Too much has happened to describe adequately. Here are a few snatches of the drive, so far, from Corpus Christi to Charlotte. It is a completely inadequate summary.

Jogging through Texas I stop at Goliad, site of the famous massacre https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goliad_massacre I had never heard of it before.

Goliad is a great place.

The USA is very big. We trundle along over miles and miles of open country. I do everything possible to avoid Interstates and indeed major roads.

Having breakfast and consulting my map, the young lady who served my food asks,

“What is that Sir? My papa used have those things. What do all the lines mean? Why are they different colors? That is soooo cool!”

“You have never used a map?”

“Nope, I just use my phone.”

Caitlin, for that is her name, is a medical student. She is not dumb. Neither do I think this is a purely U.S. phenomenum.

I cross into Louisiana.

I camp by a boat launch. The guys are coming in after a day’s fishing. They all have beautiful new boats with huge outboards. They trailer them out of the water with admirable skill using huge, again seemingly brand new. trucks.

“Can I camp here?

“Of course you can buddy! Y’all very welcome.”

Since leaving Corpus Christi I have had a headache, a very sore throat and maybe a fever. Oh no! Have I got Covid? I screech into the next Walmart and get me some cough syrup.

I cross the Mississippi River at Natchez.

I drive up the Natchez Trace. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natchez_Trace_Parkway

It is an interesting road that gives an idea of what the country was like in 1800, er lots of trees. Frankly it gets pretty dull after a while and I swerve off into the wilds of Mississippi.

“Sorry, I am lost.” I say to the lady in the country store.

“Hell no, you ain’t lost, this is Mississippi! Ain’t nobody lost in Mississippi! You ax anybody and they will set y’all right.”

Truck running very sweet as we roll over hundreds of mile of country. It is mainly flat and forested with plenty of evidence of a darker past. Lots of shacks beside big mansions. Most of the towns proudly note the date they were burned down by General Grant. Many, many memorials to the glories of the Confederate army. However, I have only seen one Confederate flag; apparently going out of fashion. I see more churches than any other variety of wildlife.

I love the South. Easy to mock but they have something.