Awakening the Gypsy Spirit

Packed my bags, packed the car and headed out on the road without a destination. I only knew I had to get out of DC for a bit. I felt alive and happy like a kid in a candy store with so many choices.

I love the mountains so that was the direction in which I steered my car...to the Shenandoah's  (cue John Denver's Country Roads) I stopped at this really cool diner called the Pink Cadillac and it was there that I read about it being Elvis Presley week (Aug 10-15). Guess where I was heading? My no-destination roadtrip now had a destination...

Memphis, Tennessee

So with my trusted GPS, radar dectector (saved me from numerous tickets), AAA membership and Choice Hotels membership, I was off criss-crossing my way to Memphis. I've never attempted a roadtrip like this before. New York was the furthest I'd been. It turned out to be an awesome spur of the moment decision.

In my 8 day roadtrip I've driven 3,800km, 'touched' 6 states, visited 8 cities, participated in a whole lotta activities AND saw Rod Stewart,

I pushed and challenged myself on some of my limits and in turn learned new things about about myself.  I fought my fear of heights & claustrophobia by ziplining & zorbing down the Smokey Mountains. And also found peace and satisfaction while hiking and immersing myself in some of the country's history.

I'd always wanted to visit Graceland and I finally did. Some of the other highlights was a cruise on the Mississippi River on a paddlewheeler, a peek into the workings at Jack Daniel's distillery, an up close and personal encounter with Smokey the Bear, dinner at Bubba Gump, trying to find my way out of  a Mirror Maze, Beale Street at midnight ;o) and the Backbeat Mojo tour

Now that I've had a taste of a true roadtrip I'm hankering to get on the road again (I've not even been home 24hrs!) And that my dears, is how the seed of a coast to coast roadtrip has been sown :))