Trip Home – Day 1 – Texas to Alabama

Monday, September 19

When I typed the date this evening, I remembered that this was my Grandma Hershey’s birthday. I checked. She would have been 119 today.

9-19-16-1We were on the road this morning by 6 am. It was about 7 am before I could take good pictures.

9-19-16-2It was a beautiful, hazy, hot morning in Texas – Cerwin thought about 80 degrees when we left the motel.

9-19-16-3

9-19-16-4

9-19-16-6The sunrise was beautiful and I was pleased to get so many good pictures out the side window while traveling 70-75 mph. The speed limit was 75 at the time.

9-19-16-7

9-19-16-8

9-19-16-10I missed more good pictures than I took, because of our speed.

9-19-16-13

9-19-16-14

9-19-16-15

9-19-16-16

9-19-16-17

9-19-16-18

9-19-16-19

9-19-16-20

9-19-16-22We wanted to go home through Louisiana and Mississippi because they are the only two states in the lower 48 that we have never been through.

The mileage is similar as going through Tennessee and Arkansas, but we heard the roads were not as good in Louisiana, so didn’t want to take the chapel through that state. It was a bit rough several times, so we were glad we weren’t pulling a chapel.

9-19-16-23We wanted to get something to eat about 10 am and pulled into a truck stop that was being renovated, so walked to the Sonic across the lot. I am going to miss the southern sweet tea when I get home. This was sweet mango.

9-19-16-24I caught a glare from the window, but wanted you to see the window washers on the Horseshoe Casio near Shreveport.

9-19-16-25There were a lot more tree-lined roads in Louisiana than I expected.

9-19-16-26I did expect to see scenery like this.

9-19-16-27

9-19-16-28I think this was rice.

9-19-16-29Probably soybean harvest

9-19-16-30Cotton

9-19-16-31It has been a long time since I saw a cotton field.

9-19-16-32A pretty scene.

9-19-16-33We have now crossed this river in every state in which it flows.

9-19-16-36

9-19-16-37

9-19-16-38

9-19-16-39We have now been in each of the lower 48 states and Alaska. Now all we have left to see is Hawaii, and that is not a big draw for Cerwin, so we may never get there.

9-19-16-40

9-19-16-41

9-19-16-42

9-19-16-43After 630 miles, we stopped to fuel and stay the night at a Pilot truck stop in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

We enjoyed a Subway supper. We missed breakfast today, so Cerwin got a breakfast sub and I chose a salad.

As I prepare to post this, it’s dark in the distance, but the truck stop is well lit and full of trucks and cars. Truck stops are busy, noisy places at night because every one lets their engines running so they have air conditioning. It is 85 degrees right now.

Tomorrow we head north – probably stopping in Wytheville, Virginia, for the night.