Western USA 2003
Chickasaw State Park, TN to Springer Mountain, GA
On the road by 9am today route 100 over to Decaturville, one small town after the next most with the classic beautiful center-square design so popular in the late 19th and early 20th C, stores along the outside of the square and municipal building usually a courthouse in the middle. Unlike Kansas these towns are alive and well.
Audio commentary (469kb .wav) about Judge Mac Farrar.
Stopped for more BBQ for lunch this time it is white sauce (mayo), every BBQ is a little different but they are all good, the diversity is great I hope this becomes more popular in Maryland. The chain stores have them but they are never fresh, usually smothered in much sugary sauce, there is something better about the BBQ in TN.
--Reproduction of cabin Lewis stayed in the night he died.
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The Merriweather Lewis site along the Natchez Trace is interesting, there is little mention that this is where he committed suicide on his way from Missouri to Washington DC, only that he had died here. Took a short hike through the woods along an undeveloped part of the trail and felt this was the logical and emotional end to the Lewis and Clark part of the journey.
More audio commentary (602kb .wav), on the Natchez Trace
Route 412 to route 50 to route 64 to route 82.. lots of winding along back roads.. to Lynchburg and home of Jack Daniels. Somewhat touristy spot but well done and deserved some of the best whiskey in the world. Went to the Barrel Shop which sells used whiskey barrels. They almost had me talked into strapping a 120lb wooden barrel onto the top of the 4Runner "..stranger things have happened in Lynchburg" I was told in a deep southern accent, but decided it was likely the barrel would roll off somewhere going through the mountains causing unknown mayhem. I wish I had done it as I could use the barrel at my new house.
Went to the Sewanee Natural Bridge, a little known out of the way place in the woods behind someones house which is a natural cave with the roof collapsed forming a natural stone bridge that felt like stepping back to Paleolithic times.
--Sewanee Bridge. Great place to hang out if I was a teenager.
I-24 to get around Chattanooga during rush hour to route 64 to the Ocoee Gateway to the mountains. I had mentioned the movie Deliverance before but this is the real country along the TN/GA/Carolina border. Southern end of the Great Smokies probably the most remote and rugged area in the East, this is where Eric Rudolph hid from police until 2003 after the Atlanta Olympic bombing in 1996. Route 64 is similar to Route 12 in Idaho going through the Bitterroot's, very twisty, rugged terrain, no developments only used by white water rafters and sportsmen. The site of the 1996 Olympics kayaking event.
Once over the top of the mountains descend into poor Appalachia coal mining country. Ducktown. Copperhill. Around 8pm still unable to find a campsite I stop at a Motel but the owners and guests seem so unsavory in a alcoholic dirty way I finally decline the room as he opens the door to the room I just decline and leave, he doesn't seem surprised or to care in fact being a "stranger" he probably was glad to see me move along.
Continue driving in the dark south on Route 5 into Georgia looking for a place to camp and head for Springer Mountain, the start of the Appalachia Trail. It is a large mountain and takes longer to traverse and finally pull over for the evening at a turn-about along the main road. Very steep hills all around. Trash is everywhere, opposite of out west where people don't leave trash, there is garbage strewn all through the woods so sad to see. Beef stew in the dark and fog.