Chasing Cars: Bristol (and the South)
[This thread starts the field reports for the Atlanta-based road trip that was discussed in this summer planning thread -- you can read the pre-planning tips and ruminations that led to this trip here.
UKCraig's excellent 2007 Summer Adventure is profiled and indexed below. You can read about his visits to the following places by using the index below or just by reading along in order as he filed his field reports.
Here are the places Craig visited on this trip:
Day 1 - Preparations
Day 2 - Manchester - Atlanta - Dawsonville
Day 3 - Dawsonville - Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Day 4 - Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Baileyton
Day 5 - Baileyton - Bristol Motor Speedway - Baileyton
Day 6 - Baileyton - Corbin - Mammoth Cave National Park
Day 7 - Mammoth Cave - Bowling Green
Day 8 - Bowling Green - Nashville
Day 9 - Nashville - Lynchburg - Chattanooga
Day 10 - Chattanooga - Stockbridge
Day 11 - Stockbridge - Warner Robins - Atlanta
Day 12 - Atlanta - Manchester
Day 13 - Back home
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You can also read the field reports in order starting with day One here.
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Original post:
Howdy from the Holiday Inn at Bowling Green KY! As I sit here I am on day seven of my trip through Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia & Kentucy. Today is the first day that I have had internet access athough I am stopping in more major towns from here on in (Nashville, Chattanooga, Atlanta) so hopefully I'll be able to bring you up to date in the coming days.
So far it's been a good trip, although it has made me realise I do prefer travelling alone. It's nice to have someone to share the trip with but it's painful waiting on the other person sometimes. It's now well past 9am and my travelling partner, Andy, is asleep. If it were up to me I'd have been in Nashville by now but, hey, we're all different and enjoy things at a different pace. That's not to say I have a problem with Andy, just that I'm too selfish and want to be able to do what I want, when I want! If that makes me a bad person then shoot me!
Waiting for the report...
Great to hear from you Craig. Great pics. Loved the hat. I didn't think the ladies were scary but the truck was. I hate International trucks.
Looking forward to read more about your adventures.
Gen
Not scary? You should have met them :)
Ah, the organic nature of forum communication -- OK -- This point marks the start of the field reports in order... (if only life were this organized as we lived it....) UKCraig's excellent 2007 Summer Adventure is profiled and indexed here. You can read about his visits to the following places, by using the index link above or just be reading along in order as he filed his field reports:
Here are the places Craig visited on this trip:
Day 1 - Preparations
Day 2 - Manchester - Atlanta - Dawsonville
Day 3 - Dawsonville - Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Day 4 - Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Baileyton
Day 5 - Baileyton - Bristol Motor Speedway - Baileyton
Day 6 - Baileyton - Corbin - Mammoth Cave National Park
Day 7 - Mammoth Cave - Bowling Green
Day 8 - Bowling Green - Nashville
Day 9 - Nashville - Lynchburg - Chattanooga
Day 10 - Chattanooga - Stockbridge
Day 11 - Stockbridge - Warner Robins - Atlanta
Day 12 - Atlanta - Manchester
Day 13 - Back home
Editor.
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Tuesday 21st August
It’s that time again – roadtrip time!
Many hours of planning have gone into ensuring not a penny of getting us across the Atlantic has been wasted. The itinerary has gone through numerous revisions and improvements and, with the help of my friends at RTA, the final plans for this trip are pretty damn cool, even if I do say so myself. There’s a real mix of destinations and attractions to look forward to but, even though our visit to Bristol Motor Speedway is the undoubted highlight, I’m particularly looking forward to the simple pleasures of some sun and being on the road in a decent car.
I’ve been keeping a close eye on the weather for the past few weeks and it’s averaged over 100 degrees in the area through which we will be travelling. For those of us who are enduring the wettest summer on record that is most agreeable.
Unfortunately for this trip we will be flying from Manchester Airport which is four to five hours drive from home. ‘We’ will be me and, for the first time, Andy Woodvine will be joining me. I’ve known Andy a few years through racing and he was bang up for the trip when I mentioned Bristol! We’re flying first thing tomorrow morning and, as my car isn’t anything like the Dodge Charger that we will be collecting on our arrival in Atlanta, we decided to play it safe and drive up tonight just in-case it does its usual trick of breaking down just when I need to be some place.
We’re now sat in the Knutsford Services on the M6 motorway as we are spending this evening in a Travelodge. To say it is a depressing place to spend time is a real understatement. We’ve done several circuits of the services in search of something to keep us occupied for a couple of hours but the most exciting thing we could find was a Burger King which we decided we should give that a wide birth to. By the time the trip is over we’re likely to be seeing burgers in our sleep. And, besides, it is closed!
