I always find myself wondering about my surroundings as I drive through the South. Of course, when all is said and done, I end up driving 26 hours one way to reach my destinations in Arkansas and Texas... not to mention, that I do it with three kids and dog... and this time in a VW Jetta. Good times. And lots of time to consider too many things.
For instance, where do States get their inspiration for naming their cities and parks? I typically drive I-81 S through Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia and then hit I-40 across Tennessee. And let me tell you, there are plenty of things to ponder in the names. One name that always strikes me is "Hungry Mother State Park"... wow, really? If anything, I want to go just to know why it's called that. Look it up on Wikipedia. The answer is short and sweet, but why call it that? Why not Molly Marley State Park or Marley State Park? City, park, and street names that I find intriguing or slightly ridiculous are: Fort Defiance, Mud Pike, Bulls Gap, Crab Orchard, Long Hunter State Park, Pigeon Roost Road, Pig Branch Road, Dead Horse Lake Golf Course, Bucksnort, Palestine, Fairplay Cemetery, the originality of Texas roads named CO RD 2206 or whatever the number and the 'FM' roads in Texas (FM for Farm to Market and then a number), Hooks, Fate, Decatur (does every state have one of these?), and Vashti.
You can always tell a truck is from Texas whether you're in Virginia, Tennessee or Arkansas, by the color of the dirt (which is very fine and a sandy red-brown) and by the license plate. Other than the obvious 'TEXAS' written on the plate, the plate itself is inevitably smashed in the middle where the truck has run into a trailer hitch. I guess that's the way Texans get the trailer in the right place, just run into it.
The further south I go, the more conscious of my own Pennsylvania plates I become. I feel the urge to look over my shoulder frequently. As friendly as people in the South are, they can be suspicious of people from north of the Mason/Dixon. Can't imagine why...Which, by the way, NEVER take the first exit on I-40 in West Memphis after crossing the Mississippi, especially if you're a white girl traveling by herself with kids, a dog and driving a Volkswagon. Pretty sure I did a few illegal things to get out of there and to the safety of the highway.
At some point in my long drive across Tennessee, I know I will stop to refuel and I know I will be schooled at the pump on some ignorance the attendant thinks I have. Usually, the attendant will turn my pump off, making me go inside to beg and plead for it to be turned back on. "Ma'am, you are parked at the wrong pump. To get gas you have to move to another pump." "I don't want gas, I want diesel." "But ma'am, you can't put diesel in a car." "Trust me, I can. Please turn my pump back on." "You're going to tear up your car if you put diesel in it." "Then that's my business. Please turn on the pump." "Are you sure, ma'am?" "Look, I drive a VW TDI, which means turbo DIESEL injection. I means my car takes diesel." "Ma'am, they don't make cars that take diesel." "Yes, they do. You are more than welcome to come outside and look at the cap to my tank that says 'Diesel Fuel Only'." Then they either come outside and look at the cap or they look at me like I've completely gone nuts and turn the pump on. I cringe when I'm in Tennessee and driving a TDI.
It's a bit interesting to travel with two girls that are now potty-trained. Interesting because they only need to go when we are stuck in traffic or when I'm navigating my way through Winchester, Bristol, Knoxville, Nashville, Memphis, across the Mississippi, Little Rock, or Dallas. These are the only times when they claim they are dying from the need to go to the bathroom. Every. Single. Time. The above instance about the West Memphis exit is one of those cases. They COULD NOT wait until I got over the Mississippi. It's amazing. All those miles and hours between the big cities and they are good until I can get them to a decent exit, but once I can't pull over immediately, the morale in the car goes downhill fast.
