After breakfast at the hotel, we packed up and left at 8:10 AM. Skies were cloudy ahead of the big rain storm and temps were chilly at 38°.
Back on I-40 West, we passed the sign for Oak Ridge, TN. Rob mentioned that the town played a big role in the development of the atomic bomb for the Manhattan Project, the historical site we will visit later on our trip.
Oak Ridge was established in 1942 by the US Federal Government, chosen for its low population, accessibility, and valley locale that would reduce potential disasters at the four
major industrial plants where uranium enrichment and plutonium production took place. The site selection was controversial as landowners were evicted from their homes with little notice. Gee thanks, Uncle Sam.
Onward, we passed over Clinch River in Kingston, TN. Kingston Fossil Plant is a 1.4-gigawatt coal-fired power plant. A Google search revealed that the Tennessee Valley Authority will retire the plant in 2027 and replace it with a modern complex with a combined cycle gas turbine plant, aero-derivative turbines, battery storage, and solar generation.
Along a mountain ridge portion of I-40 at about 1,500 feet in elevation, we switched over to central time zone. After a stop for a morning stretch and break, heavy rain began at 10:30 AM.
At 11:30 AM (which was 12:30 PM to our rumbling stomachs), we stopped for lunch in Wildersville, TN. It was very rural and the BBQ place we intended to dine at looked permanently closed. Google Maps was out of date on that place. We instead went to Patty's Restaurant across the parking lot. It was a southern style family restaurant visited by locals and several police for lunch. We shared a club sandwich and fries, but were too full to try out their pies.
During the afternoon the rain was off and on with easy traffic, despite a lot of trucks. Michele joked that Rob’s trucking company would be named Throttle's Transportation LLC. He quipped that its motto would be, "We’ll get it there eventually." This truck carried new United cargo bag carriers.
We had a quick view of Downtown Memphis and crossed into Arkansas, passing over the Mississippi River.
We made good time today and arrived early at 2:50 PM at our hotel in Forrest City, Arkansas. Since we are now in the state of the University of Arkansas, Michele was looking for razorbacks, or feral pigs. Lo and behold, she found one at dinner.
We ate at the Legacy Cafe in town, known for its fun decor.
After dinner the weather turned balmy at 66 degrees with wind and rain.
Today's mileage was 434 miles. Tomorrow we depart for Oklahoma City where we will stay for two nights.
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