Monthly Archives: October 2017

Day 40 – Reunions

The chilly, rainy and foggy day didn’t promise much in the way of sightseeing. We had plans, but had to make adjustments. A phone call from cousins helped decide the direction we would go. We returned to the assisted living complex where cousin PS lives. His daughter and her daughter were coming by to visit. It was fun to connect with more of the family and see how much the little one has grown. After a good visit, we left to give them some family time.

We had about three hours before we had to be at the next reunion. So, we decided to look for some shoes for my driver. He hates shoes and wears Birkenstocks almost exclusively. Yet, in winter, and especially in the Midwest, I thought it might be a nice idea for him to have some real shoes. Not only that, but here in the Midwest I thought we might actually be able to find some WIDE shoes that would possibly fit him.

Duluth Trading Co. boasts their “big ass pants,” so when we walked into the store in Omaha and the greeter asked if he could help us find something I said, “We’re looking for some ‘big ass shoes.'” He actually laughed, but guided us to the right spot where there were, indeed, some ‘big ass shoes.’ In the process of shopping, my driver realized he probably has never had the correct size shoes before. As long as I’ve known him he’s worn a size 12 or sometimes a 13 shoe. Today we walked away with a size 14 Wide!  No wonder he hated shoes. Certainly we’ve never been anywhere before that had such a selection of large sizes.

Red Wing Shoes was located nearby and I found a pair of oxfords on sale. I’ve always loved Red Wing shoes and I sometimes have trouble finding my unusually large and narrow size. I was so happy to find a pair that fit. We are set for the season now.

I had about 30 minutes before we had to head out to the next reunion, so I took the opportunity to walk through the local Michael’s store. We’ve been so occupied with our travels it was a bit of a shock to see all the Halloween AND Christmas fixings in the craft department. The Fall is slipping away.

Crossing back into Iowa, we found our way to my driver’s 45th high school reunion at the Keg Creek Brewery in Glenwood. It wasn’t actually the “official” reunion, as that had taken place in August. But since there was a slim turnout and my driver would be in the area this weekend, a supplementary reunion was planned. About 12 classmates (out of 44) and their spouses gathered at the brewery owned and operated by one of them. A tour of the brewery was first on the agenda, along with tastings of the different beers they produce. Following that, we all met at the Buck Snort Tavern for dinner and more conversation and reminiscing. When we finished dinner, we moved back to the tasting room at the Keg Creek Brewery for more mixing and reuniting.  All in all, it was quite a pleasant group and gathering. Neither of us had ever been to a class reunion before!

Day 39 – Nostalgia in Iowa

We awoke to gray skies and cooler temps that remained throughout the day. There were many attractions on our list today and we could hardly prioritize how we wanted to see them. But, what made it to the first spot on the day’s activities was the site of the church in Omaha where my driver was baptized when he was only two weeks old. When we were in Kentucky I had called ahead just to make sure someone would be on site who would allow us to enter the church.

We drove into the old Omaha neighborhood and easily found the impressive stone structure that is Sacred Heart Parish Church. The woman I had spoken with on the phone answered the office door and kindly looked up the baptismal information we were seeking. She brought out the old musty, over-sized book and showed us the line where my driver’s information had been recorded. I couldn’t help myself and had to take a picture.

Then the parish DRE (Director of Religious Education) kindly took us over to the church and allowed us to see the newly renovated space and take some pictures. For me, no matter what church we are visiting or whose relatives were once members, there is always a deep sense of the Communion of Saints and all the souls who have gone before us marked with the sign of our faith. I can’t help it; I’ve always loved the concept of the Communion of Saints – living and dead – who make up the Body of Christ. A parish church is one place where this feeling is prominent, but certainly not the only place.

