We
ran out of steam writing the blog. Our road trip lasted 7 weeks. Remarkably, much more worked
than didn't, partially due to planning. We did not blog about following the Mississippi from Memphis (our last blog
entry) to New Orleans where we were enchanted by the free spirit and unique
history of the city. Our travels from home through our stay in New Orleans took one month.
Afterwards we headed west through bayou country and Texas to visit relatives
first in Albuquerque and then back east in Oklahoma City, and then home.
PLANNING TIPS
We figured out where we wanted to go and what to do when we got there. We planned to stay in places long enough to get to know them and not drive too many hours to the next place. We put together a schedule and made reservations (hotels.com, Hampton Inns, Airbnb). We were flexible and nimble about making changes. We took a day off here and there to think about what we had done and what to do next. We drove a comfortable vehicle. We packed light and use packing cubes. We brought along a cooler. We talked to people.
OUR TRAVEL GUIDE
OUR ORIGINAL SCHEDULE
CROSS COUNTRY ROAD TRIP SUMMARY
PLANNING TIPS
We figured out where we wanted to go and what to do when we got there. We planned to stay in places long enough to get to know them and not drive too many hours to the next place. We put together a schedule and made reservations (hotels.com, Hampton Inns, Airbnb). We were flexible and nimble about making changes. We took a day off here and there to think about what we had done and what to do next. We drove a comfortable vehicle. We packed light and use packing cubes. We brought along a cooler. We talked to people.
OUR TRAVEL GUIDE
OUR ORIGINAL SCHEDULE
CROSS COUNTRY ROAD TRIP SUMMARY
SMOKIES
Pigeon
Forge custom classic cars
Hike
on Small Pidgin River
Photography
@ Clingham Dome & Newfound Gap
Scenic
drive to and in Cades Cove
NASHVILLE
Airbnb
Country
Music Museum and Hall of Fame
Bluebird
Cafe
Temple
“Ohabai Shalom” for Rosh Ha Shana
Bob
Duncan et al @ Maury County Archives in Columbia TN
Prowling Cemeteries
in Maury County
MEMPHIS
The
Temple for Yom Kippur
Lorraine
Hotel and Civil Rights Museum
Sun
studio tour
Graceland
Central
BBQ
CLARKSDALE
Redneck
memorabilia at gas station convenience store enroute
Cat
fish at Blue and White Restaurant near Tunica enroute
Cotton
fields
Third
world poverty
Roger
Stolle and the Cat’s Eye
Dutchman’s
Blues Museum
Bluesberry
Juke Joint
Mr.
Birdsong @ Hopson Plantation
GREENVILLE
38th
Annual Heritage and Blues Festival
INDIAN
MOUNDS
Rosedale
enroute
Winterville
& Natchez
VICKSBURG
Civil
War Park
NOLA
Elevated
causeway separating Maurepas Swamp and Lake Pontchartrain enroute
Garden
District & cemetery tour with Dave Roberts (Historic New Orleans Tours)
Mardi
Gras Museum
Katrina
Museum esp. time lapse map
Louisiana
History Museum
French
Quarter tour with Dave Roberts extended to Treme
Treme
Mardi Gras Costume Museum
WWII
Museum
Rock
and Bowl Cajun dance hall
Food:
Jacque Imo, Muriel’s, Tujague
2nd
line parade for Vashti starting in Fauxburg Marigny on Frenchman’s street
NOLA
to ALQ
Lake
Martin Swamp Tour near La Fayette
Dallas
Hillsboro
and Milford (Tammy's father’s home towns)
Texas: Everything is larger & faster (75 mph speed limits, sprawling windmill farms and
cotton fields)
Roswell
NM UFO Museum
ALQ
Relatives
Balloon festival
Balloon festival
Petroglyph
trail
Photography
of Aspen foliage @ Aspen Vista trailhead north of Santa Fe
Acacia
Riding Adventures south of ABQ (best trail ride ever)
The
ABQ shopping center
OKC
Relatives
Stroud
OK (Grandparent's stick-built houses)
Rock
Cafe buffalo burgers
DRIVE
HOME
Western KY & WV autumn colors
NOAA
backup site in Fairmont WV
Western
MD
Home
