TN
Fourth Trip South (TS4) preview
We start our fourth trek south on Wednesday. We will be heading to our new home at Cypress Trail RV Resort in Fort Myers. We are excited about this new location and our new status as “permanent residents” but that doesn’t mean that we are going to rush down there. We are, as always, going … Continue reading
TTS Hop 5: Natural Bridge VA to Asheville NC
279 miles via I-81 and I-26. Cumulative tow miles: 1,171. This was another “easy” hop in terms of navigation: down I-81, then down I-26 to Asheville. But it was a long trip, with a refueling stop, and a couple of problems arose. First, some rubber molding on the RV came loose several times, requiring uncomfortable … Continue reading
GTW Hop 12: Hermitage, TN, to West Memphis, AR
236 miles via I-40 and I-440. Cumulative distance: 1,786 miles. A few days ago it seemed unlikely that we were going to get so far as the Mississippi, much less California. But yesterday we crossed the Mississippi, so maybe California is possible as well. You may have noticed that the weather continues to be dark … Continue reading
Hermitage, TN
No, we didn’t see The Hermitage, Andrew Jackson’s home, even though it was just a few miles away. And, no, we didn’t go out to a Nashville nightclub because we were lucky(?) enough to be in Nashville for the one and only Thursday Night NFL game of the year hosted by the Titans. We knew … Continue reading
GTW Hop 11: Pigeon Forge, TN, to Hermitage, TN
202 miles via US 441 and I-40. Cumulative distance: 1,552 miles. Two incidents today, but thankfully no permanent dings. Incident #1: The truck would not start again. We were all prepared to leave the campsite and I tried to start the truck to hitch up. Barely turned over. This time I asked the campground for … Continue reading
Pigeon Forge, TN
First, let me admit that I am a wuss when it comes to roller coasters. That wasn’t always the case; when I was young I loved them. Not that I had many opportunities to ride, as Wisconsin is not exactly Roller Coaster Heaven. But I fondly recall some trips in which a roller coaster remains … Continue reading
GTW Hop 10: Knoxville, TN, to Pigeon Forge, TN
25 miles via I-40 and TN 66. Cumulative distance: 1,350 miles. As economy rooms go, the one we had at the EconoLodge in Knoxville, next to the RV repair shop, wasn’t bad. It was spacious with fairly comfortable beds and a decent shower. It was quiet and offered both free breakfast and (this is unique … Continue reading
Knoxville, TN
First, let me tell you that the truck started yesterday. Started right up. No hesitation, no evidence of a dead battery. Nevertheless I took it to the nearest Sears Auto Center to have the batteries tested. Both were fine, according to them. So we are left with a mystery: why the drained battery on Saturday … Continue reading
GTW Hop 9: Heiskell, TN, to Knoxville, TN
22 miles via I-75 and I-40. Cumulative distance: 1,325 miles. This was more of a “limp” than a “hop.” The original plan, before the devastating Thursday blowout, was to put the RV in the shop for one day to fix the assortment of minor problems that we had accumulated to date. The idea was that … Continue reading
Slow-cooked fatback beans
The life of a long-distance trucker is richer than I thought. I am not talking about money; I am talking about the things that he (or she) can surround himself with while driving. We have seen many truckers who have dogs as companions. That makes sense. What I learned yesterday and found surprising is that … Continue reading