Road Trip: Quick trips home and on to see Elvis

Posted October 30, 2017 by carol.fletcher@rocketmail.com

October 27: Niagara Falls to Chicago. Starting mileage 31,534.

There were a few really long days of driving in our trip. And today was one of them. The plan was now to head west, but we needed to reposition ourselves. Oh, and we needed to pass through our homes, and go see Elvis. 🙂

We left Niagara Falls just before sunrise. We rode along the bottom shore of Lake Erie, through New York state to a corner of Pennsylvania, and through the top edge of Ohio, then made our way across Indiana near the Michigan border, and pulling into Chicago by 6:15 p.m.

Bryan! Laundry! Tacos! A night in my own bed! And after 10 days gone, a little repacking since I’d had a bit of time to reconsider some of the items in my suitcase. I wasn’t going to be back this way for another six weeks, so it was a hectic 14 hours at home.

October 28: Chicago to Nashville. Starting mileage 32,102.

Chicago to Nashville (and vice versa) is a drive I’ve done hundreds of times. I know where to find cheap gas, clean bathrooms, fast Starbucks, and all the Long John Silvers restaurants. As far as scenery, there’s a wind farm, a solar farm, a few horse farms, and dozens of farm farms, and as you get closer to the bowl that holds Nashville, rolling green valleys and high hills and ridges topped by radio and cell phone towers.

We arrived at Mama’s house around 6:30 p.m., after 9 hours of driving and a stop at Krogers for a food restock. Another 14 hours of home life: more laundry, Mama’s repack moment, and a good night’s sleep in a familiar bed.

October 29: Nashville to Memphis. Starting mileage 32,599.

On Sunday, October 29, we set out on the second leg of our USA road trip. This part of the trip would take us to see Elvis, then south to New Orleans, and then we’d begin motoring west.

Tennessee is a long skinny state. The drive from Music City (in the middle of the state), to the Home of the Blues (on the western edge of Tennessee at the Mississippi River) is a four-hour trip on I-40. We left just before 8 a.m. so that we could make it to Graceland and Sun Studios before they closed. Apart from a truck’s blown tire scaring the crap out of us, the trip was easy-peasy.

*Mama Lucy logs an entry as we pull out of her Nashville driveway on our way to Memphis.*

Elvis!

This part of the trip will make more sense if you know that Lucy has a thing for Elvis. She got to see him in concert three times before he died in 1977. And it is for Elvis alone that she subscribes to Sirius Radio. The Elvis Channel is ALWAYS on in her car. ALWAYS. Even on these long rides…Elvis, Elvis, Elvis. We marvel at his voice, we know the words by heart, and of course, we have our favorite songs.

To put you in the spirit for the rest of this blog post, I put together a 62-minute playlist on Spotify of some of our Elvis favorites from the trip. You can listen to the playlist in full by logging in to Spotify, or hear a 30-second sample of each song here:

Graceland

The first time I came to Graceland in 1989, there was a strip mall across the street selling trinkets. Back then, my friends and I didn’t have the time or the money to go in, so we walked along the property’s stone fence reading all the inscriptions grafitti’d to Elvis. Lucy had been in Graceland before, and had described the extravagant and quirky Elvis style. All these years, I’ve kept those vivid images in my head.

Today, an Elvis complex is across the street from Graceland. There, the Sirius radio show broadcasts, the Lisa Marie TCB plane sits, and all visitors park. We arrived just after lunch, paid our $10 for parking, locked the car, crossed the street, and started to walk up the driveway to Graceland. It was a beautiful Fall day in Tennessee–the trees were still mostly green, but the air was crisp and the skies clear. Mama was excited and I was humming Paul Simon’s Graceland in my head, wondering if indeed “we all will be received” when a guard yelled at us, “You can’t just walk in!”

Turns out, visitors have to pay across the street, pick up their very own iPad tour guide, and get on a shuttle bus to ride across the street. Is it any wonder the tickets are ~$40 each?

*“I have a reason to believe, we all will be received in Graceland.” Memphis, Tennessee.*

The house is not big by today’s standards. But it was a mansion to Elvis and his family in 1957. We entered through the front door, just as if we were invited guests. And like that, we were standing in Elvis’ home. There was the living room to the right, the dining room to the left, and the stairs to the off-limits second floor where he died in August 1977.

Elvis Presley's living room at Graceland, Memphis Tennessee. — *Elvis Presley’s white living room at Graceland. Memphis, Tennessee. Note the stained-glass peacocks, the old TV, and the piano in the alcove.*

A portrait of Elvis hangs at the stairwell. Graceland, Memphis TN. — A portrait of Elvis hangs in the stairwell. Graceland, Memphis, TN. Lisa Marie has said that she can remember hearing his jewelry coming down the stairs before seeing him. Elvis died in an upstairs bathroom, and the second floor is off-limits. His mother’s room is downstairs to the back and right of these stairs.

