Do you ever think about what you would have chosen as a field of study or your career if given a “do-over?” If I had it to do over again, I’m pretty sure – given what I know now – I would have been a history major because walking in the path of those who came before us is my absolute favorite aspect of travel – and life in general.

Here’s the thing about the deep south, and cities such as Charleston, Beaufort and Savannah, it’s kinda like no other place you’ll ever visit in the US.  But then again the same can probably be said about the Pacific Northwest or the Southwest or the Midwest Bible Belt.  But then again… the history of the south is, well, like no other.

As I write this post we are in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  Myrtle Beach, not Asheville, North Carolina which is where we’re supposed to be, where it’s about 36 degrees and where the rain has been falling in torrential buckets for the better part of the day.  We spent over two hours this morning in a nearby coffee house nursing cups of hot steamy goodness while watching the downpour.  Now back in our hotel room, we are basically here in Myrtle Beach to wait out the storm.

We’re about to ring in 2016.  For the life of me I’ve never understood the hype over ringing in a new year.  Over a million people in Times Square?!  I’ll pass.  Home in front of the fireplace watching a classic movie, munching popcorn and popping a bottle of bubbly at midnight (if we’re still awake) is what I call a good idea.

At the crack of dawn if I roll over in bed and twist my neck just the right way, I can see the sunrise from our bedroom window. It’s quite the view.  Frederick County – our new extended neighborhood – has views galore and we’re determined to see them all, including the covered bridges.

One of my most favorite things to see when we travel across the vast prairies of this country is the mile-long freight trains that often run alongside the highway. I start out trying to count the number of cars but soon give up because I simply can’t keep up.  But if I’m really lucky I’ll hear that long drone – somewhat lonely – call of a train whistle.  There’s just something about it that tugs at my soul; almost makes me want to bum a ride in an empty freight car headed for parts unknown.  Almost.

The Road East – Day 7

For the past 9 years I’ve been driving my little ’05 Honda Civic Hybrid (a.k.a Hazel) and I could zip, zip, zip around town and easily access any parking space.  I loved that car and was sad to say good-bye to her when we left Ashland.  Driving Big Betty is a bit different than driving my little Hazel.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve attempted to look in the rear view mirror that doesn’t exist, or look over my left shoulder before changing lanes, only to see a wall of yellow truck over my shoulder.

The Road East: Day 6

Here we are in Frankfurt, Kentucky watching our absolute favorite show, The Big Bang Theory.  Please tell me you think it is hilarious.  I’m trying not to be overly panicked worried concerned that there are flash flood warnings scrolling across the bottom of the screen.  I think I heard the word tornado; we are in the midwest after all.  No worries.  Only (only?) torrential rains and flash flooding.

The Road East: Day 5

The shrill scream of the hotel’s fire alarm bolted us out of a sound sleep at 6:00 a.m. this morning.  It was the ultimate rude awakening. We dragged ourselves out into the hallway and sure enough all of the guests were evacuating – including a young woman wrapped in a towel – so we headed down the stairs, with me dressed in jammies and bare feet.  I guess that was better than being wrapped in a towel though.

The Road East:  Day 4

We were about 50 miles into our drive across Nebraska when it suddenly dawned on us that we’ve actually never been in Nebraska.  We’ve been in the surrounding states, South Dakota, Kansas and Wyoming, but not Nebraska.  And guess what?  Nebraska actually gave us a really good day.  Who knew?  Yes, it was a l-o-n-g drive, flat and very straight, but surprisingly our road to retirement is actually green and full of fall colors.