I never thought Econolodge would be such a restful spot, but I slept like a log. The room was nice, the air conditioner was armed with the coldest of polar blasters, and the room did not have an off-putting smell. I can’t really speak on the amenities of the place, except that coffee? Fuhgeddaboudit. The coffee available was decaf and tasted like someone screamed the word coffee into a pot of boiling, brown water.
I went right over to McDonald’s, picked up breakfast and coffee, and we were on our way. We wasted no time.
The drive through Tennessee took a minute, but every second was worth it. The scenery that this little pancake-shaped state offers to drivers is constantly changing from busy cities to the Smoky Mountains. We made one more stop, and it was one of the busiest Buc-ee’s truck stops I have ever seen.
Abby REALLY wants McDonalds for breakfast!The busiest Buc-ee’s I have ever seen.I have given this beaver enough money to get more than a hug, but I guess I will have to settle.
We killed about half an hour at the Buc-ee’s in Sevierville, TN, and loaded up on snacks. I got a little bit of gas from there, and I wish I had gotten a complete fill-up because they had a deal that if you purchased the premium car wash, you could pay $1.44 per gallon. Missed opportunity!
State #4: Virginia
We rolled into Bristol, Virginia and visited the welcome center. It was a small place with some things to see, but not a ton to do. A good leg stretching and some quick photos and we were back on the road. Oh, and on the way through we actually drove on a road with funny name…
Abby really wanted to take this photo!Thus Always to TyrantsWe drove on Butt Hollow Road. I had to get a shot of this street sign. Had I had a wrench and a minute, I would have straight up stolen that sign. Quality Inn in Verona, Virginia
We checked into a Quality Inn motel in Verona, VA, and we crashed. Brandi thought it was a hotel and was worried once she found out it was a motel. We have pretty crummy luck with motels, but I was tired and could have slept in the van. It was actually a nice place, and the funny smell was gone quickly.
In the reestablishment of my personal website, Just Chill Here, I am going to utilize this service to journal my family’s travels for the summer of 2025. This is the first major vacation I have taken since my wreck, and the anxiety I felt Friday night while packing and preparing was palpable.
I decided to pack the next morning, and I was in bed early so I could be rested. The plan to drive to the Poconos was broken into three days: two 10-hour days and the third day would be about half of that. What a big trip to take as the first big trip in so long! Interstate travel in such a busy corridor meant I was going to be working this bum foot out more than anything. I was also worried about the diabetes dilemma because food comes at convenience and flavor as opposed to functionality.
Thank you Canva AI!
State #1: Mississippi
Mississippi was our first state to visit, and we crossed at Vicksburg and stretched our legs for a bit. The sights were interesting, and walking through history is always an enjoyable experience for me. Brandi likes to walk around and look, and the kids love when the terrain offers the opportunity to run, jump, potentially break bones, and act like kids.
The family enjoyed checking out the two bridges. On the right is a train bridge. I believes this is a tourist thing, but I am not sure. It was closed off, which really stinks.
This old cannon was used to fight off the Union. Now it’s a plaything for my kids.
These banks were steep and I did not try to climb them. The kids burned some energy off for sure.
Driving through Mississippi can be a bit dry, but occasionally you see some reminders of days gone by. We have done a long stay in the state a couple of times in the past, and while I will not elaborate on those times, I do believe one of the most interesting things to see is the slow takeover of kudzu. While beautiful, the kudzu vines are a plague that is slowly overtaking the South.
State #2: Alabama
So we rolled into Alabama’s Sumter Welcome Center in Cuba, Alabama and took another break to stretch our feet some. There was a bit more space to walk around here, and some interesting things to see as well.
Inside of the Sumter Welcome Center in Cuba, Alabama.Wesley loves this coon skin cap, and he received a ton of compliments on it on our drive up. The turkey in the background is actually filled with plastic bottles and litter. A big theme of this center is keeping Alabama beautiful.I need to install one of these at the house, and in my school. This is actually the bas of a flag pole that Wesley climbed. He was nervous about standing up. Little dud is brave!This is the campfire chicken meal at Cracker Barrel. It was delicious, filling, and not crazy expensive. Wesley gives Cracker Barrel’s grilled cheese and mac and cheese a solid 5 stars!
After the welcome center, we hit up Cracker Barrel for lunch and it was tasty. The girls both at chicken, Wes a grilled cheese kids meal and I had the Campfire Cookout Chicken. I also ate my weight in corn muffins and biscuits, thus ruining an otherwise decent effort to stay on track for keeping my blood sugar down. This meal made me sleepy for the rest of the drive and we had a pretty long stretch until our next stop.
State #3: Tennessee – STRAIGHT TO BED!
We arrived at the Econolodge in Chattanooga and headed straight to bed. No shower, nothing. I was toast.
We are actually part of Choice Hotels, which has been a fantastic idea for us on our travelling. Free rooms, discounted rates, preferred parking…It’s worth it!
