On Sunday, March 12, 2006, Corliss P. and Gail P. set out in their PT Cruiser, MobyWho, to take a little
tour of some new-to-them country. Leaving Burlington, they set off for New Orleans, Mobile, and
Venice. Logmeister Corliss will note the picky details; hours, miles, gallons of gas, doughnut stops,
etc. We gassed up today (Saturday) at precisly 20,700 miles on the odometer. The back window
wouldn't go up, but it was determined that we had hit the childlock button when we threw a bunch of
books-on-tape in the back. The seats are left up as we didn't want the two myer lemon trees that we
were returning to their native home to move around too much. So bags packed...
tour of some new-to-them country. Leaving Burlington, they set off for New Orleans, Mobile, and
Venice. Logmeister Corliss will note the picky details; hours, miles, gallons of gas, doughnut stops,
etc. We gassed up today (Saturday) at precisly 20,700 miles on the odometer. The back window
wouldn't go up, but it was determined that we had hit the childlock button when we threw a bunch of
books-on-tape in the back. The seats are left up as we didn't want the two myer lemon trees that we
were returning to their native home to move around too much. So bags packed...
Scribe Corliss took notes in the marbleized composition book, purchased at the Blue Mall Dollar
Store last evening.
"Ice still on the breakwater - no signs of spring. Left the garage at 8:30 am with a full tank of gas."
Now, we remember when we were writing "Coastal Cruise.com" and all hell was breaking lose.
But we quickly learned that unless there was "news" there wasn't much to report. So, as one thing
after another went wrong, we rejoiced in the opportunity to pass it on.
This trip was no exception. Who wants to hear that we moved nicely down 22A, passed a couple of
tractors and melded smoothly onto the Northway? NO ONE!
So, absolutely absolving both and either of us any blame for errors, this is the way it went.
First opportunity to make a course decision - Albany. Pick up US 90 to 88 and head to
Binghampton.
Gail: "Can you see that sign? Do we go right, West on 90?"
Cor: "I'm not going to Buffalo!"
Gail: "I think that's what we have to do."
So we bear left and head to New York City.
Still unconvinced, we ask the toll taker at the first booth (8 miles down the line)...how do we get to
Binghampton?
Toll man: "See that ramp up there? Take it. At the top, go left over the bridge and take another left,
come down that ramp where you see that van, pick up another ticket and go back to Albany. When
you get there, stay on 90 until you get to US 88. Have a nice day!"
That was 11:30 am.
At 5:30 pm, we had clocked in 500 miles and passed thru Snow Shoe, PA. We began to think that
maybe this isn't where we should be.
At 6:00, we checked into Days Inn in Clearfield, PA - a full 45 minutes West of where we missed the
turn to get off.
If we had looked at a map (but we didn't have one - not entirely our fault - AAA gave us the wrong
ones) we would have realized that US 99 didn't cross US 80.
We broke out the bottles, had one, then a sandwich at the motel, and hit the hay at 9:30 pm.
Store last evening.
"Ice still on the breakwater - no signs of spring. Left the garage at 8:30 am with a full tank of gas."
Now, we remember when we were writing "Coastal Cruise.com" and all hell was breaking lose.
But we quickly learned that unless there was "news" there wasn't much to report. So, as one thing
after another went wrong, we rejoiced in the opportunity to pass it on.
This trip was no exception. Who wants to hear that we moved nicely down 22A, passed a couple of
tractors and melded smoothly onto the Northway? NO ONE!
So, absolutely absolving both and either of us any blame for errors, this is the way it went.
First opportunity to make a course decision - Albany. Pick up US 90 to 88 and head to
Binghampton.
Gail: "Can you see that sign? Do we go right, West on 90?"
Cor: "I'm not going to Buffalo!"
Gail: "I think that's what we have to do."
So we bear left and head to New York City.
Still unconvinced, we ask the toll taker at the first booth (8 miles down the line)...how do we get to
Binghampton?
Toll man: "See that ramp up there? Take it. At the top, go left over the bridge and take another left,
come down that ramp where you see that van, pick up another ticket and go back to Albany. When
you get there, stay on 90 until you get to US 88. Have a nice day!"
That was 11:30 am.
At 5:30 pm, we had clocked in 500 miles and passed thru Snow Shoe, PA. We began to think that
maybe this isn't where we should be.
At 6:00, we checked into Days Inn in Clearfield, PA - a full 45 minutes West of where we missed the
turn to get off.
If we had looked at a map (but we didn't have one - not entirely our fault - AAA gave us the wrong
ones) we would have realized that US 99 didn't cross US 80.
We broke out the bottles, had one, then a sandwich at the motel, and hit the hay at 9:30 pm.
Go to New Orleans
| Go to The Alabama |
Tuesday, March 14 - Winchester, KY to Tuscaloosa, AL 8:37 am to 5:45 pm
Big Day...had free two eggs, toast and coffee for breakfast, then headed west and south around
Lexington. Whizzed past Lexington on the Interstate, then opted to take Rt. 68, the road with green
dots, until we picked up the Interstate again at (to be filled in).
