Alex Burr - hester_nec

Neat photo's Denny - I like that way of presenting them. You just keep klicking on "next". Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

Jim, So sorry to hear about the Rotty - my daughter loves that breed and at one time had 3 of them at the same time. They are unfairly maligned as "vicious" - it's all in how they are brought up. She had one, Chance, that was huge - he weighed in at 115 pounds. People walking by her house would cross to the other side of the street - even when the dog was inside (rarely are they ever out in the front yard). I used to play with him - we'd roll all over the living room floor and I'd, literally, beat the daylights out of him in play. He loved it. My daughter taught me that when our pets pass they go to a place called the "Rainbow Bridge" and cross over to a world of endless warmth, sunlight and others to play with. There is no more pain, no more suffering. They are waiting for us to come and join them. As for the kids - at least your's are only an hour away. I got 3 great-grandchildren who are now 1400 miles away. Take care. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

I got troubles enough keeping FOUR wheels on the ground - never mind trying one!!!! Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

A Chevy guy crusin' a Ford? F - fix O- or R- repair D- daily Have a great time anyway....Bliss I remember all those FORD jokes: Found On Road Dead Freaking Old Repaired Dodge etc, etc Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

Here in Tennessee we don't have a state income tax - yet, which is fine with me. We do have a rather high sales tax - I think it's up to around 9%. But I don't mind because everybody pays it according to how much you buy. If Tennessee ever went to a use tax, as S. Dakota is proposing, and figured a way to apply to ALL vehicles using Tennessee roads, they could retire the state debt within 6 months from trucks alone!!!! In any event I don't see how a road use tax could be applied to transient vehicles - we American Roadies probably know of many different ways to sneak into - and out of - a state on roads not covered by a "stop-and-get-your-meter" booths. Of course there are some road blocks - for example to cross the Mississippi River here in West Tennessee there are, for example, only a couple of bridges - two in Memphis and one in Dyersburg. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

At 60 pounds the dog should maybe be carrying you!!!!! LOL I agree - a 60 pound dog is a bit much to carry around. Safe traveling my friend. Hudsonly Alex Burr Memphis, TN

There are back packs made especially for carrying smaller dogs (ie, I think you could carry up to 40 pounds). Available at most pet stores - my daughter has a small one (front pack) for her chiuaua (sp??) and the pup loves it. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

Hmmmm - people in the chat room last night?? Must have been asleep and missed the announcement that it was going to be open. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

Great write-up Ara - and thank you for saving Spirit. Pit's do have a bad rep - unfortunately I am one who does not fully trust the breed. Rotties also have a bad rep - tho I trust the ones my daughter takes in. She has saved several of these and I've found them to be fun, loving and love to play. At one time she had a 115 pound Rottie - I used to wrestle with him on the living room floor. Just beat the daylights out of each other, and he loved every minute of it. I am a transporter, Ara. Meaning that when the need arises I will take a morning, or afternoon, and transport dogs going from bad situations, like kill shelters and bad homes, to new and hopefully better homes. I usually make the run between Memphis and Brinkley, AR - about 65 miles one way. Nobody pays for our gas or our time - it's strictly volunteer. But I can also combine transports with road trips - following the old roads on my way back to Memphis. It's amazing the distances these animals travel - 2 weekends back I carried 4 cocker spaniels, coming from Ohio and Kentucky, over to Brinkley to meet another voluteer who carried them to Little Rock, passing them on until they arrived at their new shelter home in Tyler, TX. Unfortunately, there was a 10 year old Senior who was not well. She didn't make it, crossing, as we say, over the Rainbow Bridge 3 days after arriving in Texas. But she didn't die in a shelter - she left in a loving environment. Safe travels, Ara and Spirit. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

If I remember my nomenclature correctly a "plank" road is just that - a road surface laid down with planks; a corduroy road or log road was made by placing logs perpendicular to the direction of the road. Sand or dirt was sometimes spread over the logs to smooth out the surface - at least until it rained. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

There has always been one nagging question in my mind about these early cross-country trips by motor vehicles - how did they find gasolene to keep the engine going??? Think about it for a moment. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

If you're going to the poor house these days, might as well go in style. My "adventure ride" is a 1997 Cadillac Sedan deVille d'Elegance. Gets around 24, 25 mpg around town, was getting up to 27 mpg on the interstate running 70-75. Right now it does need a good tune-up and may have a head gasket problem - but once she warms up she does go. I'm not afraid to take it down some old highway alighnment - as long as there is a reasonable chance to get out safely. It does have AC, almost a must down here, a nice AM-FM radio and a 12 disc CD player in the trunk. On a long trip I can load the CD player and listen to tunes all day long, if I wish. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis TN (I'm spending my kids inheritance on gas and groceries!!)

