Long Day on the Road Nov.2/17

We left Oklahoma City with Starbucks in hand. The freeway was fast and I was busy observing signs of interest, for instance this is the home of Garth Brooks. We crossed through Chisholm Trail where huge cattle drives on their way from Texas to Kansas, today they move them by truck or train.
Further on down the road things got a little more exciting......we could see a police car, siren going and lights flashing coming up behind us. No worries, we knew we weren’t speeding. Soon we were pulling over and they pulled up behind us.  We know to wait in the car till they approach, one officer came to each side of us. We knew too to follow proper procedure, sunglasses off, hands visible on steering wheel for driver.  When asked to present his licences Jeff asked for permission to get his jacket from the back seat.....which was granted.  The officer on my side asked if we knew why we were stopped.  Apparently the “state”on our rear licence plate was not visible and must be visible to,officers from a distance of 50feet. They then queried us about where we were from and what we were doing.....blah blah we told them we were on a big road trip.....and they let us go. As Jeff says, they see two old people and odds are low that we’re up to no good!
On our way again, it’s cotton fields and windmill farms, don’t mess with Texas signs. Yes, we crossed into Amarillo Texas, everything is horsey, cowboy and big.  The road is long and straight......and leads into New Mexico, through Alberquerque, we decided to push on a little further and ended up for the night in a place called Gallup. Our hotel upgraded us to a suite, gave us a recommendation for dinner and off we went to Badlands Grill.  It was probably the best meal we have had on the entire trip, steak for us both.....Jeff’s a 16oz for the princely sum of $37. and mine a respectable 6oz for $32.
Washed down with Dos Cervasas.
Tomorrow we head for Carefree Arizona where we will enjoy being relatively stationary for the rest of November.

November 1st moving on

This morning we got an early start at just after 8, found a stand alone coffee shop in Fayetteville, as there was not Starbucks. We set our gps first to Memphis, it was to be a long drive. Highway 40 as opposed to the mainly secondary roads we had been on for most of our trip.
We saw cotton fields, some already stripped, some still white balls of cotton on the fields. We took a bridge over the Mississippi River into Arkansas then into the state of Oklahoma.  Trucks, trucks and more trucks, reminding us of how all those goods get moved around the country. The ugly side of road trips, semis in the fast lane and gas station bathrooms!
We had purchased some cold meat, cheese and crackers so had lunch on the road, with just stops for gas. At one such stop I came out of the bathroom and wondered, where was Jeff? Then I noticed him cleaning the windows of a car at another gas pump, the woman in the car had seen him cleaning our windows and said she would pay him $2 if he would clean hers too! He of course said I’ll clean your windows but you don’t have to pay me......as I came over she proceeded to tell me she was gassing up for a trip tomorrow, where she was going and staying...blah blah blah!
On the road again....we settled for the night in Midwest Oklahoma where there is a large air base. We have been staying in so many best westerns we have again qualified for a free night. A little workout in the gym and a light meal at Chili’s restaurant with a pretty good margarita!

Oct 31/17 Halloween in Lynchburg Tennessee

We left Kingsport , found a Starbucks a ways down the road, it is about 4 1/2hours to Lynchburg Tennessee. The countryside is very pleasant, large properties in the towns we pass through, very well kept. Graveyards are present in all  the churchyards, well tended with lots of floral arrangements, mostly plastic. This is moonshine country, Chattanooga, Tallahassee,  Tulahola. We see signs to the Davy Crockett homestead. 

We arrive in Lynchburg and it is about lunchtime. We go into Lynchburg Fixin’s, as we enter the girl calls out Y’all set where u’all like, the tables are Formica topped, chairs are chrome, totally fifties diner style, not fancy, its always been like this, it is not a reproduction! 

Lynchburg exists because of Jack Daniels Whiskey. 

We see a sign for Jack Daniels tours  .....”there are road trips, and then there are pilgrimages” another proclaimed “Jack Daniels, every drop, made right here, welcome to the source”

Before we took the tour we visited the Jack Daniels House.....this house is only for Squires or for purchasers of a full barrel of Jack Daniels. Jeff is a Squire, nominated by his friend Preston Westmoreland. We took a few photos and then went to the visitor area to sign up for a walking tour. Jeff as a Squire was “welcomed home” and exempted from the tour Fee. 

A little history......

Jack Daniels was the 10th born child in his family, his mother died in childbirth, his father remarried and Jack and his stepmother did not see eye to eye. Jack left home age 6 to live with the Green family, where he learns to distill at age 7. Members of the Green family are still employed  in the business today. Jack registered his distillery at age 16, it was the first ever registered in America. 

Jack died at the young age of 61, he kicked his safe early one morning when he had forgotten the combination, resulting in a broken toe, left unattended it became gangrenous and although he had subsequent amputations it eventually killed him months later. The business went to his nephew Lem who worked with him, but was shut down in prohibition for 30 years. Lem’s sons who inherited the business sold it in 1953 for $20 million to the Browns who still own it today.

A couple of  other interesting  facts .......all the JD in the world is made right here in Lynchburg, a dry country where you cannot purchase a drink or consume one. The whiskey is fermented 4-7 years and aged  in Oak barrels which are only used one time then sold all over the world. 

Lastly, the 620 employees in Lynchburg each receive a bottle of Old no.7 on the first Friday of every month.....they call it Good Friday ! 

A very interesting tour which we highly recommend.  We moved on down the road to Fayetteville for the night. Finished our day with dinner at Tammy’s Outback.....a bizarre bar where Halloween costumes were in vogue....everyone seemed to know everyone else......good people watching!