Cross Country Road trip, Oregon to Virginia, Southern Route

Cross Country Road trip, Oregon to Virginia, Southern Route

Total cost of lodging: Approximately 1,555 

Gas, approximately: 2.50 or less per gallon, a little over 3,000 miles=$500

Food: Averaging $100 a day, plus a few fine dining meals= approximately $2, 000

In 2017, my family and I decided to move from Southern Oregon to Virginia, where my mother and other maternal kin live. Sensing that few moments in life would allow us such an opportunity for adventure--and believing my children, 3 and 8, were old enough to, perhaps, remember the trip--we decided to drive. The only belongings we kept for the move were what would fit in our trusty Dodge Grand Caravan (and about 25 boxes of books, shipped in advance, of course).   

We would be leaving in early November and decided on a southern route. To maximize progress, sanity and enjoyment, my rule was to average 5 hours of driving a day and take a decent break approximately every hour. 

Let me tell you, this trip was conducted by the "seat of our pants." Every day, we got to the hotel of choice and I made the plans and reservations for the next leg of our journey. Only the basic route was outlined in advance. I didn't want to commit to moving on too fast. However, I shared my GPS location with both parents and was in constant contact. 

Day One: We left Ashland, Oregon on November, 14th, taking I-5 south. 

One of the places I wanted to visit for years was the Di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art in Napa, California. Unfortunately, the wildfires had burned throughout the season and the center was closed due to smoke. 

So, first stop was Weed, California. Partially because it was an hour south and the first stop with a proper café. Partially because I have enough immaturity in me to find it funny. The town got its name from a lumberman, who had little foresight, I am sure, about the connotations that would arise, as well as the appropriateness of his namesake's location. 

Next, we paused at Subway Cave, a lava tube along the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Highway. It was great to stretch our legs on the pine needle strewn path, with no sounds of other people or traffic nearby. The caves were very dark and the ground was uneven, so I would recommend headlights instead of a cellphone or other handheld flashlight, in case you stumble. 

For the first leg of the journey, we brought our Airedale mix, Junior--named after my husband's favorite Colombian soccer team. Our tiny airport in the Rogue Valley didn't offer transportation for a dog his size. It was reassuring to have him scouting the trails ahead of us.

We "stretched our legs" again on the shores of Honey Lake (cover photo, showing shoreline but not the expanse of water). 

Beyond the Lassen National Forest, was a stretch of highway with pretty monotonous scenery, other than the occasional abandoned, graffitied building. (Had I known about the photo ops, I would have prepared some wild thrifted outfits!) 

Luckily, the caravan had a DVD player and the kids were amused by watching the Simpsons and various animated films, because a game of "I spy" would not have gotten very far in those desolate circumstances. 

There were not a lot of great food options, either. Especially when traveling, I like to try something new and delicious, rather than resort to fast food or anything equally unmemorable. This would be a stretch of road I would pack a picnic for (although it has been years and maybe options abound). 

Back on the desert road, we were startled to see bunches of tanks and military bunkers as the solitary feature of the landscape (Sierra Army Depot?).  

I used BringFido.com to book La Quinta Inn in Reno, Nevada. 

Drive: Five and a half hours

Day Two: This was the longest drive of the trip, at seven hours. Again, there was little scenery besides the occasional abandoned houses. Had I been traveling alone, I would have stopped more often to photograph them. There is something I love about derelict buildings, a particular nostalgic charm that might be described in French as jolie laide, ugly-beautiful.  

We made a little detour to Rhyolite, Nevada to the Goldwell Open Air Museum and Tom Kelly's 1905 bottle house. 

We arrived about sunset and the already abandoned old mining town seemed to have suffered even more in recent years, with additional fencing and window boards protecting the properties. As darkness fell, it was the totally complete darkness of landscapes unaffected by light pollution. The sculptures were extra creepy and the visibility of the stars was multiplied. If we had had camping gear, I might have braved the silence and whatever poisonous creatures surely inhabit the sand.  

On the way onward, we filled up at Eddie World  gas station, which was an unexpected treat for the kids. The building looks like a castle, filled with a ridiculous amount of candy, area-51 inspired souvenirs and funny sodas with names like Martian Poop and Bug Barf. 

