Off to the kids' house...

Off we went, heading south...

It was an uneventful journey, with fine weather the first day - and lots of traffic.  We drove about half way, stopping in the mountains of southern Virginia the first night.  I was wearing a black stirrup pants outfit including black tights and a turtleneck with my flats.  The male desk clerk at the hotel offered no gender-related form of address.  And we went to dinner at the local Shoney's, where the female server used no gender references, but put the check between us...as servers so often do for two women dining together.

The second day dawned rainy.  We partook of the hotel's alleged "continental breakfast" - stale muffins, with few alternative choices except (presumably) stale bread and (presumably) stale biscuits (with greasy-looking gravy - SOS for you ex-military ladies) and oatmeal made with lukewarm water but no brown sugar or raisins.  I would have tried the hot, cook-it-yourself breakfast waffle, except there was no butter or syrup.  Or I could have "enjoyed" one of the green bananas...which we mused might have seen better use as St. Patrick's day decorations earlier in the week.  On the road again (in snow/sleet/rain), we noted that traffic was much lighter than the day before, and made fairly good time...good enough to allow a couple of sightseeing stops..

For you NASCAR fans: if you haven't been to the Bristol track, you should...particularly if you've been to any of the other tracks.  While they didn't run tours in the rain, and there certainly were no races either, gift shop personnel pointed out the way for us to at least get a look at the track.  We took them up on it.  This track is one of the shortest around, perhaps a half mile.  And with such amazingly short straightaways, it really lives up the the stereotype of "all they have to do is floor it and turn left." 

As have many other tracks, they have developed additional sources of revenue.  You can see from the artwork on the side of the trailer, the infield has the capability of being temporarily converted to a football field for a big college game.  If you plan on watching the game between VA Tech and Tennessee in September of 2016, you'll find it being played on Bristol's infield.

While still in sightseeing mode, my wife and I detoured to a railroad museum in Monterey, TN.  Lots of old town history there, and interesting info about the railroad.  Before we left,  I had need of the restroom.  As I opened the door to the men's room, the very nice female clerk reminded me that the ladies' room was down the hall.  I thanked her but assured her it was the right room, and it was an emergency.  Her reply: "I guess it'll be OK for you to use the men's room - there's another lady already in the women's room..."   So I did...but she firmly believed I was a woman.   Some folks see me as female, others aren't quite so sure.  It all depends on the day, and the eye of the beholder!   (Fortunately, my wife was checking out the exhibits, and missed the whole thing...)

Nice depot, built to replace the old one...

More later...

Mandy