I'm Alive...

You know, sort of like that Celine Dion song I sang quite loudly and beautifully yesterday in my car as I inched oh so closer to my final destination. haha. I'm getting better and better about not posting in a timely manner, but that's okay. I've been busy doing other things. Things like driving, singing (when you have satellite radio, it's not impossible to sing for 6-8 hours straight, trust me!), and hanging out with long lost friends. Mississippi and the surrounding areas turned out to be a real good time, hence the reason I hung around there for two whole weeks. I got my car fixed, only to let my tire go too long without my filling it back up with air. You see, it's had this slow leak for months now but as long as I pump it back up every couple of days it is just fine. Apparently numerous days went by where I failed to divert my attention to that damn tire and as I walked to my car to head to town I noticed a slight lean in my car. The durn thing was flatter than flat! I haven't had to change a tire in quite some time so my skills were a bit rusty. It took like 20 minutes the first time, but I am happy to say that when I put the regular back on, it only took me about 10 minutes!! I'm a pretty skilled tire changer, I'm not gonna lie. Anyways, with that behind me, I set out for the Tennessee area on Wednesday- a 575 mile haul. It would carry me through 4 states: Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee. I made only a few stops, one at the famed "Dreamland BBQ" joint in Tuscaloosa. This is the original one I do believe- the one Bear Bryant took his teams to for meals. The other stops were simply for gas. My gas mileage is taking a turn for the worse while gas prices are going up at a ridiculous pace. I don't know what's going on, but I'm just glad I'm only a few hundred miles from home! One more fill-up for the ol Pathfinder should do the trick. Driving to Tennessee was a pretty drive as I neared the mountains of Georgia (ok, rolling hills you Alaskans!). I'm past prime for viewing the vibrant fall colors, but I will take what I can get. Alaska's fall lasts for about two weeks and you only get the oranges (very dull) and the yellows. Certainly no bright reds like we have here! I stayed with my aunt and uncle and cousin Brian in Oak Ridge on Wednesday night- nice to see them as I cannot recall the last time. They will be in Raleigh in just a couple weeks for Thanksgiving! The nights are getting a little chillier, but all I have to do is look up the Anchorage Daily News weather report to appreciate the balmy temps that November has brought thus far! Yesterday I set out to visit a couple friends, one in Johnson City, Tenn and the other in Greenville, SC. Made it to Johnson City in time to have lunch with Dionne, an old friend from UAA who moved to go to ETSU. Very nice catching up with her and reminiscing about old times. It was beautiful driving into and out of Johnson City between the fall colors, the scattered green pastures with old rusty barns struggling to stand on their own, and the Carolina-blue skies. My drive from Tenn to South Carolina took me through the very western part of North Carolina - a very weird feeling that I wasn't expecting. Obviously, North Carolina has been my destination, the end product of this crazy trip since the beginning. To be driving along and see the "Welcome to North Carolina" sign was quite nice, and it really hit me that I am almost done. I was only in the state for maybe 50 miles before I hit South Carolina, where I stayed last night and will be here tonight as well. My old high school friend Brandon lives here now and I hadn't seen him in a couple years, so it's worth goin a little out of the way to catch up! I'm super excited to almost be home, for tomorrow to come, for me to see that "Welcome to North Carolina" sign one more time, but this time for good. That's all for now... one last post to follow real soon!