We stayed at another La Quinta for our first night in Las Vegas.

Drive: Seven hours

Day Three: In the morning, we had an adventure as we tried to book Junior in for his flight to Tri-Cities airport in Tennessee (where my mother was meeting him), so we could continue our adventure with more freedom. There was some misinformation about crates being provided and I had to rush to a nearby pet store, tie the crate to the roof of the van, inevitably have it fall off. Luckily, it wasn't damaged too badly and Junior made his flight. 

The Latin Grammys were being hosted in Vegas, limiting our options for a budget-friendly room on the strip. 

I booked into the MGM Grand. Once, they had a lion habitat in the lobby, which I thought the kids would enjoy--but it had been removed, I assume over well-founded concerns about the wellbeing of the animals. I had also chosen the hotel for its location and spa-like  touches, such as vitamin c infused showerheads, in the rooms. I figured our skin could use a little pampering while traveling through the desert. 

Almost all of our lodging during the trip fell between under a $100 a night, sometimes as low as $50. For a total of just under $500 for two nights, the MGM was one of the most expensive stays. Frankly, if I was doing it again, I would choose somewhere with a lower price and/or more immersive ambiance, such as the Luxor or Excalibur. 

(If my kids had been aware of it, I'm sure they would have liked to stay at Circus Circus. But my memories of it were a damp, smoky smell with undercurrents of diapers and a lot of noise. Don't get me wrong, they have great shows and rides, this was just not the trip for standing around watching the kids at an indoor carnival.)

During our first day, we explored Caesar's Palace, eating at the Bacchanal Buffet and watching the Fall of Atlantis fountain show. (The buffets are another skip for me. The food looks beautiful and at a glance, has some global variety--I liked the Korean pickled veggies and congee--but the seasoning is generally bland, you'd have to eat a lot to make the price worth it and, in the spirit of sustainable consumerism, buffets generate too much waste. The food and ambiance is better at the regular restaurants). 

We made our way by foot along the strip, enjoying all the sidewalk sculptures and lights, to the Venetian, for its beautiful interiors and serenaded gondola ride. Then, a bus ride for our tired feet back to the Fountains of Bellagio open-air show. 

My brother-in-law happened to be vacationing at the Mirage and my husband met up with him to see Bad Bunny perform at Drai's nightclub. (Joining friends and family on vacation is extra special--the more of you there are, the more you feel like you live on location!)

Day Four: November 17th, we headed off the strip.  We saw the live mermaids at Silverton Casino (boy, if I had known that was a job when I was younger) and my favorite experience in Vegas, desserts at Sweets Raku. It is a rule that you order multiple treats ("Oh no," said no one, ever). We had the strawberry cup, a chocolate mousse and passionfruit dream shaped like a clamshell with a giant pearl, and--my favorite, the simplest presentation but memorable flavor--earl grey crème brûlée.  (Sadly, Sweets Raku has closed!)

I had traveled with my mother and daughter to Vegas some years before and enjoyed the spectacular Lion King, so I squashed my jealousy and sent my husband and daughter to Cirque Du Soleil: The Beatles Love. 

Day Five:

We went off the strip, which I recommend more of in general. I have begun trying to find one fantastic mural in the places we travel to It's free art, combines the architecture of the city with the most dynamic, beautiful background for highly frameable pictures. I discovered many places, like Vegas, have a mural map to facilitate the search. We had burgers and truffle fries at the Park on Fremont, which has a great outdoor green space and a dark, surreal, and humor-tinged interior.  

Pink Box Donuts was our last stop out of town. (I had the S'up Shorty, one of my top three favorite donuts in the country so far). 

Note: Nowadays, there is a Meow Wolf "Mega Mart" in Las Vegas. That is a not-to-miss stop.

An hour and a half southeast of Vegas, we stopped at Roy Purcell's Rock Murals, in Chloride, Arizona. This was another area I would have budgeted more time for. Like most of the road between Oregon and Sante Fe, it was very quiet, with small towns that felt like they had experienced a population exodus. The few yards and fences were all decorated with found art projects, metal and wood work. It is an area that calls for a blanket and meditation, followed by a very slow drive, to take in all the details. 

