I love road trips! I love to get in my Prius, plug in a destination and hit the road. I am now eighty three years old and will be having my second knee replaced on June 3rd so I thought it was necessary to make a visit to all my friends on the way to my granddaughters’ graduation in Savannah, GA on May 28th. That meant stops in Atlanta and Chicamauga, Georgia, Knoxville, Tennessee and on the way home Montgomery, Alabama.
I packed my car and headed out on May 24th. My first stop was Atlanta, Georgia to see my best friend Starr and her husband Don. I also was able to see Starr’s sister Toni and her husband John, and another good friend Mary Ann aka “Dart.”
Starr and I met in college at LSU and have been best friend for sixty years! Starr’s parents were from Louisiana. Her mother also went to LSU and was the “Darling” of LSU one year. Starr’s father went to Tulane and played on the only team that played in the Rose Bowl. When they married they moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee where Starr, Toni and their brother Billie grew up. Toni was three years old when Starr and I were freshman at LSU and brother Billie was a sophmore in high school.
I lived in Atlanta for a couple of years with Starr and Don after Katrina destroyed New Orleans and met so many great friends. Mary Ann was one of them. Starr and Mary Ann and four other friends formed a vacation biking group and every year they took a bike trip in different parts of America and Europe! This group of people in Atlanta are go-getters. They fed the homeless, raised money for organizations, distributed food to school children, attended bible study, go to church every Sunday, entertained and celebrated life. They never stopped doing and giving.
My next stop was to have lunch with my cousin Susan and her husband Jimmy in Chicamauga. Chicamauga is on the southern outskirts of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, the nation’s oldest and largest military park. It is home to the Gordon-Lee Mansion, Lee and Gordon’s Mills and the Veterans of All Wars Museum and is known as the “Gettysburg of the South.”
It’s always a treat to visit Susan and Jimmy because you are sure to have a delicious meal. Susan is known for her culinary skills and fresh food from her garden. We always have a good time rediscovering pictures and stories from relatives in our past.
Traveling on to Knoxville I visited my friends Andy and Patti. I hadn’t seen Andy’s son Louis since he was a baby. Patti and I gave Andy a baby shower for Louis, her only child, way back when. Now Louis is an attorney in Washington DC, married with four beautiful little girls. He and his wife split their time between Knoxville and Washington. Louis’s wife runs her family’s realestate company in Washington. Patti has watched Louis grow up since she lives in Asheville and see’s Andy often.
I now had my longest day on the road from Knoxville to Savannah. I strapped in and put the peddle to the metal and drove 6 hours actually following the speed limit and really enjoyed the scenery and drive! I arrived in Knoxville in time for “Happy Hour” and a good night’s sleep.
Katy and Christian graduated in a splendor of color on a very sunny and hot summer day but nothing was going to stop two days of celebration. Christian graduated from the college of Equestrian studies and Katy graduated from the college of Architecture. I can’t wait to see where these two beauties end up!
Oh dear, I forgot to take a picture when I was visiting Patsy in Montgomery, on my way home. That is not unusual though because Patsy and I have a hard time taking a breath when talking, much less to think about stopping to take a picture. Also who would take the picture, oh yes it could have been a selfie. Well anyway we looked pretty good back when.
It is now time to jump back in my Prius for the drive back home and pack my bag again to go to the hospital for my robotic knee surgery. Oh dear, my 18 month old great grandson Shephard said, “Mimi’s car” when he saw this one. Well I do wish I could say a drove a Lamborghini home but I am very happy to have had a sweet ride home in my Prius for only $99 worth of gas!
What a fabulous road trip and I would encourage anyone who drives in there 80’s to keep enjoying the open road!
Katy is Eighty 