Beauty comes at a price. The road twisted and turned as we looked to starboard and saw the
straight drop of close to 200 yards, down a coal-like slate cliff into a riverbed. The yellow warning
signs for curves ranged from 40 mph to 30, to 15 and one reached 10 mph – that was a tough one.
Fortunately, there was zip traffic save one or two cars that were strictly local and turned off as we
approached them. We were in a canyon, for heavens’ sake! Right outside the city!
Of slight interest was the fact that the south is known for sociability, yet in VT cows spend their days
in groups whereas here, they are scattered far and wide. Rarely did you see two or more together.
Go figure that out.
Most notable was the composition of the rocks here. Whereas northern ones are tightly packed and
large, the cut faces of the roadside were made up of very fine, narrow sheets of rock and the
striations are pretty horizontal. I guess Mother Earth just pushed up a table instead of bursting
skyward at an angle.
The general topography of Kentucky was quite unlike West Virginia. Whereas WV had fairly large,
rounded hills, these were pointy little bumps, more like pimples or zits. Many had tufts of trees on top
arising abruptly, like a Mohawk haircut.
Around noon, Kentucky gave way to Tennessee as we continued on down the Interstate. It was far
more commercial and industrial in this section. We passed by Nashville with no indication that it
was the music capital of Country, and slipped silently into Alabama at a comfortable 80mph. (The
traffic moves down here.)
By now, we had lost all the hills and vistas, and just cruised easily down a highway that could have
been Anywhere, USA. We enjoyed listening to The Friends of Eddie Coyle, a particularly maudlin and
gruesome account of gun running bank robbers, on the talking books we’d taken from the Burlington
library.
Passing Birmingham, we began to look for a place to spend the night, finally settling on a Howard
Johnson’s just south of Tuscaloosa on US20. It was OK. Went next door to a Cracker Barrel for a
dinner of flour and water (with itzy bitzy pieces of chicken.) Supposedly dumplings. Ate the chicken, a
corn muffin and a biscuit. And so to bed at 9:48...early rising to leave for Trubee's. Good Night.
Lexington. Whizzed past Lexington on the Interstate, then opted to take Rt. 68, the road with green
dots, until we picked up the Interstate again at (to be filled in).
Beauty comes at a price. The road twisted and turned as we looked to starboard and saw the
straight drop of close to 200 yards, down a coal-like slate cliff into a riverbed. The yellow warning
signs for curves ranged from 40 mph to 30, to 15 and one reached 10 mph – that was a tough one.
Fortunately, there was zip traffic save one or two cars that were strictly local and turned off as we
approached them. We were in a canyon, for heavens’ sake! Right outside the city!
Of slight interest was the fact that the south is known for sociability, yet in VT cows spend their days
in groups whereas here, they are scattered far and wide. Rarely did you see two or more together.
Go figure that out.
Most notable was the composition of the rocks here. Whereas northern ones are tightly packed and
large, the cut faces of the roadside were made up of very fine, narrow sheets of rock and the
striations are pretty horizontal. I guess Mother Earth just pushed up a table instead of bursting
skyward at an angle.
The general topography of Kentucky was quite unlike West Virginia. Whereas WV had fairly large,
rounded hills, these were pointy little bumps, more like pimples or zits. Many had tufts of trees on top
arising abruptly, like a Mohawk haircut.
Around noon, Kentucky gave way to Tennessee as we continued on down the Interstate. It was far
more commercial and industrial in this section. We passed by Nashville with no indication that it
was the music capital of Country, and slipped silently into Alabama at a comfortable 80mph. (The
traffic moves down here.)
By now, we had lost all the hills and vistas, and just cruised easily down a highway that could have
been Anywhere, USA. We enjoyed listening to The Friends of Eddie Coyle, a particularly maudlin and
gruesome account of gun running bank robbers, on the talking books we’d taken from the Burlington
library.
Passing Birmingham, we began to look for a place to spend the night, finally settling on a Howard
Johnson’s just south of Tuscaloosa on US20. It was OK. Went next door to a Cracker Barrel for a
dinner of flour and water (with itzy bitzy pieces of chicken.) Supposedly dumplings. Ate the chicken, a
corn muffin and a biscuit. And so to bed at 9:48...early rising to leave for Trubee's. Good Night.
| Go to Panama City & Apalachicola |
Wednesday, March 15 - Tuscaloosa, AL to Covington, LA 6:00 am to 11:00 am
Eager to get on with it, we rose around 6:00, packed the car, then went into the lobby for breakfast. A
girl was sitting at a table pouring over her papers and books. We looked for food, when she spoke,
“Breakfast isn’t until 6:00.” We spoke, “What time is it?” Well, it turned out they are on Central
Standard Time and we were an hour early! So…being a Wednesday morning, we had our usual
Wednesday breakfast at a nearby MacDonald’s. You gotta love that place!
