On the Road

Picture it: America, June 2011 A happily married couple of one year, a two-year-old mutt and a six year old painted aquatic turtle take to the open road on a four-day journey across the You Ess of Ay. That is a lot of driving (that the husband did ), people. The little pup is a nervous, anxious guy, just like his mama. When I stress, my hair falls out just and I eat like crazy. When the pup stresses, he releases clouds of fur and avoids food. Interesting, no? Anyway... we jammed the travel turtle tank on the floorboard behind my seat (it s only a two-door car) and attempted to keep the pup in the back seat with our awesome new picnic basket (its a Coleman cooler/picnic basket, loves it!). Off we drove crossing through New Mexico, stopping for the night in Albuquerque. The air was thick with smoke and stung my nose when we stepped from the car.

Leaving AZ (looking rather green, actually)

The second day we rose up early, after a delicious breakfast of biscuits and (instant) sausage gravy and fruit, and drove off into the morning sun. We crossed from New Mexico to Texas. The sign leaving New Mexico was beautiful making the little metal sign announcing our Texas entrance a little sad looking. We drove through Texas' top, through cattle country on Old Route 66. The landscape sprawling in front of us. Dusty and spartan, we drove hours through the desert. I was excited at the prospect of seeing the famous Cadillac Ranch. Blink and you'd miss it. Ten cars poked from the ground in a line. That was it. Sorry, Amarillo. I didn't get a picture in protest of the disappointing show. I thought it would look more like a car-henge than a short stripe of cars.

Remy trying to sneak into the front seat

It seemed almost immediately upon venturing into Oklahoma green sprouted from the ground and the flat terrain turned hilly. It was a most welcome surprise. I had no idea what Oklahoma would be like, if I did have an idea is was from old black and white westerns, and I would have been wrong. Beautiful countryside dotted with an occasional oil pump-rig-thing. I learned from a billboard that Oklahoma was the first state to test out using yield signs (which I started calling Oklahomas every time I saw one). We camped in a super nice Spring Hill Suites with a couple girls' softball teams for the night.

On the banks of the mighty Mississippi, rose Memphis

The Belgian waffle I chowed on that morning was delish! I really need a waffle iron as I need to recreate that tastiness often. This was a long drive through Oklahoma, Arkansas into Tennessee. It was in Arkansas that we felt the wall of Southern humidity that will be in our new home town. Holy cow! It was like being hit in the face with a wet towel. Moving right along... bang! We hit the Mississippi! Okay not really, but we saw the remains of the flooding and then crossed the mighty river. I had neverf seen it before and laughed that we were finally on the same side of the country as our ENTIRE family (with the exception of Corey, Hubby's younger brother, who lives in Tempe, AZ). As we approached Memphis on the bank of the river, I told Hubs that Memphis was a city in Egypt. He laughed at me and pointed to a giant pyramid, and said, "I guess you're right." I know I'm right, it just is great to have that rightness acknowledged immediately upon uttering the statement. We reached Nashville in 10 hours. Way to drive Hubba Hubba Hubby!

He was really tired of driving and being all squished up

The fourth and finally final day of our great escape from the desert saw us through the second half of  TN, North Carolina ending in South Carolina. The Smokey Mountains are breathtaking! That night we hunkered down in our extended stay, I was able to convince the dog to sleep with me (he he he) after Shawn went to sleep, and I ordered in pizza. It was late and Dominoes was the only thing open. Give me some time to get used to the South before I dive head first into that yumtastic food. It'll happen soon, don't y'all worry.

The final stretch through the Smokies