Our group of about 15-20 people clustered by the velvet ropes looking into the white living room. Everyone was trying to get to the front for a good photo, and each one of us seemed to be struggling with his/her iPad tour guide. I’m sure there was a lot of content in that thing, but what a pain! Accessing it and all the layers of content, keeping up with its pace and timing, hanging on to the cords and headphones…all while trying to stick close with Mama, stay out of other guests’ way, and actually be in the moment to see, appreciate, and absorb what we were standing in front of was all too much. I abandoned my headset so I could just walk and look.

Elvis Presley's house room with 3 Televisions — *Mama toured Graceland many years ago. She told me that Elvis had 3 TVs in one room so that he could watch all the channels at once. That tidbit stuck with me all these years, and did not disappoint.*

The billiards room at Graceland, coated and covered with fabric. Graceland, Memphis TN. — *Another thing I never forgot about Mama’s trip to Graceland many years ago: The billiard room ceiling, walls, and furniture is covered with the same busy-busy patterned fabric. Memphis TN.*

Graceland remains decorated just as he had it when Priscilla and Lisa Marie lived there (his last girlfriends’ decor changes were changed back after his death.) We spent over two hours at Graceland wandering through the rooms and around the grounds– looking at exhibits that included his wallet, Priscilla’s wedding dress, old photos and videos, and letters. We walked around by the pool, heard about his last day, and stood in line to walk by his backyard grave. In death, as in life, Elvis gave us a show. He was only 42 years old when he died.

The eternal flame at Elvis Presley's grave. Graceland, Memphis TN. — *The eternal flame at Elvis Presley’s grave. Graceland, Memphis TN. He is buried between his parents.*

Sun Studios

After Graceland, we drove over to Sun Studios. What a different experience! Free parking in the back. Tickets were about $14 each, and we got a real live tour guide named Lana who made Sam Phillips’ place come alive with her stories.

Mama stood behind the microphone Elvis sang into and I got to sit at Larry Mullen Jr.’s drum kit. We gawked at old photos and heard original scratchy recordings of some of the greatest moments in rock-and-roll…this place is also what makes Memphis “The Birthplace of Rock-and-Roll”.

*Mama Lucy at the mic in Sun Studios, Memphis Tennessee.*

walls of Sun Studio Memphis Tennessee Bono Million dollar quartet photos — *What these walls of Sun Studio have seen…and heard!*

October 30: Memphis to Tupelo and eventually to Louisiana. Starting mileage 32,852.

Tupelo

After a night in Memphis, we headed into Mississippi. We’d drive over the Tallahatchie Bridge made famous by Bobbie Gentry’s song before arriving in Tupelo.

Now, if you’re an Elvis fan, you might know that he was born a twin in Tupelo. His parents lived in a two-room shotgun house and made do like many people did during the depression. At one point, his dad, Vernon Presley, spent some time in jail for adding a zero to a check…”He made a $40 check $400…or maybe it was $4 into $40,” said the attendant, as she unlocked the back door of the tiny house for us. We were the first guests of the day. Mama and I stepped into the kitchen and that old house smell. We had Elvis’ childhood home all to ourselves on that early Monday morning.

And that was Elvis…from the end, back to the beginning.

The boyhood home of Elvis Presley in Tupelo, Mississippi. — *The 2-room boyhood home of Elvis Presley in Tupelo, Mississippi.*

Mama on the porch swing at Elvis' boyhood home in Tupelo, MS. — *Mama in the porch swing at Elvis’ boyhood home in Tupelo, MS.*

See these links for more about the beginnings of this trip and leaving out for the first part of the route.

Road Trip: Palisades, Pilgrimage, and Niagara Falls

Posted October 27, 2017 by carol.fletcher@rocketmail.com

October 25: Autumn drive across New York to Niagara Falls. Starting mileage: 31,117.

You have to wonder about a weekday that starts with a drive through Manhattan at 8:00 a.m. But we were following Siri to Niagara Falls, and that’s what she said we should do.

We eased out of the skinny Best Western parking spot and hit the streets of New York. Our hotel was in Long Island City, Queens, and we could see the crowns of the Queensboro Bridge from our room. Thankfully though, Siri guided us to the hidden foothills of the bridge. We passed over the East River with a herd of food trucks and entered Manhattan at the Silver Cup Studio sign. As we drove north on FDR Drive, through Harlem and the Bronx, and past Yankee Stadium, Siri told us about detours and the lanes we needed to be in. Eventually, we crossed over the Hudson and into New Jersey on the George Washington Bridge.