We figured on 6 hours to Trubee’s, so kept moving on into Mississippi, thence into Louisiana on
roads not unlike any we’d known in Florida. It only took us 5 hours, so we exited US 12 a stop or two
before Covington, gassed up and had the rather filthy car washed.
Arrived at Trubee’s in time for a tour of the Tchefuncta Country Club Estates. It is a lovely golf
community nestled among tall southern pines (140 to 150 foot variety), live oak and Spanish moss.
The streets meander and the mostly low soft brick houses are scattered comfortably askew
throughout the woods. Every house was built to the owners plan so there is no hint of sameness;
some are graced with floor to ceiling shutters; some are two story with impressive white columns;
others are almost hidden, tucked among the greenery.
We took a brief tour of the grounds, down to the waterfront area on the Tchefuncta River where
residents keep their boats in covered slips.
The trip concluded, we returned home to be greeted by Zeus, a grey-with-age muzzled black lab who
loves nothing more than lying at your feet and looking up with pleading eyes, “Please give me a
tummy rub.”
Trubee made us a big bowl of his chicken and anduille gumbo served with rosemary rye bread, all
topped off with fresh strawberry shortcake. We went to bed happy and slept very soundly.
girl was sitting at a table pouring over her papers and books. We looked for food, when she spoke,
“Breakfast isn’t until 6:00.” We spoke, “What time is it?” Well, it turned out they are on Central
Standard Time and we were an hour early! So…being a Wednesday morning, we had our usual
Wednesday breakfast at a nearby MacDonald’s. You gotta love that place!
We figured on 6 hours to Trubee’s, so kept moving on into Mississippi, thence into Louisiana on
roads not unlike any we’d known in Florida. It only took us 5 hours, so we exited US 12 a stop or two
before Covington, gassed up and had the rather filthy car washed.
Arrived at Trubee’s in time for a tour of the Tchefuncta Country Club Estates. It is a lovely golf
community nestled among tall southern pines (140 to 150 foot variety), live oak and Spanish moss.
The streets meander and the mostly low soft brick houses are scattered comfortably askew
throughout the woods. Every house was built to the owners plan so there is no hint of sameness;
some are graced with floor to ceiling shutters; some are two story with impressive white columns;
others are almost hidden, tucked among the greenery.
We took a brief tour of the grounds, down to the waterfront area on the Tchefuncta River where
residents keep their boats in covered slips.
The trip concluded, we returned home to be greeted by Zeus, a grey-with-age muzzled black lab who
loves nothing more than lying at your feet and looking up with pleading eyes, “Please give me a
tummy rub.”
Trubee made us a big bowl of his chicken and anduille gumbo served with rosemary rye bread, all
topped off with fresh strawberry shortcake. We went to bed happy and slept very soundly.
| GO To The End |
Home of Trubee & Peggy Racioppi
and their black labrador, Zeus
3 Honeysuckle Lane
Covington, LA
and their black labrador, Zeus
3 Honeysuckle Lane
Covington, LA
Go to Next Page
VT to LA to FL to VT - Winter to Spring
| Go To Photos |
| Go To Watervews |
Monday, March 13 - Clearview, PA to Winchester, KY 7:30 am to 5:30 pm
OK - new day; clean slate, except that we have to back track for about an hour to get to the US 99 we
missed the night before. Oh well, that's life. Fortunately, the manager at the Days Inn was kind
enough to check our route on the internet. Also, he had the darndest waffle machine I've ever seen.
It was circular and it pivoted. Not only that, it kept time!
Temperature 51 degrees and comfortably overcast. Some rain off and on during the afternoon.
Reached West Virginia at 11:00 am. Boy! I thought southerners were slow, but they MOVE! First,
the speed limit was upped to 70. We went 75+ and were left in the dust. The roads, US 79 and 64
were as fine as any we've ever seen.
Stopped at the Welcome Center - picked up one of those discount motel books, found one just
short of Lexington, and here we are at the Winchester Days Inn. Went to motel restaurant and
some really delicious fried catfish - and so to bed at 10:22.
missed the night before. Oh well, that's life. Fortunately, the manager at the Days Inn was kind
enough to check our route on the internet. Also, he had the darndest waffle machine I've ever seen.
It was circular and it pivoted. Not only that, it kept time!
Temperature 51 degrees and comfortably overcast. Some rain off and on during the afternoon.
Reached West Virginia at 11:00 am. Boy! I thought southerners were slow, but they MOVE! First,
the speed limit was upped to 70. We went 75+ and were left in the dust. The roads, US 79 and 64
were as fine as any we've ever seen.
Stopped at the Welcome Center - picked up one of those discount motel books, found one just
short of Lexington, and here we are at the Winchester Days Inn. Went to motel restaurant and
some really delicious fried catfish - and so to bed at 10:22.