We took no photos today. Our focus was on covering the 650 miles between Memphis, TN and Roanoke, VA. Our lack of photos was not an indictment of Tennessee’s scenery. I appreciated seeing the dense green woods of the Tennessee forests which were a stark contrast to the terrain from our days in the western deserts. I knew how determined we were to reach our destination when no one suggested making a stop in Nashville to see the sites. We’ve visited several state capitals on this journey, but clearly no one minded skipping this one. Actually, I noticed that we were all fairly quiet for much of the drive. My father reeked havoc with the telemarketers who called (he forwarded their home number to his cell phone). My mother napped between magazine and newspaper articles. I kept myself alert and entertained with CD changes from various Motown artists, to Aretha, to the Dreamgirls soundtrack. After not quite 12 hours of driving and a very filling meal at the Country Cookin’ restaurant, we’re happily ensconced in our Roanoke hotel, resting and recharging for the last segment of the journey.

Tomorrow, we’ve got a relatively short 297 miles to cover to return to the Maryland homestead and the end of the Johnson Journey 2008. Let it go safely and quickly.