Many years ago a friend and I were driving to Wisconsin from California when we heard on the radio that a tornado had been sighted 10 miles west of North Platte Nebraska. We were 10 miles west of North Platte Nebraska! It was a harrowing experience, and I won't bore you with details here.I mention it only because Roger and I had a similar experience on our way home from Florida two days ago.We were in Georgia and the sky was getting darker and darker... looking more ominous by the minute. Since we were low on gas, Roger decided to exit the highway and we found ourselves in this speck of a town with a mini mart and gas station. Just as we got out of the car to gas up, the tornado siren sounded. I yelled at Roger to head for the mini mart. He says, "Okay, I'm just going to get gas first". "No way" I shouted, "we're heading for cover now!". So we parked the card and ran into the station as the skies opened up and the rains poured down. Pretty soon several other people abandoned their cars and ran in to join us. Someone said that the storm was due to hit Emerson at 4:45. It was 4:44. I asked, "Where is Emerson?" Everyone looked at me and in unison said, "This is Emerson!". The clerk tried to reassure everyone that we were safe because this particular mini mart was tornado proof. People believed her. I, however, hung close to the bathroom, the only place without windows or glass. It continued to pour. The lightening was amazing and the thunder very scary, but thankfully, all bark and little bite. Tornados had touched down all around us, but left Emerson pretty much alone. Whew!
It was still pouring when we left, heading for Tennessee. Three hours later we decide it was time to stop for the night. We passed one little town, but I said we should forge ahead, go a little farther. On to Monteagle we went. At the exit ramp to Monteagle we were met with such dense fog, that we weren't sure we were even on the right ramp. We turned toward what we hoped was the town, but it was so foggy that we could see very little. Roger crept into what we hoped was a gas station, but we couldn't really tell until we were 3 feet from the door. We were told that there was one motel and we'd passed it. It was a Day's Inn, a two story building with lights all around, but we missed it because we could only see 2 feet in front of us.
Long story short, we made it to the motel...the worst we've ever stayed in (except for that horrible one in Baraboo). It was clean, but that's all it had going for it. The toilet didn't work, so she gave us a new room on the back side. It took us ten minutes to get there since we couldn't see. We put the key in, and it didn't work. Ten minutes later we're back in the lobby. She makes another key for us and says, if this one doesn't work, stay in the room next to it, for which she gave us yet another key. Unreal.
You know how in the midst of crud there is always a little light...something to enjoy or to appreciate or to experience? Well, so it was that night. Roger met this elderly couple on one of his many trips to the office. They were from Illinois heading to our beloved Florida. Since we had all stopped there to escape the shroud of fog, we were trapped and there to stay. We were all hungry, as well. Just a few hours earlier, son Roger had advised us strongly to get some "real Tennessee pulled pork". So here we are in a town of who knows how few people, when the clerk at the desk tells us to try Smoke 'n B's BBQ, just on down the road.
Another ten minutes to go two blocks and we arrive at Smoke'n B's. The couple we met followed us in their car. Since we couldn't see, we spent a good part of the drive on the wrong side of the road. They followed us there as well. We made it in one piece, and to our surprise and delight, Smoke'n B's had pulled pork sandwiches. In fact, that was their specialty. So the other couple (Dobby and Charlotte) joined us in eating good Tennessee pulled pork sandwiches. They each had a beer to "calm them down a bit". Then they tlet the cat out of the bag . They told us they were 92 years old!!!! They were driving from Illinois to Florida at 92 years of age. They had a beer to calm their nerves at 92 years of age. What an experience! They were so cute and it was so nice having someone to share the fog with. They were the little light that brightened our very foggy evening.
Are we there yet? Nope. We have to go through Indiana (no snow), Illinois (no snow) and finally Wisconsin (no snow). We're fired up. NO SNOW. No snow in Kenosha. None in Racine. Very little in Milwaukee. Some in Ozaukee County. Not bad. We can handle this. We see the sign, "Cedar Grove" and our mouths drop open. There is a ton of snow here...a TON! No, this can't be happening. It was 85 yesterday. This can't be real. This has got to be a mistake. Sadly, it's not. There really is 2-3 feet of snow on the ground!
We're home. Yes we are. We're back to the real world of snow and winter... and home. And, while we miss the warmth of Florida, it's nice being home. Really!