From the church we went down the street about three blocks where the house once stood that my driver first lived in with his mother and grandmother, aunt, uncle, and cousins. The original house no longer stands on the property, there is a new one in it’s place . . . but the place remains the same. We have a picture of his father standing proudly by his car in that same street shortly after WWII; maybe 1949 or 50. So, I took a picture of my driver standing proudly by his hybrid car in 2017 – in the very same spot where his father had stood. The emotions that surface are both deeply sad and strangely comforting. The father that he never knew was right here where we are now – separated only by  the passage of seven decades.

Along the way to our next stop we drove past the site where Malcom X was born. Then found a Best Buy where we could purchase a new cord for my driver’s cousin’s Play Station. That was easily accomplished, so we next drove through a Starbucks to supply my driver and his cousin with coffee for their mid-morning pick-me-up. Since cousin PS’s recent move to an assisted living facility, he has had little chance to get out or get things fixed that would make his entertainment system easily functional for him. We were happy to help.

We visited and told stories until the day prompted us to move along. We wanted to see some cemeteries before it got dark. Driving away from the facility we saw a Godfather’s Pizza. Both of us were surprised to see a Godfather’s Pizza still open and functioning. Years ago we used to frequent Godfather’s and loved their pizza. There are no longer any stores in our part of the world. Just for “old time’s sake” we pulled in and had a tiny pizza and a salad bar. Our tastes have changed over the years and we no longer prefer that style of pizza, but it was a wonderful “blast from the past” to taste and re-live the experience of a pipping hot and cheesy Godfather’s pizza.

With full bellies we skirted up the freeway into Iowa and found the Dunlap cemetery where some relation of my Underhill ancestors are buried. It was a huge cemetery and at first we had difficulty determining HOW we would go about even looking. Then, we realized there was a map and each section was clearly marked – which made finding graves so much easier! As we walked the grounds the daylight softened and a tiny strip of pink was visible in the Western sky – the first sign of sunshine all day. It glowed over the corn fields and made the landscape beautiful.

The next cemetery was St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Earling where my driver’s Langenfeld ancestors are buried. There was very little remaining light in the day, but the tiny strip of orange still illuminated the horizon. We found the grave sites and took pictures before jumping back in the car to warm up for the next part of our adventures.

An Iowa delicacy from my driver’s youth that remains a personal favorite is Denison mustard. We can never visit Iowa without bringing home at least a case. He had called ahead to make sure the Hy Vee store would have enough to satisfy him and they were happy to arrange to have the amount he would like. So, we had to go to Harlan to the Hy Vee to pick up our order of two cases of Denison Mustard. I’m not a mustard fan, but each of our kids has also developed a liking for this particular mustard – so we could not go home without it.

For me, Hy Vee brings back memories of Iowa State University and studying late into the night with a package of Hy Vee potato chips and a diet Pepsi. I don’t eat either much any more, but I must confess, I did buy a bag of Hy Vee potato chips to go with our mustard. And, they still remain the winner of the best tasting potato chip around. You may not believe it, but if you’ve never had a Hy Vee potato chip, you can’t possibly know.

We drove back to the motel in darkness discussing all the nostalgic events of the day. We both have so many, many memories of our days in Iowa. It is where we met; where we were married; where we held our first jobs; and where we happily left, only to visit now from time to time. It’s good to remember and to experience the grace of such a nostalgic place.

Day 38 – (October 12) – Moving On

The morning was overcast and chilly, but we packed the car and said our grateful “good byes” before hitting the road for Omaha. The fog was so thick in places we thought we might be home in Seattle on a winter day. The corn fields were barely visible, but we could make out the fields that had been harvested and those that had not.

When we made it to Nebraska City, (“The City the State was Named After,” so they say) we stopped at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. It is a beautiful place, along the Missouri River and hosts interactive displays and equipment that Lewis and Clark may have carried with them on their exploration. We wanted to go down and explore along the river, but the wind was whipping so fiercely – and was COLD – so, we traveled on.

The day started to brighten up and get warmer as we stopped for a quick bite of lunch at Arby’s along Highway 75 North. We had an appointment to keep and I was very intent on getting there on time. Before we left home, I had been in contact with a Public Affairs representative from the 55th Wing at Offutt Air Force Base.  He invited me to contact him again when we were closer to Omaha, which we did. He kindly offered to meet us at the Offutt gate and accompany us on base so we could see and photograph their B-17, “Homesick Angel.”

