From Montgomery to Pittsburgh!  Hot, humid, spectacular rain storms.  River walks in Montgomery, Atlanta, Chattanooga, Knoxville.  Visited Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield and Wolf Creek Indian Village, and, best of all, an original Walgreens lunch counter, now sharing space with Uncle Sam's Pawn Shop. And, today, Ginnie got to swim at Pittsburgh's wooded inner city retreat, Frick Park.  Tonight, dinner at Big Jim's On The Run. FYI, just try to find a motel room in West Virginia -- we drove for hours in vain:  all, and I mean ALL, are filled by swarms of natural gas workers!  @#$@ fracking!!

Days 15-19 Louisiana to Alabama

 Saw our first alligator (smacking his lips at Ginnie), ate crawdaddies, explored the St Louis #1 Cemetery in N'orlins, and drove past the rebuilding after Katrina (accented by sculptures made from felled trees along the Mississippi coast) -- the south is a tasty dish of tragedy and beauty.  Tomorrow, Atlanta :)

Days 1-14 Oakland to Austin

SANTA ROSA TO AUSTIN, a roller coaster ride of sights & emotions:  the  luxury of Palm Springs, the dusty, disintegrating desert towns through Arizona, New Mexico & southwest Texas, the big city ego of Dallas, and the down-home easy living style of Austin -- the next stop:  New Orleans!