We're Rollin'!

Saturday: 7:40 AM.
Here we go. Everything was loaded up last night, the Civic was hooked up and ready to go. We were aiming to leave at 7, but this is not bad for all the preparation we had.

Hwy 601 - Hwy 218 - I-485 - I-85, Hwy 321 North to Hickory, then the exit ramp to I-40. I-40 will be our home for the next 3 days or 1200 miles, which ever comes first.

Asheville rolled by at about 11:30, then the Maggie Valley exit, and finally some new territory for the Bounder. Progress was slow pulling up through the Blue Ridge Mountains and at times it seems like the fastest thing moving is the fuel gauge heading toward empty!

We made a quick lunch stop at a rest stop on I-40, and kept on trucking.

By the time we hit Lebanon TN, it was time to stop for fuel. I almost waited too long, and not knowing what was ahead I was forced to pull into a small Citgo station with barely enough room to get in to the pumps and out again. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to stop at the Taco Bell, we decided to pull straight back out on I-40 and keep going.

Nashville and a big traffic jam was next. In a construction zone there was a wreck on the eastbound lane. But of course it had our westbound lane backed up for miles. It took about 45 minutes to get through the next few miles.

Memphis is a LONG way from Nashville, and Tennesses is a LONG state to go through. Its getting dark and we are tired. Bobbi has spend most of the time on Pam's lap wrapped up under a blanket. I think it is Pam's idea to do that as much as Bobbi's. We start talking about where to stay, and I should have planned this stop more carefully. I was so focused on the New Mexico part of the trip that I am caught not sure of what to do our first night out. Yes we had talked about stopping at a Wal-Mart, but I was thinking we would be farther along than we are now.

Out comes the campground guide and I find a place East Memphis Campground. Looks pretty close to I-40. Its about 9:00 PM now so I follow the directions off the interstate, down a very narrow secondary road marked with a couple of very small signs (almost missed them) pointing to the campground.

Pulling in I see that the office is closed but there is a night registration box. Pick your site and leave money...no help necessary. (Kind of like staying in a Wal-mart would be without the money part.)

Fortunately all the sites were pull-throughs so I dont have to unhitch the Civic. Pull in, hook up and crash.

Next morning, I go to the office to settle up. $26.50 thank you very much. Tomorrow I will do better.