You Be Thelma, I'll Be Louise

It's the end of Day Two of an epic road trip. Epic for me, at least. I've never spent so much time in a vehicle, but I'm not complaining!

My traveling buddy, Jonni Webb, picked me up around noon yesterday. We got out of Annandale, up Highway 463, and I realized I didn't have my phone. Back that thing up!

Back to the 'hood, and I couldn't find my phone inside. Back out to the car, and there it was...on the bumper. It had ridden a few miles, was covered in dust, but was fine. I took it as a sign that we would be taken good care of on this trip!

About that time, Jonni gave me a little notepad. Here we go!

Well, after we made stops at two banks, Madison Fireplace and Patio, the Woofolk Building downtown, and finally, lunch at Annie D's in Brandon. Finally...on the road at 2:20pm. Me, Jonni, and car full of stuff for a month in Maine, and...

Cole---Jonni's possibly-autistic camera-shy dog!!! (Who, by the way, has been a TROOPER! He's a real Road Dawg!!!)

We made it to Chattanooga last night...but not without some anxiety. It seems the power was out in all of north Alabama...every exit we took was like a ghost town. Finally, we got to Chattanooga and went to the first hotel we came to. NO PETS ALLOWED.

So, on the next hotel...and what do you know?

So, Jonni begged. Yeah, she did...she said "we're soooo tired....we have a tiny little dog, he'll be no trouble..." and the guy behind the counter slips her a note...

OK. Shhhhhh....he put us in a room on the back side of the hotel, and we snuck Cole in for the night. We had no phone, no internet, no television...we were lucky we had electricity. So, we drifted off to sleep, forgetting all about....

THE ROYAL WEDDING!!!!

I got up first and went to get breakfast, and the tv was on in the hotel lobby. Tornado refugees were sitting around, eating waffles and drinking coffee, watching the wedding and forgetting, for a moment, the devastation they had escaped. I saw Kate in her dress, and got to see the happy couple kiss on the balcony. So much for that.

We got back on the road, and just a little north of Bristol, just across the Virginia state line. we happened upon something that looked like a nightmare. One of the tornadoes had crossed the highway. It obliterated a truck stop, and 18-wheelers were tossed and twisted all over the place. Cars pulled over to the side of the road and people got out to just look in awe at the destruction, and to take photos. Jonni snapped these:

It was pretty shocking...something we didn't expect to see, especially since we had driven on I-20 through Tuscaloosa and Birmingham and all we saw was lots of huge uprooted trees and toppled road signs.

It's been a long day, and we've enjoyed seeing the beautiful Appalachian Mountains most of the day. We're in Hagarstown, MD for the night. And guess what? They are replaying the entire wedding, just for us! Seems we'll be up to speed on all things royal...if we can only stay awake long enough!

Our hope is to make it to Maine by day's end tomorrow. I am looking forward to seeing lots of the East Coast on the way.

We are thankful for the traveling mercies God has granted us so far. We are praying for another uneventful day as we approach our destination.

Blessings to all who read this!
Susan