with Dad and Liz. Had a wonderful morning just talking, down to the fruit trees to pick apples, pears and even eat fresh figs. There is a new home with an in-gound pool next door where a farmers field had been last visit. Must say, it was mighty hard not to take a dip in the refreshing looking water! Hated to leave so soon, but we had to be back in MO tomorrow, so that's another 20 hours away. Lots of hugs and kisses and tears and memories in this trip. Filled up with the lowest gasoline prices we've seen the entire trip, 117.9 and away we go. Heading North on the Hwy 129/11 that we came in on last night. Today we can see all the beautiful trees, rivers and acres and acres of kudzu. Many hillsides, it has completely taken over! Huge, beautiful pine trees everywhere. Taking Hwy 60 North to Dahlonega. Stopped at an Auto Zone and the friendly guy was from Rolla, Missouri and he let Darlin' de-zap his shoe, so now, he won't set off any buzzers! Thanks so much! Saw many magnificent magnolia trees in bloom. Wish I had a bloom to take home with me. They smell so very, very good. Into the beautiful community of Tate. The Georgia Marble Capital. As we see the marble school house, many homes, we see why they call it that! Took lots of pictures today. Through Jasper, weren't trilled with it as much as we were in Tate. This is where my entry ends. Rode and rode, drove and snoozed and arrived in Missouri on Wednesday, 08/15/01 around noon. So tired. But we made it! We have new hugs and memories to remember. Thanks children for all your help. Gotta go lay down, goodnight in the middle of the day!
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