21-JUN-2009
001: Mt Pleasant
And so we begin. 497 miles from here we'll stop for the night.
It's Father's Day today. What a great way to be spending it: traveling with my son to see some things that will be new to both of us! I'll not only get to spend all day with him today, but we'll be together for ten days on the road.
21-JUN-2009
002: Orangeburg, SC
Breakfast. Or brunch, I guess. Addison ponders his choices.
21-JUN-2009
003: Orangeburg, SC
An interesting "wall of junk."
Auspicious start to our musical journey. I never knew Roy Acuff made a movie! Wonder if we could find s copy of "Smokey Mountainn Melody" somewhere?
21-JUN-2009
004: Bean Station, Tennessee
We drove "the old road" from Asheville--25 to 25E.
When I was growing up, Bean Station was a traditional rest stop on the treks with our family to visit family in Minnesota. It came after a picnic supper on the shore of Cherokee Lake, and it was typically followed by an overnight drive by Dad and Mom on to our stopover in Chicago. The best part was staying awake while we drove over the Cumberland Gap and into Kentucky.
Ad and I retraced those trips as best we could, given that now it's mostly four lane, limited access highway. (I won't start on that just now.)
21-JUN-2009
005: Addison's Happy Father
Bean Station. Cherokee Lake and Morristown in the distance.
21-JUN-2009
006: Cumberland Gap
No more winding road over the gap. This new tunnel straightens the road out, puts you through the mountain instead of over it, and spits you out the other side in Kentucky.
Makes me wonder... what happened to Cudjo's Cave?
"Come on boys, take a little nap
We'll all wake up in the Cumberland Gap.
Come on boys, take a little nap
We'll all wake up in the Cumberland Gap." (traditional)
21-JUN-2009
007: Berea, Kentucky
The end of our first day's drive, Berea, Kentucky. I'll comment more on Berea tomorrow.
We are off to a great start.
21-JUN-2009
008: Berea, Kentucky
Late evening sun on the streets of Berea.
21-JUN-2009
010: Berea, Kentucky
Berea Hotel.
We miss you, Shirley! (oh and Hampton, too)
22-JUN-2009
011: Shirley's Gift is Our Guide
22-JUN-2009
012: Day Two
This guidebook Shirley so lovingly assembled for us for this trip is absolutely amazing! It's a work of art all by itself. There's just no way to adequately describe it. You need to hold it in your hands and slowly take it all in. It is a treasure, just as much as the trip itself is. And we can have Shirley with us in spirit!