Wednesday, March 3, 2010 - Travel Day

Wednesday after singing with Papa at the nursing home, Claude and I headed to Knoxville, Tennessee. We were trying to get a few hours done on our drive to Savannah, Georgia. I must comment here about the most interesting item along the side of the road just after you enter Tennessee. There is an enormous metal cross that really stands out as you drive closer to it. You wonder why, in the middle of no where, no church in sight, there is this enormous white metal cross. Then when you get close to it you realize that right next to it is an adult store, a really big adult store. Me thinks someone is making a statement. I made reservations for us just off I-40 as you get on the highway that will eventually become the parkway through Gatlinburg and into Great Smoky Mountain National Park. I had it in my head we were going that way to get to Savannah. When chosing our destination, we also looked at Charleston, SC. Evidently that was the route I had in my mind when making the hotel reservation. Claude printed directions from MapQuest and as I looked at them while we were driving I realized they had us staying with I-75 to Atlanta and then in Macon, Georgia and getting on I-16 to Savannah. As we drove along, I explained this to Claude. We decided we would go the direction I was looking at on the way to Georgia and the MapQuest way he printed on the way home. Two different views on a long drive might be fun. As we were driving we noticed signs telling us to check 1620AM on our radio dial for important traffic information. I turned on the radio and we listened to the news that the Parkway through the Smoky Mountains was closed because of snow AND that I-40 was closed until further notice because of a rock slide. I-40 was to be our route the next day. We headed to the hotel and checked in. I brought in our maps and we determined we should head back to I-75 and take it south instead. One must be flexible when traveling. We had a wonderful hotel room that night. It was a suite like room, all new, breakfast included and it was only $47 for the night. We were appalled and delighted at the same time. The only problem is that it is located up against a mountain and we had NO cell service. But the people who needed to contact us also had our hotel information and could get us that way if they needed us at all.