As the only people we can find alive on the site are scouse scallies and Polish truckers we’ve decided that an early night is in order. Tomorrow is going to be a long day and, as Willie Nelson once said, I have Georgia on my mind. Roll on tomorrow!
Okay, okay, one last one for the evening...
Friday 24th August
We decided, even though the falls were dry last night, to press on to the planned stop for today – Abrams Falls. We had no idea whether or not it was dry but we be figured, if it was, then at least we’d have had a bit of a hike. Neither of us are in particularly great shape but this 5 mile hike was described as moderate so we were more than relaxed about it. When we reached the trailhead we were somewhat surprised – not to mention a little alarmed - to find a sign indicating that it was rated as moderately difficult to strenuous. But we pressed on regardless.
It transpired that the only moderately difficult part was passing a particularly unimpressed dear who we met coming down the trail towards us and who didn’t welcome our arrival. It was great to get away from the real world where people don’t make eye contact and step back in to the happy land of smiling and chatting with fellow hikers. The views along the trail proved to be pretty poor and we were never quite sure that a bear wouldn’t step out and rip our arms off but we finally reached the falls and were delighted to discover that they were in full flow. The cool water was a welcome reward for our hard slog.
After a couple of photos we headed off back down the trail. I was, once again, delighted at the ease of the hike in my new streamlined shape. Halfway down we stopped for five minutes to admire the one scenic view available on the trail and to take on board some water. Whilst we stood there I greeted a family coming up the trail who, it transpired, were also from London; just 30 miles away from me. They’re on an extended roadtrip so I recommend that they visit RTA the next time... always the sales rep!
Back to the car and off to Cades Cove visitor center, the ridiculous slow pace of traffic on the loop road infuriating me as we drove. Eventually I lose my cool and sound the horn. Immediately the car in front gets out of my way and I make headway for 20 yards until I get behind the next slow moving car. I repeat the inadvertently discovered process and, sure enough, I am able to pass another car. Champcar may have Push To Pass but, in the Smokies, the rule of the road seems to be Parp To Pass.
Somehow we manage to miss not only the visitor center but the road that I was planning to take out towards our next stop in Virginia. Not a great bit of navigating but, as is often the way, it all works out for the best as the new route takes us out of the park along some great driving roads.
Andy has developed a need to constantly stop for food and feels the need to continually tell me about it. I’m actually becoming a little worried about him so I relent and pull into a roadside country store. I really wanted to press on to Pigeon Forge as it promised a wide selection of food fare but I was really starting to think that he was going to die if he didn’t eat. Either that or I would go deaf. It was a truly awful shop, full of tacky gifts, but he buys a huge dirty great ice cream whilst I choose to go for something a little healthier; home made wraps out the cooler. Unbelievably he manages to polish off a couple of those too.
We soon pass through Pigeon Forge and I’m amazed at the size of the place. I had expected commercial but this was halfway to being Las Vegas. As we drove through Andy was reading off the names of the eateries that we passed like he was in some sort of day dream. The only other thing he would alert me to was gun shops, which was concerning me as much as his desire to continually eat frankly. We stopped briefly at the Nascar Experience which Andy seemed very uninterested in – which was odd seeing this was a Nascar trip! – before pressing on towards Virginia.
I had planned on stopping as we neared the Bristol area to enquire over vacancies for Saturday night at a motel. Quite apart from the heat of the tent, I had really fancied waking up on Sunday morning and watching the GP on Speed Channel. The 36 Motel – milemarker 36 on I-81, of course! – had one room left, at 70 bucks a night, but would only rent it on a two night basis. I was tempted after meeting a real friendly bunch of race fans in the motel office but didn’t think Andy would go for it. As I came out of the office I spotted him talking to yet more racefans so I turned right around and told them we’d take it. It was a rickety old motel, but then that’s half the fun.
We’d been warned not to tinker with the aircon when we went into the room but it was so damn hot in there, and the unit was only on ¾ speed so we had no choice but to crank it up. Eventually, and I mean eventually, it would cool the room to a point where you’d not burn your fingers when you touched the door handle. The heat was unbearable, the neighbours noisy, and there was no Speed Channel, but it would do just fine.
After a welcome shower we headed out – you’ve guessed it – for food! Not sure where to go we consulted my guidebook only to realise that there really wasn’t anywhere to go! Enthused by promises of a ‘stunning, beautiful and historic downtown area’ we headed 20 miles or so to Rogersville. First impressions weren’t great – the typical rows of fast food joints and strip malls – but we turned into the old town and things did improve there. It was, as promised, old. It really surprised me how there could be such a contrast within 100 yards or so.
I wasn’t hungry but we ended up in a Pizza Hut back on the main road and we ordered a ‘medium’ pizza each. When they were delivered they barely fitted on the table and we could only manage to eat half. We asked for a box and took the other half back to the motel for breakfast.
