Friday, 1 November 2019
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| today's route: eastern Kentucky to eastern Tennessee |
Driving through Kentucky
When the dogs and I went out this morning - both at 6:15 and again at 8:00 - it was really cold. There was still some wind, so I'm sure the wind chill made a difference, but it was more of a breeze than the heavy winds we had yesterday. Thank goodness, because I wouldn't have much liked driving in those.
After we'd been on the road a bit, I heard on the radio that it was then 28° in Frankfort - a fair distance from where we were and a little farther north, but still a likely indicator of what we were feeling: chilled.
I started noticing a lot of kudzu draped all over the bushes and trees, which I hadn't noticed in other parts of Kentucky. It's becoming increasingly obvious that I'm heading farther south.
In an area of very heavy road construction I saw a highway sign saying, "Drive like you color - slow and between the lines." Humor might win folks over where orders won't.
I passed a sign saying I was driving through the Daniel Boone National Forest.
I passed another sign saying I was entering Clay County, "Land of Swinging Bridges." Thinking this was worth looking up, I found this website complete with photos. www.exploreclaycountyky.com/swinging_bridges
As we drove, I noticed that far more trees were bare of leaves than I'd seen in the last few days. I finally figured out that the cold front that blew through yesterday had winds strong enough to shake down many of the beautiful leaves that I'd been enjoying. Too bad, but I'm glad I got to see them when I did.
I passed a sign saying I was entering Manchester - "City of Hope." I was curious about what they were hoping for and found this really odd story online. This website clearly has a church-based point of view, but I couldn't find any online explanation for the nickname that was from a secular website. So here's an unusual story. https://greatawakening.blogspot.com
Welcome to Tennessee
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| Tennessee - my 20th state |
You can't tell because I don't have enough state pieces in my map, but Tennessee is unusually laid out. TN borders on 8 different states: KY and VA on the north; North Carolina on the east; Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi on the south; Arkansas and Missouri on the west.
And TN is almost 4 times longer (440 miles) than it is wide (120 miles). Its northeastern corner is closer to Canada than it is to its southwestern corner. Because I'm now in eastern TN where the border slopes northeast, my campground is only about 20 miles or so from the NC border, along the Appalachians and the Great Smoky Mountains.
Back on the road
A semi that was ahead of me on the road was shedding ice off its top. At first I couldn't figure out what I was seeing. And when I did figure it out, I wondered where it had spent the night. It was cold in Kentucky - below freezing, obviously, given Frankfort's temperature well into the morning - but I wouldn't have thought chunks of ice would have formed.
I passed a sign saying that section of the interstate was named in memory of Sen. Albert Gore, Sr. I'd forgotten the Gores were from Tennessee and, because I didn't really know much about the VP's father, I looked him up. This link - en.wikipedia.org/Albert_Gore_Sr. - gives some basic information, including his startling solution for ending the Korean War, which I'm glad Truman didn't adopt. But for a different perspective entirely, including a view into Jr.'s behavior, there's this link. slate.com/was-albert-gore-sr-a-crook
The interstate started some serious climbing - enough so that I saw Dexter yawn to pop his ears. I could feel a little trouble with mine. When the road was running along a ridge top, we had a wonderful view of the mountains with the leaves changing colors. Really pretty.
I passed the road to Oak Ridge, TN, where (surprise!) the Oak Ridge Boys singing group are from.
And I passed the road to Rocky Top, TN, which made me want to start singing the lyrics. "Rocky Top, Tennessee" is one of the 9 official state songs. Yep. Nine of them, a list that also includes "The Tennessee Waltz." I guess this state just inspires music. I'm a little surprised they haven't yet added, "All my ex's live in Texas (that's why I hang my hat in Tennessee)."
Actually, songwriting was designated in 2003 as the official state art form.
Tennessee really likes designating official state things. It has 2 state fish, 2 state birds, at least 2 state flowers, 2 state trees and no fewer than 4 state insects. It's enough to make you wonder if the State Assembly has time to do anything else. They only meet every other year, and then only for 90 days.
I've been seeing a truly surprising number of Ohio and Indiana license plates. I just never thought of Tennessee as being all that close to either state, or it being on the way to somewhere else for that matter.
One lane of the interstate was blocked by the entire rear bumper from someone's car. Not the narrow piece of chrome that used to constitute a bumper, but that whole piece of body that goes across modern cars. I noticed it just in time and fortunately had the lane next to me clear so I could swerve into it. Otherwise I'd probably still be back there on the highway with a real mess on my hands.
I passed a sign for the Seven Islands State Birding Park. I might have wanted to go there but some really helpful person wrote on Trip Advisor that the route is a winding road so narrow you have to pull off the road when meeting another vehicle. I've had enough of that for a little while.
I passed the road to Pigeon Forge, a tiny town that Dolly Parton put on the map with her Dollywood amusement park ($76 entry fee + $18 parking for my RV = no thanks). As far as I could tell from the brochures at the Visitor Center, there are now any number of other attractions in Pigeon Forge.
One that I saw several billboards for is called The Shroud Museum. As far as I can tell, what they offer is a full-size replica of the Shroud of Turin, and a great deal of information that claims to prove the original shroud is truly the burial cloth of Jesus. I'm skeptical of such claims, despite the purported proof, and won't bother paying the $12 entry fee. Although most Trip Advisor comments were very positive, I lean toward the person who said, "I hope the Rapture doesn't happen in Pigeon Forge. Jesus would walk on past this place. Overpriced and just sad."
I'll stay here in the campground a few days to get caught up on my blog and oriented for my month in Tennessee.
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