Tim kindly drove us through the check point and took us directly to the plane. Amazingly, the day had turned into a beautiful Fall day and the sun warmed us and everything else in sight. The plane stood regally on her hardstand in an impressive display.  She had been recently refurbished and looked smart amid the wide expanse of field she was given as a home. I took several photographs and thanked Tim profusely. We got back in his car and he took us on an informative tour of the entire base. It was like old home week for me! Offutt started out as Fort Crook Army Post in the 1890’s and was converted to Air Force after 1947. It was named Offutt after the first airman to be killed in action in WWI. He was from this area. While there was much of that familiar Army Post look, there was also a good deal of current state of the art building and equipment that makes Offutt one of the largest Air Force installations in the world.

Thrilled to have been able to see my 24th B-17, we went on to Omaha where we met with another cousin of my driver.  We had a good, if short, visit and promised to return tomorrow. We were beginning to drag and needed some “down time” for ourselves.

Finding our motel, it was difficult to think about going out again. So, we ordered Chinese to be delivered and ate “in house.” It was not only the perfect arrangement, it was delicious food – the first Chinese of this trip. Usually we are a little wary of Chinese while on the road. One never knows! But, this was excellent in every way.

A quiet evening was in order and I caught up on the reports I had failed to enter while we were staying with family.

Day 37 – (October 11) – Kansas City

Our wonderful hosts provided homemade pumpkin muffins and fruit for breakfast and shortly after we were taken on a tour of Kansas City. The day started out a little foggy, but we pressed on, nonetheless. They gave us a tour of the “back roads” into the city and of the “Plaza area” that was constructed to be a look alike to a sister city in Spain. There were numerous fountains and sculptures, as well as tile mosaics and flowering baskets everywhere. Truly lovely.

Our destination was the National World War One Memorial and Museum. It is housed on a large park-like field with a tower that reaches (as I’m remembering) about 237 feet into the sky. It is quite impressive.

I know very little about the First World War, so almost everything in the museum was an interesting item or fact. As we watched the introductory film the narrator said there were so many disagreements and conflicts between nations before the war that there was no ONE reason for the start of the war, and perhaps that was the reason war broke out. This whole concept fascinated me in light of the conflicts and disagreements we seem to be experiencing today in our country.

The museum held numerous artifacts that seemed to be in pristine condition. The displays were evocative and moving. There was a sound booth where I listened to a dramatic reading of “In Flanders Field,” and a section of “All Quiet on the Western Front,” as well as a recording of “Over There” from the original period recording. The experience was very moving. There were sounds and flashes and “readings” from letters home throughout the displays. The place was packed full of things to read and see and hear that helped to explain and describe the awful experience of that war.

When we were done with the exhibits, we passed the Canteen where we were invited to “eat like they did in the trenches.” It smelled so wonderful, we were lured in. The signature items were “Creamed chipped beef on toast;” “Trench stew;” and “Goulash.” Served on Army tin plates we ate under the flags of the nations of the world. Amazingly, for museum fare, it was quite good. I broke camp and ordered the Ruben sandwich, made with the same corned beef as the others items. I think it was the best Ruben sandwich I’ve ever eaten!

Having fortified ourselves, we went outside to the exterior exhibits and traveled up to the top of the obelisk overlooking Kansas City. The day had miraculously turned sunny and warmer and we had an extraordinary view of the city and beyond.

Returning to Lee’s Summit during rush hour, we were all happy to enjoy the comforts of home again and relax after a day of walking and sightseeing. Our cousin grilled hamburgers and we had a fun evening of talking and telling family stories while we looked at pictures and read about our ancestors from history books our cousin has collected.