Whilst we’d been sitting in the restaurant we had seen a dozen or so drag racing cars heading past on trailers so we decided we really should go and investigate. Anything would be better than sitting in the motel room for the evening and chancing upon a drag racing meeting would have been most agreeable. We never did find where they were heading but we did chance upon some great mountain roads and decided to put the car through its paces. As per our previous experiences… it was thoroughly dreadful. But, despite it all, it was actually rather fun and we finally started to gain some affection for it. We really must, as we covered about 60 miles before realising how far we’d driven – and how little gas we had left.
The red light came on as we finally made our way back to Rogersville – another disaster narrowly averted. Something that seems to be a common theme on these trips!
Day Eleven: Back where it all began
Friday 31st August
I don’t know what it is. When I wake up I can shower, clean my teeth, eat breakfast, check out and be in the car within 30 minutes. At no point on this trip have we managed anything less than 90. That would generally include packing and unpacking the bags half a dozen times, flicking through all the TV stations 18 times and, when you finally seem ready to hit the road, taking the bags in and out of the car 24 times. Then there’s that final problem that we all encounter of having to return to the room to check that you’ve not left your shoes behind, only to realise that they’re on your feet. You wanna know something? The earlier we get up, the slower the process. The slower the process, the earlier we have to get up. It’s painful, it really is!
Thankfully there’s relatively little driving to be done now so things are all very loose for the final two days of the journey. Today we headed down to the Museum of Aviation on Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins. It was an easy 100 mile drive south and I’d been looking forward to visiting but, if truth be told, had little idea what to expect as we don’t really have that sort of thing in the UK.
On the way south we got to talking about the best and worst parts of the trip so far and we both agreed on the shopping as having been the biggest problem for us. Andy had run out of clothes and was regretting not buying more and I, having spent an hour last night trying to ram everything that I had bought into my bags, was worrying about how to get everything home again! I spotted a sign for yet another designer outlet center – are these things everywhere or what? – and decided to swing off so that Andy could get a few more bits. He came away happy and I, seemingly unable to resist, came away annoyed at myself. Seriously, if I get stopped at customs in Manchester there’s gonna be issues!
We pulled into a visitor center along the interstate for some driving directions to the museum and, yet again. I was seriously impressed with the people there. I absolutely love visitor centers in the US. We have them back home, of course, but it’s amazing to see how they continue to employ those who are seemingly the worst possible person to do the job. In the US they have it bang on.
Warner Robins itself proved to be just another row of Wendys, McDonalds, Arbys, Taco Bells and the like but, emerging from the other end of fast food row we were greeted with the sight of a fighter plane ahead of us. We were amazed to discover the size of the museum and even more surprised to discover that it was free admission. I was enjoying it already!
Four hours later we emerged with smiles on our faces. Whilst it is a shame to see quite so many planes seemingly abandoned outside in various states of disrepair, the three hangers rammed full of planes (with a fourth under construction) were absolutely fantastic. It would not be unfair to say I enjoyed myself there and, if I’m ever in this area again, I will definitely return to see what they do with the new hanger which, I was told by the very friendly guy on the front desk, was to be devoted to the Second World War, a subject that interests me greatly.
Feeling surprisingly tired by now we decided to head back to Atlanta for the baseball, stopping at Atlanta Motor Speedway along the way. This plan was thwarted by a sudden rain storm which caused at least four large wrecks and a lengthy tailback. What is it with rain and people’s inability to drive in it? Instead of stopping at the track we took a detour across country and headed right to the hotel to freshen up before heading to the game.
Just before we were to leave Andy announced that he wasn’t interested in baseball as it ‘took too long.’ Whether it rained or not I was definitely going and so I took off on my own. It was fantastic – not the game, that was terrible – but getting out there on my own again, having the freedom to do what I want to do when I wanted to do it. I think I said it previously but, if that makes me selfish, then shoot me. I had a great time and all but decided on the spot that travelling alone is the future for me. Who’d have thought that six months ago when the idea scared the life out of me? If you’re reading this and have yet to travel alone, do it, you’ll not regret it.
Day Twelve: Homeward bound
Saturday 1st September
The final day. Bugger. Having been slave to the alarm clock for the past couple of weeks we decided to wake up in our own time today as there were just two places that we had to visit today – Atlanta Motor Speedway to pick up last years Nascar review DVD and the Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site. I was taken to the latter by a friend last year, not expecting to find it interesting, but came away with a real interest in the subject. This led me to visit a number of related sites earlier this year and, having now visited Birmingham, Montgomery, Little Rock and Memphis, where MLK was shot, I felt a desire to return to the place he was born once more.
Before I returned though, we would head south to Atlanta Motor Speedway. I didn’t really know what to expect but I had read that you could take track tours for around five bucks. That sounded like a bargain to me and I felt sure that Andy would approve.
