Hi all.
Bringing Lori back cause she's my inspiration for undertaking this cross country tour and I thought someone might enjoy a litte travelogue of our trip.
We've ambled through the backroads at a snail's pace all the way from Oklahoma so we are behind our expected schedule, but we are thoroughly enjoying the trip.
Because we've had Alex along we have done things and noticed things we would otherwise not have seen or appreciated.
The Bill Clinton Library incident is available only by personal request. I have to tell you though, I personally consider it a work of art.

We have traveled the back roads through the Ozarks and are in Knoxville entering the smokies. In central Tennessee, we traveled through towns deserted for the interstate and lots of places where front yard junk seemed to be the only source of employment. There were also wonderful houses with wide front porches under tall pines and wide magnolias. Both the rundown shacks and the stately plantations were beautiful in different ways.
In Memphis, we went to Graceland which was one of my personal favorites. I've been there many times before and after his death, but for a variety of reasons, never took the tour. It was fun to do it this time with Dan and Alex, both of who went in skeptical and came out fans. Even Alex was impressed. I had a fried banana and peanut butter sandwich, not my favorite, but Elvis ate it so it's gotta' be good for soemthing. The whole experience was fun. Elvis LIVES!!!
Somewhere outside Memphis, we wound up on Loretta Lynn's Plantation site and enjoyed that a lot. All very well put together and lovely.
We again traveled the backroads through the foothills of the smokies and today arrived in Knoxville. In the smokies, the trees are tall and the streams run clear over huge boulders among the lush and colorful vegetation. We had to stop to ask directions several times and everyone was very friendly. Their directions were often confusing, but they were real nice about it.
We haven't yet spent the night in the travel van. I'm not sure why since he has a pool at his house and I have one at mine that he uses, but Alex wants to swim every day and we're just not well enough informed to find a campsite with a pool. Also we're too pooped to camp though we have picnicked a few times and enjoyed that a lot.
Tomorrow we'll tour some things that interest DAn and then be on our way toward Washington. Still on the back roads as much as possible.
Please pray for a continued safe and happy trip.
smile