Day 36 – (October 10) – A Step into the Past

We set out early from the cousins’ home in Lee’s Summit, MO to make a pilgrimage into the past. Sixty-seven years ago, my driver’s mother had lived and worked in Topeka, Kansas. We went in search of information . . . or maybe even only a feeling . . . of what her life might have been like all those years ago.

Hosted by my driver’s half-sister’s half-brothers (or, as we have affectionately designated them our “quarter brothers”) we toured the surrounding areas where we knew she had worked and perhaps enjoyed an evening out. They took us to the Veterans’ Hospital in Topeka where she once worked and my driver spoke with records to see if he could gain any information about her time there.

After driving through the area and locating points of interest, our “quarter-brother” guides treated us to a lovely buffet lunch at “Green Acres.” I had to pass up the buffet in favor of one of those signature Midwest pork tenderloin sandwiches. Each time I have one I can never figure why they are not available in our part of the world. They are fantastically delicious.

In the 1940’s there was a popular lunch spot and dance hall in Osage City named “Snappy Lunch” where my driver’s mother most likely enjoyed a good lunch, a good dance and certainly, many friends. We toured the spot and went inside. It was not difficult to imagine the place filled with couples dancing and having a lively time. Like so many previous places we have visited, just being in the locale where our ancestors once were brings a feeling of closeness and connection. It is an encounter with a time and a place that brings some understanding to what our ancestors might have been like and what they may have enjoyed. While we found no definitive information about my driver’s mother, just encountering the place gives us a new appreciation of who she was. The feeling associated with standing in a spot where she was long before we were born is priceless.

Our “quarter brothers” and their wives were beyond gracious and we so enjoyed the time spent with them. The conversations flowed easily and we felt so fortunate to have met these wonderful people.

As the afternoon turned gray and cold, we stopped in Lawrence to visit my driver’s father’s grave site. It was the second time we had visited and the sadness it evoked is beyond description. Never having known his father, all we can do is imagine what life might have been like had they had the opportunity to known each other.

We returned to the Lee’s Summit cousins’ home and enjoyed another home cooked meal and evening of conversation. It was fun to talk “ancestry” and look through family picture books and family history books associated with home towns in Iowa.

Day 35 – (October 9) – A Drive; A President; Classmate; and Cousins

We left Cahokia, IL in route for Kansas City, MO and could hardly see the beautiful Arch we had seen the day before. It was almost totally obstructed by the morning fog.

We spent most of the day driving on Interstate 70 across Missouri. Fortunately, about thirty minutes before we reached the outskirts of Independence, we happened upon a Mexican Restaurant called “Mooches.”  It just sounded like the very best thing for the moment. And, it was.

The place was small and almost looked deserted. As we drove up we were fearful it might be closed. But, a cheerful hostess greeted us and explained it was so empty because it was a holiday and their usual lunch crowd was at home. We ordered lunch plates that were pipping hot and very  tasty, piled high with fresh greens and homemade guacamole. We decided it was the perfect lunch.

Back in the car, we soon found Harry Truman’s home and Visitor Center in Independence. Watching the film we learned many interesting facts about this under appreciated man. Since we learned so many things we didn’t know, we decided to buy the audio book about him by David McCullough to listen to on our way home. The Truman home remains a jewel for the people of Independence and they are also proud to host his Presidential Library as well. We drove over to the library, but chose not to go through the museum as it was getting late in the day and we had a schedule to keep.

A high school classmate of my driver’s had contacted him and made arrangements with us to meet near her home in Lee’s Summit, MO. She had requested a reunion at a Starbucks, which was not difficult to find. Interestingly,  this woman somehow recognized my driver immediately. I’m not sure I would recognize anyone I went to high school with!

We conversed for about an hour, trying to fit the passage of 45 years into the little time we had allotted. It’s interesting how even with the passage of time, there is so much that changes, yet so much that remains the same.

After leaving the Starbucks, we made our way to the home of cousins who were looking forward to our visit. They had the table set and a roast cooking in the oven. After being on the road for so many days, the warmth and aroma of a home cooked meal felt and smelt wonderful.