I suspect that there were more husband/wives murdering each other thru those long winters - and a few during the hot summers - than Hollywood ever mentioned. Stuck in one of those small 1 (at best), 2 (maybe) or 3 (Baby we have arrived) room cabins. People must have been tougher than today for sure. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

In todays world another birthday means you survived another year!!!! And that gets more true every year. Congratulations on surviving another year. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

To be accurate - J. Wellington Wimpy. For more on Wimpy read the writeup @: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Wellington_Wimpy Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

Ara & Spirit, I'm getting to the point where one of the highlites of my day is opeing the American Road Forum and finding another of your great trip reports. It sounds like you are having the time of your life, and since we can't be there in person sharing your trip your reports are the next best thing. Safe traveling - our days won't be brightened when your journey ends and your reports are no more. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

What was that famous line on one of the old radio shows?? Oh, I remember - "tain't funny McGee!!!" LOL ROFL Actually, it is rather humorus!!!! Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

There was one episode where Todd and Buzz brought Route 66 all the way to Maine. It was shot at the resort in Poland Springs, Maine. I searched for years for Route 66 in Maine - never did find it. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

When their noses start growing like Pinochio???? Of course, if that's the criteria I can think of a lot of politicians who should stay out of elevators. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

I'm sure everyone knows, by now, we've just lost another great blues man/rock & roller. Bo Didley is playing in that big jam session on the top floor. Most everybody associates Bo with rock and roll, and, indeed, that's where he made his name. Many of the greats that followed him copied his work into their music. The beat, like that of Johnny Cash, is un-mistakeable. But he was also a blues singer, at least in the beginning - his roots are in McComb, MS, deep in the heart of the Delta Blues Country. He was instrumental in the transition from blues to rock and roll. Indeed, it is said the term rock and roll began when Alan Freed introduced him at a concert in the 50's as "Here's a man that will rock and roll you out of your seats!!!" Play on, Bo, play on - your music will live forever. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

Sears houses do show up everywhere - my whole neighborhood, as I've said before, is Sears pre-fab housing, built in the 1960's. So, Denny, you can truly say you've slept in a Sears Pre-fab house. Considering these houses were built 40+ years ago, they've stood up well. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

"I bet with just a little web work you could find several "then" photos for your Michigan Road Guide Book. The same site has a great shot of a car being pulled by oxen through Greensburg…looking for gas….and I bet it was on the Michigan Road!" Pulling a car with an oxen - or mule or horse. Probably be an option real soon, the way gas prices are going up. LOL Hudsonly, Alex Burr

And the girls were all from our high school!!!!!!!!!! Bummer. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

Forever frozen in time - Georgetown is not alone in Mississippi. There are many towns like this. They hit bottom in the depression nearly 80 years ago and never recovered. Just about every southern state has towns like this - as do some of the more rural northern states, like way down-east Maine and vast areas of the west. Love the sepia treatment - I've experimented with it myself. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN

Having been a teen in the (early) 50's I can relate to the old style drive-ins. You website brought back many happy memories. Some drive-ins had car hops on skates - anybody remember those. And, yes, occasioinally there would be a spill. There were drive-ins, like todays Sonic, with the little speaker boxes, but the main seemed to be the young ladies (mostly high school girls) running around taking orders, delivering orders - and doing it at high speed, most of the time. It was a place where you exchanged hello's and greetings, as Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul and Mary fame, sang - with occasions when something heavier than hello's and greetings were exchanged - usually with lads from another town who dared invade OUR town drive-in. The trick was to get out of the place, bill paid, before the cops showed up. And beleive me if you left without paying your bill, you had damned well go back later and pay it. Dear old Dad WOULD find out and not paying was more painful than paying. Ah, the good old days. Hudsonly, Alex Burr Memphis, TN