Trip to the West: Day 3

We drove through Memphis, TN and mostly through AR. But before we hit the road, we stopped at Casey Jones Village. We got the recommendation to go there from two friends who grew up in TN, so I wasn't sure what to expect. For the record, it was about what I expected. :)I'm not sure what happened (maybe it was because I ate the food there), but I started getting into it a little bit:Don't worry - I came to my senses before the fake $20 cowboy hat went home (I mean, to the truck) with us.

But I did find out that Casey Jones was a pioneer for the railroad, so they had lots of fun trail stuff. My nephews would have loved it!The line to get into the restaurant part of the store was really, really long, so we knew there had to be some good eating. (The front of the line is by small tv screen on the ceiling, which is three overhangs down.) One of my friends described it as "Cracker Barrell on crack" and I would have to agree! :)

At the TN/AR boarder, we crossed the Mississippi River. First time I've crossed the Mississippi by car, and planning on staying longer than 3 days.And into AR we went!I never knew how flat AR is. But it was fun looking at all the tractors on the highway (yes, there really were tractors on the highway but no, it wasn't fun - especially when you got stuck behind one going 40 mph).

Trip to the West: Day 2

Today we drove through Knoxville and Nashville, TN and stopped for the night in Jackson, TN. Not too much to tell for the day. We went quickly from thisto thisand were able to experience a little 5pm traffic. Exciting day, huh?

Oh, we did learn that the time changes somewhere in the middle of those two cities. That's something neither one of us ever knew about TN. Camouflage? Check. Huge hair? Check. Mullets? Check. Thick accents (and that's saying something coming from this GA girl)? Check. Time change somewhere in the middle of the state? Say what??

On another note, at least we're staying in a clean (and smell-free) and cute hotel tonight. Yay! (It's the little joys in life that make a difference, you know.)If Brent were awake, he'd probably say something like "Don't post that picture. It has the word "boutique" in it. People will think we're staying in a girly hotel." But he's already passed out in the bed, so there you go! :) It's a little bit country and therefore laid-back feeling. It kinda reminds me of a bed & breakfast, which I love.And did I mention that it's cleaner than last night's hotel? (But so is the floorboard of the car...)

On the plan for tomorrow morning: Casey Jones Village. Ice cream at 9am? You bet.

Trip to the West: Day 1

6am to 3:30pm - Load the truck.(Clearly, Brent thinks we have too much stuff. I concur. By the way, can I get you some ice water?)

4:30pm - We pull out of Durham, unemployed and homeless. 8:30pm: Scary moment - one of the straps holding the motorcycle to the truck comes loose and is flapping in the wind. The motorcycle almost falls out of the back of the truck. Have heart attack.

8:31pm: Pull off to side of super busy, dark, and windy highway. Have second heart attack. Fix strap, say a prayer of thanksgiving that we noticed it through the 2 inches we can see out the back window, say another prayer and pull out onto the highway.

10:30pm: Check into ghetto-fabulous, run down, scary (both in Halloween decorations and in the smell) Holiday Inn Express in the booming metropolis of Dandridge, TN, where the parking lot is full of only the hottest styles in autos - 4WD, extented cab, and diesel trucks.
11:00pm: Make our own truck fit right in.
12 midnight: Nighty-night!