Church, a Roadhouse, and a Trip to Lebanon

February 15th – Huntsville, AL and Lebanon, TN

It's a week since the folks and I left Manitoba. Today is a lovely day, cooler than we have been experiencing for the past five days or so, but much nicer than the -20º Celsius back in Winkler.

After a leisurely morning, including a too-short run for me, we drive over to Huntsville Christian Church. Abe & Janet have attended since shortly after moving here, and it's clear they have made themselves at home: they seem be warm friends with everyone.

Just a short drive from church, Logan's Roadhouse was alive with peanut-eating customers. Shells covered the floors, and the aroma of BBQ filled the air. The offerings were delicious and the prices reasonable, but the servings were almost ridiculously large. The burgers were too tall to bite and fries overflowed the plate. Even leaving food on the plate didn't prevent a feeling of drastic overeating. Explain to me again why North Americans are ballooning in size?

By 2:45 the Camry was northward bound on the 111-mile drive to JD Powell's house near Lebanon, TN. I met JD at a BMW motorcycle rally at Pickwick Dam, TN last fall. His gentleness and kindness, his engaging personality and thoughtful approach to life made an immediate impression on me as we exchanged stories and ideas. We kept in contact by email through the winter, and when this trip with the folks firmed up, I asked whether there might be a chance to visit with him again.

I took a secondary but more direct route, Highway 231 through Fayetteville, TN to Murfreesboro, then Highway 840 to Lebanon. Hwy. 231 is a lovely drive – would have be wonderful on bike, with undulation through the low mountains and twisties everywhere. The scenery was lovely, with some fine examples of houses built with plentiful, local shale rock.

I arrived at JD's around 4:45 and was warmly welcomed by his wife, Angie, father, Jerry, and mother, Charlotte. Their children, Anslee, Luke and Connor were absorbed in play, but stopped to welcome this hairy foreigner from the land of snow ("Cool!). Jerry had ridden to the Shilo Rally ("the best rally by a dam site") last year, but we hadn't met there. We established our mutual BMW credentials before Jerry and Charlotte left with a promise that JD and I visit Jerry's motorcycle shop nearby in the morning.

It had been a long time since I had sat down to eat with a young family and it was, frankly, a treat – the food, the company and the children. JD and Angie exercise a gentle control over their offspring, giving direction while not demanding absolute compliance. From what I could see, they had the right approach in hand.

After the meal, the children left us adults in favour of a DVD. We exchanged experiences and stories – about children, motorcycling, astronomy, camping, David Attenborough documentaries – and had a taste of muscadine, a local wine. Soon enough it was 10 p.m. and time for bed. I was flummoxed to find that all three children had already been asleep for an hour or so. My kids always fought to be up until one minute after their parents went to bed. And Angie tells me that this behaviour is of their own choosing!

The Tennessee night was cool at around freezing, but all was still and sleep soon claimed me.