The Blue Ridge Mountains in Kentucky, Tennessee and the Carolinas are overgrown with lush greenery. It is comforting to drive through at our leisure on an overcast, sometimes drizzling day. We want to visit friends and relatives but have set a perfectly unambitious schedule. If we want to swim at a hotel, if we want to shop, if we want to watch a local movie, we have extra time. Five or six hours a day down the interstates is plenty. We have 'pushed' it all our lives and now we are intent on relaxing.
The Blue Ridge Mountains are also called the Smoky Mountains. In the distance, we see rows of blue peaks standing at attention. And the clouds are so low today they actually are touching some of the peaks. In a way, this is unearthy. We love the valleys tucked in between the hills. Our favorite scenes are the wildflowers of North Carolina, extensive, fresh, petite swatches of yellow and pink blankets everywhere with pops of red dots randomly sprinkled. We wonder if other states could save money from not having to mow those areas beside and in the center of the wide highways.
We are proud of the friendly staff, pristine restrooms and local decor of the rest stops and Welcome Centers we visit. We are proud to be in this land of America, spacious and magnificent in scope.
There are state troopers out this week, everywhere. At one stretch, we saw them on both sides of the interstate, blue lights urgently flashing behind their caught speeders. So what? We don't care - we are not worried, don't look for them in hiding places. Why should we, we are retired, we don't have to and won't rush.
Between the two of us, we have brought dozens of CDs, music to listen to in the car. Today we have totally forgotten about them, chatting away the whole day. So what did we do tonight?: went to the hotel Happy Hour, sipped wine with snacks, went to our room, ordered a chicken/pineapple/green pepper pizza, sat up in bed and watched TV. A truly grand day. We are freeeeeeeeeeeeee!
No comments:
Post a Comment