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A blessedly sweltering road trip in Tennessee

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In 1811 and 1812, a series of violent earthquakes caused the Mississippi River to flow backwards for a time, creating Reelfoot Lake, which is shallow but encompasses 15,000 acres. The area is now a state park. Cyprus trees are the prettiest things there. The water itself is home to such unwelcoming creatures as snapping turtles, alligator gar, and water moccasins. We stayed at the Blue Bank Resort, which is right on the water. Boardwalks and bridges provide a way for people to get around. Photo by Tena Starr
In 1811 and 1812, a series of violent earthquakes caused the Mississippi River to flow backwards for a time, creating Reelfoot Lake, which is shallow but encompasses 15,000 acres. The area is now a state park. Cyprus trees are the prettiest things there. The water itself is home to such unwelcoming creatures as snapping turtles, alligator gar, and water moccasins. We stayed at the Blue Bank Resort, which is right on the water. Boardwalks and bridges provide a way for people to get around. Photo by Tena Starr
In 1811 and 1812, a series of violent earthquakes caused the Mississippi River to flow backwards for a time, creating Reelfoot Lake, which is shallow but encompasses 15,000 acres. The area is now a state park. Cyprus trees are the prettiest things there. The water itself is home to such unwelcoming creatures as snapping turtles, alligator gar, and water moccasins. We stayed at the Blue Bank Resort, which is right on the water. Boardwalks and bridges provide a way for people to get around. Photo by Tena Starr

copyright the Chronicle August 5, 2015

by Tena Starr

For quite some time I’ve had an itch, and this year’s cool, rainy summer has done nothing to scratch it. After a bitter winter, I craved warm — no, hot weather, and I wanted a road trip.

Some people like to have a destination, entertainment and amenities when they travel — Disney World, a resort, beaches, one stop shopping, so to speak. I like road trips. That means setting a general destination and time frame, and that’s about it. What happens between departure and arrival is unscheduled. The point is to see the country and its people. The destination itself can be vague.

In this case, it was the Mississippi River.

Steve was taken aback when I said… To read the rest of this article, and all the Chronicle‘s stories, subscribe:

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