More on the trip

I was surprised at how homogenized cities and towns have become. I guess it's been this way for decades, but I never really noticed it until I took this trip. Drive from town to town on the interstate highway system, and you see the same malls, the same big box retailers and the same franchise restaurants. The city you're arriving in looks just like the one you just departed.

Fortunately, I spent some time off I40 and drove through a few small towns where there was more individuality. I'm grateful for the interstate system, but sometimes it's more pleasant and interesting to fall back on the old US highway system. In Tennessee, at least, these roads are in excellent condition, although they lack the wide shoulders and other safety features of the interstates.