The Palisades

We drove north with the Hudson to our right. The trees were in full autumn blaze and we stopped for a stroll in the Palisades Scenic Overlook. The wide Hudson River shined below, and Yonkers looked so far away across the water. We walked separately, and together–basking in the fresh air and the flaming reds and oranges of the trees. It was a surprisingly peaceful place for being so close to the chaos of the city.

Autumn trees and a stone fence in the Palisades Interstate Park. — *Autumn trees and a stone fence in the Palisades Interstate Park, New Jersey.*

*Fall colors on trees along the winding road in the Palisades Interstate Park, New Jersey. Steep cliffs down to the Hudson River are just to the left of the road.*

Pilgrimage: Finding Mark Twain in Elmira

Somewhere along the way, we entered New York again and were now headed northwest across the state. As we skirted past the colorful Catskills, we stopped for lunch at the Roscoe Diner. Lesson #6 of our trip…whenever possible, eat at a local diner. For the next couple of hours, we rode near the Pennsylvania border, passing in and out of New York until we curved north towards Elmira.

*Yellow tree in a rest area in Hancock NY, at the Pennsylvania border.*

Back when we were plotting the trip, I realized we would pass through Elmira, a little town that was so special to Samuel Langhorne Clemens, aka Mark Twain. And since he’s special to me, we paused there to find traces of the man who dreamed up Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

Mark Twain’s Study

First, we found his study on the campus of Elmira College. His in-laws built this cozy room for him on their Quarry Farm hill overlooking Elmira in 1874. Samuel and Olivia and their girls came to visit her sister here every summer and this was where Twain went to write. I’ve seen pictures of him at the window of this study when it was covered in summer vines. Now, here it was–alone in the midst of a busy campus.

I believe he would have mocked the “progress” that necessitated moving his study here among young adults, today with noses glued to cell phones. I smiled, imagining what sardonic thing he’d say about cell phones. The building was closed, so I just held the door knob and peeked in at the small room. A stone fireplace, wooden floor, and walls of windows surrounded a round table. I tried to imagine him sitting and writing, but instead a fleeting image of him pacing and pipe puffing crossed my mind.

In 1874, Mark Twain's in-laws built a study for him to write at Quarry Farm. The octagon-shaped room sat on the top of a knoll overlooking Elmira and is where he wrote major pieces including Life on the Mississippi, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. The study was moved to this spot at Elmira College in 1952. — In 1874, Mark Twain’s in-laws built a study for him to write at Quarry Farm. The octagon-shaped room sat on the top of a knoll overlooking Elmira and is where he wrote major pieces including Life on the Mississippi, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. The study was moved to this spot at Elmira College in 1952.

The door knob to Mark Twain's study. — *The door knob to Mark Twain’s study.*

Mark Twain’s Grave

Within fifteen minutes of touching his study’s doorknob, I was standing at Samuel Clemens’ grave in Woodlawn Cemetery. Mama walked with me as I read and made photographs of each grave, and then she returned to the car for a rest.

Meanwhile, I sat down on the cold stone stoop at Mark Twain’s headstone. I thanked him for writing by hand the stories that mean so much and for taking the time to find the right word to give us lightning and not a lightning bug. You know that game about who you’d have at an imaginary dinner party? After family, he’s always my first invitation. I told him that too.

Mark Twain's grave in Woodlawn Cemetery, Elmira NY. Someone put autumn mums on his grave, but no one has added an epitaph to his stone. — *Mark Twain’s grave in Woodlawn Cemetery, Elmira NY. Someone put autumn mums on his grave, but no one has added an epitaph to his stone.*

An old dime laid on his grave among acorn bits and leaves and twigs. I picked up a maple’s “helicopter” to keep. I thought of his sarcastic tales of souvenir seekers in The Innocents Abroad and how many bits of “the one true cross” there must be. Of course, he would have laughed at me. And I would have hugged him.

On Mark Twain's grave: an old dime and leaves. — *On Mark Twain’s grave: an old dime and leaves.*

October 25-26: Niagara Falls

We drove into the rain and the dark. As we neared the town of Niagara, Siri rerouted us because of an accident. We checked in to the Quality Hotel well after sunset, not realizing just how close we were to Niagara Falls.

A lot of people have described Niagara Falls. I should have been prepared. I was not. Mama Lucy and I were shocked and wowed by Niagara Falls…by the scale of it, the mighty sound, the urgent rushing river, the new clouds, the soaking mist, so many rainbows, precarious islands, and those massive falls that drop the river down, down, down. We spent the day there, walking and sitting–taking photos, getting soaked in mist, and admiring the rainbows.

