Third Drive Day Toward the South and My Sister's 60th Birthday

We left Wal-Mart in Clarksville, TN. AT 10 am and rolled through Nashville shortly after that.

About 50 miles east of Nashville,TN., the Appalachian Mountains were on the horizon.

As we climbed the mountain, there was still some color on the trees.

Joe didn't know he was going to have to climb a mountain today. The top was at 1935 feet. A rest stop was also at the top, so we stopped  for lunch.

Our first year out in 2008, we crossed the Appalachians further north. Joe and I were both very nervous going down the mountain that year.

 We are not rooky Full Time Rver's anymore! We have many steep mountain down grades behind our belts now, so it was a piece of cake for me at least this day!

First run away ramp.

Second run away ramp.

Shortly after crossing the northern Alabama border we stopped at Wal-Mart in Scottsbore for a third night. Today was a short drive with only 170 miles. Doesn't sound like a lot of miles, but at 55 miles per hour it is slow going. When you are paying 7.5 cents a mile, you do what ever it takes to get better gas mileage!
While I was still in Cedar Rapids, IA, I got to help celebrate my older sister Karen's 60th Birthday.

Mom and I drove down to Mt. Pleasant, Ia from Cedar Rapids, where she and Jim live. Jim's Birthday was about a week later so we celebrated his Birthday also. (He was not a sleep here, I just caught him as he blinked). The dog on Jim's lap is Dolly.

Jim had just lost his dog Brandy about 2 weeks prior. Karen found Dolly at the Dog Pound. When Karen told Jim about Dolly, he said he didn't want a small dog.

The day before Dolly was to be put down, my sister went to the pound and saved her life. Jim has had a change of heart, and they both claim Dolly as their dog.

We celebrated Karen's Birthday at Taco John's because we all were short on cash, and who doesn't like Taco John's anyway.  Karen's youngest daughter, Tami lives in Fairfield, IA. We drove to Fairfield so she could join us, for her mom's Birthday.

I had brought a cake and ice cream and put sparkler candles numbered 60 on it. I thought 60 individual candles might cause a fire, but then again, the sparkler candles were a bit scary also!

When we got back to Karen's place I decided to take a picture of all her pets. Not only had Jim just lost his dog Brandy, but Karen had just lost Mac, a yellow tabby, who was at least 18 years old. This is Toby, who is 14 years old.

This is Stoney or sometimes called Loci. Stoney is Tami's cat, but Karen is taking care of her , because Tami 's  apartment does not allow cats.

This is Jolie, another of Tami's cat's.

This is Raven, another one of Tami's cats.

This is Scooby Sue. Karen adopted Scooby Sue from Tami about ten years ago, because she could no longer care for her.

This is Zipper. Zipper would not hold still for a picture. One of Karen's co workers was looking for a home for Zipper. Naturally my sister came to Zippers rescue.

Lastly, this is Sassy. Karen found Sassy wondering around a Menard's parking lot when she was only a kitten. She looked for her owner, but no one seemed to have lost her. She found a home at Jim and Karen's. ( The animal rescuer!)