So, I headed off to Chicago this weekend to meet the newest addition to our family, our first granddaughter. I was so very excited to hold her, play with her, and teach her the value of screaming, "Roll Tide Roll!" After learning to articulate those three words, she will most certainly be destined for greatness.
My drive took me north into Tennessee; Chattanooga to Nashville, to be exact, before turning north and pushing through Bowling Green, Kentucky. If you have never seen glorious Nickajack just outside of Chattanooga, you are missing something. A broad expanse of water that lies in the shadows of Lookout Mountain, the wonder and beauty of it is difficult to articulate.
Someday, I would love to take the time to visit the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, as I have passed it by at least four or five dozen times in my life, but time is never my ally when I travel solo, so, once again, the museum will have to wait. That said, I think fondly of sinkholes and crying insurance companies each time I see that line of checkered flags just to my west as I cruise by it.
From Bowling Green, I passed over the rolling hills of central Kentucky until finally arriving at the construction riddled city of Louisville. Named after a famous French king, Louisville is the perfect name for a city whose roads are constantly being re-paved. King Louis XVI, famously beheaded on the guillotine would have been proud of Louisville's constant construction zones. Some of the potholes I have hit on Interstate 65 through that fair town have made me feel as though my head would fall off and fillings would drop from my teeth. That said, I do enjoy seeing Louisville's small skyline built upon the Ohio River and the highway tribute to Mohammad Ali, who was born and raised in the city.
In most places, I can find beauty. In Indiana, I find it in my rearview mirror. I apologize to all my Indiana friends, but that drive is five of the most boring hours of my life. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy corn, just not five hours of it. Your windmill farm north of Lafayette is cute, especially if you like slowly moving monstrosities winking a red eye at you with great regularity. It's enough to give Frodo Baggins chills up and down his spine! The state's saving grace, however, are its wonderful people. The place is full of good country folk that talk funny. I love 'em!
If you have never had the pleasure of driving through or around Chicago, you have no idea what you are missing. Bumper-to-bumper fun with millions of your closest friends. At least they use turn signals here; contrast that to my daily Atlanta commute and I have to smile at Chicagoan's curious road "politeness."
Seeing the Sears Tower (yes, I know, Willis...what you talking about?) to your east is really quite inspiring. As I drove north and saw the massive building fade to my southeast, I grew even more inspired. That meant I was closer to my destination!
The return trip to Alabama is scheduled to begin in a few days. As I sat belly-aching about it last night, Cathy said, "We should check out the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky." And that, fellas, is why I married her. Naturally, the anticipation of getting to our Bourbon Trail starting point will be prolonged by our drive through Indiana, but at least the state has some great people. :)
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