Photoessay #1242 - Rural Tennessee

Though we won't be able to see my sister in law this trip, we decided to get a feel for the area. So, after we arrived in Knoxville, we made for the hills on the way (we thought) to Deer Lodge. There's not too many roads up in those hills but the ones that are there are pretty confusing. We drove 42 miles but, at some point even though my maps were pretty crummy, I just didn't think we were going the right away. So we turned back and returned to Knoxville. As we got farther away, the scenery, though pretty seemed to be more full of despair with lots of burned out, abandoned and run down houses. Some little tiny towns up there. So isolated up there, the only way we could figure out to be successful would be to have a fair amount of money, a way to barter, some skills and smarts to help other rural folk, a good car and participation in the Baptist Church. We saw a Baptist Church about every mile. Tons of different Baptists churches (complete with buildings) all along these lonesome highways.

Looked at the Google maps when we got home and saw where we went wrong. After Wartburg, we had proceeded on to Sunbbright on Hwy 72 then Elgin and Robins (where we turned around). Somewhere there was a turn to Hwy 329 which would have taken us west to Deer Lodge. I think I might have seen where it was supposed to be but it was all torn up. And we didn't recognize it as the place to turn anyway.

But it all looked much the same. Some rolling hills and twisting roads, some small hamlets, lots of Baptist churches, some well-maintained place, most not.

The picture is characteristic of the landscape.

Earlier in the day, we flew from Norfolk to Knoxville through a very busy Atlanta airport. My purse opened in an unexpected way and I accidentally left my passport in the hotel room. Thanks Matt and Sue who will pick it up and send it to me!

Tomorrow, we will have the tour at Oak Ridge National Labs then back to Knoxville to fly to Detroit. Ilana tells me the weather there is 'like Seattle, high in the 30s) NOT! Not in late March. Much warmer here in the South.