We had a lovely evening with these relatives and were very grateful for their gracious hospitality. They put us up in their guest room and after such a delicious meal and spirited reunion, we slept like babies.

Day 34 – St. Louis

The day began foggy and humid with temps already in the 70’s. By the time we got moving, however, the fog was mostly gone and the sun was shinning brightly. We gassed up our little Prius (9.2 gallons!) and headed toward Missouri and the Grant Family Farm.

Ulysses Grant was stationed at Jefferson Barracks, MO right after he graduated from West Point. (We passed Jefferson Barracks – which is now a state park – but did not stop.) It was while he was at Jefferson Barracks that Grant met his West Point roommate’s sister, Julia, who lived in St. Louis. She later became his wife and for a time after they were married, they lived on her family’s farm there named “White Haven.”

Interestingly, “White Haven” is now “Paris Green,” restored to the color it historically was when the Grants lived there. It was a large house for it’s day, and Julia’s father had made it into a working plantation. Since Grant always wanted to farm, the couple loved the place and always thought of it as “home.”

Some of the out buildings remain and the horse stables that Grant designed and built now houses a beautiful, informative museum dedicated to the memory of this amazingly brilliant soldier and leader. We ended up spending almost three hours there. It was a wonderful experience to be in this place I had read so much about and it was easy to understand why the Grants loved it so much.

From there we set out for downtown St. Louis and the Westward Expansion Memorial, or more popularly known as the St. Louis Arch. But, first, we stopped at a Texas Roadhouse for a Sunday dinner. It was delicious, as always.

There seemed to be little traffic on the way downtown and we found our way easily. We parked on 4th Avenue and walked to the Old Courthouse where I had seen a sign saying tickets to the Arch were available there.

The courthouse itself was filled with history. It was in a courtroom there that Dred Scott first won and later lost his freedom.  And another courtroom was where Louis Brandeis, the first Jewish Supreme Court Justice, argued his first cases.

While standing in the ticket line to see about tickets to go up the Arch, we made the decision we didn’t necessarily need to go UP the Arch, we’d just like to go IN and see it from the ground. Good thing, as the little cars that take up five people at a time would have hardly accommodated my driver! We took our pictures from the steps of the courthouse and then walked over to the Arch. On the way we passed the St. Louis Cathedral. Forty years ago last spring we had gone to St. Louis Cathedral – just to visit –  and never in a hundred years thought we would be right back at the very same place 40 years later!

There were hundreds of people lining up to go up the Arch, but we walked ahead of them, interested only in the informative film available for free for holders of a National Park’s Pass. Unfortunately, as with so many places today, we all had to go through an “airport-like security.” It just takes something away from the grandeur of the place when such a security check becomes a requirement. Necessary, maybe, but so unfortunate.

We watched the National Parks film describing the history and construction techniques used in creating such a massive arch to give memorial to the Westward expansion of our country. The film was actual documentation of the workers at their jobs as the arch was being built. Afterward, we knew for CERTAIN we did not want to go UP in the arch. We would admire it from the ground and marvel at all the work it took to make it.

I stopped to take a picture of the line of visitors getting ready to wedge themselves into one of those tiny cars to travel up the Arch and two of the hosts who were helping called out to me. “Oh, did you want to take our picture?” I laughed and said, “Sure. You’ll go home to Seattle along with our travel memories of this fantastic 6000 mile trip so far.” They laughed and posed and were happy to hear we were having such a good time visiting St. Louis on our trip.

The sun was beginning to set as we came out of the Arch and we could see it’s shadow in the Mississippi River. It was a gorgeous Fall afternoon and people were out with their friends, lovers, and children walking the paths along the river. We had some fun with cameras and then found our way to the car.

It was only a ten minute drive back to our motel and we were grateful for the air conditioning upon our arrival. We are just relaxing this evening and preparing for the next few stops with family.

I may not be able to reflect for the next three nights as we will be staying with relatives and I don’t want to appear unsociable because I need to go and do my writing. I’ll be sure and catch up when I can.