I especially wished we had stayed longer, since we made it to the Grand Canyon just in time to miss our first sunset. We had booked into the Squire Resort  in Tusayan on the Southern side for another of our most expensive stays. I really liked this hotel. The interiors were spacious, with sculptures and water features that fit the Southwestern vibe. The hotel provides s'mores kits, which we roasted in the outdoor fireplace, followed by a swim and soak in the hot tub. (My daughter still remembers that we skipped playing in the hotel arcade.) 

Drive: approximately 4 hours. 

 

Day Six: Freezing 5am sunrise over the Grand Canyon! Even in all our warmest layers, wrapped in blankets and snuggled together, you could feel the cold to your bones. At 6:30, we had eggs benedicts and waffles at El Tovar, with great views of the rim. 

I always enjoy these moments, like airports or key tourist attractions, where you see people from around the world. 

We explored the Hopi House and Kolb Studio--perched over the edge of the canyon, the idea of it terrified me. The photographer Kolb brothers and their families, who built the house in 1906, were exactly the kind of historical figures that most interest me. I bought a book, The Amazing Kolb Brothers by Roger Naylor, in the gift store. After that, we walked a quarter mile down one of the wide (at first) descending paths to the stone bridge. On our way back up, one of the donkey tour groups passed us on their way to the canyon floor. 

Back at the top, we took a fossil tour. It boggles my mind to imagine that elevation was once under water! 

As we were taking photographs, we noticed that just beyond the "Keep Wildlife Wild" signs that warned against feeding squirrels, one brave idiot was taking his chances--and paying the anticipated price, as the fuzzy, dewy-eyed beast chomped down on his finger. Apparently, the canyon squirrels are notorious. As someone who was pummeled and headbutted by some not-so-Bambi-like deer at the entrance to western Canada, I can advise that travelers should trust the park workers' warnings.   

We arrived at Mary Colter's 1932 Dessert View Watchtower for sunset. I find the colors and shadows of sunset on the red stone more dramatically striking than sunrise, while, even among the crowd, the sheltered area around the tower makes the viewing experience feel more intimate. Highly recommend.

Day Seven: At a breakfast café, I picked up The Noise arts & news magazine, one of my favorite souvenirs. I love to get a glimpse into the activities, creativity and concerns of local contributors, and this magazine is beautifully put together. It is just one of the many examples of the abundant art that the desert ambiance seems to inspire and nurture. 

From there, we took the kids to Thorpe Park playground in Flagstaff, for some goofing off with the unusual climbing structures and musical instrument installations.  

Next, onto the Lowell observatory, met out front by the 40th of the Flagstaff Mountain Lion statues. The theme, "Positive View of Personal Future" felt like beautiful serendipity. (Each statue represents a "developmental asset" for growing healthy people).  

Percival Lowell was from a very accomplished intellectual family. Inspired by Isaac Asimov and other science fiction writers, he arranged the construction of the observatory to look for life on mars. The rotating dome of the building was constructed by two local brothers, the Sykes--bicycle makers and mechanical repairmen by trade. It was at the Lowell observatory that the (is-it-isn't-it?) planet Pluto was discovered in 1930.  

We took a break and stroll around town, stopping in at Arizona Handmade & Fire on the Mountain gallery, where I fell in love with Kachina dolls. I regret not getting one! (Do make sure to verify the origins of Native American art that you buy on your travels.)

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Then, back to observatory for a somewhat hazy night for viewing Saturn and its accessories. Cool to say we have done it, but that is one far away giant! (For more impressive beauty, I recommend a closeup look at the moon from a backyard telescope!)

For dinner, we relaxed at Diablo Burger and admired the murals along the street. We slept at Aspen Inn Suites, Flagstaff.

Total Drive: 1 hour and half. 

