I've been traveling a lot lately, but not very far. My daughter-in-law is seriously ill, so we have stopped looking for a dream cruise, a trip to Hawaii, and a European river cruise. But without getting more than a few hours from home, we have traveled south to Cocharn in southern Georgia, east into Virgina, then up to West Virginia and home through Kentucky. This afternoon, we have just returned from a trip down into Middle Tennessee. No, we didn't see any storm damage.

But I got a good lesson in appreciation. I appreciate Tennessee's good roads. I-75 thorough Kentucky is a washboard that will beat you half to death. The worst major highway I have been on in years is the West Virginia Turnpike. They charged me $2.50 to drive over that outdated concrete warpath. Maybe they should spend a few bucks on pavement. Georgia and Virginia highways are not quite as good as Tennessee's, but good enough. My wheels are just not used to potholes.

Within the last year, I have been in the Carolina's, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. I can live with most roads in North and South Carolina, but those other three states are not recommended. I can understand why states in the north, with all of that freezing and thawing, can't keep their roads in good condition. But down in Dixie, there is no excuse. I assume that states get about the same amount of federal money per mile for interstates. Maybe Tennessee just makes better use of it. And Tennessee won't charge you a toll.

If you know any long-haul truckers, ask them where the good highways are. They will likely mention Tennessee.
Howard