A bird watches us at the Niagara River before the Falls. — *From Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, the Niagara River races to the Falls.*

*Three waterfalls at Niagara Falls, NY.*

*The mighty Niagara Falls as seen from the Observation Tower.*

*Niagara Falls on a sunny day means rainbows over rainbows!*

From an island in Niagara River, at the falls. — *From an island in the Niagara River, at the falls. The Observation Tower in the top right, and the Rainbow Bridge to Canada in the background.*

*Niagara Falls creates mist and its own clouds.*

Walking up the path puts you beside and below the thundering, misting Niagara Falls. — *Walking up the path puts you beside (and below!) the thundering, misting Niagara Falls.*

*The Observation Tower above Niagara Falls.*

*Mama Lucy photographing Niagara Falls from the Observation Tower.*

*Watching the Maid of the Mist approach Niagara Falls for a shower.*

Finally, it was on this day that we began making souvenir pennies. Let’s just call that the 7th lesson of the trip: Always stop at the penny press machine!

Mama Lucy pressing the first souvenir penny at Niagara Falls. — *Mama Lucy pressing the first of our souvenir pennies at Niagara Falls.*

Mama Lucy surprised me climbing up into this giant chair after our comfort-food dinner at Niagara Falls. What a day of surprises. — Mama Lucy surprised me climbing up into this giant chair after our comfort-food dinner at Niagara Falls. What a day of surprises!

Mama Lucy with rainbow and sunshine at Niagara Falls. — *Mama Lucy with rainbow and sunshine at Niagara Falls on a brisk Autumn day.*

Our route from NYC to Niagara Falls

Map of route from Long Island City Queens through Manhattan and north along the Hudson. — *Our route from Long Island City Queens through Manhattan and north along the Hudson.*

*Map of our route from NYC around the Catskills in NY.*

The map of our route across New York state to Elmira and Niagara. — *Our route across New York state to Elmira and Niagara.*

You can read more about our decision to take this trip here. Select photos will be available on Etsy soon.

Thanks for reading!

Road Trip: Washington D.C. to New York City

Posted October 25, 2017 by carol.fletcher@rocketmail.com

October 23. Washington D.C. to New York City. Starting Mileage 30,757.

We woke up to a dense D.C. fog. After a light breakfast, we loaded the car, and hit the road for New York City. We had the handy-dandy road atlas, but stillgot tangled in the rainy, foggy morning traffic out of D.C. Even a pull-over for a longer look at the map didn’t help us. Unless you know where you are, it’s difficult to get where you want to go.

Mama’s car was equipped with OnStar and she buzzed them for help. But even they had trouble locating us. While on hold, I opened my iPhone maps and immediately saw where we were, and the road we needed to be on. Duh! The phone! Why hadn’t we been using this all along?! I typed in the address of our next destination, saw the options for directions, chose one, and hit go. And calm, cool, collected Ms. Siri joined us as navigator. Siri did not disappoint–her directions were accurate, and included ample warning for upcoming exits, and even which lanes to use. We learned over the next few days that she was also psychic–knowing where there were hazards, accidents, and traffic and offering us go-around options on the fly. Lesson #5 of this trip: Trust Siri.

It was a day of tunnels, bridges, turnpikes, tolls, and checking off new states. We drove through Maryland eating clementines, and passed under Chesapeake Bay in a long tunnel. After a few short pit-stops / photo-opps in Maryland and Delaware, we entered Pennsylvania and the outskirts of Philadelphia.

A Philly Cheese Steak in South Philly

Several places fell so close to our route that it would be stupid not to go. The first one was the home of the Philly Cheese Steak in Philadelphia.

Mama Lucy loves getting a Philly Cheese Steak at the mall. So, why not stop and get a genuine cheese steak in Philly? We’d read that the inventor of the “cheesesteak”, Pat’s King of Steaks, and their chief competitor, Geno’s Steaks, were close together in a working-class South Philly neighborhood. Thanks to Siri, we drove through Passyunk, where the boxy, row house doors came out onto the sidewalks without stairs or porch accessories, and straight to the scissor-X corner of Pat’s and Geno’s. It was a busy corner. Both places are open 24/7, famous, and popular. We found street parking, the overhead menu, and two windows to order in a time-honored Philly ritual.

At the first window, a tall man leaned down to talk to us. An army of young men were behind him in a cloud of steam, churning out meat sandwiches and fries–the only things on the menu.

“Wit or wit-out?” he asked (for onions).
“Whiz?” (for the cheese choice).
“Just one?” he asked.
“Yes, but two fries and two cokes please.”
“Second window,” he nodded to his right, “$11. Cash only.”

