I've made it home.  2,765 miles.  16 days.

It was a great day for the drive from Pigeon Forge.  It is a pretty drive through the mountains and then through the bluegrass area of Kentucky.

Now that I look back at the trip, it couldn't have gone smoother.  I made one wrong turn and that was as far as getting lost went -- just turned around a little ways up the road.  The most it ever did was sprinkle and then only half-hearted attempts.  Never needed to put the top up.

I did notice some things about the South that I'd like to share.

1.  The Civil War is very much alive.  It is "the War" in Virginia, "the late unpleasantness" in South Carolina, and "the Northern aggression" in Georgia.

2.  You don't notice prejudice, but there is still a rationalization about slavery.  The tour guides always explain how "good" the slaves had it where you are.  No one discusses how bad they had it.

3.  Lots of Clemson fans.  Or maybe it is my imagination because I was on the highway on Saturday and everyone was driving cars with Tiger tails on their way to the game.

4.  There is a lot of land in this country.  Even in the east.

5.  There really is a Bible Belt.  There are more Christian radio stations than Country or anything else. 

6.  High gas prices and/or healthier senior citizens have changed the look of the highways.  Where before I would have seen RV after RV, you now see motorcycle after motorcycle with retirees seeing the country.  In fact, the Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkways was a haven for motorcyclists.  I don't think I saw one RV on either drive.  I saw a few in the smokies, but not many.  Probably because it was the weekend and they were families not seniors.

Well, that's it.  I've had fun, but the trip is over.  Until the next one...

charlene@charlenehottel.com

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