When I was finally allowed to leave the motel I was ordered to stop at the nearby gas station so that sir could buy milk. I’m still not entirely sure why he couldn’t get milk when he had his breakfast but life is full of mysteries. Another mystery is why I agreed – but then you’d not expect it to take a full twenty minutes to navigate your way to the opposite side of the road and back again. To say I was un-amused was possibly an understatement but hell; at least he got his milk! The drive south was, thankfully, rather less eventful and we soon found ourselves turning into the parking lot and making our way to the gift shop where the tours run from.
We were greeted by a friendly guy who invited us to have a look around his store and explained, when we asked about the tours, that we’d just missed the last one. I looked at Andy and gave him a one of those stares of which any woman would have been proud then looked back to the bemused shop assistant and said, “well, at least he got his bloody milk.” The poor guy didn’t have any idea what my problem was but he sure knew there was a problem and offered to take us round himself if we were able to return after dinner. I could have kissed him but resisted the temptation and limited my gratitude to a big smile and a sincere thank-you.
As they had sold out of the precious Nascar DVD we decided that perhaps we should head back along the road to the Walmart that we had seen on our way in and have a look there. By this stage Andy was getting brave – or scared, I’m not sure which – and was able to stray more than a yard from me without hyperventilating. We agreed to meet back at the car in an hour which would have left us 20 minutes to drive back to the speedway in time to meet the guy who was going to take us for our tour.
Almost two hours later, me sat in the car banging my head on the steering wheel, Andy returns. He doesn’t even have time to close his door before we are off in the direction of the exit. We made very good time back to the speedway and arrive around half an hour late. Thankfully the guy was still happy to take us out on our tour and he even managed to collar another three passengers who happened to be visiting the gift shop at the time. We all climbed onboard the van and sped off for our tour around the speedway property.
After showing us a number of interesting features around the outside perimeter of the track – how many people realise that the property features a small family cemetery, for example – we headed through the infield tunnel into the paddock and into pitlane. Our driver stopped the van, invited us to buckle up, then span the wheels and roared down pitlane doing a fine impression of Juan Pablo Montoya as we raced onto the track. We did three or four hot laps, running right up on the high line as our speed picked up, before returning to pitlane. He locked up the brakes as we stormed into a pitbox leaving us passengers looking for our pitcrew to leap over the wall to change our wheels and top up the gas. Sadly that was the end of the fun and we were driven slowly back to the gift shop before being turfed out and sent on our way. I hadn’t realised it at the time but Andy assures me that the speedo in the van was reading over 100mph for most of that time. Money well spent and I’d recommend it to anyone – even if you’re not a petrol head.
Finally, last stop before the airport: Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site. Last time I had visited we had got terribly lost and ended up in a pretty scary area. This time, thanks to the satnav, we found our way straight to the door. In the end it was a bit of a disappointment; not a patch on the museum at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. But it was interesting to see Andy’s attitude change from one of disinterest to one of disbelief as we made our way around the museum. I suspect that I was being similarly observed last time around.
A quick drive through downtown Atlanta – again interesting to watch Andy’s reaction! – and back to the airport. It was a sad moment to have to hand back the keys to the car and get onto the bus back to the terminal. I had enjoyed the trip enormously but was looking forward to getting home and having my own space again. To celebrate I joined Andy in a massive feast as we waited for our delayed flight. This time it was him observing me; after ten days of me bugging him for constantly eating he was confused!
Day Thirteen: Unlucky for some
Sunday 2nd September
Usually I have terrible trouble sleeping on planes but I was surprised to have to be woken as we started our descent into Manchester. I had slept – on and off – for most of the night. For me this was a major achievement and I felt wide awake as I stepped off the plane. I’ve never felt that good before and I hurried Andy along, one final time, as we headed through the terminal building towards the delights of the English summer and the worst that the M6 could throw at us.
Our plans for a speedy getaway were well and truly thwarted as we approached a huge queue at passport control. Now, I’ve seen some queues in my time, mostly on arrival in the US, but this was like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It was long enough to suck the life right out of you. Thankfully the process of waving your passport at a thoroughly disinterested agent of the British government is infinitely quicker than the grilling you receive from their counterparts in the US who positively revel in watching you squirm and, after a 45 minute delay we were finally free to make our way through the airport to the bus stands where we would catch a ride to where I had parked my car.
After almost stepping onto the wrong bus, and a further wait for ours to arrive, we were returned to the parking lot near the airport. It’s bad enough to get back to the UK after a holiday, worse still to find the weather was still cold and wet but the worst thing was surely to find they’d parked my car under a tree and let the birds do their – not inconsiderable – worst all over it! Still there was nothing that could be achieved by whinging about it so we hit the road one final time. Next stop: Andy’s apartment in Silverstone.