Day 33 – Some History and a Lot of Driving

Leaving Arrowhead Trails in Kentucky called for an early wake-up, quick breakfast and final packing before gassing up the Prius and pulling out on the road. It was overcast and 76 degrees with high humidity at 8:30 a.m.

We traveled back East for a ways before turning North to find Lincoln’s Boyhood home near Lincoln City and close to Santa Claus, Indiana. Abraham Lincoln lived on this farm from the time he was seven until he was 18 years old. His mother, Nancy, died here when Abe was only eight. But, it was here that Abraham grew into manhood. It’s well known that he loved to learn, but he had very little formal schooling because he was working to help the family survive. The Visitor Center has two memorial halls, one dedicated to Lincoln and one to his mother. They are used for community gatherings, weddings and special occasions. The exterior of the center is covered with relief depicting the stages of Lincoln’s boyhood and career – writ larger than life.  Only a few stones mark the area where the cabin where he lived once stood.

Traveling on to our next point of interest we went back South and then West to find the Memorial for George Rogers Clark, who was instrumental in defeating the British in skirmishes over the Western Territory.  This fighting occurred during the war for independence and was significant in that these new lands almost doubled the size of our young country. I had never heard of George Rogers Clark and was surprised to learn that he accomplished these victories at the age of 26. I also learned he is the older brother of William Clark, of “Lewis and Clark” fame. The brothers were two of ten children . . . George was one of the oldest and William the youngest. Why had I never heard of George before?

The monument erected to him is a massive circular colonnade that reminded me of the Jefferson Memorial in D.C.  It is situated along the banks of the Wabash River in Vincennes, Indiana.

The skies were gathering clouds and gloom as we left Vincennes for St. Louis. We managed to outrun the rain for almost an hour and a half. Finally, at a rest stop along the Interstate the cloudburst happened and we not only had a comfort stop, we had a shower as well. I had to find my jacket as we got back in the car as the temperature had dropped by 12 degrees and we were soaked.

We entertained ourselves for the long drive with more of Steven West’s “Philosophize This.” Today’s topics included “truth” and “tolerance.” Both worthy topics of discussion and we enjoyed unpacking the thoughts after each episode.

As we drove out of the rain shadow I saw a brilliant rainbow among the corn fields. The sun came out again and we rolled into our motel in St. Louis as the sun hit the horizon. First order or business – nourishment. We asked the motel clerk where she might recommend and she asked us if we liked BBQ. My Dad used to respond to a question like that with, “Is the Pope Catholic?”

We got directions to “The Sawmill,” which was only two miles away. By the time we had arrived at 6:45 many of the menu items were already sold out. We made some selections from what was available and . . .  it was over-the-top-fantastic! St. Louis wins the BBQ competition as of today.

This marks the beginning of another “leg” of our wanderings. We have turned West and are now slowing making our way North. And, after the next two days in St. Louis, this will be the another “family” portion of the trip.

Delighted to be close to civilization again (although we loved our KY retreat) we find joy and grace in the speed of the internet here! No more waiting hours to see if maybe the connection will work. Small thing to be grateful for, but we are grateful, nonetheless.

Day 32 – Cleaning, Packing and Repacking

It must be time to leave this lovely place. Some cleaning, laundry, sorting and packing was the order of business today. But, before all that we enjoyed a leisurely brunch made of the last of our breakfast provisions, out on our veranda. We feel like we are the only people in the world. It’s so quiet and peaceful here.

Next, a return to the laundry facilities and afterward, a good amount of cleaning, sorting and packing. Why does it always feel like I’ll never get this all back in our little Prius, when I KNOW it all came out of it? But, such was the puzzle for the day.

All of that took me into the dinner hour and we had a “clean out the fridge” dinner that was filling, but not very imaginative. I have to say, our planning was spot on, though. We will not waste anything, except perhaps a cup of milk.

