Road Trip to Memphis

Day One

Copperas Creek

Short Pump, Virginia

Early morning light along Copperas Creek. The yard never looks better than this time of year. This is the beginning of a road trip to Memphis, Tenn., following back roads and avoiding interstates.

Hadensville, Va.

Mid-day at Hadensville, Va., Post Office. The small facility and an abandoned store across the road is about all that is left of Hadensville.

The flag flying over the post office has seen better days.

Noon and the thermometer on the abandoned store reads 90 degrees. The top is down on the Jeep, but heat and wind drive me to put up by 3:30 p.m.

North Roanoke River Valley

Horses suddenly appear while crossing I-81 northeast of Blacksburg into the North Roanoke River Valley. 

Two women out for a late afternoon ride wend their way through the valley, avoiding traffic along the way. The river valley is so lovely, had found it earlier in the day I would have spent several hours here.

Blacksburg, Va.

Daily Grind

One of the Daily Grind franchises is in Blacksburg, just off the Virginia Tech campus. The coffee was good — as was dinner — but the ambiance did not come up to the standard set by Sam at the Short Pump store.