October 7, 2021 - October 11, 2021
After completing our final packing of the car and readying the boat for engine work we loaded the cats in the car and started on the road to Salem, VA (our first stop). Lola was a bit traumatized by the car ride and remained huddled on the floor of the backseat for the entire trip, but Kahli enjoyed looking around and sitting on laps. Hopefully, Lola will get more used to the car. Even though we only drove for four to five hours I was exhausted by the time we settled into hotel. I apparently under estimated how much energy it would take to load and unload the cats and all of the extra paraphernalia they require and our own necessary clothing and toiletries items. Since we didn’t want to leave the cats in the hotel by themselves we ordered a Papa John’s pizza and relaxed in front of the TV for a bit.
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| Kali is obviously the more adventurous of our two cats. |
Since we had a long day ahead of us on Friday we left the hotel at 6:30 am. Lola seemed happier about being in the car and Kahli was her usual adventurous self during the trip. We traveled through the beautiful mountains of western Virginia and southern Tennessee. We didn’t see much fall color but it was refreshing to see so many healthy trees. Our trip was uneventful until we were about 30 miles from our destination of Jackson, TN where we endured an hour long delay on route 40 west due to a truck accident (at least that is what it appeared to be once we passed the scene). The hotel in Jackson was old and run down, but we were happy to be there and settled in with the cats. Again we ordered dinner to be delivered, this time it was from a Chinese restaurant just across the street.
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| One of my text messages that night included this photo of my granddaughter, Claire. |
On Saturday morning we packed up early as Bob wanted to be settled in our hotel by 3:00 pm for watching the Penn State vs. Iowa game. As soon as he turned the car on the check engine light came on; proof that the most meticulous car maintenance does not prevent engine trouble along the way. We drove directly to the local Toyota dealer and waited outside the service bays until they opened at 7:30 am. The service manager had our car checked out quickly and reported that the problem was a valve in the emission system that needed to be replaced. Of course they didn’t have the part in stock and couldn’t get the part until Tuesday morning. After exploring some other options (the car was drivable for a few days) we opted to get a hotel close to Memphis and then return to Jackson on Tuesday to have the repair done. I think the break from driving everyday will do us and the cats some good. We watched the Penn State vs. Iowa game. It was heartbreaking to see Penn State loose after dominating through out most of the game when their starting quarterback was injured and left the game. The score was 20 - 23.
On Sunday we decided to do a little exploring of Memphis. The cats appeared to be happy and safe in the hotel room and we left them there for a few hours.
Our first stop was the iconic Peabody Hotel for the march of the ducks.
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| The duck Master is explaining the history of the hotel and the ducks. |
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| Two of the ducks that marched from their rooftop home to the fountain in the lobby. |
You can read the history of the Peabody Hotel and their ducks here: https://www.peabodymemphis.com
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| We were there during the day, but I can just imagine the spectacle of all of the colorful neon sins all lit up at night. |
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| This sign speaks for itself. |
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| We passed this sign as we were leaving Beale Street. |
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| An alley we passed on our way home was lined with colorful murals. The message in this one caught my eye. |
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| The architecture of the city was a quaint mixture of old and new. |
