We left Greenville this morning at 8:15 am with two cars, two cats, two kayaks, and an extra sister. It felt weird leaving the house, knowing that it would be months before we see it again. I’d been excited about this trip, but the second-guessing was really starting to weigh on my mind. However, the time came to leave, and there was nothing to it but to head on out.
Traveling with the cats took longer than I would have imagined. We made multiple stops. It also smelled much, much worse than I would have imagined.
Crossing the Blue Ridge on I-40 was probably the most scenic part of the trip. However, the sharp limestone clods and road cuts through Tennessee and Kentucky were quite interesting as well and contrasted with the otherwise rolling farmland.
On the 2004 trip we tried to take photos of each “Welcome to ____” state signs. This time we crossed state borders with hardly any notice. We pulled into one rest area and I was surprised to see a “Welcome to Kentucky” banner at the information desk.
Even though I knew this was the case, it was a bit frustrating to cross over so many cool waterways with two kayaks on top of the car and not be able to get them wet. There were multiple lakes and rivers. One of these days I want to do a coast-to-coast drive with the boats and actually stop and paddle some of these waterways.
Technology failed me on multiple levels. My Garmin auto GPS didn’t work right. My GoPro wouldn’t run off of auxiliary power, and the whole entertainment system in my car locked up. When your new car is basically a computer, you can’t exactly reboot it on the fly. Tomorrow I think I simplify.
The Pear Tree Inn at Paducah turned out to be quite the find. The rooms were great, and the desk clerk helped us find rooms on the first floor so that we didn’t have to haul cats and luggage up a flight of stairs. We had pizza delivered to the room while the cats hid undo the chair in the room.
Miles traveled – 482.5
States traversed:
- South Carolina
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- Kentucky
I think you mean Paducah? (If we’re talking about the one in KY) While I was taking courses at the University of Illinois forestry program I spent a summer in southern Illinois. Paducah was the closest ‘big city’! Traveling with cats is no fun, not for you or them. I love seeing the boat sticking out in all your road pics!
Oops. I know better, but just misspelled it. I’ll make corrections.