I realized this morning that I’m close to the as-yet-unvisited Great Smoky Mountains National Park, so I decided to make a quick detour.  Unfortunately I had a tire fail on the way so I had to change the tire in the chilly rain.  Despite the delay, I did make it there:

Yes, that’s snow.  I guess it is winter:

Next I visited Andrew Johnson National Historic Site:

Johnson is a fascinating character, and the visitor center and film were quite good.  Johnson’s original tailor shop is preserved here:

Can I please go back to California?

I had the blown tire replaced:

I continued into Virginia to overnight at the Cracker Barrel of Woodstock, Virginia.  See the trip map for today’s drive.

Welcome to Tennessee!

I visited Stones River National Battlefield south of Nashville:

Part of the battlefield:

I overnighted at the Cracker Barrel of Morristown, Tennessee.  See the trip map for today’s drive.

Good morning from the town park in San Jon, New Mexico:

I drove west into Texas, then Oklahoma and visited Chickasaw National Recreation Area:

I ran the nature trail, visiting the springs that made this park famous:

I continued into Arkansas to visit President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site:

I overnighted at the Walmart of Bryant, Arkansas.  See the trip map for today’s drive.