Day Seven: Walnut Canyon cliff dwellings

This stop probably shaved a couple years off my life. On any narrow trails, my husband and I always walk the outer edge, with our kids, safe from stumbles, on the inner side of us. At one particularly steep turn, I knelt down to pass my three-year-old son the water bottle. Somehow, my hand knocked into his chest and he started to wobble back--the whole horror movie flashed before my eyes--but, in the same motion, the same hand grabbed a fistful of his shirt and stabilized him. For the rest of the hike, half-crazed with motherhood adrenaline, I swore I would invest in one of those backpack-leashes you sometimes see toddlers wearing at the mall. 

Personal terror aside, it is a fun, beautiful hike with great informational markers about history and useful properties of the plant life.

A thirty-minute or so drive east, to The Giant Meteor crater, possibly the impact site of the meteor that kicked up the dinosaurs' fatal dust storm. Another fantastic museum attached, with all kinds of UFO sighting stories and amazing astrological events witnessed on Earth. 

Onto another half-hour drive to begin the series of my favorite stops. From Winslow, Arizona to Taos, New Mexico, I think I entered a geographical soulmate space.

(And yes, I sing Travis Tritt's cover of "Take It Easy," whenever I think of Winslow.) 

With the rise and falls of various industries, shifting popular travel routes and overthrow of the road trip by the quick flight to big-name destinations, most towns continued the atmosphere of the half-abandoned, half-inhabited. But, appropriately desert-like, these places are seeded with pockets of incredible color, the hardiest and most vibrant life, continuing on, unbothered. 

We paused at another of Mary Colter's architectural masterpieces, La Posada's Turquoise Room for a delicious lunch. The quiet surroundings and history-steeped details of this epic rest stop along the Santa Fe railway was another inspiration for creative writing projects. 

We had crossed an invisible line, where every restaurant began to be influenced by regional cuisine. I still remember the half-and-half bowl of black-bean and cream of corn soup, the Hopi hummus with paper thin rolled blue corn chips, and prickly pear gelato. 

                                              

If I had not already made our next hotel reservation--and worried about throwing off our driving schedule--we would have stayed the night. La Posada is in my top three places to return to on this route. 

But we continued, pausing at the edge of the petrified forest for a glance at the mineralized transformations, those ghosts of tree trunks past. 

We ended the day at the Royal Holiday Motel, Gallup, New Mexico. 

Total Drive: 3 hours. 

Day Eight:

Leaving Gallup put us on I-40, one of the interstates that runs a section of the historic and renowned Route 66.

We could not miss the enigmatic artwork of the Petroglyphs National Monument in Albuquerque.  

It was a surprise to find the entrance to the park was essentially in the back yards of a cul-de-sac neighborhood! 

After checking into the Silver Saddle Motel in Santa Fe, we waited for darkness to fall, so we could visit Meow Wolf's House of Eternal Return.

Meow Wolf is like a movie you want to rave about. Without ruining the plot twist, it is an interactive art installation fever dream come to life.

My husband and I had to tag-team watching the kids, so the other could explore freely--and we still never came close to taking in everything.

What, at first, appears to be an ordinary house becomes a technicolored labyrinth of secret passages, eerily beautiful surprises tucked into every corner. 

A surreal moment occurred, life and art blending together, as a middle-grade patron sat and began playing classical music on the piano, the soft hum of the ambient lo-fi, which is the soundtrack of Meow Wolf, in the background. 

This is a place where you should really spend hours. Take a break to eat at the Meow Wolf café, freshen up, and go back in! On the way out, we paused in the lobby to feed a few dollars into an old cigarette machine that had been repurposed to sell random pocket-sized paintings from local artists.  

By far, the best meal of the trip and one of the best of my life, was at The Compound. The restaurant is housed in a beautiful southwestern building, my favorite architecture in the world. It welcomes visitors with a seasonal menu and a gracefully mannered staff. 

Eating the best food should always teach you something. When I tasted my chicken dish with parsnips and carrots, the later was so finely and evenly diced, so perfectly cooked for texture and labeled in a tasty cream sauce, my mind and taste buds absorbed something about the exact science of the culinary arts. 

Normally, we skip the sodas at meals as an unexceptional added sugar burden that should be saved for desert. This time, for the special experience, I let them order a house-made blackberry soda, so delicious and refreshing, I still think about it all the time! It was a spendy meal, however, worth every penny.

