So, 2,400 miles, 10 days, and I am back home. Driving included 574 miles of one of the twistiest roads in America.
Let's start out with the bad . . . Expressway driving. It is soul sucking out there, especially when I'm rarely 5 mph over the speed limit in a very small car and practically getting run over by huge-assed American SUVs and trucks.
While the Skyline drive speed limit is 35 mph and the Parkway is 45 mph, all curves are drivable at the speed limit for any car. I would encounter drivers of large cars riding their brakes at 20 mph, acting like they would fall off the edge of the earth. This taught me patience and I could pass when safe (and you would think that they would use one of the frequent viewpoints to pull over and let faster traffic through, but, nooooooooooo . . . )
Now, the good. That 22 year old car ran like a dream. Predictable responses and its great balance as a mid-engine car of 2,100 lbs made cornering a dream. I would get up early to have a couple hours without traffic and just get into the rhythm of road, relaxed, and enjoying such a well performing car. Unless overtaking I did not need to use my brakes. I could just let off on the throttle to adjust my speed for the conditions, using a neutral throttle through the turn.
Spending two days in Washington DC at the Smithsonian museums and Folklife Festival, was enlightening. Two museums stand out; the National Museum of the American Indian and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. In either, while there is a celebration of culture, one learns of how our government deliberately defrauded and abused native Americans, or the degenerate cruelty of the culture of slavery that made its way through Jim Crow to morph into the white nationalism of today. Disturbing.
The crafts everywhere, especially at two places along the Parkway where the Southern Highland Craft Guild has shops. I was so very tempted, especially seeing a glass jellyfish paper weight. I relented and bought my spouse a very nice pottery coffee mug. Then there was the Mountain Music Center which had great exhibits and in the breezeway a string band was playing Gospel and Carter family tunes. I picked up a CD of clawhammer banjo.
Waterfalls hikes, and a visit to Cades Cove. Cades Cove is special to me because it was a stop on the road trip with my future spouse. While we were enjoying being with each other for 3 previous days, the day in Cades Cove solidified my feelings for her and I was in love.
Confirming that I like myself. Solo travel is demanding at times and enjoying being able to; entertain myself, practice skills, make the most of being by myself, is a win.
Now for regrets. I was hoping to meet some people, have a nice conversation perhaps. No luck. People seemed to be self absorbed and closed. Even in tourist overrun Gatlinburg at a moonshine tasting I tried to engage with people on either side of me . . . blank stares (or it could have been the previous 6 shots of moonshine taking effect).
Let's start out with the bad . . . Expressway driving. It is soul sucking out there, especially when I'm rarely 5 mph over the speed limit in a very small car and practically getting run over by huge-assed American SUVs and trucks.
While the Skyline drive speed limit is 35 mph and the Parkway is 45 mph, all curves are drivable at the speed limit for any car. I would encounter drivers of large cars riding their brakes at 20 mph, acting like they would fall off the edge of the earth. This taught me patience and I could pass when safe (and you would think that they would use one of the frequent viewpoints to pull over and let faster traffic through, but, nooooooooooo . . . )
Now, the good. That 22 year old car ran like a dream. Predictable responses and its great balance as a mid-engine car of 2,100 lbs made cornering a dream. I would get up early to have a couple hours without traffic and just get into the rhythm of road, relaxed, and enjoying such a well performing car. Unless overtaking I did not need to use my brakes. I could just let off on the throttle to adjust my speed for the conditions, using a neutral throttle through the turn.
Spending two days in Washington DC at the Smithsonian museums and Folklife Festival, was enlightening. Two museums stand out; the National Museum of the American Indian and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. In either, while there is a celebration of culture, one learns of how our government deliberately defrauded and abused native Americans, or the degenerate cruelty of the culture of slavery that made its way through Jim Crow to morph into the white nationalism of today. Disturbing.
The crafts everywhere, especially at two places along the Parkway where the Southern Highland Craft Guild has shops. I was so very tempted, especially seeing a glass jellyfish paper weight. I relented and bought my spouse a very nice pottery coffee mug. Then there was the Mountain Music Center which had great exhibits and in the breezeway a string band was playing Gospel and Carter family tunes. I picked up a CD of clawhammer banjo.
Waterfalls hikes, and a visit to Cades Cove. Cades Cove is special to me because it was a stop on the road trip with my future spouse. While we were enjoying being with each other for 3 previous days, the day in Cades Cove solidified my feelings for her and I was in love.
Confirming that I like myself. Solo travel is demanding at times and enjoying being able to; entertain myself, practice skills, make the most of being by myself, is a win.
Now for regrets. I was hoping to meet some people, have a nice conversation perhaps. No luck. People seemed to be self absorbed and closed. Even in tourist overrun Gatlinburg at a moonshine tasting I tried to engage with people on either side of me . . . blank stares (or it could have been the previous 6 shots of moonshine taking effect).
