Little Road Trip

Elkmont, Alabama

Weather: low 46 degrees, high 70 degrees, mostly clear skies

After the news we received from the doctor at UAB yesterday, you'll never guess what we did today. Well, maybe you'll guess if you know us at all.

We got out of bed at the usual time, had breakfast, and did some talking about what we were told yesterday. Talking about it is not off-limits to us, because what we're facing is life, in it's most basic form. But, that's not what I was talking about doing earlier.

We got in the truck and went on a road trip. Yep, that's right, a road trip. Being on the road makes us happy, and we felt we needed to do something that we like after all the stress we have been under. The trip was not as long as some we did when I was healthier, but it made us feel good again about the possibilities of life.

For some time, we've been wanting to go on the Natchez Trace again, and travel a part of it that we had never been on. The portion we drove on today was from near Summertown, Tennessee, to near Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. Getting there was most of the fun of the trip.

We left Elkmont and drove north to Pulaski, Tennessee, where we took US 64 west to Lawrenceburg. This little town has the most decentralized downtown we have ever seen. Almost all the town appears to straggle along US 43, running north and south.

We stopped in Lawrenceburg at McDonald's so I could get a fish sandwich, one of the few things that still tastes good to me. Along with unsweetend tea, that was lunch for me, and not too bad.

After lunch, we continued north on US 43, seeing several Amish horse and buggy teams along the way. No pictures, as we saw them too late. I have to admire these people for standing by their beliefs in this world of temptation. We eventually turned west and drove toward the Trace, eventually coming to what we thought was one of the highlights of the trip, Yoder's Store. This store is located in the middle of nowhere, and is run by a Mennonite family. Imagine our surprise to find that they had a large inventory of dried fruits and vegetables, baked goods, and home canned jellies and relishes, along with all types of other stuff that's hard to find. We bought several items, including a natural granola bar that was very tasty. I wish we had bought a half dozen. To top off the great place we found, the prices were what I would consider very reasonable.

Continuing on to the Trace, we entered the Trace at the Meriwether Lewis Memorial Area. Now, here's where we learned the history lesson for today. Lewis (of Lewis and Clark fame) was traveling from Louisiana to Washington, DC, when he stopped for the night at this point on the Trace. That night, he was shot under mysterious circumstances and died the next day. He was buried in a cemetery near the Tavern, where the State of Tennessee erected a monument over his grave. Here's a picture of the monument where Lewis is buried.



And, here's a picture of the plaque detailing what happened.



After leaving the Meriwether site, we drove south on the Trace at the speed limit of 50 mph. This section of the Trace doesn't seem to have as much of interest as other sections we have driven, but the natural beauty and quiet of the road was enough to make us happy with it. One thing that did stand out was the beauty of the dogwood, red bud, and wild plum trees. Here's an example.



By the time we got to the Lewisburg exit, we were ready to head home. Our total drive on the Trace wasn't that long, but it helped us get rid of some wanderlust. I think you'll see us doing this more often as a way to fight the downer news that we sometimes get. We're tired tonight, but it's a good tired.

Hmmmm. I wonder what we can get in to tomorrow?

Today's Town - Lawrenceburg, Tennessee: The Home Of Southern Gospel Music

More later, be safe.

Not all who wander are lost.