We rose at 8 a.m. and after a complimentary breakfast at the hotel we were on the road by 9:30 a.m. heading south down the I-75 from Findlay Ohio. The highway was clear and easy to drive and I generally go 10 over the posted speed limit so that meant 80 mph. Whenever we came near a city it became moderately crowded and caused me to slow down to the posted speed of 70 mpg. We passed through the state of Ohio and the communities of Dayton and Cincinnati. The upper part of Ohio is relatively flat but as you move south the topography is one of rolling hills. Signage along the highway indicated that to the east was the famous Cumberland Gap. It served as the gateway for Americans expanding from along the Atlantic coast into the interior of North America. It was a natural opening through the massive wall of the Appalachia Mountains that impeded progress west.

As we passed into Kentucky and through Lexington with Louisville off to the west the blue grass on the hillsides became more pronounced. Add white horse fences in all directions, horses racing each other over green carpeted bluegrass fields, practice racetracks and expensive horse barns huddled together like villages and you knew this was horse country, home of the famous Kentucky Derby. To the south however it became quit mountainous and you could see the folds of the earth caused by the collision of tectonic plates. The building of the Interstate and the cuts through the various mountains exposed these wonderful geological views. We stopped for lunch south of Lexington and exited the highway. Unlike Canada were we have a restaurant located on the highway I am guessing the option was to force you off the highway to some local private eating establishment. Any exit will have the same cast of characters show up, McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Wimpeys etc. At this location we stopped at Fazoli’s which promised to be more then a fast food outlet with real home cooking. Their mother must have cooked at some institution because it was more of the same pap that they all serve. In this case the Tomato tasting pap.

Next came the state of Tennessee. We tried to guess which mountain top Davie Crockett had been born on but without stopping it remained a mystery. This is real mountainous country with the Interstate weaving through valleys or cutting hills in half or clinging to mountain sides to allow passage. The views into the valleys as you travelled on the upper roads are spectacular. Every so often you would see an open pit coal mine of enormous size. Another turn and you could guess that this new mountain was a former open pit mine now being rehabilitated. When the mountains are cut and the layered rock is exposed water seeps or cascades down the rock surface causing the surface to glisten in the sun creating a very magical effect. We passed Knoxville at the north end of the state and waved to Chattanooga at the south end as we passed into Georgia.

Although we were travelling south it was somewhat south west and the sun was at times directly in our eyes. As it set it was a fine red ball sun set that you could take a picture of. When it dipped below the horizon it bloodied the sky in red that was darker near the horizon and lighter higher up. We finally decided to stop and let the horses rest. We had travelled for 8 hours from the morning and covered over 600 plus miles. We found a Hampton Inn and got a senior discount, on that count good news and bad news. We got the discount but we are seniors meaning old. We sought out a restaurant and found one called Charley’s. Think of the Keg and discount it by 40% and you got the value, food, atmosphere, service etc. I’d give them a C-plus. It is now around 9 p.m. and Elizabeth is watching tv and I am entertaining those who will read my blog. Good Night sweet Prince and have sweet dreams.