Total drive: 3 and a half hours

Day Nine:

We stopped by the Loretto Chapel to see the famed spiral staircase. Inspired by all the art we had seen on our journey, I bought a blank-paged journal in the gift shop for my daughter to record the experience in drawings.

Driving through town was like experiencing an art museum in a new way. The multitude of galleries decorate their yards with sculptures of various mediums and styles in juxtaposition. 

Earlier, I wrote I avoid fast food when traveling, but we had to balance the expensive and budget meals, as well as time. Turns out, I learned a change of scenery can make even a franchise memorable, when my McDonald's chicken sandwich was paired with a wedge of lime! 

We detoured north to attend mass at the Catholic shrine, El Santuario de Chimayo. The drive out was especially secluded, with little phone or navigation signal, heightening the eerie sense of adventure into the unfamiliar. 

The grounds are curated into many stopping places for contemplation and prayer, each feeling private, even as it flows into the next. The reddish dirt, flecked with sparkling mica, is said to be blessed with healing properties.  

Though I did not grow up catholic (and a lot of the history breaks my heart), I often visit churches to view the craftmanship, light a candle, and spend a moment thinking about the people who came before, in their deepest grief and triumphant joy. 

From Chimayo to Taos, where, somehow, the streets smell like cinnamon. Someone told me it is because of a particular wood they burn (perhaps the ponderosa pine). In preparation of the holidays, many rooftops and walkways are lined by luminarias/farolitos--paper bags, lit with (presumably battery-operated) candles. I tell you, New Mexico is one of the most beautiful places in the world to me.  

Drive: 1 and half hours. 

We checked into my favorite lodging of the trip. I wanted to live there! Casa Benavides Bed & Breakfast was the only place I booked with directly (otherwise, having used Hotels.com and Airbnb).

It combined South Western elegance and hominess, with every corner of the lobby, courtyards, and guests rooms full of art work of various mediums, from clay to woodwork, painted or punched metal, woven fabrics and grasses, paper and live flowers. 

While many hotels may have this level of ambiance in the common areas, this boutique bed & breakfast extended its reach, so that even the lodging rooms were like miniature museums--yet, with an arrangement that felt casual and personal. 

After check-in, we were right back out for Thanksgiving!

 We drove a few minutes down the Paseo Del Pueblo Sur to Sagebrush Inn & Suites for a tasty Thanksgiving buffet and pumpkin pie. 

Instead of feeling sad and nostalgic, I felt intrigued and mysterious, our little group of rovers silently connected to the few other strangers, who, for whatever reason, found themselves in the Sagebrush dining room that evening.  

Day Ten: 

A delicious full course breakfast in Casa Benavides' community dining room was a perfect start to the day--if only we were not checking out afterward.  

Next, we visited another dream location for a historical fiction writer to browse through, the Kit Carson house. The immersive experience transports you to the past, with its low doorways, furnishings and décor, photographs, and correspondence on display. 

Down the road, World Cup Espresso is imbued with the feeling that revolutionaries would have gathered there in berets. The street signs outside the door were covered in appropriately arch vinyl stickers, the windows sported photos of Salvador Dali and Frida Kahlo, and inside, besides the coffee, was a trove of funky black and white postcards, capturing the wry humor of last century's southwestern travelers. Note: cash, check or Venmo only. 

We walked up the road to the Taos Pueblo, an indigenous settlement, with over a thousand years of history. Pausing outside as a few wild horses crossed ahead of us, we first stopped within the pueblo for fry bread, one sweet, with honey and powdered sugar, and one smothered in homemade chili, with all the fixings. This is always the first memory my daughter recounts when I ask about the trip. 

Next, we stepped into one of the shops and a silversmiths' workshop, where we bought a pendant directly from the artist. 

 A short drive brought us to the Millicent Rogers museum. An oil heiress who suffered ill-health all her life, Millicent Rogers followed her passion of collecting and creating art. After years abroad, she moved to Taos, where she collected thousands of pieces of Native American craftmanship, as well as hiring lawyers to lobby for Native American rights and the protection of their culture. Inspired by global styles, Rogers learned metal work and created many of her own jewelry pieces in a bold, maximalist style. 