Stepping over three feet to the second window, we ordered two fries and two cokes.”$12, cash.” Done. We waited only a moment and took our tray to the end of an enamel-red picnic table. Mama Lucy said it was the best Philly Cheese Steak ever.

Stopping at Pat's King of Steaks in South Philly to get Mama Lucy a genuine Philly Cheese Steak. — *Stopping at Pat’s King of Steaks in South Philly to get Mama Lucy a genuine Philly Cheese Steak.*

Philly Cheese Steak corner in Philadelphia: Geno's and Pat's face each other on a crazy busy corner. — *Philly Cheese Steak corner in Philadelphia: Geno’s and Pat’s face each other on a crazy busy corner.*

A Philadelphia neighborhood. — *The Philadelphia neighborhood, Passyunk.*

The Atlantic Ocean and the Atlantic City Boardwalk

We took a hard right in Philadelphia, heading out I-76 to the Atlantic City Expressway, and southeast to the Atlantic Ocean. In just a couple of hours, we were standing in front of the Atlantic Ocean. The ocean called to come closer. We walked off the Boardwalk, out across the dry sand, to the wet sand, to where the birds were sifting around in the surf. And there she was, the great Atlantic Ocean on a windy, cloudy day, roaring and splashing and gray.

When we returned to the Boardwalk, the wind eased up. Miles of the wooden boards stretched ahead of us. I had imagined the Boardwalk as it must have looked in its heyday, with a Zoltar to tell me “your wish is granted.” Instead, like so many places around the world, the old is not treasured, taken care of, or protected. Progress plunders on. Development happens. Casinos and modern strip malls replaced many of the beautiful old buildings. These days, rows of cheap souvenir shops and lackluster ice cream parlors line up on the Boardwalk, facing off against the ocean and the beach for tourists’ attention.

Lucy at the Atlantic Ocean at Atlantic City. — *There she is, Ms. Mama Lucy at the Atlantic Ocean in Atlantic City, NJ.*

The Atlantic City Boardwalk. — *The Atlantic City Boardwalk, New Jersey.*

Into New York City

Our agreement for this road trip was that Mama Lucy put in her car, I paid for the hotels, and we split gas and food. I wanted to take care of her car–who, along with Siri, was becoming a major character in our story. I’d searched and searched for the unicorn hotel–a clean, safe place in the budgeted price range, with parking, and close enough to public transportation for a 79-year-old to walk. This is no easy set of criteria. I struck gold in New York with the Best Western Long Island City in Queens. I’d called to confirm there was parking and the hotel clerk had advised me to call on the morning we’d be arriving and they would make sure one of the eight spaces was saved for us. They were true to their word, and after a long day of driving, some shocking toll tallies, and a tense twilight drive on busy, narrow lanes into New York City, we pulled into the hotel’s last skinny parking spot. I think I heard the car and Siri exhale their relief.

The trusty car, in a tight valuable parking space in New York. — *The trusty car, 2nd from the right, parked in a tight valuable space at our New York hotel.*

Lucy in the NYC subway — *With a little help from the hotel desk clerk, we figured out the NYC subway lines.*

October 23-25. New York City.

First, we took the F train from 21st Street Queens Bridge station to W. 4th at Washington Square where we switched to the E train and to the last stop near the World Trade Center.

The 9/11 Memorial

The morning was brisk, but sunny. We walked around the footprints of the twin towers, now a memorial of waterfalls into waterfalls into a black abyss. Wind sprayed water. White roses graced the engraved names of those victims who would have celebrated a birthday today. We touched the cold marble of the 9/11 memorial, tracing a few names with our fingers. Sixteen years before, this space had been under a heap of debris and disbelief. Today, it was quiet, powerful and peaceful.

*Inside the Oculus, New York City. The modern transit hub near the World Trade Center looks like ribs, though others have described it (as seen from the outside) as the clipped wings of a dove.*

Waterfall Ground Zero, World Trade Center memorial NYC — *The water falls and falls, down into an abyss where no bottom can be seen. Ground Zero, World Trade Center memorial.*

Times Square in the Rain

Later in the morning, it began to rain. We stumbled into a cozy little Italian Place for a comfort food lunch before catching a train uptown. The rain may have dampened the day, but it made the lights of Times Square glow. Leave it to Mama Lucy to find an empty folding chair under a construction awning in Times Square during the hardest rain. Huddled there with other tourists and locals, we once again enjoyed an unexpected break–this time under the bright lights, with the big city views.

*Lucy at Radio City Music Hall. At 5’8″, she’s the perfect height to be a Rockette!*

*Lucy hurrying to get out of the rain in Times Square.*

Click to read more about our decision to make this trip, the first stop, and the second leg of our road trip.

