All Points Towards California: Day 1: Taylor Street to Memphis

Wow. 13 hours in the car and we are officially 1/3 of the way to cali. Getting up at the crack of dawn this morning was pretty awful (read: 430 am), especially because I was up until midnight packing/de-stressing from packing. Made coffee, took one last tour of the house to stuff and cram into the car and off we went. Oh yeah, did I mention how packed to the brim we were?

the trunk...i have no idea how this stuff all fits.

behind the driver's seat

in front. to save room, that's my ikea chair serving

as chair cushion--not as comfy as it appears

So, all packed and on the way-I actually took the wheel first and drove like a bat out of hell; I didn't realize that my subconscious wanted to leave Virginia so quickly. Around Christianburg/Blacksburg, the tank was running low and we made our first pit stop. This is also the beginning of my dad and I ripping on Virginia Tech for the next 30 miles. (I realize I have many friends who have attending/are attending this fine institution, but sometimes you just can pass up hating on your rival school). The main insult my dad and I kept harping on was that there are no trees there; seriously, wasn't it founded as an agricultural school? But I digress...

Finally, we approach the Tennessee border after many good jokes about Bristol Speedway and NASCAR and how funny yet captivating the fans and the races are.

So it's official:

I thought I knew how big the United States was, and really had not considered how WIDE Tennessee is; damn, it is a long and winding road through the mountains and rock formations. Here are some pictorial highlights from the Volunteer State:

Welcome to Knoxville

On the way to Nashville...

View of towers from the Oak Ridge Nuclear Energy Plant;

Crazy nuclear stuff happens here!

Nashville Skyline

I found my old car's mate...from South Carolina. sigh-i miss my jeep.

Even Tennessee has a 101; yes I know it's not

winding along the west coast, but I can dream right?

Finally, we made it to Memphis!! Bring on the barbeque, the blues, and no open container laws?!?!? Yes, on the infamous Beale Street in downtown Memphis you can walk around from bar to bar with your beer, eat all kinds of bbq pork, and jam to some great blues. Plus, since it's the South, you get more bang for your buck. Dad and I started off the evening at Corky's, the more "franchise-y" barbeque restaurant, but it was damn good. If God was from Memphis, manna would be the dry-rub ribs at Corky's. Absolutely amazing. Following stuffing ourselves silly, Dad and I made the 20 mile trek to Beale Street and had several rousing conversations with intoxicated rednecks and the like. Great, great times.

There were so many old buildings that were open and filled with people and music playing. Of course, i had to get a picture from the infamous Peabody Hotel. It is very old style South, prim & proper with a gorgeous interior and naturally this is when I couldn't figure out my flash settings--note to self, figure this out asap. More Beale Street photos aka proof for myself that I witnessed such an amazing event:

Standing on the threshold of Beale with

Dad fully participating in the lack of open container law