Yep, that’s right, southwest bound.  I left Vein Mt. Headed south on Highway 221.  When I got to I-85 I turned southwest toward Atlanta.  Everything was running smooth.  You know how when you’re driving along and everything seems fine then all of a sudden you hear a noise that sounds unusual and you can’t tell where it’s coming from.  It tends to bother you a bit especially if it’s a high-pitched whining sound like metal against metal.  You start to think, uh-oh, what on earth could that be.      

     I pulled over to see if I could figure out what it was.  When I stopped, it was still going.  Much to my surprise, irritation and relief, it was my alarm clock going off.  I didn’t hear the slight bumping noise it normally gives when it goes off while I was going down the road.  I guess the vibration from the road set it off in some way cause I know I turned it off when I got up that morning.   I got out went around and shut it off, got back in and headed down the road again.  The next few miles all I could think of was, how and why that thing could have gone off like that.  Anyway, I made it the rest of the way to the Norcross area without incident and stopped to rest for the night.  Still pretty cold, I got up the next morning and continued on with my trip.    

     When I got into Atlanta, surprisingly easy going, made it to I-20 and west bound.  Stopped for gas a little before the Alabama state line, aired up my trailer tires which started looking a little low and was back on the road.  No further problems.  Except the bad feeling that I should have taken Highway 78 out of Birmingham instead of staying on I-20.  Because form there on it was I-20 & 59 going southwest.  It stayed that way all the way to Meridian, Ms.  Where as luck would have it, being in Ms., the state I’ve had more bad luck, physical, mental and emotional heartache and problems than any other state that I have ever lived in, my vehicle broke down.  I heard a bump noise and started looking around to see what it was, then I looked at my instrument panel and saw my eng. Temp. rising.  I pulled over, jumped out and raised the hood, filled the reservoir with anti-freeze and then noticed that my fan belt was laying on top loose and not tight around the pulleys.  I called 911, they called the Hwy. Patrol, one of them came out and called a service in town to come out and take care of me.  When the service man got there, he bent down and picked up the idler pulley off the ground.  It had broken off.  He replaced it and while putting the new belt on because the old one got messed up, He noticed that the belt tensioner, which is supposed to move from side to side to keep tension on the fan belt, was also moving front to back and was almost ready to come off itself.  So, I had to follow him back to Meridian so he could put a new tensioner on.  The whole thing cost me about 4 hrs. time, backtracking about 15 to 20 miles to get back to where it all happened and just over $300.  My insurance co. only paid the $75 service charge and the extended mileage warranty I have said they didn’t cover any of those parts so none of the service and labor was covered either.  Looks like I’m paying over $2200 for nothing.    

     Well I’m back on the road again headed west down I-20.  Can you imagine how it would feel driving down a sluice box for miles feeling every riffle?  That’s what I-20 is like between Meridian and Vicksburg and just before you get to Monroe La.  Unless you like that kind of ride, I would suggest avoiding that stretch of that road.  Don’t know what the rest is like but if it is anything like that part, go another way.  Anyway, I made it to West Monroe and stopped for the night.  The next morning I asked the guy running the convenience store where I spent the night the best way to get to Murfreesboro, Ar.  He said to go to Ruston and take 63-167 north to El Dorado, 7 to Camden and 24 to Prescott.  Then take 19 to Murfreesboro.  Not the best roads in the world but the best way from Monroe, La. To Murfreesboro, Ar.  The one bright spot on that stretch of road, for anyone who is interested was the little town of Delight, Ar.  It had a sign as I was entering it that said “Home of Glen Campbell”.  Nice lookin little community.  Kinda made me wonder why he ever left or at least why he didn’t come back.  Anyway, I made it to Murfreesboro in one piece and here I sit.      

      It seams that the incident in Ms. Set me back into my emergency fund and the expenses afterward has set me so far back that I have to sit and wait for my next check to get to the bank before I can go any further.  I can’t even afford to visit the Crater of Diamonds or Mt. Ida until I get some more money.  I got here Saturday the 28^th of Nov. and it looks like I’ll be here about a week before I can get on with my trip.  Well that’s about it for now.  If I forgot to mention anything, let me know and I’ll add it in.  More later when I’ve got more to add.  If this is getting boring to you, say so and I’ll try not to elaborate so much on things other than what I find.  Talk to you later.  GOD bless.                                                                              

                                                                                    Harry