Feeling like I had also found city-soulmate in this place, I could well understand the people who decided to stay there. The museum houses a beautiful array of Roger's jewelry, as well as the art pieces she collected throughout her travels.

 

The kids had a play stop at Twirl, which features a climbing play structure and playground in front, a toy store, and class/craft areas. Little details of artwork lurk in every corner and cranny. Twirl was decorated in anticipation of Christmas and a donkey from the nearby Equine Spirit Sanctuary popped in for a photo-op. 

I don't know how or why we missed the Earthships of Taos but they go on the "next time" list!

That night, we had a casual dinner--in a radio station! In addition to the meal, KTaos Solar Center was showing one of my favorite holiday films, The Guardians, in their onsite concert space. Families brought their sleeping bags and snacks to lounge on the floor.  

For the  stayed in Kachina Lodge Resort, Taos. 

(While we were eating breakfast in the resort's restaurant, the televisions were recounting a local tragedy. A few months prior, nine members of a family, spanning multiple generations, were killed in a flash flood, while out for a birthday celebration. It was a heart-breaking reminder of the dangers that can catch one unawares, especially when trekking very quickly through landscapes you are not used to. Please take care!) 

Day Eleven: 

At this point, we had run out of patience for hourly stops. We drove from Taos to Amarillo pretty uneventfully. Upon arrival, we took the rare opportunity to stretch out in the comfy recliner seats of a Cinemark, to enjoy the movie Coco.   

Yelp directed us to African Safari Restaurant. In the dusk, the tiny, squat building with its small, barred windows, big rigs sleeping in the parking lot, appeared a bit spooky. But that feeling evaporated as soon as we walked in. Great food is certainly to be found in small places with vinyl tablecloths and a matriarch sending out the dishes. 

African Safari is run by a lovely family, who are great company for travelers. In addition to the delicious chicken and rice, they recommended a plate of Somalian spaghetti. Italy colonized Somalia, they told us, which had led some fusion cuisine. It forever changed the way I make sauce (add cumin! Triple all your spices and add cumin!).  

At this point, I switched from Hotels.com to Airbnb. First booking was the brightly painted "Mariposa", an eco friendly house on North Soncy Road. It was perfect timing to catch up on our laundry. I especially loved perusing all the bookshelves, while the children favored the piano.  

Drive: 5 hours

Day Twelve: A windy morning! 

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We started with coffee at The 806 --a café with a PG+ rating. Lattes like starfucker and pothead were on the menu and the walls were absolutely covered in art--some, good morning!, not-so-euphemistically phallic. A small atrium filled with plants and sunshine fronts the space and another corner featured floor-to-ceiling bookcases, to be left and borrowed by locals and travelers. My favorite bit was the bins of random CDs, sold 3-for-$5, another great souvenir. The kids shared breakfast tacos, while I devoured the Eggs Benedict Florentine croissant.

Headed out of town, we passed the VW Slug Bug Ranch, with a picture through the window, but pulled over for the Sandhills Curiosity Shop in Erick, Oklahoma.  

Even the exterior is a museum collection of old metal advertisement signs. As we approached the door, we could hear guitar music; the owner, Harley Russell, is known to nearly always be on the strings. In 2020, Harley and Annabelle Russell were inducted into the Oklahoma Route 66 Association Hall of Fame! 

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Next, we spent a few hours in Stafford Air and Flight Museum.  Anything flight-related is another customary attraction for my family, as being a pilot was my husband's childhood dream. 

This was another amazing museum, with several interactive exhibits for the children and a full coverage of the history of human flight.

In, Yukon, Oklahoma, we pulled off for a drive through the lights of "Christmas in the Park" and then onto Oklahoma City and the Myriad Botanical Garden. We did an evening walkthrough, enjoying the glowing holiday lights arranged among the humid tropical air and blossoming flowers of the Crystal Bridge Conservatory. 

That evening, we stayed at an Airbnb apartment in the Anatole on MacArthur. 

