My Tennessee friends take me to a little town south of Nashville called Franklin where on November 30th, 1864 one of bloodiest and least known battles of the Civil War was fought.

Due to the incompetence of the Confederate General John Buell Hood the Union Army slipped by him in the night and fortified Franklin.   Hood then compounded his stupidity by frontally assaulting the town the next day.    Five hours, and 10,000 casualties later, the brave Army of the Tennessee was smashed.

I have always wondered how many of these suicidal, frontal assaults would occur in warfare if generals like Hood had to lead them from the front and not the rear.

Due to a late start and being tired I only make it to Chattanooga and spent the night there.   Didn’t get to see the ‘Choo-Choo’ but did dine a wonderful seafood place call Bistro Bar.    Service and oysters on the half shell were both superb.   Only downside was Brian the bartender who was originally from Wisconsin and thus a Packer fan.   Even that wasn’t too bad because, as Packer fans go, he was a pretty good guy.

Meet two delightful Southern ladies at the bar and after a short time we are fast friends and exchanging our life stories.   I inform them about my Travel Blog and tell them I am going to include them in next installment, however, I am going to ‘fictionalize it up’ and add some steamy romance to the tale.   Neither believes me for a second and they get a kick out of my lying.   Anyway, Jenny and Emily it was so nice meeting you and best wishes to you both.

It is raining hard when I wake up in the morning, which puts an end to my plans to visit more Civil War battlefields so I bravely march into Georgia.   Even though it is over 762 miles away I decide to try and make it all the way to Longboat Key.   

Around noon I stop at a small town restaurant and am reminded how very much I love the southern accent, especially when spoken by sweet talking waitresses.    As my waitresses comes by and for the second time drawls:   “Can I freshen up that coffee Sugar”, she has me and I am seriously re-thinking my support for the Union in the Civil War.   Later, when she talks me into some freshly made peach pie my eyes roll back in my head from the delicious taste.   Seriously consider staying here permanently to listen to Gladys’s maple syrup voice and eating her sinfully delicious deserts.

However, road and sunny Florida call and, in my minds eye, I can already see myself taking one of my massive, full turn backswings and launching the ball 270 yards down range.   (I can hear the groans from my golf cronies from here, as I literally have almost no back swing and they kindly refer to me as “pound for pound the shortest hitter in SD.”)

I pass the Andersonville Cemetery and Memorial in Georgia    It was here that thousands of Union soldier prisoners of war were kept under unspeakable conditions and where thousands would die of starvation, dysentery and cruelty.   The camp commander was the only person executed for war crimes after the war ended.

Because I am a student of the Civil War and a former soldier myself I cannot but help think of those long ago warriors on this rainy day in Georgia.    Towards the end of the war Confederate soldiers in particular lived under horrendous conditions.    Young men not much older than my 14 year-old ‘Little Brother’ Drake would march sometimes up to 20 miles a day, on poor rations, rags for clothes and many without shoes, even in winter.    They carried a heavy rucksack and rifle.    Then, when they reached the battlefield, they would ‘dress right’ dress’ and march into withering fire from the enemy.   Incredible.

Later I pull into a gas station and see four teenagers hanging around a Dairy Queen.   I am struck by contrast of these young men to their long ago Confederate cousins.   These four don’t look like they could march 6 blocks, carrying nothing heavier than there I-Pods and cellphones.    I don’t mean to be unkind to these kids as they live the life that was given to them, however, the long road is making me cranky.

The rain stops and then, out of nowhere, is this beautiful sign: WELCOME TO FLORIDA.   Although I still have over 200 miles to go it is still a lovely sight.

When the temp hits 77 I throw back the sunroof and let the warm air blow in.    It also helps to air out the car, which after three days on the road both car and myself can use.

I cross the famous Suwanee River of song notoriety and break out singing as much as I know.    Since I cannot sing or know the words it is obviously a sign of getting punchy.

In addition to being ‘directionally challenged’ I am also ‘techno challenged’ and before leaving had my salesperson Carol at Vern Eide set-up my navigational system with the address of my condo in Longboat Key.   She does this with her usual good charm but I suspect my many tech car calls drive her nuts.

Anyway, I have initiated this system way too early and have totally forgotten what Carol told me to do to dis-engage.   So now this female voice nags at me every time I stop at a rest stop, which those of you who have traveled with knows is quite often.    Before long that chiding voice becomes very irritating and find myself yelling at it to Shut-Up!!!
You know you have been on the road too long when you start screaming at your car.   

With 150 miles to go I am reminded of John Steinbeck’s wonderful book “Travels With Charlie” where he took off on a long road trip across America with his little dog Charlie.   One of the last lines seems very appropriate at this time:   “The trip was over, but I wasn’t home yet.”

However, after just a few more incidents of taking wrong turns a helpful employee of the condo complex comes out to the road with a flashlight and guides me to my home for the next month.

All and all I am feeling pretty good after such a long journey.   Do have somewhat of an upset stomach but put that down to existing mainly on Ho-Ho’s and chocolate milk for the past 9 hours.

After a little un-packing I walk down to the beach of the Gulf of Mexico with the sun just setting.    What a sight for a Dakota boy to see in January.