Truth - Justice - The American Way (Day 5)

My good riding friends Al and Penny were nice enough to take a small detour off our route so we could stop in and see my brother Chris. I hadn't seen him in at least three years and being so close to where he lives in Metropolis, Illinois....it seemed like an opportunity I couldn't pass up. We rode out of Benton, Missouri and and arrived in Metropolis, Illinois just in time for breakfast. Not knowing the area, Chris suggested we meet at a Huddle House. The Huddle is a cross between a Winchell's Donut shop and a very small Denny's and the people watching was awesome. I suppose they were thinking the same thing while watching us!

The short time with Chris was great and then we swung by the Superman statue. Yes, this is THE Metropolis from Superman and there is a 30 foot statue in front of City Hall. Cheesy and neat all at once! Can you see the resemblance?

We then drove through Nashville where I was tempted to start my singing career. Guess I'll keep that one on my bucket list since I was riding sober. As we rode into the beautiful mountains of Virginia, we came across the small town of Glade Spring. Having no idea what we were coming upon, it was quite a surprise to see the remnants of a devastating tornado. The tornado struck on April 28, 2011 and killed several residents. Even several months later, buildings were in ruins and debris piles were everywhere. Trees were snapped in half and signs of rebuilding were everywhere. Here is a picture of some of the damage.

We landed in Marion VA for the night and had a great Margarita with our Mexican dinner before checking into the worst Econolodge I've ever seen. Note to self, ECONO means cheap and dumpy!

Miles traveled today = 550

Total miles for trip = 2860

Number of States accumulated = 11

iPod song of the day Heartbreaker by Pat Benetar Listen and remember the good ole' days!