Maps and Legends

Finally, some maps of our route from Washington D.C. through Maryland and Delaware to Philadelphia PA, Atlantic City NJ, and into New York City.

Map of our route from Washington D.C. through Maryland. — *Route from Washington D.C. through Maryland.*

Map of our route through Maryland and Delaware. — *Mapped route through Maryland and Delaware.*

Map of our route into Philadelphia. — *The route into Philadelphia.*

Map of our route from Philadelphia PA to Atlantic City NJ and north to NYC. — *After Philadelphia PA–we headed southeast to Atlantic City NJ, and then north to NYC.*

Map of our route into New York City...a $39.25-toll day. — *Last, our route into New York City…a $39.25-toll day.*

Road Trip: Washington D.C.

Posted October 23, 2017 by carol.fletcher@rocketmail.com

October 20. Cherokee, NC to Washington D.C. Starting Mileage 30,238.

We drove all day on October 20. From Cherokee, it was a northeasterly route, through ridges and gaps in North Carolina, cutting across the pointing-finger-tip of Tennessee, and following the valleys between the Appalachians, Shenandoah, and Blue Ridge Mountains up through Virginia, and on into Washington D.C. We’d drive over 500 miles this day. First lesson of this adventure: the road is the trip too.

Because of our dilly-dallying in Cherokee in the morning, and a few picturesque stops long the route, we ended up driving in the dark and not arriving at our hotel until after 8 p.m.

In Cherokee, I’d hauled our many bags into the hotel room two-by-two. Same thing loading out. When we arrived into our DC-area hotel, I pulled up out front to unload the bags into the lobby. Mama would wait there with the bags while I parked the car in the garage. When I came up from the garage–dreading, but ready to make at least three trips back and forth to get our bags to our 8th floor room–a nice man behind the counter smiled and said, “Luggage carts are right around that corner.”

What?! Luggage Carts?!?

I sleepwalked around that corner, and saw four of the most beautiful objects parked in front of me–LUGGAGE CARTS! Thick brass arches with hooks across the top for hanging garment bags, wide carpeted flat-beds that would fit at least three bags, and wheels that spun around for amateur maneuvers. I almost skateboarded my chosen one back into the lobby! We stacked ALL of the bags onto the magic luggage cart and drove it like drunks to the elevators.

Dizzy tired and hungry, and giddy about the ease of loading in, I forgot to take a picture of that blessed thing. I should have taken a portrait of each and every one of the magic wheel carts we used for the next seven weeks. Lesson #2 of this trip: Always look for a magic luggage cart and appreciate the invention of wheels.

October 21-23. Washington D.C.

During our days in D.C., we took a tour of the Capitol, saw the Library of Congress, sat on the columns on the porch of the closed Supreme Court, walked the length of the Mall to the Washington Monument one day, and to the Lincoln Memorial and World War II and Vietnam Veterans Memorials the next. We walked and walked and walked. And talked, explored, and learned.

*A bridal party crosses in front of the Capitol Building.*

looking up to the windows of the USA Capitol dome — Detail inside the Capitol Dome. We had arranged for a tour of the Capitol with our Senator’s office. When we arrived, we were asked if we were all there. Mama and I looked at each other and said “uh, yes…” The guy at the desk looked around us and smiled, “I take it you ladies are NOT a party of 40, like this says?”

looking up into the ceiling of the Capitol dome — Looking up in the Capitol Building’s dome. The Capitol Building’s 2nd dome, this cast iron structure was begun in 1855. Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated beneath a half-completed dome in 1861. When the Civil War started, dome construction sat idle for awhile. But Lincoln pressed on and it was completed in 1866–during the Civil War–in a promise that “the Union will go on.”

The Library of Congress lobby — *The Library of Congress’ Great Hall. Established in 1800, the LOC is the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States.*

Library of Congress Reading Room from above — *The Library of Congress Reading Room. The LOC has the largest library collection in the world with more than 167 million items.*

Mama sitting on a column on the Supreme Court porch. — *Mama resting on the Supreme Court porch.*

The importance of parking

It was important during the trip planning to find a hotel with safe parking for the car and close to public transportation so that we could get around with ease. Lucy is nearly 80. And though she gets around good, I didn’t want to wear her out. We walked a lot in Washington D.C. And we also took frequent little breaks–sitting on the Mall, resting by the Kilroy was Here graffiti, and lingering under a tree in Autumn yellow leaves near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. What peace in those sitting-to-rest times. Lesson #3 of this trip: Sit for a spell. Rest and observe. There was no where else we needed to be, but right there together.

