katuah
Adventurer
At long last, a trip report.
I felt like I should do this report not so much because of the places we went (most were not that far off the beaten track) or how we did it (we didn't glamp much at all or use lots of e$oteric gear), but rather because it illustrates the sort of actual "adventure" that many of us end up having instead of that idyllic perfect “expedition.” It turned out to be such an exercise in adapting and flexibility it was a real reminder that fun and adventure are in the eye of the beholder. Wherever you go, there you are.
As most of you know if you read any of my pre-trip planning posts, what started out with the intention of being a mostly-solo trip morphed significantly when my 81-year-old mother decided she wanted to come along with me. I had to prep more, read more, plan more, and generally reduce the physical exertion necessary for each day to be a success…..
I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's just jump on in.
Day 1: Durham NC to Nashville TN.
Until we passed Asheville NC, the route west was a known quantity. I've driven to and from Asheville so many times I could not count. However, it was a great opportunity for me & mom to experiment with our travel rhythm. One of our first stops would end up setting a precedent for nearly the entire trip: getting a new map with every new state. Turns out my mom is also a map geek, she loves having a physical map in hand, to refer to at any point in the trip. So we made sure to hit every Welcome Center we passed.
Tennessee's I-40 Welcome Center looks like an old log cabin from one direction. (Not so much the other sides, though). I am oddly fascinated by unique rest stops, but that's a different story.
DSC00032 by katuah, on Flickr
That night, I knew we'd be arriving late and leaving early, so I booked an AirBnB room in Nashville. AirBnB saved my sanity on this trip, especially when we had to adapt on the move later on. (It's certainly a different world from the days of the Woodall's Campground Directory and pay phones!)
Day 2: Nashville TN to Hot Springs AR, via Memphis TN.
Even though it was a dreary rainy day, Memphis is so chock full of History we just couldn't drive thru without at least a few minutes of gawking. We hit the Welcome Center near the Pyramid (two kings?) and got a map of historic neighborhoods, drove around to see some sights, and went to eat on Beale Street. It's quite colorful there. I imagine it's quite colorful in a different way after 11pm.
DSC00039 by katuah, on Flickr
DSC00042 by katuah, on Flickr
DSC00046 by katuah, on Flickr
It felt rather momentous to cross the Mississippi. I couldn't get a good shot of the overhead “Welcome to Arkansas" sign on the bridge, so this will have to do.
DSC00036 by katuah, on Flickr
Our hosts in Nashville warned us that there wouldn't be much to see after Memphis except rice fields. I never knew there were rice fields in Arkansas. I barely knew they had mountains! Hot Springs was beautiful, I'm just sad that it had rained so much we didn't get into town until dark, and didn't get to experience much of the culture. The old downtown had a very odd vibe, perhaps due to several large buildings - former hotels? - looming dark and empty-eyed over a street with plenty of storefronts but absolutely no foot traffic. Maybe this was because of it being a Sunday night...
DSC00047 by katuah, on Flickr
DSC00049 by katuah, on Flickr
TBC..
I felt like I should do this report not so much because of the places we went (most were not that far off the beaten track) or how we did it (we didn't glamp much at all or use lots of e$oteric gear), but rather because it illustrates the sort of actual "adventure" that many of us end up having instead of that idyllic perfect “expedition.” It turned out to be such an exercise in adapting and flexibility it was a real reminder that fun and adventure are in the eye of the beholder. Wherever you go, there you are.
As most of you know if you read any of my pre-trip planning posts, what started out with the intention of being a mostly-solo trip morphed significantly when my 81-year-old mother decided she wanted to come along with me. I had to prep more, read more, plan more, and generally reduce the physical exertion necessary for each day to be a success…..
I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's just jump on in.
Day 1: Durham NC to Nashville TN.
Until we passed Asheville NC, the route west was a known quantity. I've driven to and from Asheville so many times I could not count. However, it was a great opportunity for me & mom to experiment with our travel rhythm. One of our first stops would end up setting a precedent for nearly the entire trip: getting a new map with every new state. Turns out my mom is also a map geek, she loves having a physical map in hand, to refer to at any point in the trip. So we made sure to hit every Welcome Center we passed.
Tennessee's I-40 Welcome Center looks like an old log cabin from one direction. (Not so much the other sides, though). I am oddly fascinated by unique rest stops, but that's a different story.
![](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3827/20450148302_2e0ba91593_b.jpg)
That night, I knew we'd be arriving late and leaving early, so I booked an AirBnB room in Nashville. AirBnB saved my sanity on this trip, especially when we had to adapt on the move later on. (It's certainly a different world from the days of the Woodall's Campground Directory and pay phones!)
Day 2: Nashville TN to Hot Springs AR, via Memphis TN.
Even though it was a dreary rainy day, Memphis is so chock full of History we just couldn't drive thru without at least a few minutes of gawking. We hit the Welcome Center near the Pyramid (two kings?) and got a map of historic neighborhoods, drove around to see some sights, and went to eat on Beale Street. It's quite colorful there. I imagine it's quite colorful in a different way after 11pm.
![](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/291/20464980291_dc93b9248e_b.jpg)
![](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/336/19837766403_130eca38ed_b.jpg)
![](https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3698/20270507670_3511390659_b.jpg)
It felt rather momentous to cross the Mississippi. I couldn't get a good shot of the overhead “Welcome to Arkansas" sign on the bridge, so this will have to do.
![](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/395/20450088642_c44f256e46_b.jpg)
Our hosts in Nashville warned us that there wouldn't be much to see after Memphis except rice fields. I never knew there were rice fields in Arkansas. I barely knew they had mountains! Hot Springs was beautiful, I'm just sad that it had rained so much we didn't get into town until dark, and didn't get to experience much of the culture. The old downtown had a very odd vibe, perhaps due to several large buildings - former hotels? - looming dark and empty-eyed over a street with plenty of storefronts but absolutely no foot traffic. Maybe this was because of it being a Sunday night...
![](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/314/19835963624_69c075e3b3_b.jpg)
![](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/384/20464824871_38e0d1b04e_b.jpg)
TBC..