I never got out for a walk, as I was intending, but while taking the garbage out I was grabbed by the amazing sunset. It was glorious! Our last gift from this special place. Beauty and grace abound here, even into the darkness. I could hear geese honking as they flew down the river; the crickets sang and their fellow insects joined the chorus. It felt like a special good-bye song just for us. We will not soon forget this time and this place.

The last of the packing will fill our evening and tomorrow we are on the road again.

Day 31 – A short trip / A long day

A slow start contributed to the feeling of a long day, but we were only going to visit one stop, Stone River Battlefield, TN. That makes for a short day, right? Not necessarily so.

The trip down into Tennessee was swift, for all intents and purposes – we drove interstate the entire way. But, it was difficult driving with what seemed like all trucks bearing down on us along every mile. Sometimes we felt like we were in a tunnel made of trucks – all going 70 mph. Seriously. After we made it through Nashville and all the left exits, then immediate right exits just to stay on the appropriate road, we were relieved to finally make it to Stone River, Tennessee.

Stone River is the site of yet another bloody Civil War battle for control of the rivers and rails. Whoever was to triumph in the conflict would absolutely need to have control of the shipping and supply lines. The Southern General Bragg thought after one day of battle he and his troops were triumphant and left the scene to report his victory. Yet, the Union General Rosecrans continued to fight with his men and took a stand on a ridge where they constructed a continuous line of cannon to confront the approaching Confederates. This proved to be the demise of the Southern troops in this battle and although Bragg had reported a victory, had he stayed in the area he would have witnessed the defeat of his forces.

Once again, today it is a beautiful peaceful place that also has a large National Cemetery and the oldest Civil War Monument. The monument was constructed immediately after this battle ended while Union troops were burying the dead and designating the spot as a Union Cemetery.

While we were looking forward to sampling some Tennessee BBQ in Nashville, because of the traffic we decided to bypass Nashville all together and take another route back. So, in Dickson, TN we found a tiny hut labeled “Ronnie’s BBQ” with a sign that boasted “Voted the best BBQ in Dickson.” Well, that’s just what we wanted; the best BBQ in Dickson. We parked and went in. It was a one room kitchen with a counter. The tables and chairs were outside in the form of picnic tables. We decided to be brave. This was a little “local color” after all. (The year after we were married and made the move across country a friend had wished us a good trip and reminded us not to be afraid to experience some of the “local color” that new places could offer us. And, to this day, we’ve tried to remember Fr. Greg’s advice.)

I think Ronnie himself might have helped us at the counter. We ordered pork and brisket and flap jacks and coleslaw (with the option of mayonnaise or vinegar!). He packaged our goods and we went out to enjoy the décor of his dining room along the road. Needless to say, the meat was very good, but we liked the signature BBQ sauce even more! We were so happy with our meals we went back in to get a piece of the chocolate chess pie and Southern pecan pie we had seen on the counter for our dessert. Both were delightful. I think we found the best BBQ place in Dickson, Tennessee!

While making our way through the country back North and West to Canton, we saw many, many churches. One Baptist sign quoted scripture: “Taste and See the Goodness of the Lord.” Under the quote was added “Free samples inside.” I laughed out loud. Someone had some creative advertising campaign going. It caught my attention. I only wish I would have been fast enough to capture a picture, too.

After such a complete meal my driver was feeling a little road fatigue. So, we pulled into a parking lot so he could close his eyes for a few minutes. To my delight there was a Dollar Tree and a Walmart to keep me entertained and where I could get my evening walk around the stores and the parking lot. As I walked, I noticed the clouds were stunning. This one reminded me of a woman gracefully dancing.

So, the last hour of our day was driving back in twilight as we watched the sun turn the clouds in the sky pink and magenta. It was beautiful. And then it was dark. Very, very dark! Thankfully, by that time we only had about 15 miles left to travel. I knew we were in the deepest part of Kentucky, but we had not yet experienced it as the deepest, darkest part of Kentucky.

Yet, we found our way back and relaxed from our travels. It’s so nice to have a “home base” to come back to after exploring. This little place in Canton along the Cumberland River has been perfect in every way.