Lucy sitting on a bench on the Mall, washington monument in the background — *We stopped a few times for bench-sitting along the Mall from the Capitol to the Washington Monument.*

Some of the 4,048 stars at the World War II Memorial Washington DC — *Each of the 4,048 golden stars represent 100 Americans who died in World War II.*

Kilroy was Here, graffiti at the World War II Memorial. — *Kilroy was Here. This was popular and familiar graffiti during the 1940s. We found both of the Kilroys, tucked away in the World War II Memorial.*

*Looking back at the reflecting pool towards the Washington Monument from near the Lincoln Memorial.*

Lucy--after climbing the stairs to the Lincoln Memorial, and back down again. — *Lucy–after climbing the stairs to the Lincoln Memorial, and back down again.*

Shadows at the corner in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. — *Shadows at the corner of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.*

Arlington National Cemetery

On the final day of our stay in D.C., I was studying the map, and suddenly figured out that we had just enough time to visit Arlington National Cemetery on our way back to the hotel. We hustled, made our connecting train, and made it there in time for the last trolley tour, and the last changing of the guard at the grave of the Unknown Soldier. Silence but for the clicking of heels walking back and forth, standing watch over those soldiers “Known but to God”. And later, we walked in silence up the knoll to the eternal flame and graves of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. Poignant places in our nation’s capital. Lesson #4: Life is short. Seize the moments. Cram it in and go, go, go.

The eternal flame at JFK's grave, Arlington National Cemetery. — *The eternal flame at JFK’s grave, Arlington National Cemetery.*

Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Arlington National Cemetery. — At the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Arlington National Cemetery. Guards follow a meticulous routine when watching over the graves: 1) Marches 21 steps south down the 63′ long black mat laid across the Tomb. 2) Turns and faces east, toward the Tomb, for 21 seconds. 3) Turns and faces north, changes weapon to outside shoulder, and waits 21 seconds. 4) Marches 21 steps down the mat. 5) Turns and faces east for 21 seconds. 6) Turns and faces south, changes weapon to outside shoulder, and waits 21 seconds. 7) Repeats the routine until relieved of duty at the Changing of the Guard. During summer/open hours, the guard is changed every 30 minutes. In winter, every hour. After hours, every 2 hours. The mat has to be changed twice a year.

Click these links for more about the start of our road trip, and the merits of going old.

Our route to Washington D.C.

Map of our route from Cherokee NC, north through TN into VA — *Map of our route from Cherokee NC, north through the corner of TN, into VA*

Map of our route through VA, to D.C. — *Map of our route through the valleys of VA, to D.C.*

Road trip: Nashville to Cherokee

Posted October 20, 2017 by carol.fletcher@rocketmail.com

THE day was here. Breakfast dishes were done and the house was locked up. The car packed and the rearview mirror arranged. Seat belts on. It was time. We snapped a selfie, posted it to Instagram, and backed out of the driveway. It was 7:20 a.m. on Thursday, October 19, and my mother and I were on our way. It was Day One of our seven-week USA road trip.

*Lucy & Carol in the car, just a moment before our 7:20 a.m. departure. October 19, 2017.*

October 19. Starting mileage: 29,950.

The plan was to go South on backroads down to Estill Springs and then cut East on more backroads, turning North into North Carolina for the Smoky Mountains and Cherokee where we had a reservation for the night.

It was a perfect day for a drive with a Tennessee October-crisp temperature and brilliant sunshine. And it was the perfect time to take a trip. For the last few months, we’d debated, dreamed, deliberated, and finally decided to do it. My last day at work had been an auspicious Friday, October 13 and just a few days after, I’d flown to Tennessee to make final preparations with my mom, Lucy. And now, here we were, on the route. High hopes, nervous energy, a few nagging worries about costs and routes and places to stay, and an awakening feeling of release and relief. We were on our way!

First, Estill Springs

Estill Springs was our first stop. It had to be. It was the place the two of us used to go on annual vacations when money was tight. Years ago, friends of my mom lived there in a nice house surrounded by woods. I have no idea where in Estill Springs their house was. But it felt remote, exotic. Mama and I would always sleep in their attic guest bedroom, eat delicious home-cooked meals in the screened-in porch, and walk among those tall pines. They had a dog, and a boy a little younger than me. We’d play in the woods, ride bikes, and set up little towns to drive Matchbox cars around. I’m not sure how long we stayed on these trips–could have been a long weekend, or a week. Time seemed to relax and spread out a little. Estill Springs is not that far from Nashville. But just like those old vacations, it took a while to get there. We arrived to nothing that looked familiar, and snapped a few shots in front of the only thing we could find that said Estill Springs, the City Hall. And unlike those old vacations, today we kept going.

