[Key: Memoir in Times New Roman, Travel Journal in Arial]
This was an aborted trip. The kids were still in R.I. (hadn’t moved yet.)
4-11-97 Pensacola/Jax
After spending last night with a very miserable back, it was doubtful that we’d be able to take off this a.m. to see Kent, Tamiko + Brynne who are there house hunting. Amazingly, I had a good night’s rest + we took off at 8:05. We stopped for lunch at Wendy’s in Tallahassee + arrived at the Navy Lodge at 3:00 – a 370 mile trip. (Exit 50 was a good place to get gas $1.19.)
Unfortunately the kids were not at home + we waited an hour outside the gate, then managed to sneak through the gate + got to their apartment but still no one was home. Had a lovely dinner at the China Coral near their apartment, then called + they still weren’t back so we came back to the lodge, watched some TV + retired early after a busy day.
8th Combat Cargo [Squadron] Reunion
Oct. 5, ‘97 Pensacola to Goodlettsville, Tenn
Left home at 9 am for the first leg of our trip to the reunion in Conn. We followed Rt. 65 all the way to the Nashville area except for the for the first strip on Rt. 29 to Flomaton, Ala. Small towns we passed in Escambia Co. are farming areas primarily with little industry except for Champion Paper in Cantonment. The farm lands enroute to Montgomery looked rich with a bumper crop of cotton this year. The cities we passed - Montgomery, Birmingham, Huntsville + Nashville all looked pretty much the same although the latter two seemed to have more traffic than usual, especially for a Sunday.
After eight hours of driving 451 miles we were happy to check into the Comfort Inn. It’s a ** AAA according to the book, but we’d be hard pressed to give it a *.
Our meal was very good at the Cracker Barrel Restaurant across the street.
Oct. 6, 1997 Goodlettsville - Springfield, Ohio
We got away at 8:35 and stayed on I-65 to Louisville. The scenery along the way was lovely with the rolling hills + changing colors which became more obvious that fall had arrived as we traveled north.
Changes in the I-75 + I-71 areas of Louisville – Cincy – Dayton + S’fld were evidence of a more prosperous economy.
We arrived at Mary Jane's about 3 pm - a distance of approx. 800 miles from Pensacola. It was so good seeing our dear friend doing so well as a widow of 5 years.
We had a very enjoyable evening at the Gs for dinner. Wanda + Ray are going to Conn, also.
[Missing entries for the rest of the trip.]
