Driving, Driving, Driving...

3:30 am...I am wide awake and ready to go and the alarm hasn't even gone off yet.  Dilema... my timing for hitting St. Louis and subsequent big cities at high volume traffic times are a major factor when considering when I hit the road.  Oh well, let's go boys!

The finishing touches are packed in the dark while I try not to wake our neighbors.  With looks on the dogs faces of "Seriously?", they slipped on their harnesses and assumed their positions in the back of the car as if it were the middle of the day.  We were off ahead of schedule.

What?  Get a donut for breakfast on the road? ...they can dream can't they?

I did have one hiccup today as I was In St. Louis about to cross the Mississippi River bridge by the Arch.  If you've been there, trying to catch the single lane that takes you from I-70 across the river...did I mention it is a single lane and everyone wants it.  Well, I missed it again (yes, I knew it was there and have missed it before), mostly because of the amount of traffic made it not possible for me to make my way over to it (so i was not in position, I admit it), so I just took a little sight seeing trip back through downtown and caught a nice glimpse of the Arch.  

The day went relatively quickly.  700+ miles, 12 hours, 3 gas and potty stops (for the dogs) and we were there.  The good news... the three highway patrol / sheriff deputies / cops, seemed to not notice me semi-speeding as they went in the opposite direction (maybe it was the cell phone attached to their ears that took their attention away from me).  I began to think I was invisible.  So, why not increase my speed?  I actually was pretty good with my speed, but occasionally I found myself attached to a pack of speeding fiends.  It never failed though... I would need to get off and get gas as they left me behind in their dust.  

Once past Chattanooga, the Smoky Mtns. begin to rise from the flood plains.  The change of scenery carries me the rest of the way.  Before that I depended on chips, Snickers, and Almond Joys!  I did pass a Lays truck.  I held up my Lays Barbecue Potato Chips up in the window for him to see and I got a thumbs up...either that or he was motioning me to get behind him and get out of his way, not sure.

Okay, so you can't see the color I am talking about, but the rusts, reds, and
some yellows had waited for me!

There was still a little color left on the trees as I headed into the mountains, I was afraid the trees would be bare.  The sun began to set on this overcast travel day as I headed into the home stretch of my drive.  The last 30 minutes is in the Nantahala River Gorge.  This is where we began our whitewater paddling.  I would have shown you what a river looks like when the power company turns the water off when not generating electricity, but darkness was setting in.  Did I mention that Tuck isn't real big on curvy roads?  Well, he starts to pant and sit up when motion gets to him, at least that is our interpretation.  So he stuck his head out the window to make things right again.

One of the roads follows the Ocoee River and is very scenic and very twisty.

This is the Ocoee River with the water turned off.  Imagine it during the
Olympics, lined with people and water flowing down the middle of it.

Here is a little color along the Ocoee River as a logging truck and I try not
to meet as I snap pictures for YOU.

Tuck ignores the charging logging truck.  Who blinks first?  Not Tuck!

As I sit here with Miki by my side again and my dogs at my feet, all is well with the world.  I may have spoken too soon...I just hear the sound of air escaping from a balloon...there are no balloons in our cabin, which means someone just pulled one of the dogs paws (fingers).  I will wrap this up with...the drive was worth it!


My Zen from the Road:  From my posting from yesterday about how I would receive Miki's hug that was waiting for me...I did soak it up.  When you get hugs, soak'em up!