Onward

I’d gone old school for this trip. The very day Lucy said, “Ok, I’ll go,” I walked to the local travel garb store and bought an oversized Road Atlas, complete with special entries for all the National Parks. In the six weeks from “Ok, I’ll go” to “GO!”, I’d been plotting our course, studying the map, and jotting notes for backroads to other backroads to landmarks and destinations. I intended to bypass the bland major highways as much as possible–though I realized that the interstates were necessary time savers. So, after a few hours of driving old Tennessee roads past fields and cows, and getting twisted up from my written directions, we got on I-24 going southeast. By then, it was time for lunch. And we weren’t even one-third of the way to Cherokee.

Fields & Power Lines, Tennessee — *Fields and power lines, Tennessee.*

As moms will do, Lucy had packed lunch. We stopped at the Nickajack Reservoir – Ladds Rest Area for a picnic. I’ve never seen a prettier rest stop. It was a little island, peaceful. We took our time, letting it all soak in–the warm October sunshine, the reservoir view, the homemade pimento cheese, and the fact that we were on the trip of a lifetime. Even now, that hour at the rest stop is one of my most vivid memories of the trip.

At Ladds Rest Area, Nickajack Reservoir, near Jasper, TN — *At Ladds Rest Area, an island in the Nickajack Reservoir, near Jasper, TN.*

Cherokee, NC

We drove on, and on, and on. Stopping here and there for photos…like at the Ocoee River. Mama knew how to say it–“o-CO-ee”. And when it rolled off her tongue, I remembered that I used to know that. I repeated it out loud and a hundred more times in my head. Just like the time she told me the Obey River near Celina is said “O-bee”–but that’s another story for another day.

Eventually we drove into North Carolina, and found our hotel in Cherokee just before dark.

This first night tested us. There was the checking in and getting a key that didn’t work. And then there was the unloading–lots of suitcases, a bag of food, and a cooler. We discovered we wanted to do different things. We both worried about the money. And we’d lost an hour of daylight moving from Central to Eastern time zone. Lucy wanted to see the casino. I wanted to go into the Smokies. But it was silly money to park at the casino and then there were no spaces. And it was too dark to drive up into the mountains. We were hungry and didn’t know where to go to eat–couldn’t even decide what we wanted. We settled on a cheap fast food dinner and early turn-in. Of all the nights for rambunctious kids to be anywhere near me, they were in the room above ours–jumping on their beds and screaming until we–at last–heard water running and their mom call “Bath time!” If playtime continued after bath time, I didn’t hear it.

October 20. Starting mileage 30,238.

The next morning after loading up, we stopped for a buffet breakfast with pancakes. Buoyed by the comfort food and a fresh day starting far from our routines, we idled around Cherokee. We wandered around an old stone church, noted that the street signs were in Cherokee and English, and poked around a few souvenir shops. Years and years ago, I remember coming to the Smoky Mountains with both Mama and Daddy. I don’t think the souvenir options have changed much in all that time–play tomahawks, tiny doll papooses, suede moccasins, and little hand-carved trinkets, alongside boiled peanuts, birdhouses, and mesmerizing spinning yard ornaments and wind chimes.

After a couple of hours dallying around Cherokee, we headed north for Washington D.C. Yes, we’d like more time in Cherokee–to see the old settlements in Cherokee Nation, play at the casino, and use the National Park pass to see the Smoky Mountains. But the sun was out, our worries lifted, and today’s long road stretched out before us.

October 27: Niagara Falls to Chicago. Starting mileage 31,534.

October 28: Chicago to Nashville. Starting mileage 32,102.

October 29: Nashville to Memphis. Starting mileage 32,599.

Elvis!

Graceland

Sun Studios

October 30: Memphis to Tupelo and eventually to Louisiana. Starting mileage 32,852.

Tupelo

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October 25: Autumn drive across New York to Niagara Falls. Starting mileage: 31,117.

The Palisades

Pilgrimage: Finding Mark Twain in Elmira

Mark Twain’s Study

Mark Twain’s Grave

October 25-26: Niagara Falls

Our route from NYC to Niagara Falls

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October 23. Washington D.C. to New York City. Starting Mileage 30,757.

A Philly Cheese Steak in South Philly

The Atlantic Ocean and the Atlantic City Boardwalk

Into New York City

October 23-25. New York City.

The 9/11 Memorial

Times Square in the Rain

Maps and Legends

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What?! Luggage Carts?!?

October 21-23. Washington D.C.

The importance of parking

Arlington National Cemetery

Our route to Washington D.C.

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October 19. Starting mileage: 29,950.

First, Estill Springs

Onward

Cherokee, NC

October 20. Starting mileage 30,238.

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