Total Drive: Almost four hours

Day Thirteen

We had my favorite breakfast at Kitchen No. 324. The s'mores cronut was a fun treat--but the stand out for me was the poached eggs on corned beef and marbled rye, with the side of fried green tomatoes with remoulade sauce! 

About a block and a half from the restaurant is the elegant and tragic, Oklahoma City National Monument. We passed it on our way back to the grounds of the Myriad Botanical Gardens, where the children played at the unique playscape, which blended turf-covered hills and valleys with modern sculptural elements. The children were delighted to feed the ducks and koi in the lake, thanks to the generosity of a destitute old man, who, nevertheless, shared the bread he often brought for that purpose.  

Afterward, we spent two hours at the Oklahoma Science Museum--without a doubt the best children's museum I have been to! I would recommend an entire day or even two, to fully explore and enjoy the space.  

For an early dinner, we enjoyed a wonderful meal and ambiance at Cheever's Café, a historical Art Deco building, honoring its roots as a 1930s flower shop. The menu is an exceptional creative fusion of Southern, Southwestern, Americana and European fine dining. 

We made it to Stigler, Oklahoma for our night's lodging at an Airbnb with grandmotherly charm, on SE 8th Street. 

Drive: Six hours

Day Fourteen:

We passed the turnoff for the Ozarks National Forest and took a quick play break at the Chuck-e-cheese in Little Rock (closed now), then onto Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken in Memphis, Tennessee.  

The original establishment was created by Gus' parents, Napoleon and Maggie Vanderbilt in the early 1970s. The chicken was crisp and delicious but what stayed in the memory of my tastebuds was the chess pie. And I was tickled to see Lazy Magnolia brew on the menu--this being a tiny independent brewery, the first in Mississippi, where my brother had worked for years.  

We stayed in another apartment, this time on the 6th floor of the historic (Cotton) Exchange Building on N. 2nd Street, built in 1910--a history still evident in the stately, slightly worn grandeur of the lobby. Nestled in the heart of downtown, with a view of the city, we felt like we lived in the city.   

Drive: 5 hours

Day Fifteen: 

In the morning, we ate at the, unfortunately, now closed Blue Plate Café. I loved the little newspaper that served as both local-history reading and menu. 

Afterward, we went to see the famous red carpet "Duck March" in the lobby of the grand Peabody hotel, a tradition begun in the 1930s. For once, I indulged in a Peach Mule with a side of bar snacks, since the day would be spent on foot.  And yes, the mallards were adorable.  

We walked to the Lorraine Motel and Civil Rights Museum. 

It is difficult to describe in positive terms something so eerie as the site of the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Yet the care and creativity used to involve the senses at the adjoining museum is remarkable. Their arrangement and display of the tragic, bizarre injustices perpetrated on generations of Black Americans, leading up to and throughout the Civil Rights movement, left us stunned with sadness, hope and many subtler emotions and impressions.  

Choosing where to eat BBQ in Memphis is no simple matter! Fortunately, the well-loved Central BBQ on Butler was walking distance from the museum and that made for a deciding factor. And honey, when every table has a shaker of paprika-and-cayenne-red seasoning, well! I knew I was drawing closer to my roots. 

After dark, we walked Beale street, taking in all the architecture, murals, historical plaques, the light-up horse-drawn carriages, and street musicians, and ducking into  "King" Jerry Lawler's Hall of Fame Bar and Grille for live music, chicken wings, fried pickles and a closer look at all the wrestling memorabilia papering the walls. 

Day Sixteen:

We had breakfast in Paulette's by the harbor, delighted by the pastry basket with strawberry butter, pancakes served with a tiny keepsake bottle of real maple syrup, and--another taste of home--stone ground grits as a side to my benedict.  

At Dixon Art Museum, my favorite exhibit was Isabelle de Borchgrave's painted paper dresses, her recreation of historical costumes. Borchgrave was in good company, among the famed Impressionists Monet, Degas, Chagall, and modern sculptural talents, such as Jun Kaneko and local Wayne Edge. Outside, by the reflecting pool, I scored The Brief and Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao from the museums free library.   

