Day 30

Our first choice today was which road to take to get to Memphis.  We chose the road less traveled (Hwy 64).  It took a little longer, but the extra time was well worth it.  Started out driving beside the Tennessee River and then struck out through the southern Tennessee countryside.  It's very rural and green..  Forest, then rolling hills thickly wooded then rolling hills less thickly wooded.  Lots of small farms and ranches, horses, cattle, even a few llamas.  A really good ride.  Along the way we crossed back into the Central Time Zone and picked up the hour we lost on the way out.

We stopped for lunch in Lawrenceburg at what is without a doubt the worst restaurant I've ever eaten in.  I didn't get the name exactly, Billy Ray's Pools of Puke Buffet and Tire Shop or something like that.  Why eat there you might ask.  Well, first of all, we hadn't seen a place to eat for miles, not even fast food.  Secondly, something this bad has to be experienced and related to our readers.  From the buffet, I chose "roast beef", fried okra, stewed tomatoes and corn.  I was offered corn bread, but given two pancakes which did not look like corn bread and tasted like roof shingles.  I picked up a container of desert because I couldn't tell what it was and was curious.  Banana pudding with vanilla wavers.  Cost - $7.  It's the only buffet we haven't gone back for seconds at.  Truly memorable. 

There is a statue of Davy Crockett in the town square.  Every kid our age knows all about Davy Crockett from the old Disneyland show.  "Born on a mountain top in Tennessee..."  went to Congress and "patched up the crack in the Liberty Bell", died at the Alamo, wore a coonskin cap, "killed him a baar when he was only three".  Well, this got us to thinking.  We've seen Texas and now we've seen Tennessee.  What on earth would prompt a reasonable person to leave Tennessee and move to Texas?  And then, when he found out the Mexicans wanted it, why argue the point?  He could have kept going to California.  The Mexicans wanted that too and it's more worth fighting for.  Three  women I love live in Texas or I'd never set foot there again.  Sorry Texans, don't mean to offend, but don't go to Tennessee.  You'll be sorry.

Made a stop at the Civil War battlefield  of Shiloh.  This month is the 150th anniversary of the battle.  Then on to Memphis where we are now.  Plan to go out to dinner (no place named Billy Ray's).  Tomorrow, we cross the mighty Mississippi and continue west.