Dream Road-Hopkinsville, Ky.

Finally, I'm continuing the journey I started June 2010.

After putting everything in storage, getting my TEFL certification, spending tons of money on the grandkids, realizing that overseas wasn't the original dream (which was why I wasn't feeling comfortable doing it), making the decision to head for that original (Smoky Mountains), and buying a pick-up, I headed south at 11am, Saturday, May 14, 2011. First stop, Hopkinsville, Ky.

Thank goodness the first leg of this journey was close so I could make all my mistakes in remembering how to travel.

I bought an atlas but forgot to consult it and compare against the MapQuest directions I printed. So rather than straight down Interstate 57 from Chicago to Interstate 24, right into Hopkinsville, they had me on Route 130 going through every small southern Illinois town. It took me further east than 57, but with speeds of 35 and 40mph in several areas. Scenic route would’ve been fine if it wasn’t raining, then down-pouring.

The next connection was supposed to be Interstate 64 East. Somehow I missed the East and ended up on 64 West. When I ran into 57, I kinda figured something was amiss. I THEN consulted the atlas. Needless to say, I had gone about 100 miles out of my way. I was okay though because it was my error and it was all still good. Additionally, I got to drive past the fields of sunshine twice. Fields and fields, acre after acre of Goldenrod. Wow.

Now, I’m looking for South 41 and was very careful to find it and make sure I was truly going south. Might have been okay if there was some kind of error here, because South 41 in Kentucky is actually a back road for several miles. So here I am, not having driven for 8 years, in the dark, in the rain, and I’m being honked at, passed with shakes of head and that old familiar finger-birdie at speeds of 60-70mph within speed limits of 40-45mph. THEN, MapQuest has me turn left into a trailer park and right onto a non-existent road. According to them, I was .10 of a mile away.

This is where I consulted the phone. I was pretty close—about 2 miles, and 2.5 hrs late. Hopkinsville, Ky. on Peace Road.