From there, to another garden--Memphis Botanical Gardens, where we focused on the "My Big Backyard" section. It is such a cool interactive children's garden, with sculptures and play spaces galore. At the time, David Rogers' Big Bugs exhibit was being shown.  

From Memphis to Nashville, our first stop was the Aquarium Restaurant at Opry Hills Mall. Coming from a string of the best eating a person could ask for, the food was comparatively plain but the ambiance was impressive. Surrounded by the facsimile of a coral reef, lit by watery blue lights and tropical glowing fish overhead, diners enjoy several enormous aquariums, well-stocked with as large, colorful inhabitants. 

Afterwards, the kids toured the mall on those motorized stuffed animals that have become so popular. 

Then, onward to Gaylord Opryland's festive Christmas decorations. Inside, this resort is like a Disneyland version of a miniaturized antebellum south, complete with river and riverboat. Perhaps because it was still the pre-season, there are several activities that were not there at the time. 

We stayed in the Hotel Preston, the lobby of which doubles as a miniature museum, displaying funky modern art. This did not prepare me to approach the check-in counter, to see a menu of complimentary goodies available to guests upon request, such as the beta fish and lava lamp that joined us for the evening. There were also menus for "pillow softness" and the spiritual tome of choice. 

Drive: 3 hours

Day Seventeen:

With November past, we continued our travels in the final month of the year. 

American Pickers is a show my husband and I considered "ours," early in our relationship, along with Storage Wars and Pawn Stars, so it was natural to pop into Antique Archeology the next morning.  

Our dessert of the day came from Cupcake Collection, where we purchased sweet potato, red velvet, strawberry, German chocolate, and some bakers' choices for the road.  

We stopped at Red Bicycle Coffee & Crepes for a caffeinated pick-me-up for the grownups. (Reconstructing this part of the trip was probably my most impressive sleuthing act; having taken a photo of the interior murals six years ago, I keenly noted the bicycle stamped on a the coffee cup held eternally by Johnny Cash, as well as the "RB" emblem on the reading glasses of another painted patron.)

Then, onto Adventure Science Center for some really memorable exhibits. First thing was a harness and pulley system that allowed you to simulate the gravity--or lack--of walking on the moon. It was so difficult and hilarious! My husband, of course, tried the flight simulator, while my daughter and I competed to see who could move a ping pong ball in a tube using our brainwaves.  

We spent the night at Red Roof Inn, in Cookeville, Tenn.

Drive: 1 hour 20 min

Day Eighteen:

We must have had a very uneventful breakfast, as there was no memory and a rare lack of photographic evidence of it, before continuing to Pigeon Forge. Lunch was memorable, as we spotted Smokies Cuban Café. Any place you can get a guava and cheese empanada, you should! We had some family favorites--ropa vieja (seasoned shredded beef), yucca con mojo (yucca fries with garlic sauce), and sweet and green tostones (plantains).

For the final stop, before our new home, we tried Hannah's Maze of Mirrors & Outbreak Zombie Adventure--although, only my husband did the latter, and my daughter, then eight, but always a lover of horror, will never let it pass that I did not think she was old enough. For me, the maze of mirrors was adrenaline enough. I truly believed if one of us took the wrong corner too far ahead or behind, we might struggle to reunite with one another! 

At last, we reached Damascus, Virginia, tucked against the Appalachian trail. What watering holes, literal and metaphoric, spas and pizzerias we discovered while we lived there, as well as our satellite trips into Jamestown, Charlotte, Washington D.C., Atlanta, and so on, will have to wait for another post!  

Drive: 3:40 min

Total cost of lodging: Approximately 1,555 

Gas, approximately: 2.50 or less per gallon, a little over 3,000 miles=$500

Food: Averaging $100 a day, plus a few fine dining meals= approximately $2, 000

Considering that flying would probably have cost $5-700 for the family, plus cost of moving or replacing the rest of our belongings, I believe we did not spend much more than we would have for a traditional move, with far less priceless memories made. 

Tips for travel: Remember that even sharing your location or even updating your movements to social media can help your loved ones keep an eye on your safety. Keep the main things you need for survival in case you are stranded in the car--a source of warmth and water!