May 31, 2009. Jackson, Ms. Road Trip.

The drive was lovely, all the way from the farm in Pennsylvania to Andrew and Christina's home in Mississippi. The journey took us right down The Shenandoah Valley on Highway 83 in Virginia, through part of Tennessee, then Alabama and finally on Highway 20 in Mississippi. Magnolia trees were all along the highway 20, from the state border to almost into Jackson. And the trees were all in bloom. What a sight. The trees were on both sides of the divided highway, as well as all along the median strip. It was quite a welcome to the state. There must have been five hundred magnolia trees. America was on the move. The highways were wonderful but crowded at least until we got to Knoxville, where we stayed the first night. From that point on, the traffic was light all the way. In fact I commented to Ken that this amount of traffic was how it was designed.

If you ever worry that this country is too crowded, just go on a trip on the interstate highway. The woods and the hills and the valleys and the farms are everywhere. There is so much land out in the country and it is all beautiful. Our system worked well. We stopped every two hours for a bathroom break and to switch drivers, and we ate every hour in the car. We ate hard boiled eggs, beef jerky, cooked hamburger patties, cheese crackers, grapes, cherries, cantaloupes cut up, breakfast bars and rice cakes. Plenty of bottles of water too. I can't imagine how many calories we consume in a day while driving but at least we eat a small amount each time so we never feel full. Our journey was much easier than we anticipated. We left the farm at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, stopped for the night just north of Knoxville, Tenn. and were at our destination at 1:30 on Sunday, today. I can see a car trip or two are in our future.

All the meat was still solidly frozen, so we are delighted to arrive and fill their freezer with good Angus beef. Every one here is happy to see us, and to see all the frozen meat.