We hit the road at 9:30 this morning in West Virginia and made it to Kingsport, Tennessee, just over the Virginia border, by 5pm - a full day of driving with daylight all the way. Just what the doctor ordered! When we arrived at the hotel, Mexico was calling. We couldn't wait for the border to have authentic Mexican. So we grabbed dinner at a local joint with great comida. Boy, was that good! While waiting for our meal Allan studied our map and contemplated if we could cross Tennessee in 1 day. 7 1/2 hours of driving, not including our preference for multiple stops and taking our time. So we'll stay around Jackson, Tennessee and will have to wait till Friday to go through Memphis. By the way, we somehow managed to pass our hotel today and wound up turning back on the freeway going in the opposite direction. So now Al has been demoted from navigator and Mitzi appointed.
After dinner Al couldn't restrain his country bumpkin roots - Walmart was calling. We had some trouble finding it so Al thought it might be a good idea to stop at a local dive bar and ask for directions. This old guy with one tooth, a weeks beard, a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other turned around and said "just cross the hill, and you can't miss it!" In the dimly lit room Al could see everyone else turn around and look in his direction. He had flashbacks of Deliverance and RAN out the front door, jumped in the SUV and told me "just get out of here, and I will explain later".
Walmart is bad enough in Boston. But Walmart in backwoods, Tennessee - now that's an experience. There were whole sections devoted to sewing and hunting. And when we looked for some great travel magazines we couldn't find a one. Want 50 different types of Nascar magazines - they've got 'em. Conde Nast Traveler? Forget it!
Playa del Carmen Condo and Villa Vacation Rentals
Matt's turn at the wheel
Our trusted mascot, a bike horn in the form of a sumo wrestler, perches on Al's bike handle
We've finally arrived at the Tennessee hotel. Pure elation. 
Al carefully studies the map as we await delicious Mexican food.
Rickey and Mitzi are shopaholics! They couldn't resist dressing like the locals at Walmart. Mitzi's dress says "Material Girl". Rickey's says "Muy Macho". I think they're getting ready for the hot Mexican chiwawas.
2 comments:
Nice bar scene. Reminds me of the characters in the bar in the first movie of Star Wars. By the way, don't you dare watch the movie "Mississippi Burning" until you're well out of the South.
And the movie "Deliverance," what an inspiration. NOT! Except for the great banjo/guitar solo on the front porch, Betsy and I drove out of a drive in in the Worcester area in about 1973 with a profound thought: we just paid money to get depressed. What a downer that movie was. The movie itself needed some kind of deliverance or exorcism. Happy trails to you until we meet again! (Allan, surely you remember this song that was at the end of every Roy Rogers TV show?)
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