BETTY

Knoxville, TN, en route

On a day that saw us drive over 400 miles from Charlotte to Nashville, at times through blinding rain in the Smokey Mountains, it might be best to take a moment and tell y’aaallll about the third member of our party: Betty.

Although Betty sits demurely on our dashboard, she can at times be something of a harridan. Betty has been with us on several trips now, and, in general, we rely on her guidance to get from one exciting place to the next. That said, at times, Betty has had some ‘original’ route ideas. For instance, there was the time she told us to go down an unpaved fire road near Mount Rushmore. Or, more recently, she has taken to yelling “Make a U-turn immediately! Make a U-turn immediately!” in places where barricades and the like ensure that no such maneuver is possible. Luckily for us, we have learned when to believe Betty, and have instigated a friend, newly named Hillary, who serves as back-up when Betty seems to be tired and cranky.

As the road trip progresses, there may be further reports of Betty’s achievements and misdemeanors. But for now, we thank her for her support in getting us to Nashville (and a much-needed glass of wine) safe and sound.

(WRITTEN WITH CRISTAL)