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| where I went this month |
They've sure got a variety of landscapes and topography here - everything from the Appalachian Mountains to the Mississippi River. Much of it is really lovely, with large areas that are almost completely unpopulated.
Its size is deceptive, though, because of its odd dimensions. TN has 10,000 square miles less land than Alabama, though it seems like it would be the other way around. At 440 miles, TN is long but its 120-mile width can be driven in less than a couple of hours.
TN doesn't have much in the way of lakes, and those of any size were created by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which grew out of the Depression and still provides electricity (and recreation) to many.
Tennessee's roads are generally in good shape, despite the varied terrain and weather. I was often more comfortable driving on state roads than on the interstates, which aren't as well maintained.
Tennessee has more than land, though. It has several large cities such as Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville and a number of smaller though decent-sized towns. But in general it looks like TN has mostly rural farming areas.
Tennessee's people
Folks statewide seemed far more friendly and open than those in Kentucky, which seems odd to me. They didn't always wait for me to start the conversation and were always pleasant to deal with.
Tennesseans seem happy to be living here, though most folks were almost surprised when I asked if they liked living where they were. Most said it was the town they'd always lived in and they were comfortable there, as if the thought of moving hadn't ever occurred to them.
Most folks told me they liked their small towns because they were quiet. Nobody complained about not having enough to do. Nobody told me they'd rather move to a big city or another state. They just seem unquestioningly content.
All over the state I found signs of strong religious beliefs. And all over the state I found support for Pres. Trump in particular - I don't know if it's for Republicans in general, though. I'm guessing TN is like TX in this way - strongly conservative in rural areas and leaning more liberal in urban areas.
Tennessee's drivers
Most TN drivers like to go way over the speed limit, and these folks aren't shy about passing me on 2-lane roads.
But they don't honk. They aren't particularly impatient. They're willing to let me merge into their lane. They don't usually drive while on their phones.
They're like a nicer version of Texas drivers, which I appreciate. I'm sorry I don't have the kind of vehicle that can keep up with their driving style, but I'm grateful they didn't make life hard for me.
What I didn't see that I wanted to see
Once again, lots of things. I tried to cover the state as much as I could but still missed a great deal of it.
In addition to the things I mentioned in daily posts, there are these places I'd like to come back and see some day:
In Memphis I missed the River Walk, along the Mississippi. I hear there's a 5-block-long scale model of the Mississippi from Cairo, Ill., to the Gulf of Mexico. And maybe from there I'd get to see the Pyramid that I've heard is a stunning sight. Maybe I'll get to see it from the Arkansas side of the Mississippi.
I also missed going to the Peabody Hotel to see the twice-daily duck walk. That's the place where they've got 4 or 5 ducks that live upstairs in the hotel and, twice a day, come down to swim in the fountain in the lobby. I doubt if I'd be able to see anything like it anywhere else and I'm sorry to have missed it.
There's an old estate in Memphis that was a stop on the Underground Railroad and that has tours and a museum, and I really wanted to go and just ran out of time.
Of course I wanted to try more barbecue places - just in case there's something better than what I had. And I passed Beale Street, famous for the blues, but I wasn't in a position to go hunting around for a music venue, which I'm sorry about.
Elsewhere, I'd wanted to visit the Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg but forgot about it when I was in the area. Actually I'm surprised TN doesn't make any kind of fuss over their answer to KY whiskey - I didn't see any billboards or highway signs about it.
In Pulaski, which I drove past my last day in TN, the first chapter of the KKK was formed in late 1865. I understand the Daughters of the Confederacy sponsored a plaque commemorating this occasion, that this plaque was attached to the wall of the historic building. I also read that the new owner of the building didn't want to leave it up but didn't want to give fodder to right-wing flash mobs by taking it down, so he turned the plaque around so only the back of it shows. Interesting statement. I would have wanted to see that plaque back but didn't have time to track it down.
The town of Manchester is southeast of Murfreesboro and the Cedars of Lebanon Park where I stayed for several days. I'd wanted to get down there but just ran out of time. Manchester was originally a cotton-mill town; I saw so many northern versions of mill towns, I'd have liked to see the southern version. Nearby is the Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Area that's 2000 years old. Also nearby is an 82-acre area of prairie grass (of which there's not much left) that's been designated a National Natural Landmark.
Chattanooga is the largest place I didn't get to. I especially wanted to see the Terminal Railroad Station (think Chattanooga Choo Choo). It's also the site of the Tennessee Aquarium, which claims to be the world's first large freshwater aquarium (though they charge $35 so I probably wouldn't have gone). Nearby is historically famous Lookout Mountain, site of an important Civil War battle. It's also the site of Ruby Falls, at 145' the tallest underground waterfall in the country. A tour there costs $25, but I might have paid that if I'd had some time in the area.
The town of Dayton is between Chattanooga and Knoxville, and I'd intended to go there and just forgot. Dayton is where the Scopes trial happened, and I understand there's a museum in the Rhea County Courthouse, and folks can go in the actual courtroom where the trial was in 1925. I'd have been interested in the local take on that trial.
My conclusion about Tennessee
In many ways this is a comfortable state. People are friendly, gas is cheap (comparatively), there's a great deal of natural beauty and historic sites, and the state seems to be looking to the future.
Of course, there are plenty of dark spots because, as with most of America, it doesn't seem to have squarely faced its past. I imagine most folks just want to keep moving forward and leaving the past in the past. But the longer I live the more I believe Faulkner's line: "The past is never dead. It's not even past." As with any injury - physical or mental - if you don't face it and deal with it straight on, it can become infected and fester and eventually cause serious damage.
But I liked my time here in Tennessee and look forward to coming back sometime.
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