Casting Off

June 22, 2011

Day One: Sodom, NC to Chattanooga, TN    

•         215 miles

•         7.5 hours

•         Hwy 25/70 to 441S to Hwy 68 to Hwy 58

•         # of rest stops devoted to baked beans: 1

“It ain’t rocket surgery” –Taylor McDonald

           Today it was made apparent that, for a pirate, the morning of an adventure is pretty much Christmas morning. The Pirate (that's him) woke up the Mermaid (that's me) at a hearty 4 am wanting to leave. Luckily it was pouring rain, so I got another hour or so in bed before we hit the road. After a sweet goodbye from the Chestnut Hill gang, we headed out of Sodom through the mist and glistening leaves to Hot Springs.

            25/70 from Hot Springs to Seviereville was beautiful. We took our first break in downtown Seviereville where, as everyone knows, Dolly Parton is from. They have a lovely monument of her right downtown. Ever since I was a kid watching her drop from the ceiling on a swing in a frilly chiffon dress during the opening moments of her TV show, I have held her as a beacon of beauty, no matter what (just as Michael Jackson is a beacon of cool, no matter what). So there I am, impressed and smitten with the Dolly statue and when the Pirate saunters up and grabs her bronze boobies right there in town square. Pirates….

The rest of the drive was the expected blend of strip mall anywhere USA and pastoral charm. I liked the 411 between Seveirville and Marysville most. The roads this time of year are all lined with queen anne's lace and chalky blue chickory. We passed monuments, or shrines if you will, to everything from Coca-Cola to tractors to grecian goddesses. I keep waiting for things to start feeling unfamiliar, like we are “traveling”, but alas, there is always an Ingles, or a “Pisgah” church or something to remind me that I'm pretty much still home. I shouldn't be impatient. The south is giving me a nice send off with plenty of reminders of why I love her.

So, we get to Chatanooga and manage to dodge 3 or 4 serious rain showers. The weather witch is getting some practice! We are spending our first night of this adventure with the McDonalds (Taylor, Jeannette and their son Shad). They live in the St. Elmo area which feels a lot like Montford in Asheville. They’re in a house which is “ghettoflaged” (meaning: a charming high ceiling’d masterpiece “camoflaged” behind a crack house exterior. Taylor taught us this term). We spent a lovely evening on the screened porch while it rained, telling stories, catching up and basking in the cuteness of 2 year old Shad.

Summary: a great first day.