Franklin Tennessee 2008

I made to Franklin after nine long hot hours in the car. It turns out the air conditioning in my car does not work which I didn't realize because I rarely turn it on due to the current price of gas, and I didn't want to delay my departure another day so I just sucked it up and got on the road, me and the dog and something like eight pieces of luggage and various necessaries: crate, dog bed, computer, suitcase, cosmetic bag, research files and books and back issues of The National Review, a sewing project to do with my sister when I get to South Carolina (I have been promising for several years to teach her how to sew) plus of course, dog food and can opener and collapsible dog dishes, and I'm sure if I thought long enough about it I could come up with at least a half dozen more items just to make it sound even more impressive. The dog was very good all day and didn't create any kind of fuss along the way. I think the heat probably took it out of her too...she's passed out on the floor. It was a long drive...we started out at ten this morning in Chicago and made it to Franklin Tennessee, which is about twenty miles south of Nashville and we made pretty good time despite the heat. I chose ten am as a start time because we successfully missed all the rush hour traffic and just breezed out of Chicago. I always like to stop at this particular Shell Station in Merrillville once I get across the border into Indiana...it's got THE CLEANEST GAS STATION BATHROOM IN AMERICA; several times there's been a vase of fresh cut flowers on the back of the tank. Got some bottled water for the dog and got to try out these nifty collapsible and disposable dog bowls I picked up at Petsmart, and pressed on. Stopped at a rest area another hour along and a very nice guy watched Luna while I went to use the restroom, altho I came back and he was feeding her bits of cold cuts and cheese....which only concerned me because I don't feed her on road trips because she acts a little car sick....panting and all...but she seemed no worse for the treats. This was two stops in tow hours and I started to feel like we'd never make any progress if I didn't buckle down...so it was a bad combination...I didn't want to stop a lot to pee, but Lord it was hot...my Vitamin water was hot, after a few hours. I usually stop at fast food places along the way....today I did not have ANY fast food at all....I brought a tuna sandwich(I actually brought three from all of the tuna salad I made yesterday, but I threw two away because of the heat) and it was too hot to be hungry anyway. So to recap, it was hot as hell, I couldn't talk on the phone because the bluetooth picks up all the wind, and I had to have windows down...I couldn't drink a lot, nor could I really eat much, I didn't even feel like playing music. I just drove and drove. The miles between Indianapolis and Louisville, I swear I don't know how I did it....I was practically hallucinating and I kept asking myself "Why am I doing this?" Finally just after I got through Louisville I had the genius idea to have a cup of ice, so I went into a Speedway and bought the biggest size Big Gulp....32oz. filled with ice and for the next 150 miles I took ice cube after ice cube and rubbed them over my face and the back of my neck and I let ice melt on top of my head, and between my boobs. It was fabulous. I got lucky too, because I started to go up into the hill country on the way to Nashville and the temperature dropped just a little. And then in Nashville it started to POUR.....torrential rain....highway....high speeds....tail end of rush hour and only twenty miles from my destination....finally I staggered into the lobby of my hotel and mumbled something about waking up in Chicago and driving all this way to go to the Carter House and the desk clerk asked me if I was a teacher or something and I said no I am writing an historical novel, and my great grandfather was at the Battle of Franklin, and the guy nodded like he was impressed and said that a LOT of people do come down her to go to Carnton and the Carter House, and also Natchez Trace. I'm not hiking trails on Natchez Trace in this heat....maybe some other time if there's a need to come back here.Now I'm cool and comfy and had a great dinner and the computer is running on empty so I'm done for tonite....more later.